Hey Tim Diebert

[Jim Stumpf]

Tim I checked out your web site. I had been there before and enjoyed you camping and sailing picture, but today your companion way hatch caught my eye. I have seen similar set ups in the past and plan on updating mine this spring, a few questions if you dont mind.

Did you use flat brass stock for the spline that the lid slides on.

Did you add a dam inside the sides of the hatch to keep water from comming back in through the scuppers/limber holes. I could see spray from a good broad wind or from the hose wetting down the cabin.

Feel free to add anyother advise you feel is important on this upgrade.

Thanks,

Jim

[Tim Diebert]

Tim I checked out your web site. I had been there before and enjoyed you camping and sailing picture, but today your companion way hatch caught my eye. I have seen similar set ups in the past and plan on updating mine this spring, a few questions if you dont mind.

Thanks. Fire away.

Did you use flat brass stock for the spline that the lid slides on.

Well, close. 1/8" bronze actually.....but I have used brass before as well. I have a local supply for the bronze.

I have made many hatches covers before, and I pretty well always do them in a rendition of this method. Little friction, nothing to wear out.

Did you add a dam inside the sides of the hatch to keep water from comming back in through the scuppers/limber holes. I could see spray from a good broad wind or from the hose wetting down the cabin.

Yes, there is a 'dam' between the rails and aft of the scuppers. It also acts as the 'stop' for max aft movement....and stop for max forward movement as well. You have to be able to add it after putting the cover in place....and be able to remove it before removing the cover. A bit of a pain I can tell you.

Any additional things to note would be to use a nice thick rail, be sure the pair of rails are both vertical and parallel. I know these things may seem obvious, but the cabin top of this boat was all over the map. Nothing was symmetrical, straight or the same. So it was time consuming to get it right. If the slide grooves aren't parallel, the cover will bind and that sucks.

Have fun with it Jim. If you have any more questions let me know.

Don't forget to take pix.

[Tim Diebert]

...oh and with the nice heavy rails, they really beefed up the cabin top. Mine is a lot more solid now.

How have you liked your VAC?

I have been toying with the idea of butchering up a VAC to have a multi chine hull. But starting from scratch this time rather than with a existing boat. It is a good looking boat...and with a deeper hull it would have sitting headroom and perhaps some performance advantage. Just a thought.....

[Jim Stumpf]

Thanks Tim,

I like my Vacationer alot, this will be the third season on the water. She is great for weekend trips but is a bit of a pain for a daysail. I have sailed her solo but don't think I could get her on and off the trailer by myself. The set up and teardown at the ramp is time consuming and is part of the reason I don't generally take this boat for a short day sails. When sailing with other Weekenders or PC's they will smoke me at the ramp. I thought it was just me but when in MD for the BYYB Mega Regatta the other Vac. owner Dave Rudel, took about the same amount of time to down rig as I did. For a couple of days sailing the Vac is like a motel on the water including running water and a camp stove.

Thanks for the imput on the hatch.

Jim

[Tim Diebert]

Thanks for the input Jim.

Interesting info.

As I have said before, the single greatest and most clever design feature of the Weekender is it's quick rigging. Just one detail, the tabernacle above the boom, does it all.....and makes it all work so well.

Sounds like you take about as much time as the larger plastic boats that sail my area. I went out with a buddy with a 26 foot MacGregor Classic. We launched and retrieved that day. Man, what a workout. Rigging was the least of the hassles (which he prefers to do on the water)....getting that giant hulk off.... and back onto the trailer was wicked.

Surely the VAC must be not so bad...as say a Marconi rigged boat of the 20 foot variety?

What is it that slows you down mostly? The weight-mass of the boat? Or walking the mast up?

[Tim Diebert]

My first mate has been asking me about a boat with a little more room.

We even scoped out a San Juan 21 recently.

At one point I figured on buying the next boat....but am now toying with the idea of building.

Now that I have my boat basically.....getting closer anyway.....sorted, I would not want to be doing anything for a long while yet. I want to enjoy this little guy for a spell. But as with most boat owners, RVers and airplane owners....they are always thinking of the next move.

Daphne recently said to me during a casual conversation: "You know, I have been thinking, rather than get that new camper we were thinking of, why don't we get a bigger boat to holiday in." That pretty much had me google eyed :shock:

But, the more I think about it, the more I am worried that a bigger boat (even a little bit bigger) will slow down the frequency of sailing I do now.

I love John Welsfords Sweet Pea, and am waiting to see how Scott Dunsworth's Belhaven turns out......but then I was thinking the Vacationer with some changes could work well for us as well......or or.

Anyway, it is fun to ponder these things. In the meantime, I will plunk away at Annie M. and enjoy the boat I have.

[Tim Diebert]

Somehow I just knew you were going to say that beaker.

Yes, almost certainly that would be the case.

How often do you use the WE these days?