Hatch Board Storage

On SummerPlace, there is no convenient place to store the hatch boards while sailing. Usually, I bury them under the pillows in the forward stateroom for a day sail. When we go out for a few days on a cruise, they're often under foot and have to moved from time to time. I could just toss them into the cockpit locker but want to keep them looking good and not all scratched up. This project addresses the issue by giving them a proper and secure home for all occasions.

A flat, narrow box was constructed from plywood. Hinged at the bottom and mounted in the port cockpit locker, the box tips out for loading the boards and then folds up and out of the way for storage. A divider built into the box, keeps the boards from banging into each other. The outside dimensions are 25w x 22h x 2.75d



The setup is secure, quick and easy to use, and will likely replace the bed pillows if it ever stops raining long enough to actually go sailing.

New Batteries

SummerPlace came to us in 2009 with four group 27 wet cell batteries, their history unknown. Last year, they didn't perform very well. After an overnight at anchor, the bank couldn't deliver enough power to brew a pot of coffee using the inverter. The inverter shut down due to low voltage. The decision was made to replace the batteries this spring.
I considered the options including use of four 6-volt golf cart batteries wired in series-parallel to create a 480 amp hour bank and addition of a fifth starting battery.

I finally decided on four 12-volt AGM (Absorbed Glass Matt) maintenance-free batteries with 3 of them wired in parallel for 315 amp hours and the fourth reserved for starting. Even though the capacity of the installation is less, it fits our needs, eliminates maintenance hassles, and total cost was about the same. I also reasoned that a fifth battery to increase capacity could be added later.


I checked West Marine and found a cost of $307 per battery. Reading internet forum posts on the subject. I discovered that West Marine AGM batteries are made by an outfit called East Penn. They sell exactly the same battery under the "Deka" brand for $237 each - a project savings of $280. for exactly the same part.

Today, I drove over to the East Penn office in Portland and picked up four of the Dekas. While at the will-call door I smiled seeing pallets of batteries with the West Marine Label on them.

It pays ($280 in this case) to do your homework and shop around.

To complete the project, new battery boxes were built and the battery cables rebuilt to remove excess length and replace the end terminals

Winch Upgrade

Summer Place has an electric winch. Its really an anchor windlass/capstan mounted and used as a winch -- a nice amenity when sailing single-handed or sending someone up the mast. The one on Summer Place however, had a very awkward placement (see photo) of the switch forcing you to stand on one leg while (trying to) depressing a very stiff foot switch on the coaming with your toe as you tail the winch. Its a very finicky switch too and must be pressed just so. It'd probably work fine if mounted on the floor so you could stand on it with all your weight. But not here...


I decided a foot switch on the floor was the way to go and bought a waterproof one on Ebay for 20 bucks. Its the kind used for electric trolling motors.

As I dug into the matter, I realized that the winch draws about 50 amps and uses 4 gauge wire to the battery with no solenoid. The entire 50 amps is running through the switch meaning the 2 ounce foot switch is going to have two 4 gauge wires running to it. Not good.

Back to Ebay for a solenoid. I chose one rated for 80 amps continuous duty. Another 17 bucks. With a solenoid, the switch will handle less than 1 amp allowing for use of a small and flexible wire. I chose to use 16 gauge.

Next, I fabricated a StarBoard housing for the foot switch, installed the cord and a cigarette lighter style plug on the end. The plug has a fuse built into it to prevent any short circuit.

The foot switch plugs into an existing outlet on the sidewall of the cockpit just below the seat. The plug is wired to the solenoid which dutifully activates the winch when you step on the switch.

Now, you can use the electric winch from any position in the cockpit to raise the sail, go up the mast, or retrieve the dinghy. Afterward, the switch can be disconnected and put away so its not underfoot.

Galley Remodel

The galley on SummerPlace had meager storage space for pots, pans, knives, etc. The microwave was 13 years old and very low powered, and the stove was mounted very low to accommodate some useless gimbals. This project added two drawers, a new microwave, and eliminated the gimbals to allow efficient use of all available space.

The drawer faces are cut from Iroko hardwood giving a good match of color and grain to the existing teak interior surfaces.

Homeport - Kalama

In October, our number finally came up for a permanent slip at Kalama Marina. Situated only 7 miles from home, Kalama is in an ideal river location for both sailing and cruising and only a few minutes away for doing projects or checking the lines. The slip is a 60ft. end-tie with plenty of room for a fishing boat. This part of the river is know for excellent salmon fishing in the spring and fall. Our Nonsuch 26 'Catbert' moored here from 2003 until 2007.



Short video of the first sail after moving to Kalama

Multnomah Channel - July 2011

Multnomah Channel wanders 20 miles from the Willamette River on the upstream end to the Columbia River at St. Helens separating Sauvie Island from mainland Oregon on the Columbia River. Navigation is easy with >20ft depths in most places.

We took a short cruise about two-thirds of the way to St. Helens to visit a couple of marine parks. The entrance to the channel is about 10 miles from the marina. Much of the upper channel is developed with marinas and houseboat moorages.


Our first stop at Coon Island Marine Park found an empty 800 ft. concrete dock. A composting toilet and a few picnic tables are available there but we couldn't get near them due to clouds of hungry mosquitoes blocking the path.

We headed back the second day spending the night at Hadley's Landing, just a few miles before reentering the Willamette. Here we found a few people fishing, a couple of other boats using the large dock, and lots more mosquitoes. Across the channel is a small boat repair facility and other activity making it an interesting place to explore on the dinghy.

Returning to the marina on day three, we had a good light-air sail from the Multnomah Channel entrance to Kelly Point where the Willamette rejoins the Columbia River.

New Dodger

I always liked the look and quality of Iverson Design dodgers and now we've finally sprung for one. To look at them, you'd think they're the most expensive ones around but the reality is that they're priced similar to other shops and less expensive than some. Best of all, THEY SHOW UP and they get the job done quickly. Our project included the dodger, sailcover, and several other items.

We chose the darkest blue Sunbrella. The lighter color on the previous dodger had its advantages and looked ok but showed dirt badly. The windows on the new dodger are of Makrolon, a semi-rigid plastic that refuses to wrinkle making the windows seem like glass. We also ordered window covers to protect them from the caustic bird crap that flies around the marina.

The project had two steps. At the boat on the first day, after discussion about the design, the frame is fabricated using equipment on the Iverson truck. The new frame is installed and patterns are made using a special plastic sheet material. With the patterns in place on the frame, you can see exactly what the dodger will look like before any Sunbrella is put to the knife and needle. Eight days later was install day and the project completed. They're by far the most efficient canvas shop I've ever dealt with.

We love the new dodger and recommend Iversons Design highly.