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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

Catalina 250 Specific Forum

Commissioning

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kevinmac
Admiral

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USA
732 Posts

Initially Posted - 11/12/2005 : 15:16:45

I finally got a hull number (#881) and delivery date for my C250WK ordered October 19th. The delivery estimate is an Alice In Wonderland kind of thing. Today is 11/12/05. The boat is scheduled for completion 11/3/05. But the factory is running 2 to 3 weeks behind schedule, and Thanksgiving might get in the way, so don't expect the boat until the end of November.

Uh...why didn't they just say it was scheduled for completion at the end of November? ;-)

Anyway, my arrangement with my dealer is that the boat will be shipped to him, and I will do the entire commissioning process under his supervision. This is the way I wanted it, I want to learn the boat (also saved a little money, but that was not the point).

Do you think folks on this web site would be interested in a series of pictures of what the boat looks like as it is received, and what the commissioning process is, kind of a before and after? If so, I could put it up on a site I have access to, and post a link.

Please let me know what you think. Thanks.

Kevin Mackenzie
Former Association Secretary and Commodore
"Dogs Allowed"
'06 C250WK #881
and
"Jasmine"
'01 Maine Cat 30 #34

Edited by - on

Buzz Maring
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1772 Posts

Response Posted - 11/12/2005 : 16:05:03

<font color="blue">... Do you think folks on this web site would be interested in a series of pictures of what the boat looks like as it is received, and what the commissioning process is, kind of a before and after? If so, I could put it up on a site I have access to, and post a link. - Kevin</font id="blue">

Hi Kevin,

Personally, I think it would make a great Tech Tip. You could document the process with photos, explain what goes on during the commissioning process, and then submit it for inclusion in the Tech Tips. I checked the C-250 Tech Tips, and I didn't see any topics on commissioning. I think anyone who is planning to buy a new boat could really benefit from it ... great idea!

Congratulations on finally getting a hull number and some dates!

Edited by - on

Arlyn Stewart
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
2980 Posts

Response Posted - 11/13/2005 : 10:17:06

Kevin, a commissioning write up would also make a good mainsheet tech article...

And, your dealer must have the patience of Job, no reflection on you of course. While a fair amount of a commissioning is cleanup, and less than technical effort, a fair amount is "rigging" specific and normally performed not by a generic marine yard employee but by a professional rigger.

While many of us handle rigging repairs, repairs are following the lead. Also a repair or one item rigging chore is easy to focus on and ask specific questions about. To do the commissioning rigging would seem to me to require and impose a lot of questions into someones trade craft and be a little over the top.

I was also involved in my boats commissioning, the dealer invited me to be the rigger apprentice for his contract rigger. It was a very gratifying experience and I learned a great deal in a short time. Though I have a great many tools, I was amazed that the rigger had some specialty tools that I didn't even know existed. For example, one of the tangs on a shroud was very tight in the turnbuckle... and the rigger used a special thread hone on the tang to fit it in.

I asked if using a die to clean and rezize the threads correctly might be quicker than the hone and he replied... "not good... can scratch the threads and leave a weak spot... the hone won't do that." This is just one example of the professionalism of a rigger... assisting that day gave me respect for their craft.

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stewendkos
Navigator

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USA
109 Posts

Response Posted - 11/13/2005 : 13:10:00

I would certainly be interested, and please be sure to do all the extras before stepping the mast i.e. the antenna,the pennant/radar reflector halyards,the windvane,the Dutchman or lazy jacks,etc.It'll save you lots to do it then instead of afterwards as I found out.Great sailing and enjoy her.You can actually do that all yourself.
Steve

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kevinmac
Admiral

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USA
732 Posts

Response Posted - 11/13/2005 : 15:57:44

Arlyn,

Actually, the situation is reversed from what you expect. The "do it under my supervision" was the dealer's suggestion, not me browbeating him into it. Given the info you provided (and I did not know), this leads to two possibilities: 1.) "Under his supervision" may be mean he does a lot of it, and I just do the grunt work he does not want to do OR 2.) I am getting a slapdash rigging job.

I have only only one datapoint that gives me hope for #1. This dealer is large, they have multiple offices, like 10 salespeople, etc. By coincidence, the salespeople I am working with are the husband and wife owners of the dealership (Carl and Mary Lou Rafello, Admiralty Yacht Sales). I called one day to speak to Carl, and they said they had to go outside to get him. When he picked up the phone he was a bit out of breath, and told me he had been "out rigging a boat". I said that sounded like a lot of work, and he said "oh no, it is the best part of my job, I love rigging boats". If he loves it, maybe he is good at it.

Steve, to your point about doing things while the mast is down, I am going to start another thread in a moment about antennas and such, please take a look, I hope you can answer my question.

I will be sure to take lots of pictures.

Edited by - on

frog0911
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1349 Posts

Response Posted - 11/13/2005 : 22:06:45

If you intend to do this with the dealers help, I would recommend the following as your first two steps.
1. Find all the parts and match then against the bill-of-lading or parts list from Catalina.
2. Find the owners manual and open it to section 10. There you will find a detailed four page Commissioning checklist.
Have fun take your time and with a good dealers help, sounds like you have one, you should not have any problems.

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rwbragdon
Deckhand

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USA
20 Posts

Response Posted - 11/22/2005 : 09:37:14

A little late on the reply but make sure you follow that checklist. I made the mistake of having my dealer bring in riggers who then proceeded to mess up the mast rigging. For those of us who leave our masts in year-round, trying to get up the mast to tie off a topping lift that was never attached is a real pain.

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kevinmac
Admiral

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USA
732 Posts

Response Posted - 11/23/2005 : 09:40:29

Will do, thanks for the tip. Still waiting for the factory to finish building it...

Kevin

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Turk
Admiral

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USA
736 Posts

Response Posted - 11/23/2005 : 10:37:00

Ahhhh . . did that one myself when I launched begining of the season last year! Oh well, I got some practice raising and lowering the mast.

Turk

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">[i] For those of us who leave our masts in year-round, trying to get up the mast to tie off a topping lift that was never attached is a real pain.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">

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