Sailing with George and Vicky: The Great Commissioning

First, a quick trivia question...

Q. What is the top speed Seas The Day (425) will reach during her lifetime?

...

A. This is, indeed, a trick question. We can think about hull speed (about 8.4kts), speed through the water, speed over ground and the like, but many people don't realize that early in her lifetime, she will reach approximately 65 to 75 miles per hour (depending on how well her driver obeys the posted highway speed limit).

These boats are built in Florida and then shipped via truck to the dealers. In order for that to happen, the mast, boom and all other parts are packaged in many many boxes inside the boat and the boat appears in the dealer's yard as just a hull. Here is Seas The Day (315) in that state over five years ago.

The next thing to happen is called "Commissioning" and it is the process of getting a boat ready to use. The engine and other parts of the mechanical plant (generators, AC units, refrigerators, etc., as well as all the little pumps and motors that make things happen) all have to be unpacked, fluids checked, and tested. The mast has to be installed as well as the boom, then the sails and all the standing and running rigging. Extras that are not originally on her (we included a foredeck cushion and a wine chiller) have to be obtained and installed. Finally it gets cleaned and polished and we move onto the orientation phase.

For the new Seas The Day (425), she was already unpacked and in the water when we first saw her. My understanding is that she spent a few months inside the showroom at Winters and had recently been placed in the water. Still, while the mast was somewhat in place (several stays were still loose and there were all sorts of cables coming out the mast at the bottom), much work remained in the commissioning process.

The work started in earnest this week. I received this photo from Brian (our dealer) noting that part of the canvas package came in as well as the boom being installed.

I went up to Winters on Saturday and found her at the same berth looking a bit cooler with the Bimini top in place. It looks like the mast has been connected and all the standing riging and running rigging is in place. A lot of the photos that follow are for my reference later. Casual readers can skim down to the winery visit.

There still appears to be a wasp nest on the anchor tie down... I'm hopeful that is the last time I'll see it.

Inside the cabin were a lot of repair orders. These gave us an idea about the complex tasks required to get a sailboat ready.

One problem with Catalina Yachts (on both the 315 and 425) is that they put the marine radio in such a position that it is impossible for someone with bifocals to read the display. I know they want to mount it out of the way, but when I get my head in position so I'm looking at it, it is inevitably viewed through the distance portion of my glasses. It makes me wonder if Jerry wears bifocals.

I took this photo so I could read the display and I guess it is a reminder for me to get a new MMSI for the radio (which I can't do until I get the USCG documentation number).

So progress is being made. Actually my time there was brief. I didn't want to disturb anything, so from there I headed down to Rock Hall, MD to chat with Ben, the dockmaster at Osprey Point Marina.

But first, a good enough mid point between the two locations is Auburn Road Vineyard and Winery. I stopped there for a late lunch.

I got to Osprey Point Marina to find that it was all set up as for a wedding. I'm sure it makes a wonderful wedding venue (hopefully not too popular as the seem to close the dock for a half-hour during it).

This time, slip B42 was empty so I could photograph what we had. I'm betting that the water standpipe will be right were we want to step on and off the stern. It seems odd that they would put that right in the middle of the slip. The rest is pretty straight forward... finger pier with a bunch of cleats. I had some "hull hugger" bumpers and the like shipped there so they can be installed and I won't be responsible for any dock bruises on the new boat.

I decided to try one of the local restaurants in Rock Hall. I had seen good recomendations for the Harbor Shack. Food was good and a great waterfront location! I had the smoked salmon appetizer and crab imperial.