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It all starts swinging on a mooring ball at Put-In-Bay Ohio on South Bass Island in Lake Erie. One gets to wanting some creature comforts and ... well, if you dont have them, some would say, you wont miss them. I disagree. So, given the Covid 19 summer I was having without so much as a visit to the lake, I was attracted like a rare earth magnet to cold rolled steel, to my boat which was sitting on the trailer in my driveway.

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Here you see the old dog at Put-In-Bay, OH moored and ready to rock and roll. For those of you who havent had the pleasure of sailing the Great Lakes, Lake Erie in particular... in a 26 boat, you would be in for a treat. Turns out, owing to the depth and reach, the period of a wave is just about 26 and so ... it makes for quite a rough ride in a 26 boat. Its the pitch that will turn you inside out. But, I digress...

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While at anchor, I always had to drop the anchor, tie it off on a cleat, then retreat to the cockpit and back up until the anchor dug in. All is as normal until you go forward and see that the anchor rode is draped across the edge of the topside gel coat and across the rub rail. No accommodations were really made for this day sailor to anchor overnight let alone for a couple of days. Then, retrieving the anchor had you leaning out over the edge of the boat so as not to scrape up the boat or drag the rode over the side. Solution was to get an anchor roller. I couldnt find one that would fit, so I fashioned one myself out of stainless steel and installed it up front. My Danforth Anchor fits quite nicely in it and can ride there during a passage. I think I am really going to love this addition.

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I always wanted to try painting some of the interior white as the interior of the ODay 26 can be a little dark. A good division of the interior was the galley so, I thought, hey, Ill try painting that first. I removed the backrest from the stove locker and decided I liked it that way. Performed the painting with rustoleum oil based enamel and after 2 coats, this is the result. I also added a stowage rack for plates and coffee cups ... nice. Refinished the puka on the aft bulkhead behind the opening to the ice box. All in all, very satisfied with the results!

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While I was at it, I decided that I was tired of dealing with the unorganized mess that lurked behind the cabinet door to the stove locker. I replace my stove with this little gem by Gas One. It runs on butane as well as propane. I also built shelves out of solid 1/2 oak boards to accommodate the stuff I like to have at the ready ... an expresso maker, coffee, some small pans, dinner ware, and fuel. (I store the fuel in the fuel locker when not using the stove). This makes it exceedingly easy to stow and go. I think it will be great next summer. This is a really nice make over for your galley and exceedingly easy to make.

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Then there is the liquor locker. There really is NO PLACE to store liquor on the Oday 26 without bumping something else out of its home. My solution is this easy liquor locker. Made from Oak, Birch, Cherry, and Ash, it is a Hodge podge of woods in the tradition of the accoutrements added to old sailing vessels. In those days, they surely didnt use the white oak making such frivolities - they used what they had available. I once had an old sea chest (more than 200 years old) that was made of 6 different species of wood. It was, in my estimation, a marvelous piece of sea trivia! So, I used what I had laying around in my shop. I kinda like it.

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And here is the liquor cabinet in situ. Easily enough room, and a persons feet easily fit beneath it while sleeping. Of course, it doesnt hurt that it looks good too. Room above behind the cabinet door/ bar surface and room below for some glasses, swizzle sticks, and tooth picks. The top has a border of cherry that would allow one to lose their keys there or store anything one might want to temporarily put there. I will be putting the barometer above on the wood bulkhead.

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And, here it is open. A couple of glasses may easily be sat upon this platform while imbibements are pulled from their storage and poured into the glasses. Indeed, a marvelous addition to Jack Lucky!

I also added a few other niceties to the old girl, but, will have to wait and add that later. More to come!