ACCOMMODATIONS

The pre-purchase 2000 survey indicated that the "vessel has been well maintained and has undergone extensive upgrades". The second owner's (Al) cabin renovations included: more storage space above the settees; long grab rails on the interior ceiling and on the exterior main hatch runners; a teak and holly cabin sole (easy to keep clean); teak trim and pin rails; interior wood re-painted with melamine paint; rewiring the boat complete with a main switch and fused switch panel; change and rebed all the windows; weather cloths for the cockpit from Sunbrella (they add to the privacy and cut down on wind when in harbour); hatch screen; foot pump for lake water at sink as well as separate drinking water tap (20 gallon flexible tank under back berth); re-upholstered main cabin and front berth; exterior woodwork replaced with new teak; remanufactured cockpit locker lids (the originals were crazed and cracked) using teak around the outsides and teak Arborite strips for the tops (Arborite wears well without losing colour).

Al decided that he wanted an interior more in keeping with those pictures in magazines that we all drool over. To steel himself for the task, he trailered the boat home one fall, shoehorned her into the backyard, and to further commit to the project he promptly removed the hated galley and dropped it onto the concrete below. That winter Al poured over every publication he could find having to do with boat interiors and prowled through the lumber dealer yards looking for ideas. Decision made!

The floor was what bugged Al most after replacing carpet after carpet. A classy teak and holly sole was what he wanted. A good friend knew that and one day when returning home Al found a 4 x 8 x 3/4" sheet of the stuff in his garage! Yahoo! Too thick of course to make the curves of the floor but undaunted he put the dado blade on the trusty radial arm saw and he and his son made 70 passes under the blade one evening to get it down to 1/4". What a job! (anybody need 75 lbs of sawdust?). The floor was cut from a carpet pattern and applied to the prepared sole with West System epoxy while being held down with twenty or so floor to ceiling 1 x 2s. Success! Al made some moldings to go around the perimeter and oiled the floor with Tung oil.

Al removed the bulkhead to do his mast-step and chain plate improvements (see Keel and Hull), then applied a layer of 1/4" x 3" clear cedar tongue and groove boards to the bulkhead, settee fronts, rebuilt galley, and head door. The boards were paint with Melamine for ease of cleaning. All the finishing moldings were made from teak stock. The seat backs were lowered and canted outward 1" at the bottom for more sitting comfort. Cupboards were created to provide storage - no longer a need to play "what fell" while sailing.

The aft berth area, although a bit tight for an adult, is an interesting space for children and makes a good storage area. For some reason it seems that the Chrysler 26 has more cushions than most other sailboats. In the stern the cushions cover not only the flat area but halfway up the sides as well. Modifications that the second owner made created an elegant interior. A few touches were needed after the boat arrived in Regina and are these are described in the 2000 Log.