This is the side of an Ocean 38 convertible (sportfishing/cruising model), holed by Storm Sandy and crudely/hastily patched up, still in the water, in order to come down from Atlantic Highlands to Forked River on her own bottom. I got the job of filling and fairing the patch, which was a bigger job than the owner expected because it's a cored hull being filled without core. And there is water in the core, typical of mass-produced cored hulls anyway and undoubtedly made worse by the storm damage. Not long after I informed him of that, he decided he didn't need my services. I find this sadly typical of powerboat owners-- if it's not related to fishing or engines, they don't understand it and won't spend the money on it. This is why guys like me are so often out of work; and why I won't ever do contract work for powerboat owners again. 1 Feb 2014
Here is a photo of Andy's Rhodes-designed Swiftsure 32 Sinter Klaas, moored at Watch Hill, which he proudly sent me to convey his joy at having his beloved boat back after we repaired/restored it. This boat was built by DeVries-Lentsch in Holland in 1959. As part of being repaired after Storm Sandy, it received new teak toerails, 34 ft long each with compound angles made by Steve and Ziggy cranking the blade tilt on the tablesaw while pushing/pulling the wood through it. Jeremiah faired the hull and sprayed it in Awlgrip. Lee and I reengineered the fuel tank, batteries, gas-bottle locker, air conditioner and plumbing to redistribute weight lower and farther forward. We also replaced the original 1959 seacocks with new Marelon ones. Ziggy made a new 'fridge lid as a chart table and made a new galley counter. The whole deck was repainted and new bronze hardware installed, including a Dutch-made traveler. Lee ordered a Selden rig (not my favorite as it's too fat for the boat). Dave ordered him a new Lewmar winch for the spar but missed out on getting the last-available Lewmar 30 in bronze, which is what it should have had. And we removed and replaced the Atomic Four engine, which Andy loves (with good reason; it's a lovely old-school motor). I rebuilt the rudder with foam and massive amounts of 'glass, and then in the course of removing and replacing the engine I replumbed and repainted his heat exchanger, which Andy thought pretty cool. I also designed and ordered a new bow pulpit and completely redesigned the stern end, doing away with the toerail there because, as I told Andy, that part of a boat is like the cute girl's bottom in a bikini-- everyone wants to see that part, stare at it, and become mesmerized by it. This boat's backside is too pretty to cover over with a toerail. Andy agreed; and now you can see the lines of the boat much better all over. Summer 2014
This is the side of an Ocean 38 convertible (sportfishing/cruising model), holed by Storm Sandy and crudely/hastily patched up, still in the water, in order to come down from Atlantic Highlands to Forked River on her own bottom. I got the job of filling and fairing the patch, which was a bigger job than the owner expected because it's a cored hull being filled without core. And there is water in the core, typical of mass-produced cored hulls anyway and undoubtedly made worse by the storm damage. Not long after I informed him of that, he decided he didn't need my services. I find this sadly typical of powerboat owners-- if it's not related to fishing or engines, they don't understand it and won't spend the money on it. This is why guys like me are so often out of work; and why I won't ever do contract work for powerboat owners again. 1 Feb 2014
Here is the very cool trysail that Captain Mike and I fitted to Light Reign (ex-Amazing Grace), C48 no.8 (1999). The track was pop-riveted on and I made a sleek ramp out of white Starboard to lead it over and around the gooseneck-- as a trysail should be able to be hanked on low to the deck and lashed there till it's time to deploy it. Captain Mike was actually impressed and sent me this pic of when he hoisted it. I could live without the 'station wagon' multi-part canvas hood over the companionway and cockpit (ugh). This boat has/had a Facnor in-mast furler that jammed before we relaunched it, underscoring my point that these things are ultimately unreliable by definition. Worse, the Facnor motor can be removed ONLY WITH THE MAST OUT OF THE BOAT. In what way is this a benefit? May 2013
Here is another view of the damage to the Swiftsure. This boat carried its own floating finger pier from Great Kills Bay into Raritan Bay from which, if not for the storm blowing it ashore, it might have drifted into the open sea and been lost. Instead it was cast up into someone's back yard in Lower Bay, Staten Island, where Andy found it (there is a video on YouTube). Again, this is really just minor stuff-- if it happens to you, don't think twice about it. Andy did quite well with his BoatUS claim after all. Nov 2012
Here is damage to Sinter Klaas, Andy's 1959 Swiftsure. It's just the typical array of dings and cracks from random impact-- easily fixed and usually netting you-- as with Andy-- a beautiful new Awkgrip paint job into the bargain. Nov 2012
In the aftermath of Storm Sandy's havoc of the NJ coast, we met Andy who was heartbroken over the damage of his pristine little 1959 Swiftsure. Over the next year we redid just about the whole boat, giving him back what could be a museum piece-- except that Andy loves it too much to not sail it all the time. This is his rudder which I repaired. When you see damage like this, don't panic. It's usually much, MUCH easier to fix than you (or your insurance agent) imagines. Don't give up the ship! Nov 2012
Cherubini Yachts shop-staff portrait with R33 no.15, Suzanne, when the boat was being returned to owners. This boat was declared a total write-off when it came into the shop in November 2012. L-to-R: Zoya, office staff; Gary, boat owner; my brother Steve, shop staff; my cousin Lee, contractor; Jeremiah, shop staff; Ziggy, shop staff; JC Jr (me), contractor; Aimee (my 2nd cousin), Raider Yachts archivist/historian and granddaughter of Joe Cherubini (RIP), boat's builder. Aimee is wearing an original 1970s Raider Yachts t-shirt! October 2013
DianaOfBurlington

This is the side of an Ocean 38 convertible (sportfishing/cruising model), holed by Storm Sandy and crudely/hastily patched up, still in the water, in order to come down from Atlantic Highlands to Forked River on her own bottom. I got the job of filling and fairing the patch, which was a bigger job than the owner expected because it's a cored hull being filled without core. And there is water in the core, typical of mass-produced cored hulls anyway and undoubtedly made worse by the storm damage. Not long after I informed him of that, he decided he didn't need my services. I find this sadly typical of powerboat owners-- if it's not related to fishing or engines, they don't understand it and won't spend the money on it. This is why guys like me are so often out of work; and why I won't ever do contract work for powerboat owners again. 1 Feb 2014

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