[kalinowski]

Jim makes a good point about fresh water boats. We purchased a Hunter 33.5 new in ’88 and keep her on our Georgia lakehouse dock. She’s never seen salt and with a fresh wash and a coat of wax she looks like new…….even the engine. With a freshwater history you can’t go far wrong.

Dan Kalinowski
Lady Leanne (#135)
Honolulu

[kalinowski]

Jim:

I just purchased Lady Leanne last fall. IMHO if the hull is sound and the rig is solid, the 424 Ketch is hard to beat. LL has 5K hours and the engine runs smooth as a baby’s ass. I did have to rebuild the v drive ($800). I’ve also redone the interior. But I now have a solid yacht to sail the islands (and maybe further) at a reasonable price. I’ve pushed her hard off of O’ahu and she just giggles and charges forward.

Don’t forget about the experience behind 424 website. If you are going to buy an old boat, it sure helps to go where someone has gone before!

Dan Kalinowski
Lady Leanne II (135)
Honolulu

[kalinowski]

Where does she lie? A couple of national pub ads with a regional pub heavy up where the boat is would be the logical approach. As you may know, moving a boat at this price level is both expensive and time consuming. Your best prospects are near where the boat lies.

Dan Kalinowski
(former ad man)
Lady Leanne (#135)
Honolulu

[kalinowski]

Has anyone thought about mounting them in the line/winch handle storage cubbies on each side of the cockpit? I’ve thought that this might be a great out of the way place. Yea or nay?

Dan Kalinowski
Lady Leanne (#135)
Honolulu

[kalinowski]

Tor:

Sorry for the lack of details. I was in a hurry and just noticed them as I flew down the aisle. They were not in the bath section, but were definitely labeled as grab handles on the display. They looked like a 1″ dia. and had a couple of different lengths mounted.

I know you are moving forward with your project, but I will return there this weekend and report.

Atlanta is the home of Home Depot (and our home base), so they may have things in store here that are not chain wide. I know the HD in Honolulu is much different, especially with all of the empty bins waiting for the next delivery by ship!

Dan Kalinowski
Lady Leanne (#135)
Honolulu (though some times in Atlanta)

[kalinowski]

Take a look at Home Depot. I just noticed stainless grab handles during my visit this AM. No “boat tax” here.

Dan Kalinowski
Lady Leanne (#135)
Honolulu

[kalinowski]

I’m not sure which storage area you are talking about, but on our 424 I have been busy removing the old vinyl and lining the areas with marine carpet. The carpet is extremely easy to work with as its backing is rubberized. A sharp box cutter can cut through it like butter. I’ve been able to do a pro job with a little bit of patience and contact cement.

I have completed the major areas inside the hull in both the aft and forward cabins and they look like a new boat’s trimming. I plan to start on the storage cubbies next. No need to worry about sanding surfaces or using deathly chems to remove residue.

Check out Corinthian Marine Carpets. The material is mildew resistant and is used for outdoor applications as well. I bought a 6×25 role for around $175 with free shipping. Note that the cut pile product is extremely good at hiding slight cutting mistakes

Dan Kalinowski
Lady Leanne (#135)
Honolulu

[kalinowski]

I always count to ten, but on our boat you have to keep the plug button depressed while turning the key or it won’t turn over. They must have changed the interlock in later boats. Perhaps I could get by with less “button push” as it rarely approaches the mid sixties here.

Dan Kalinowski
Lady Leanne (#135)
Honolulu

[kalinowski]

Dawn:

The cost of the countertop was buried in the overall cost of several upgrade projects, so I can’t break it out (overall $7,800). Note that our wood butcher is a perfectionist and his work is superb and far better than the original.

I have pix of the work in progress in an email from him, but I don’t know how to attach this to the forum. If you would like, I can forward his pix directly to your email. Let me know.

Right now, the boat’s in Honolulu and I’m back at home base in Atlanta, so I can’t take any pix and send till I return (maybe I should start saying my home base is on board and I’m temporarily in Atlanta……..hmmmmmm.

Dan Kalinowski
Lady Leanne (#135)
Honolulu

[kalinowski]

Part of our refit of Lady Leanne was to replace all countertops, sinks and faucets. We used a product called Staron, which is identical to Corian and much cheaper. The wood butcher we hired removed all existing countertops, replaced the material and added new fiddles. The Staron is easy to work with and routes easily.

We replaced the galley, head, and v-berth sink and plumbing. I looked high and low for a deep double sink to replace the original one, which had pin holes in it (corrosion?). I finally found a single bowl sink as deep as the original at Home Depot ($150+-). This was easy to fit as we were replacing the countertop. I couldn’t find any that would fit in the original footprint.

We also installed in-counter soap dispensers, which cuts cabin clutter.

The really fun part is installing new fixtures into old systems with brittle hoses and fittings.

These updates made a tremendous difference in below decks appearances.

Dan Kalinowski
Lady Leanne (#135)
Honolulu

[kalinowski]

Head hose for sure! Hard to screw them up.

Dan Kalinowski
Lady Leanne (#135)
Honolulu

[kalinowski]

Ask to review the ship’s log for maintenance history (important on an old boat).

Dan Kalinowski
Lady Leanne II (#135)
Honolulu

[kalinowski]

Rich:

I also had an original set of cockpit cushions that looked “creepy” when we bought Lady Leanne. We replaced with Bottomsiders, which fit perfectly. The six piece grouping covers all seating around the cockpit and is split to allow access to the lazerettes. I think they were around $1K.

John is right ………and they don’t hold water and can be used to lounge anywhere.

Dan Kalinowski
Lady Leanne (#135)
Honolulu

[kalinowski]

James:

I just did this to Lady Leanne: new stove; new tanks; new solenoid at tanks with remote control; leak sensor in bilge; new gauges. I couldn’t fit a “tee”/valve for a bbq line in the propane locker, so I’m just using small cans. My gas line checked out OK and I kept the solenoid that was located in the port locker with sliding doors above the counter tops in the galley.

I believe Thatcher Stone is right. You need a pro to sign off on the job. My work was done by Dan Toye, the only ABYC certified guy in Hawai’i. He lives on the big island (808.754.2082).

Dan Kalinowski
Lady Leanne II (#135)
Honolulu

[kalinowski]

Bob’s right. It’s the journey, not the destination.

Dan Kalinowski
Lady Leanne II (#135)
Honolulu

[Author]

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