The first picture of my 37′ cat design build from the floor of  Jim Betts boatyard in Anacortes, WA. http://www.bettsboats.com/

For flat surfaces, this Porter Cable-7346 dual action grinder is the best tool that I have ever worked with.  It’s kind of half way between a big angle head grinder and an orbital.  The angle head grinder can get huge amounts of work done,  but a moments inattention can do a lot of damage.  An orbital takes forever to get anything done.  This unit can remove a lot of material but is easy to control.  And being electric, you don’t have to wait for the compressor to catch up.

http://www.amazon.com/PORTER-CABLE-7346-6-Inch-Random-Sander/dp/B002EQ96NK

Two sets of full size color hull section plots printed for two different 85′ power catamarans, today.

I finally was given a picture of the mast stub; the remains of the old mast from Sarabi. Looks like a relatively clean break, not jagged. Does anyone else see anything in it? Bruce Pfund?

One of the things that I have learned doing the lunar lander dwelling project is how much I like to use “magical” light.  By not charging the rock star design fees, I only do the standard scope of work, not the frosting, being like most boat designers. My lighting design has been workmanlike. 

Light can make any multi a magical place. The ill fated Estonian powercat project had some tricky lighting in the renderings. Greg Lynn used acrylic’s light piping very effectively on his tri design.
On the lunar lander I have used;  recessed lighting, glow powder in epoxy, light piping with acrylic, and the temperature indicating shower head light shown.  No electricity involved for the temperature indicating lights on the showerhead.  Did I ever mention that I love this stuff?

I finally found out some things about the Sarabi mast issue. Some things.  Offshore Spars got the new mast job.   http://www.offshorespars.com/news/hughes-56-sarabi/

I guess Ted van Dusen didn’t get the job.  I see that it was the first unstayed aerorig for them.  Ted has designed and built dozens or maybe hundreds of unstayed masts.  http://www.composite-eng.com/  And the SoCal insurance company picked local M & M to design the replacement mast.

And http://sarabisailing.com/the-vessel/

For any boatscum in the PNW. The twice annual Fisheries Supply Swap meet/Yard sale is going on tomorrow morning.  Often some great bargains there and sometimes very odd stuff.

Did I just step in it? I have been using this plywood both on boat projects and the lunar lander dwelling. Seal Brand.

The ferries for Uganda were also made from this brand as I was told. I looked it up and it turns out they might be one of the major bad actors in the Indonesian forest devastation. Does anyone know more about this brand?

This little unit is designed to take 16 passengers off of the beach and out a few hundred yards to the sailing cat waiting beyond the reef. The USCG is making us work for it like it was an exposed waters expedition cat.  Try it out at https://www.holoholokauaiboattours.com/