Commander 227

[Commander227]

When we decided that our Ensign was no longer fulfilling our wants and needs we began a long search for the perfect boat. We settled on the Commander for all the same reasons as ya'll.
Its now been just over a year since I dragged The Princess home from Milwaukee and shes all but finished. I paid $3,000. for her and immediately spent that again adding a traveler, winches and the roller furling unit. We did a quick and dirty spruce up to get her in the water and enjoyed the sailing season getting to know her. By the fall haul out we had a pretty good idea of what changes we wanted to make and liked the boat enough to feel O.K. about spending   some money and time on her. To date we have nearly $20,000. into her and who knows how many hours. I'm sure on the market we'd be lucky to get 1/2 that back... but we ended up with a boat we can be proud of, custom tailored to our needs with all new rigging and sails that turns the heads of stinkpotters as well as sailors.
Here is the final (?) cost of The Princess's restoration:
 
      COMMANDER 227      

HULL            
Date   Vender   Discription      Cost
5/19/2008      Commander 227      $3,000.00
5/22/2008      Fuel for Transport      $320.00
6/10/2008   Lakeland Fiberglass   Repair deck under stanchions, pulpit, pushpit and remove front hatch      $1,000.00
6/10/2008   Advanced Composites   Fillers, Balsa Core, Resin for deck repairs      $128.00
6/10/2008   SYC   Shop Supplies      $55.00
6/14/2008   Seven Seas   Cuddy Paint      $60.00
6/14/2008   Midwest Boat Appeal   6mm & 18mm Plywood for Bulkheads      $130.10
6/14/2008   Fabian   Labor to sand out cuddy      $100.00
1/10/2009   Seven Seas   West System (1 Gal)      $125.00
2/2/2009   Lakeland Fiberglass   Deposit on Deck Repair & Paint Job      $1,000.00
2/10/2009   Seven Seas   Awlgrip off white (1 Gal) Reducer, Catalyst.      $478.00
2/10/2009   Seven Seas   Awlgrip off white (1 Gal) Flag blue (2 Qt.) Non-skid      $480.00
2/14/2009   Tonka Bay Marina   Duratech primer, fillers      $147.00
3/7/2009   Lakeland Fiberglass   Balance on paint job      $2,860.00
3/7/2009   Seven Seas   Jabasco manual head      $154.00
3/8/2009   Seven Seas   Perfection Varnish (2 quarts)      $110.00
3/18/2009   Seven Seas   Schooner Varnish      $46.00
3/18/2009   Best Buy   Stereo      $154.00
3/30/2009   Seven Seas   Awlgrip Vivid Red  (1 quart)      $68.00
3/28/2009   J&D Plating   Chrome Plating of hardware      $500.00
3/28/2009   Radio Shack   Hobby box fror fuses, red LEDs for mood lighting      $15.75
4/2/2009   Eagle Molding   Rub Rail      $78.00
4/4/2009   Lakeland Fiberglass   Repair damage from fall and Paint hatches & winch towers      $730.00
4/4/2009   Seven Seas   Vivid White bottom paint ( 2 gal )      $379.00
4/4/2009   Seven Seas   Bronze through hulls & ball valves for head      $118.00
5/5/2009   J&D Plating   Chrome plate genoa cars and tracks      $190.00
5/5/2009   Perma Top   Interior cushions      $830.00
            
         Total Hull   $13,255.85
            
RIGGING            
Date   Vender   Discription      Cost
6/20/2008   Seven Seas   Halyards      $65.00
6/20/2008   Seven Seas   Genoa Blocks      $52.00
6/20/2008   Seven Seas   Genoa Sheets      $48.00
6/20/2008   Seven Seas   Main Sheet Blocks      $108.00
6/20/2008   Seven Seas   Main Sheet      $42.00
6/20/2008   Seven Seas   traveler Lines      $26.00
6/20/2008   Harken   Traveler set up      $426.00
7/28/2009   SYC   Head Sail      $0.00
7/28/2008   Harken   Roller Furler      $1,155.00
7/28/2008   Harken   B16STC Self Tailing Winches      $1,020.00
7/30/2008   Seven Seas   Headstay for furler      $60.00
3/25/2009   Seven Seas   Harken Swivel Base (for Main Sheet) $74.00
3/25/2009   Seven Seas   Genoa Tracks      $40.00
4/10/2009   Western Sailcraft   New Main Sail      $820.00
6/2/2009   Seven Seas   Hardware for internal outhaul      $100.00
            
         Total Rigging   $4,036.00

POWERPLANT            
Date   Vender   Discription      Cost
12/15/2008   Tonka Bay Marina   Shaft Log      $118.00
2/20/2009   SYC   Aluminum Plate      $0.00
12/20/2008   Thunderstruck Motors   Motor      $450.00
12/20/2008   Thunderstruck Motors   Controller      $450.00
12/20/2008   Thunderstruck Motors   Charger      $311.00
12/20/2008   Thunderstruck Motors   Contactor, Fuse and Converter      $119.00
1/6/2009   McMaster-Carr   Bushings and Timing Pulleys      $191.00
1/6/2009   McMaster-Carr   Garolite for Stern Tube      $44.00
1/6/2009   McMaster-Carr   6664k24  Bearing pillow block      $30.10
1/8/2009   McMaster-Carr   6309k31 Vibration Mounts (4)      $22.80
1/8/2009   McMaster-Carr   6486k114 Timing Belt       $19.57
1/12/2009   Land N Sea   Cutlass Bearing      $28.00
1/20/2009   Minnie's Surplus   Propeller      $45.00
2/28/2009   Marine Assoc.   Shaft       $147.00
4/4/2009   Seven Seas   Switches      $17.00
4/12/2009   Thunderstruck Motors   Cutrtis Pot Box      $85.00
4/13/2009   EVParts.com   Ampmeter, Shunt, Voltmeter      $118.00
4/21/2009   Interstate Batteries   4ea SRM 27      $303.00
4/24/1901   Home Depot   #2  Copper service wire      $64.00
4/24/1901   Fastenal   #2 terminals      $11.50
            
         Total Powerplant   $2,573.97


         PROJECT TOTAL   $19,865.82

[Commander 147]

I think it's really good to see what one can realistically expect to spend to get one of these boats into good condition. And the best part is while $20,000.00 may seem like a lot of money it is a drop in the bucket compared to what a new boat of similar appeal and quality would cost. And besides, how many new production boats are there that actually make your heart skip a beat when you look at them like these boats do?

[Tony G]

Mike,

You are very brave man for actually keeping track of expenses and posting them.  Or, you could just be a complete wild man!:D

The amount is comparably small when considering the cost of a comparable new boat.  And the argument has been made here before that one would be hard pressed to find a comparable new boat.  Don't get me wrong.  There are many boats out there that I covet, nay lust to own.  But comparable are few.

Granted, these are not the best of times. Most of us are really watching the bottom line and tightening the belt to keep food on the table and a roof overhead.  But truth be told, who knows of a cost effective hobby?  And when you factor in passion money has very little value.  227 would be a steal at 10K.

[ebb]

Interesting that just a list like that
tells the story!:cool:

But not in such a list  is whispering along  a quiet estuary

with an electrick motor you built yourself.

THAT'S IMPRESSIVE!:cool::D

[Commander227]

]6010[/ATTACH]The Princess took 1st overall at the SYC July 4th race, and 3rd in the PHRF II fleet at a WYC around Big Island race with a PHRF rating of 229 (subsequent whining has changed her rating to 273 for future races with WYC) With the new rating she will be unbeatable!!!!!

[Commander 147]

So how does that make those who called her a POS feel??? Humble I hope. :-)
 
Sail on _/)~~~_/)~~~

[Commander227]

Had a beautiful sail last Sunday around Big Island with the SYC's Commodore Cup Race. The Princess finished first in her fleet and Third overall 20 seconds corrected behind an Ensign and two minutes corrected behind an Express 27.

[Commander 147]

Danika Patrick fast and beautiful

[Commander227]

People just keep emailing me pictures of The Princess

[Commander227]

Heres a few shots of The Princess's interior. The doors are just cheap closet doors from the local Home Depot that I cut down to size. I have cabinet magnets to keep them open as well as closed. The seahorse carving in the sole is from a PO.

[Commander227]

Its not even the middle of October!!

[Commander 147]

We have 87 degrees with a high predicted over 90 and 70% humidity. Just came back from my grandsons football game where we melted in the stands from the heat. You send us some cold and we will send you some heat and we will both be better off!!!

[Commander227]

I'm feeling a little ripped off. First we have the 7th coldest summer on record, and now we're getting December weather in October.
I WANT MY INDIAN SUMMER!!!!
Its only 1700 mile to Belize as the crow flies, I could drive the first third in two days.... how long to sail across the gulf?

[Tony G]

World Trade Foundation???:confused:

I feel your pain, disgust, anger, frustration, rage, animosity, resentment, ire, did we leave anything out, Mike?  This surely put a big wrinkle in your work plans for this fall!  I keep telling myself, just two more winters....but it's hard this early in October, isn't it?

With regards to Belize.  Just talked to my friend yesturday and Key Caulker is somewhere you'd wanna strike from your plans this year.  San Pedro on Ambergris is a little better but they're hurting too.  Anyone not from there has a target on 'em.  Reminiscent of the late 80's...  Bummer, cuz we wanted to go back this spring.  St. John come March?  St. Patrick's Day is a hoot I hear.

Hang tough, brother.

[mikeroth]

What was the size of the your shaft log (g-10 tubing)? I need to order one for my boat and it looks like the outside diameter of your tubing is about the largest you can fit in the boat. thanks mike