So we put her pictures up on the website in hopes someone would recognize the boat, crew and/orthe harbor area in which it is sailing and let us know. And someone did!
Here is Don's email (minor edits). More pictures of Cassandra Rose expected soon, and hopefully more of her history.
January 6, 2009
Ron,
On the same day my wife taught me how to use "Craig's List" I found a Dolphin 24. It was being auctioned off by a marina at Millerton Lake near Fresno, California because of late moorage fees.
I went to the marina and checked out the boat. I was impressed with the way it looked and how solidly built it was. I started looking for information about Dolphin 24s and was surprised to find your web site, (excellent site). When I started reading about them I knew I had to have it.
I live in Eugene, Oregon but at the time I was working out of Fresno, California. I showed up on the last day of the auction (February 29th 2008) and placed a $100 dollar bid over the highest bid. I had the highest bid, $600 dollars - yes!
It is a 1962 O'Day Dolphin 24 hull #56. The same one you did an article on March 28th, 2008. I was in the process of obtaining the boat at that time but I wanted to get possession of it and have a clear title before I contacted you.
The boat was on the lake and it did not come with a trailer. It took me over one month to find a trailer for it. It needed a little fabrication and I had to replace all the wheel bearings. Fortunately the local boat yard owns a Yankee Dolphin they fit to the trailer. They also installed new support boards with carpet on the trailer.
Finally two months after I was awarded the boat, I left Eugene, OR with the trailer to get the boat. I called my brother who lives in Roseville, CA about what I was doing and he said that he was excited about it too and if I would pick him up on my way down, he would help me get the boat loaded on the trailer.
At the marina we had to take the mast down at the dock. Two men who worked there volunteered to hold a rope connected to the forestay while my brother and I held onto the mast. We loosened the shroud turn-buckles about 1/2 inch, slowly lowered the mast and all went well.
My brother steered the boat as one of the men towed it across the lake to a loading ramp (I drove the trailer around). The boat came with a 6hp outboard motor but at the time I wasn't sure of it's dependability. The boat fit on the trailer and towed smoothly the 700 miles back to Eugene.
After I made it back home, first I cleaned the outside of the boat and emptied the bilge, it was full up to the sole. Then I took everything out of the boat and washed the entire insides, where there must have been 100 mud wasp nests. Then I reconditioned all the sea-cocks using a light valve grinding compound, cleaned and lubricated them, also replaced the hoses and clamps.
The rudder had boat pox (blisters) so I sanded all the paint off and ground the blisters out. The hull did not have any blisters. I had to leave for 9 days so I took the boat over to the boat yard for storage. The owner of the yard talked me into letting one of his men fair the rudder for me so it would be ready when I returned. It was the middle of August already so I agreed.
When I returned I put bottom paint on the rudder and the boatyard crew put the boat in the water for me at Fern Ridge Reservoir (5 miles from my house) where I had a slip for the season. When we put it in the water one of the thru-hulls was leaking so we took it back out. The next day we replaced the thru-hull and put it back in the water again. That was September 6th and I had to leave town on business again.
While I was a way my wife painted the V berth white. She also had foam-rubber cushions made to fit it and she made zippered covers for them.
On the main bulkhead there are 11 metal plaques from the "Newport to Ensinada Race" from 1964 to 1974. The boat's name was "Tipsy" - I changed it to "Cassandra Rose".
The boat came with the original main sail with the #56 on it but it is no good now. It also came with an old but usable genoa and a spinnaker in good condition. I ordered a used main sail that was a little large but it had some rotten spots - the sail company gave me a refund.
After the motor was cleaned up and the sails were washed and repaired, we managed to take the Cassandra Rose out sailing a few times. The motor works great but we need new sails. The lake is drained every fall because it is used for flood control in the winter, so the boat is covered and back in storage.
This winter; I am planing on re-bedding the deck hardware to fix leaks, fairing below the water line, putting on bottom paint, installing an electrical system and getting new sails.
Don Barnett
P.S. Thank you for the "Dolphin 24" web site. I enclose one picture (the nameplate). I have 10 more photos I will send
