I think I was thinking of doing most of the upgrades you listed there also. But also

1. WindGenerator & Solar Panels
2. Possibly an electric motor, I am still checking out the pros and cons on it.
3. Watermaker
4. Replaceing the hatchs with the originals.
5. Adding some railing and new lifelines
6. MP3 Sound system.

Holy Cow!  You guys are really ambitious!!!  I am just trying to keep everything operating on my boat. (Hull #310) The one modification I have made that has worked out fantastic (and I recommend to ever PD owner) is the addition of an electric winch to raise and lower the keel.  There is a winch you can buy that fits in the same spot of the manual gearbox.  I have a three position toggle switch on the instrument panel.  In shallow water, just reach over and hit the switch and keel comes up faster than it can be cranked up.  Want more keel, just flip the switch down.  I think this whole thing cost me about $250 - $300 and would recoommend it to everyone.  One other question, is there a zinc located on the boat? like on the keel?  My prop shaft does not have one and am wondering if one is on the keel or if one is needed?  LL

Very good question about the location of the keel.  I would like to have something hi-tech but do not.  When the boat is on the trailer, the keel cable is fully wound on the spool, so I took some red paint and painted about 6 inches of red on the cable in the fully up position.  I have been meaning to paint the cable blue when the keel is all the way down and green or yellow at the mid point.  Right now I just have the red.  I know when full down is because the cable goes slack. Just guess at the midpoint for now.  When I put the winch on, I used the original cable.  While still playing with it on the trailer, I was winding up the cable on the spool and all of a sudden the electric motor started to grunt and then there was a loud bang.  I could't believe it but the winch had snapped that 5/16 cable.  After fooling with that manual gear box for a couple of summers I decided I would come up with an electric winch.  Before I got serious about it, the main gear in the gear box broke and then I couldnt get the keel up or down.  Anyway, that event made the electric winch #1 project.    LL   PS: To answer your question, the person sailing with me flips up the wooden winch cover to observe the cable color.

You guys are ambitious with all the upgrades. I look forward to the time when I can talk about "upgrades." For now, I call it refitting.

? I added a 6 gallon holding tank for the marine head (the head is located beneath the step into the aft cabin). The head discharges into  the holding tank, installed in the port cockpit locker, and there's a Y fitting after a manual macerator pump so I can pump out the tank through a large thru-hull or the tank can be pumped out at a pump-out station.
? Also in the port locker, I installed a new 15 gallon fuel tank.
Even with the holding tank, fuel tank, and two batteries in that locker, there's room for plenty of gear. I can even climb into the locker to work on the plumbing, if necessary.
? The Yanmar was removed, rebored, rebuilt, remounted and realigned.
? I rebuilt some of the interior bulkheads that had started to show rot where the previous owner left standing water in the bilges over a number of winters. I painted all the bilges and interior storage compartments.
? Now I'm going to rewire most everything, replumb the pressurized water system, and size-up the alchohol stove to see what that may need (hopefully, just a cleaning, but maybe replacement).
? After all this, I'll redo alot of the standing rigging (especially putting toggles on both ends of the turnbuckles instead of the single toggle system that's there now.
? Now that the weather in NH is warming, I plan to remove most of the deck hardware and rebed it, or replace it. I am right now replacing the combing boxes in the cockpit (beneath each of the jib winches). The original units look like they've never been removed and like they're leaking below decks. I'm using premade ABS plastic units from West Marine that will require just a slightly larger opening.
? I've also had the keel removed, sand blasted, and re-epoxy coated.
I commented on this here earlier this year. The yard is waiting to reinstall it until I've had the winch reconditioned by a local Boston Gear distributor who seems to have it very low on his "to-do" list. I expect the yard will lose patience and I'll have them reinstall the keel and then have to connect the winch and cable.

A few comments and questions for you experienced Parker Dawson owners:

? Is it me, or is it difficult to get access to a lot of the "system components" on this boat? Like the deck mounted hardware...without cutting the interior liner...like the wiring and fresh water lines, which are snaked everywhere around the keel well and behind the liner.
? Any alternatives to the hinged lift-up hatches on the fore and aft companionways?
? How many of you have your electrical system grounded back to the negative post on the battery? Is there a practical ground point elsewhere on the boat? Or, are most systems grounded to a hull plate?
? Any comments or insights about the single cable steering system that was common on these craft until about 1980? My boat is a 1978.

My ambitious project was suppose to be ongoing all winter...the boat was stored inside a shed for this purpose at extra expense...but the cold winter ended those plans. (It's hard to calk when the temperature is 5 degrees.) Anyway, I plan to go in earnest now, but the overwhelming number of projects is daunting (call me a perfectionist).
If it all gets done, the boat will be rechristened "Dauntless." Then I plan to sail it...eventually along the intercoastal waterway and on to the Bahamas. I look forward to words of encouragement as I keep you posted on my progress.

Parker,

I am curious about the approximate cost to have the yanmar rebuilt, if you don't mind saying.

If possible I would love to see a pic of your marine head.  I have a porta potti under the step in the aft cabin.  It sits on the shroud which covers the tranny.  

I am having to replace all my standing rigging.  The starboard inner side stay snapped last October on my last sail in Buzzards Bay.  This stay looked fine but it snapped level with the top of the turnbuckle.  I don't trust any of them now.

I am on the south shore in MA and like you have been waiting on the weather.  It is just now getting to the point to where I can begin work.

My electrical system is grounded to the batteries.

You mentioned the ICW trip.  My wife, daughter and I will be departing Westport Harbor sometime late June or early July and will go to Fort Pierce, FL.  We plan to go through Long Island sound, thru New York and then hug the coast until Cheseapeak where we pick up the ICW and continue onward.  I am moving to FL this summer and taking the time off to sail the boat down instead of trailering it.



Dan Underwood
1977 Dawson 26, Hull #264
"DOVE"
Buzzards Bay, MA

Lowell,

Stays in this area run about $100 to $120 for the uppers and about $80 for the lowers, but that does include the turnbuckles.

In regards to charging.  I have a 35 amp alternator which seems to do fine for us, but I have to motor about 5 miles down river before raising the sails, so I get an hour or so before and after each trip with the motor running.  I am using two 95 amp deep cycle batteries and carry and jump start pack as a backup.

In regards to trailer sailers to the Bahamas, check out this web site:  http://hcgiles.home.mindspring.com/macflotilla.htm.  



Dan Underwood
1977 Dawson 26, Hull #264
"DOVE"
Buzzards Bay, MA

Strange.  I click on it and it doesn't come up, yet it is the correct address and it is in my favorites with the same url.

Dan Underwood
1977 Dawson 26, Hull #264
"DOVE"
Buzzards Bay, MA