Rocco The Rigger - autopilot etc - 2012

May 2012 - Marina Kona Kai Shelter Island San Diego, CA 

After our snub from Shelter Marine Electronics we decided to try to find an even more local person than a company. 

  “Rocco The Rigger” seems well known around town and he was used by Ann Marie and Ralph who own a 34 Catalina. They were happy with his work. There were others that seemed happy with his work. 

1.  We need five winches serviced and to be taught how to do it next time they need it.
2.  We need our new lazy jacks installed (placement is the issue here) when they arrive with the stack type pack
3.  We need a rigging tune as our new Genoa sags a bit.
4.  We need a new out haul.
5.  We need some additional reef points.

 So we called Rocco the Rigger and asked if he knew anyone who could install an under deck autopilot.  

He said he would need to look at it and would come by.

 He did come buy and is it seems he has a "can do" attitude and up beat positive guy. I need that now as I am a little burnt out from all the project work.

Figuring.

 After climbing around and a lot of talking and figuring we decide we could do this ourselves. 
 We would get Kemo over to the boat to fiberglass in some ¾ plywood re-enforcement for the autopilot ram drive. Kemo we know from Marina Cortez as he did an enormous amount of fiberglass work on a trimaran that was de-laminated. He does great work and is a funny guy and reasonable. 

 We would get Dave to fabricate up a stainless steel bracket and plate for the quadrant.

 Later that evening we walked over to Rocco's sail boat and he showed us and explained his autopilot drive installation.

 We will need to remove all our new fancy wiring from under the cockpit sole. The newly functioning stern windless will not function again for a while.

  Rocco will get the winches, out haul and rigging tuned by the first couple sail around the 2nd of June.
 The first couple sail is sailing with one of the couples we could possibly crew with on the Baja Ha Ha  , sort of a compatibility sail.
 So there is a plan.

 On the way home from work I stopped at Marine Exchange and picked up four fancy hose clamps for the rudder.

 Later after Rocco left Debbie climbed into the way back of the lazarett and tried to get off a hose clamp on the stuffing box of the rudder. Try as she may with a wrench and hose clamp driver it would not budge.

 A new plan will be devised for this project. It may be if it aint broke then you know the rest!