Thanks for the congratulations Sjoerd and Frode. It is wonderful to see this project getting closer to success. We're really looking forward to getting the. All that remains is another few weeks of commissioning before we get to take it out.

James Hamilton
jrh@mvdirona.com

Thanks for the well wishes Jeff. The boat looks quite good even after after the long journey from Xiamen, to Taiwan, then LA, followed by Oakland and then to Tacoma. Its looking great and its exciting to have it near. We still need to complete commissioning but its now feeling very close. Exciting.

Thanks for all the fine work that you and Jeremy have done on this boat. Everywhere I look on the boat, I see design features influenced by you or advice you have given us. And, Jeremy did a great job of managing the process, keeping things moving, solving problems, and the results look great. Thanks to both of you.

James Hamilton
jrh@mvdirona.com

Good hearing from you John and, as usual, you are very observant. The stack is hinged at the aft end. This allows us to lower the stack for much lower air draft. We won't know the final heights until we have had time to measure the boat in fully commissioned trim but we expect that the stack folded down should allow us to clear a less than 20' fixed bridge. Unfortunately the Great Loop requires passing a 19.1' fixed bridge in the Chicago Sanitary Waterway and we have a plan for it as well.

The stack is heavy and so raising and lowering requires a small crane or Travel Lift. This is the lowering process: first unbolt the exhaust, then the stack mount, and then lower the stack aft to the boat deck. If more clearance is required, the hinge pin comes out, and the entire assembly can be picked up and put down on the boat deck beside the tender. I think it's a cool feature.

You were also interested in the spacing between the prop and the rudder. This is an interesting trade-off where, on one hand, the further aft the rudder is, the more lift and the more powerful the rudder will be. On the other hand, the closer to the prop, the more effective it will be at low speed. Like all things in naval architecture, its a trade-off.

I spent considerable time talking through this design trade-off with PAI and they decided to go with moving it back 18" and slightly increasing the size over what is used on the 47. This is the approach taken with the 55/60 and the other extended designs and is reported to work well. I'll know in a few more weeks and let you know.

I'm meeting with the commissioning team, Jeremy Henderson the project manager, and Jeff Merrill on Tuesday so I'll probably be around when you drop by. I'll look forward to seeing you then John.

Thanks for the comment Karen. We're still several weeks from having the boat but its great having it in the Seattle area where we can be closely involved with the commissioning process and watch it progress.

James Hamilton
jrh@mvdirona.com

Thanks Steve. I'll contact John Hay on your recommendation to complete the commissioning. Thanks for the help,

James Hamilton
jrh@mvdirona.com

Bob, great hearing from you. I'm looking forward to you visiting the boat and talking through some of my questions. Its over on G-dock of Elliott Bay Marina being commissioned by the Emerald Harbor Marine team. Its getting close.

I'll see you at the class on the 27th. Thanks for all the help and advice you have already provided on this project.

James Hamilton
jrh@mvdirona.com

Bob and Jean, Its great hearing from you. We only a few more weeks to go on this project. Its getting close.

Thanks for the comment Bob. We'll see you at the boat show if not before. All the best to you and Marilynn. Have a good holiday.

James Hamilton
jrh@mvdirona.com