John Harris at CLC Boats has redesigned the deck of John’s boat. (see attached sketch) Even though the larger deck will make the cockpit smaller, it will add a lot of strength to the overall design and there will be more room for additional floatation. There will also be space to permanently mount a compass along the centerline of the boat. In addition to the deck modifications, there will be changes to the sail. The mast will now stand raised without the need for metal stay wires, making it much easier to raise and lower in case John runs into storms or trouble. Doing away with the steel woven stays also reduces risk during lighting storms. Now the only metal on the boat will be the hardware on the deck. All of these changes will give John more confidence in the storms he will inevitably face on his coastal sailing route this summer in the Gulf.

At the time of this writing, it is possible to view the boat on the webcam at CLC Boats (John’s boat is currently in the upper left corner of the view)