Mr. Hobbs takes a vacation

[Bob Hunkins]

OK, this is total trivia: a friend of mine at work said he saw this 1962 movie last night called "Mr. Hobbs takes a vacation" with Jimmy Stewart on American Movie Classics. In this movie they sail a Day Sailer. In fact, you can clearly see the "DS" on the sail and it's number: 973. I was also told you could see the teak rails that everyone cuts down to let you hike out. I've never heard anyone mention this before, and have wondered if that particular boat is still around. Is there anyone who knows any stories about it? I like the idea of our boat being venerable enough to have been in a movie with Jimmy Stewart... Maybe I'll rent it when the weather is too bad to sail.

[Guest]

Hi Bob,

I was looking at the photo of your boat and I don't see the teak rails, unless they are painted white. I have them. At least I think I do. Are you talking about the wooden strip around the top edge of the cockpit. The strip is five or six inches wide and comes several inches above the deck. It makes sitting in the boat much more comfortable because you have a smooth broad surface to lean against as a back rest, but you sure can't sit on it to hike out. (DS I)

Tell us if you rent the movie. I'll have to ask about it here.

Steve

Steve Max (75264.153-at-compuserve.com)

[Bob Hunkins]

Hi Steve,
Looks like I was imprecise in my terminology (Yet again). I did mean the teak strips around the edge of the cockpit. I think combing is the correct term here. Anyway, I did rent the movie a couple of weeks back when it was raining. The DS is in this segment of the movie maybe 1 hour and 15 minutes into it. Jimmy Stewart takes his son out for a sail after being goaded into it by the Commodore of the local Yacht Club. The commodore thought that Jimmy was a big time sailor and because he doesn't want to look bad in front of his kid, he finds himself out on the water in a predicament. I found it at the local Blockbuster in the comedy section.

[Guest]

Steve,

You are right that the coamings are uncomfortable to sit on. That is why people 'cut them down'. This involves trimming them from a point even with the forward end of the tiller forward to the cuddy so that the coaming is only about 1/4 to 3/8" above the deck. You don't need to trim them any further back because when you are hiking out you shouldn't have to be sitting that far back (unless you are are on a screaming broad reach under spinnaker). You are more likely to be sitting right neaxt to your crew, who is sitting right up tight with the cuddy cabin edge. Some people say 'why cut the coamings down? They keep out water.' but thatey really don't keep out that much more for the loss in comfort.

Keith Bay (kabay-at-execpc.com)

[Guest]

If you are going to cut the coaming back to 1/4" to 3/8" above the deck, why not just remove it all together?

Also, while we're on the subject of hiking, what would be required to install hiking straps on a very old DS1? Where do they attach?

J.T. (jtellis-at-slc.twc.com)

[Guest]

The reason for leaving the coamings on is that they strengthen the side decks and also look good (if you keep them well varnished). Those 'little' pieces of wood add alot to the looks of the boat. If I had a DS II I might even put some (coamings) on.

Installing hiking straps on a DS I is really very easy to do.

Step 1: Get a rudder gudgeon fitting, preferably like the ones on the outside of your transom. Undo the bolts that hold the bottom gudgeon on and attach the new gudgeon to the inside of the transom. If you can't do that you can through-bolt a gudgeon, or a large eye strap, just above the bottom gudgeon.

Step 2: Tie a piece of 1/4" x 2' line to this attachment point.

Step 3: Prepare two pieces of hiking strap material by measuring them so they can run from the bottom of the cockpit, at a point approx. 1' forward of the transom, up to the underside of the centerboard thwarts and back down to the keelson, approx. 1' forward of the centerboard trunk. Double over the ends of the straps and install grommets through the straps.

Step 4: Tie the other end of the line to one end of each of the straps. Run each strap forward, one on either side of the centerboard trunk.

Step 5: Screw the straps to the underside of the centerboard thwarts with three #10-1/2" truss-head screws in each strap. Place them in a row across the width of the strap.

Step 6: Screw a large eye strap to the top of the keelson, approx. 6" aft of the mast step.

Step 7: Tie a piece of 1/4" x 2' line to this attachment point.

Step 8: Tie the other ends of the straps with this line, adjusting the length for hiking comfort.

Step 9: Adjust the aft straps so they just touch the cockpit sole (floor) when you step on them.

You are done unless you want to get several pieces of foam rubber pipe insulationb from a plumbing supply store. Thread the strap through them for padding.



Keith Bay (kabay-at-execpc.com)

[Guest]

Going back to that Mr. Hobbs movie, I watched it last night because I was curious as to what model DS he was sailing and was I surprised to see him sailing an exact duplicate of my DSI! The color, combings, inner cuddy hatch covers. Everything except the colored sails and the through combing jib fairlead and deck mounted block for same. I'm almost hesitant about updating it to new colors (needs painting) and rigging for better performance. Does anyone think it would be worth keeping entirely stock?

Rex

Rex Sheler (signroute-at-aol.com)

[Guest]

I did watch the film when it was first mentioned here. It is indeed my DSI. But, it doesn't look as if it is really sailing in the movie. It looks as if it is sitting on some sort of platform with perhaps a barge. Maybe it is in a studio with the background on a reel.

It seems to me that if anyone wants to hike out badly enough to cut down the coaming, they ought to get a DSII or higher. The coaming and floor boards are the best features of the DSI.

Steve Max

Steve Max (75264.153-at-compuserve.com)

[Bob Hunkins]

As to how they filmed it, I think you are right. I doubt they placed a camera in the DS (with a cameraman and sound equipment and whatever else). I expect a lot of it was done on a sound stage, or they had special effects to put the background in. Hollywood has to fake so many things. After all, how practical is it to put a movie camera in the back of a DS - especially with late 50's technology? Amazing that they can pull off so much.

As to cutting down the combings, it depends on if you want to race or day sail. For some reason, performance or another, the DS II doesn't seem to be raced much at the regional level and higher. I've never heard a straight answer as to why, except that they are slower.
"And why are they slower?", I asked.
"They just are." I heard )
If you race a DS I, I'd think you'd want to make it easy on the skipper and crew.

But the combings and floorboards on an old DS, when they are taken care of, sure are handsome. In a way, I miss that age when there was more wood in boats. But, taking care of all that wood... Well, there goes a huge chunk of time!
Keeping the gelcoat looking reasonably good, that's enough work for me. Not that I succeed at that very well, mind you.

[Guest]

A DS2 is not good for hiking in spite of the fact that it doesn't have wood combings. It has a narrow fiberglass "wall" that is about 2" wide. Just sat on one last Saturday and it was NOT comfortable at all. The bottom line if you hike out much at all (all racers do), a DS1 is your best bet and unfortunately on the O'Day versions you'll have to cut the combings down.

As for DS2 and national-level racing, I was told they have a higher center of mass and were heavier. Don't remember who, but they had been racing for years. For club-level racing, though, I've got to believe that any handicap is miniscule.

Kevin Clark
Dallas, TX

Kevin Clark (clarkr-at-usa.alcatel.com)

[Guest]

Cockpit coamings, on the DS I the reason to cut them down flush with the deck rather than just simply remove them is that 1) they strengthen the deck, the deck will sag and crack without the coamings. 2) Class Rules specify "Wooden cockpit coamings may be cut down. Coamings may not be removed if they are intended to be used as structural support to side decking. Owners of double-hull Rebel, Spindrift, and Precision models may remove the coamings." This was quoted from the DSA 2001 Class Handbook.
On the DS II, I find the coamings to be OK to hike over. In fact, I find that when sitting on the side deck...they are perfect for preventing me from sliding back into the cockpit as the boat heels.
Now, to satify the original topic of this thread....I have watched "Mr Hobbs Takes a Vacation" a couple of times, and have to aggree that the DS I in that movie is not actually out on the water. It is VERY obvious as they "sail" out of the harbor and nearly collide with several boats.....in fact, due to "sloppy" editing, they actually appear to hit quite a few boats (or get hit by them?). That said, it is still great to see such a movie "starring" a classic O'Day Day Sailer! In fact O'Day used a still photo from the movie in their advertising at the time!

Rod Johnson, "SUNBIRD" (rjohnson24-at-juno.com)

[Tad]

I was the original owner of DS973 after it was used in the movie. I never had any trouble hiking out over the coamings. I don't believe they were teak, I think they were mahogany. I purchased the boat in Newport CA. It was sailed on many adventures up and down the coast, including one memorable trip to Catalina Island. It was a very able little boat and I loved sailing it in stormy weather. I don't know if it is still around, but if it is I would be glad to exchange "sea stories" while I'm still around.
Tad chsfld@yahoo .com