I spent very little time in San Diego- when the Topeka came out of the yard in Connecticut, I took it around through the Panama Canal, and spent a few months at Point Loma before I got out. This was 1991. Nice place, but I was a homesick Long Island native who couldn't wait to get back east.
What subs did your Dad serve on? I was an enlisted reactor tech on the USS Trepang and USS Topeka in the '80's and early 90's. As far as Lightnings being sold as DIY kits, I've never heard of any. However, plans are available from the class organization and some astute woodworkers out there have...
You're correct,Lightning hulls were once
wooden- cedar planking and mahogany, IIRC. In the 60's(?) Nickels Boat Works built the first fiberglass Lightning. On the class website, there's a section dedicated to those who maintain and restore their "woodies."
I'm starting to look at getting back into sailing after too many years away from it. There's a Lightning fleet near me, so I've been trolling the class website, craigslist, and the internet in general for a good used Lightning. I'm a little concerned about what to look for- if I look at a boat...
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