Comet sailboat restoration

I am about to start the restoration of a comet sailboat that I am told was built in 1938. It is double planked, most of the wood is solid, structure is good, most if not all of the hardware is there and and seems to be original. The number on it is 856.
1. How can I trace the number to verify a date? I've read at this age they were mostly home built boats. If this is the case how were they numbered?
2. The keel is what I assume to be steel. It has some rust so I don't think it's bronze. Is this original or has it been replaced?
3. I'm planning on sanding and painting her but it originally had a canvas top. Should I paint it or try to recanvas it?

 

I'd love to see some pictures!

 

Usually the class association assigned boat numbers. http://www.cometclass.com/index.html

By "keel" do you mean the pivoting centerboard?

 

Sorry, pics will follow. And also sorry for my lack of boat terminology. I bought her on a whim two and a half years ago as a pre-mid life crisis. I've never even been on a sailboat let alone sailed one. It just seemed like my kind of project and hobby.

 

pics

The four pics are of the center board number, in my shop, a number stamped in the rudder on the side that would face the transom, and the first day it was calm enough to sail in my drive way without capsizing (fully crewed).

 

Looks to be a nice boat. Good looking design, and solid hardware.

 

Congrats, Furb, I'm sure you will have a lot of fun.

I bought a 16' '58 Crescent off CL a little under a year ago that looks surprisingly like your Comet. I, too, have little sailing experience beyond a few lake rentals of simple Sunfish catboats and sailing with friends.

My little boat started off as just something to get me on to the water with "just a few little repairs" but as I got further into it I discovered two things:

• Nothing is as simple as it seems, and the further I got into it the more work I realized it needed, including some major structural work, and...
• I really started to enjoy working with my hands and hand tools again and tackling the challenges and new skills the boat presented to me.

I've learned a lot of things (some of them the hard way, which is some times the best way) and I am certain that I have plenty more to learn

Welcome to the forum, there are some great guys that are willing to share their experience & knowledge here!

Curtis

My Crescent some time ago before I stripped all the old fiberglass off and began the total restoration. It also has a sit-on-top deck and similar lines as the Comet and I suspect the Crescent was heavily inspired by the Comet:

 

Canvas deck covering was common back then but there is no good reason to use it since there are better synthetic alternatives now. Whether paint alone is sufficient, I don't know considering what condition the wood is in.

If you want to restore it to original you will need to use canvas on the deck and also need to redo the mast rigging to the original 8 stay rig with spreaders and running back stays.

Best to contact the Comet Class Association in any case.