Ariel & Commander Owners

:D

Bill, would you kindly change my forum status from "boatless lurker" to "Ariel Owner".  Thank you!

Here's A414 when we surveyed her...  more pics soon!  
- Mike

looks GREAT !!! Congrats

Wow, is that the last gal out of the mold? Sweeeeeeeeeet! :D

Quote from: willieWow, is that the last gal out of the mold?

No, #440 is the last boat.  Highest boat number we have seen is #437, which appeared for sale on eBay in July of 2004.

Thanks guys!  I can't tell you how thrilled I am!  

I will be heading up to Belfast, Maine sometime at the end of the month to sail the boat down to Portland with the current owner.  He is a very nice fellow who has owned the boat himself for only three years - before that, he and his wife were full-time cruisers in the Caribbean. You can bet I'll be picking his brain all the way down the coast! But, he has obviously taken good care of the boat. Sadly, however, the survey came back with deck problems, so I'm afraid there is a recore job in my near future.   :eek:

Now for some more pictures...

Bow shot as I saw her last Fall.  The unsuspecting little guy under the boat doesn't realize he's about to be shanghaied and swabbing decks before he knows what happened!

The hatches have veneer tops...

The interior is nice and clean!  The wood is in great shape with some nice modifications by PO's, like the companionway steps here...

...and the v-berth.

...with a nifty chain locker.

Another nice touch - these are built inside each of the cockpit lockers to separate the locker contents and the engine compartment.

OH!  And check this out! A414 has been repowered with a diesel - a good while ago, but the engine looks to be in good shape and the owner certainly knows his way around diesels.  Awfully tight quarters for maintenance work though, and boy, do I have A LOT to learn.  Ulp!

The boat looks great and obviously has been loved by PO's.The little Yanmar will surprise you if all is well to start with.Diesels are pretty simple really....keep the oil,air and fuel clean and they have a way of going an going an going!! AND on very little fuel!! Don't forget to check the zincs too. A fine start to Ariel land.Keep the pics coming.

Now that is a Honey

She was worth waiting for.

Ooo!  Drool, drool, slobber,slobber.  

She does look very nice.  Being #414, she's probably still 'warm out of the oven'.  Danged near brand new!  The modifications look really good too.  Very fitting, not out of place.  The boom craddle looks like it was conceived by someone with some miles under their keel.  It would be fun to take an inagural sail with some Caribbean cruisers.  Brain pickin'?  You bet!

Gawd, I'd be nervous cutting into such nice looking decks.  Is she in well enough shape that you could sail her for the season and decide if there are any other changes you'd like to make so you could do them all at one time?

Maybe you just wanna give her to me... :D

- CP, she was absolutely worth the wait!  BTW, have you got pictures of that newly painted mast yet?  Or have you been too busy with your new gal?

- "Tony G", that was my reaction when I first saw her too!

- And "thanks" for posting the Uncle Heny's ad David S.!

Now, just to get the boat...

Wow, Mike - She's a beaut! And only 8 hulls later, Katie Marie was born. :D

Good things do come to those who wait!!!

Love those companionway steps, the anchor locker, and the slat-separated cockpit lockers - all things I'll be doing before long.

Also, I see you have the same teak countertop galley organizer Katie had. Yes, "had" - I took it out a little while ago, and am loving the space it freed up. Until I saw your pics, I figured it was an aftermarket thing, but I guess it is an OEM Pearson Ariel piece o' stuff. (Anyone need one?)

Again, Congrats! You'll have a blast sailing her down. :D

Thanks Kurt!

Hey, does Katie Marie have cast aluminum deck hardware instead of the chromed bronze too?  If so, I wonder when Pearson decided to cut costs that way.   :mad:

After waiting a day because of this, then finally leaving Belfast, Maine in this on Friday we set out. (GPS is a wondrous thing!)

Quote from: mbdThanks Kurt!

Hey, does Katie Marie have cast aluminum deck hardware instead of the chromed bronze too?  If so, I wonder when Pearson decided to cut costs that way.   :mad:

When they began building their yachts . . .

Steaming for twelve hours with prevailing winds on the nose and seeing stuff like this...

..and this.

Then another 8 hours, sailing the last three... A-414 has arrived at her new home in South Portland for the season!  Woo hoo!!!  :D

Congrats on making it 'home'.....looks GREAT @ the dock !!

WOW! Way to go, Mike! Congrats!!!

I know how you feel - I pat Katie's hull every night as I go to sleep, and dream good seafaring dreams. :D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D

PS - We, too, are members of the cast aluminum deck hardware crowd. Whatever works! :D

The need for better access to the leaking stern tube hurried this project along. As I've never cut a hole in a cockpit before, and because he is such a nice guy, I was able to secure the services of the master himself, Mr. Tim Lackey to install the access hatch.

I bought a Bomar L-Profile Slam Hatch, 16x20 (I think - the picture and dimensions online don't seem to match the hatch), part number Bom-17621-w for $61.99 from Hamilton Marine. It seemed like a good fit for the area and felt and looked as though it had plenty of support.

The cockpit BEFORE...

Tim drilling...

Tim sawing...

And Tim looking rather pleased to be holding a big chunk of my floor in his hands...  

For what it's worth, the cockpit floor was solid as a rock and seemed very well put together and supported.

He had a handy little drill bit to center a pilot hole for the pilot hole - if that makes sense. It made for very quick and accurate work of the screw holes. I must get one.

You can see how much easier it will be to get into the bowels of the boat now...

The cockpit AFTER the hatch is installed (with LOTS of butyl sealant)...

Some more pictures of the installed hatch...


Thanks Tim!   :D

great access !! Fits in there real nice..looks good.

Great to meet Tim.  We are so chary of portraits on this board, it's great to see the man.

But also,  this series of photos you have here is just the kind of sharing that is so useful for others to have.  It's a perfect addition to an inaccessable part of the boat that others should seriously consider!   Let's hope it don't leak.*  Too much.  

Thanks, guys!

*talking bomar not yer expertise!

Looks like a first rate fit!
 
If I had an inboard, (especially the diesel you have that I would dearly love) I think I should look for this same modification.
 
Tim Lackey certainly has MUCH more experience then I, but there are two issues I did not see addressed in the install that you might want to think about.
 
The cockpit is a very wet area, it does not just take water with large breaking waves, but every rain that falls. I did not see (maybe you just left it out) any caulking used to seal the hatch to the deck. Water intrusion past the flange will cause you much heartache down the road.
 
The other issue was the bare core exposed by the sawing. Should moisture find it's way to this, it could soften the entire cockpit floor in short order. A good example of how to deal with this potential problem can be seen in Kurt's installation of a Hawsepipe aboard #422 (http://pearsonariel.org/discussion/showpost.php?p=9907&postcount=23)
 
Again, Tim Lackey (and others on this board like Mike and... ok most of this board) have more experience then I so they may have other suggestions.   I think the project is a great addition to the already great boat you have got a hold of.
 
:D

Craig, good points!  

Jeeze, I'm wondering now if I should have asked Tim's permission to post this in case someone comes away from it thinking he's not as thorough and meticulous as he is!

My bad. Yes, I did leave some pictures out. I stupidly was trying to "abbreviate" the process.

We used butyl sealant - LOTS of it!  He also counter sunk (?) the screw holes in the fiberglass to allow the sealant to ooze into those recesses and also left it over the screw heads when all was said and done.

As for the exposed core, our main concern of the morning was to get the hatch in so I could get at the stern tube to try and apply a temporary patch. He commented on me "properly" sealing the exposed core in the off-season and in the mean time completely slathered the the core areas with yet more butyl sealant.  He used an entire tube.

Here he is with a zealous blob around the lip and slathering the exposed core...

from the pic , I would say your sealant was 'liberally' applied !! Let us know how it all fairs out after some sun,rain and waves.Looks good

A-414 threads merged: Ariel #414 and 414 hatch.

With stern tube, cutlass bearing and propeller shaft repairs behind and hopefully soon forgotten, it's time to get on to more important things!

The cockpit hatch was a timely and vastly worthwhile improvement! I cannot imagine trying to work on the innards below the cockpit without it. If you're thinking about installing one and wondering if it'll be worth it - JUST DO IT!

I can't speak for the water tightness yet, since I have improperly non-bedded hardware all over the deck and coach roof which is undoubtedly the primary source of my water intrusion...

Quote from: mbdI can't speak for the water tightness yet, since I have improperly non-bedded hardware all over the deck and coach roof which is undoubtedly the primary source of my water intrusion...

Don't forget the hull to deck joint  :D   That one can be a major source -- if you get your top rail down.

Ah, yes. Well, after the leak below the waterline was fixed I figured I'd start from the top down. I'll get to the rub rail eventually.  :)

Speaking of rub rails, there was a nice rub rail on a beautifully restored Triton going around the Triton list last week - Jim Bissonnette's Triton 557.  Never seen this done before, but I like it!

Let's see if I can find it.  Yes, here it is...

Mike, thanks for posting some sailing pictures.  Its nice to see these boats in the water.  She looks great!

Hey!  Jim added more pictures to the Triton MIR site too.  We've been studying his head/shower, trying to glean information from the pictures.  But I didn't find the picture you posted above.  What list is that from?

Thanks Tony! They are some nice little boats.

The Yahoo Triton list.  He emailed me some offline - beautiful!  I can send 'em along off-line if you like...

Winter is here.

"Oh the weather outside is frightful,
but those lines... are so delightful..."

:D :D :D

"E" -- they're much more delightful in the water!

Here's a shamelss plug for the association paraphernalia...  Start 'em young and they'll learn to like varnish, sanding and bottom paint.  :D

We'll see if it works...

"'Brainwashing children'? Well, no, we prefer to think of it as "pre-adult nautical career guidance"..."  :rolleyes:  :D

Heeeey, I like the sound of that! :D

Well, we got off easy this Winter and the Spring started off promising. But Mother Nature has a way of evening things out. As a result of the recent monsoons, progress on the recore has been frustratingly slow.

I've been looking at this view of the boat in the side yard waaaaay too much this last month!

The deck hardware is off with just a handful of siezed/broken screws/bolts. I still need to remove the coamings and chain plates - the windows are staying for another project down the road.

I'm still debating on removing the companionway hatch and trim. It'll make painting a lot easier if I do.

The supplies are bought and I'm watching far too many other boats going into the water to wait much longer. In the next couple of weeks, I'm going to take some time off work and go at it with a vengence during the days - the season is just too short.

I'm just a little ahead of you, I have pictures just haven't posted yet (keep forgeting to bring the camera home) I decided to postpone the recore till winter, and just rebed all the deck hardware in the meantime (bedding - drilling a 5/8 hole in the top skin digging out as far back as i can and filling with thickened epoxy, after that I had planned for "Lifecaulk" for a sealant . . . but the river ate 7/8 of my tube.

I was actually able to leave the boat uncovered over night. I must say, the coamings add a LOT to these boats.

I split one of the *&$@# coamings because I pulled at it before I had really broken the butyl's hold. A PO used lots of butyl when reattaching the combings.

Now I need to build shelves in the garage so I can use the workbench...

A less than pristine cockpit and the tools used for removing the coamings...

I'm thinking I'll save the companionway hatch and windows for another season and just paint around the edges the best I can.

I opted to go for a "small" area and just tackle on side deck. Using a circular saw I cut a line up the starboad side deck along the toe rail, then back down along the cabin. Then I divided it into 4 good sized sections by cutting across the other way. I finished the cuts off with a dremel with a metal cutting bit which worked very nicely.

I went after the section I thought had the most problems.  Not much delamination here, and it was a real pain to peel off and clean out. I spent the better part of the afternoon chiseling and hacking the not-so-bad core out of the area...

After clearing everything off the decks because of an afternoon thunderstorm, I thought perhaps I should try and hone in on the known bad spots. So, just forward of the section I just did, I made another cut lengthwise to try and just get the area around the chainplates.

Bingo. It was nice to see some bad core. (Did I just say that?) In any event, it was way easier to remove the material for these "sub" sections.

I'm already planning on replacing my chain plates, and looking at these soggy gaping holes in the side deck has me thinking about external chain plates again. Besides three less holes in each side deck, I think they look pretty shippy too. I'll have to hit the "search" button. :D

Quote from: mbd.... I'll have to hit the "search" button. :D

Take a look at post #60 at: http://www.pearsonariel.org/discussion/showthread.php?t=325&page=4&pp=15

Mike

it's a trade-off what holes to spend time and effort sealing up... three holes on each of the side decks or... 9 holes on each side of the hull....

I need to make the same choice next year.

bill

Bill, as posted in another thread, looks like I'm going with the 'stock' setup (though a bit beefier) for the chainplates - though I do really like the idea of the externals, the path of least resistance wins out. Guess I'll just have to wait for you, Ebb, TonyG to do it to see another installation besides Geoff's.

http://pearsonariel.org/discussion/showpost.php?p=13379&postcount=57

http://pearsonariel.org/discussion/showpost.php?p=13378&postcount=35

Progress is slow on the recore job, but things are getting done. In the meantime, here's the old chainplate (it was flattened out to make the new one), and the new - one after I made the opening on the taff rail larger...

I'm very pleased with the CoreCell. I got the 9mm thick stuff. It's easy to work with and just the right thickness.  Here it is dry fit on the starboard side deck.

Here's the ground out deck, including the hole through the lower skin.

Here is the deck with thickened epoxy spread over the hole and stuffed all around the edges where I dug out the balsa core.

And finally, the new core in place and weighted down. First, I wet out the lower skin and applied three fiberglass cloth patches to holes and thin spots, then spread thickened epoxy all over the bottom of the corecell pieces, mashed 'em down, wet out the undersides of the cut out deck pieces, spread thickened epoxy over the tops of the corecell pieces, then pressed everything in place, wiped off the squeezed out epoxy, laid down wax paper and put on the weights.

Next will be more grinding and scarf joints. Maybe 1/3 done. Then I'll have to make everything pretty again - grinding, fairing, grinding, painting...  :eek:

Why does no one vacuum bag? You could put around 12 Psi or 1700 Pounds per square foot or al most 7000 lbs of pressure on that little patch you had there. Just need some bag, mastic, breather, & pref, coupled to a vacuum pump of a venturi deal, or in a pinch an onld refer compressor, or any compressor.

Sure think it beats bricks, and jugs.

Mike,
You sure  do make your recore project look and sound  easy!  And neat.  You do good work!  

I hope you will take time to write a recap to help first timers  feel empowered to do it also.  Talking about power, it's a fantastic thing to do for the ole gal.  Adding years, decades to the life of our fine little boats.  

Hints, that first cut, tools you used, materials, and amounts of materials if you kept a record.  Any problems, tips, what would you do different next time. :rolleyes:

You know, because somebody right now is going to be inspired by what you've accomplished. :cool:

Quote from: tha3rdmanWhy does no one vacuum bag? ... Just need some bag, mastic, breather, & pref, coupled to a vacuum pump of a venturi deal, or in a pinch an onld refer compressor, or any compressor.

Let's do a little "got it" test:

  some bag - got it? no.
  mastic - got it? no.
  breather - got it? no.
  & pref - got it? no.
  a vacuum pump of a venturi deal - got it? no.
  an onld refer compressor - got it? no.
  or any compressor - got it? no.
  bricks - got it? yes.
  milk jugs - got it? yes.

Quote from: tha3rdmanSure think it beats bricks, and jugs.

Perhaps, but my bricks and jugs are paid for and they work.  :D

Thanks Ebb! What is truly empowering is the encouragement and knowledge from the good folks on the forum here and other ether places. This is truly an "if I can do it, anyone can" sort of job. Not fun, but not too terribly difficult either. But, I'm still far from done - and still recovering from that "first cut"...  :o

Got it!  :D or I get it rather.

BTW: how much does the corecell run a sheet?

Quote from: ebbYou know, because somebody right now is going to be inspired by what you've accomplished. :cool:

Or dreading this winter when they cut into their own . . .

Oh 3rdman... Will I post this before our omnipresent moderator Bill does?

"If you use the 'search' button at the top of the page"...

I got it from Noah's Marine (http://www.noahsmarine.com/United_States/Core_Materials-US/ATC_Chemicals-US/atc_chemicals-us.html).  Here's the link from the Deck Delamination / Core Problems (http://www.pearsonariel.org/discussion/showpost.php?p=11157&postcount=156) thread.

PS. At the rate I'm going, you'll finish before I do. :rolleyes:

I just took this after removing the weights and right before spilling my beer. I hate this tarp. :eek:

I do wish more expoxy had oozed out of the seams though. Oh well, I'll have some more chances with the port and fore decks...

Quote from: mbdOh 3rdman... Will I post this before our omnipresent moderator Bill does?  "If you use the 'search' button at the top of the page"...

Thanks!  ;)

A busy weekend - grinding. Lots of it.

BTW, when I cut along the coach roof and toe rail, I cut as close to the edges as my circular saw guard would allow. Don't do that. Add maybe a half or an inch or so to that. The thin strip along the edges is difficult to get at with a sander, and impossible to grind at the right angle for a scarf joint. You can still dig the material underneath the edges out and stuff thickened epoxy into the crevices...

And my first ever fiberglass job - phase one.

First, I slathered as much unthickened epoxy into the cracks as I could and wetted out the bare glass. Then I thickened what was left to fill the big gaps. Next I cut some of my 8.7 oz 4" fiberglass tape into 2" strips which I laid on the seams then wet out with unthickened epoxy.

I tried to roll out bubbles and squeegy off the excess before the epoxy gelled and became unworkable -  with mediocre results. I got a can of slow hardener last weekend after I almost detonated my first big batch of epoxy, which gave me more time to work, but still, I attempted to do too big of an area at one time...

I would have liked to finish off with 4" strips and cloth to complete the scarf joints, but I ran out of daylight and weekend. Too bad, because the whole chemical vs. mechanical bond deal, but what can you do?  Plan better, I guess.

I sure wish I had one of the experts looking over my shoulder! The job leaves much to be desired I'm sure, but at least the deck is getting put together instead of taken apart for a change. Besides, I can always grind it back down and try again, right?  :o

Mike -

I've been meaning to post that it sure looks like any 'expert looking' was done from *between* your shoulders, not over them. :) Nice work, she's looking good!!!

Thanks Kurt - I'm currently waiting for the deckwork from last weekend to cure. Almost 4 days and the whole side deck is still tacky! :eek:

I had switched to the slow hardener (West System 206) to give myself more time to work with the epoxy, but the high temps in Maine since Saturday have been barely above 60 and drizzly. I've got four pots that I used for mixing various batches, and none have hardened - and I don't think even I could screw up mixing four different batches! I'm really hoping a nice sunny warm day will harden it up.  :o

Quote from: mbdI've got four pots that I used for mixing various batches, and none have hardened - and I don't think even I could screw up mixing four different batches!

Ummmm... I've been wrong before, too.   :o

So, I'm using West System epoxy (availability, reputation, documentation, marketing :) , etc.) They have this handy "pump system" where the 5:1 ratio of resin and hardener is measured for you - all you have to do is count the number of pumps of resin and hardener. Not so bad. Worked great the first time I tried it. About as idiot-proof as they could make it really.

Well, after finding the epoxy still tacky last night, four days after finishing the job, I began combing through old emails and rereading the West System User guide, trying to figure out what the heck was going on. Then it hit me. 5:1 ratio. 5:1 ratio. Wait a minute! The pumps...  The @#!$# pumps! I had actually done it. I had outsmarted the idiot-proof "pump system".

I don't know, I guess I was really preoccupied with other things, like: Am I doing the scarf joints properly? Should I be using the 17oz biax, or the 8 oz cloth now? Have I washed and ground down the previous layer enough? Can I get this done before dark?

And I kept thinking 5:1 ratio, 5:1 ratio. Don't screw it up. So that's what I did: 5 pumps of resin, 1 pump of hardener. Over and over and over again. I did indeed mismeasure every single batch of epoxy I mixed last weekend. ALL of them. The entire day's worth of epoxy and glass and filler on the starboard side deck. What I did in reality, was mix a whole bunch of 25:1 resin goo. :eek:

Needless to say, I'll be learning how to remove and clean up uncured epoxy this weekend...

geesh, Before you go stripping off all that mess, I'd call West Sys, and see if theres and easier way even baking it would be easier then scraping all that crud. I wonder if some time at 140 deg, or so, would cure it.

yea, I'd call them too!

It is not unlikely that misbatched epoxy will go off eventually, just a matter of time.  Don't do anything radical yet!  Might depend on how far off your part A to your part B was....  Call the product tech!  Maybe the set can be speeded up with a heat gun.

Project looks first class!

Instead of the pumps you might try the graduated translucent plastic quart containers that most alternative suppliers have.  I get mine from TAP.  Ounces and milleliters printed on the straight sided container makes it simple to get the proportions visually.  

You go for the amount of epoxy you think you need (in your case) marking off with a sharpie 5 measures plus one measure - whether they're 2 oz each, 1 oz each, 1/2 oz or milliliter multiples.  It's no brainer, I make myself mark off the proportions every time I mix a batch:  5 equal spaces to one equal space, whatever the quantity.  

(I'm a two to one fan,  but the point is you look at, actually thru, the container as you pour Part A up to the 5 part mark -where I've made a longer line with the marker - and then top off with the hardner.  This would work especially well if you are using epopxies with differing proportions.

The marker lines wipe off with denatured alcohol, my cleanup solvent of choice.  I'll often clean out the container with paper towel/rags and use it again.  Depends on the timing.  I keep similar 1/2 gal buckets to mix powders into a batch: silica, fairing compound.

I have trouble trusting the pumps.  If you keep them in the cans over a period of time, Part A will gum up and the squirts will not be true measure.  Also if you have the cans around for awhile you want to screw the cap on.  What do you do with the pumps?  Toss em?  Unless you want to go thru the mess of cleaning them and wasting solvent.)

I tried the heat gun earlier in the week. It thins the mixture when there's not enough hardener to "kick" - which incidentally is the way West suggests removing it. I also tried the heat gun on one of my used mixing pots to see what would happen. It just made it runny.

Ebb, I've got lots of the clear buckets with marked measurements. That's how I started out, but pouring the resin and hardener from the jug and cans was a messy and wasteful affair, and I invested in the pumps.

I also called West with a "hail mary" and took little comfort when he said, "You're not the first to do it." In light of the fact that I used the slow hardener, the temps are hovering around 60 and it hasn't started to cure yet, he said I'd be better off removing the questionable stuff, which I'm inclined to do anyway because we're talking about the structural integrity of my deck.

Ironic. In the software biz, I strive to write "idiot-proof" code 40 hours a week and I've concluded many times over - you just can't save some people from themselves...   :o

Hey Mike, Guess you have to make up a proportion code sheet.
Like 72 squirts part A    /     14.4 squirts part B   =    8 oz
     100 squirts pt A      /     20 squirts  pt B       =    12  oz
     ETC

Had to find a supplier for empty F-style gallon cans to screw in the pumps.  Befor I nixed the pumps. But I got to like the wider mouth cans - you can look down the hole to see what's doin in there.
I buy Part A in 5 gal bombs weighing 600#, it seems -so I have to decant with a funnel into  smaller containers.  No fun when the big one is full.  I got a big mit and find it pretty easy to pick up a rectangular can by its side and tip it into the quart container - laboratory style at eye level one in each hand.  Not you?  You only need to have it half full, weight wise.  Anyway you probably aren't set up for continuous use like 338 is.  

Spent an inordinate amount of time last few years with a gallon can in one hand and a quart container in the other. The wider mouth means that the syrupy epoxy pours out rather than BLOB - which indeed can get messy.

Earlier threads point out that 2 to 1 and 1 to 1 epoxies are better to use.  And easier to measure.  One reason is that they are more tolerant of mistakes because they are essentially the same stuff in each container but one has the hardner.  Been said these epoxies are in a premix state already on their way to set.  Sometimes indicated by zero induction time.  This might have been true yesterday, but today there are 100s of new epoxies!

You're absolutely correct.  Personally haven't been saved at least a thousand times! :eek:

Quote from: ebbEarlier threads point out that 2 to 1 and 1 to 1 epoxies are better to use.

I was real close to going with Mike G's FGCI epoxy, got a catalogue and even called and talked to them. But in the end, the ready availability of West won out.

In retrospect, I suppose I'd rather my recore were delayed because I was waiting for a delivery of epoxy... :o

Not so bad really. The 25:1 ratio goo was basically resin and was nowhere close to hardening. I was able to just peel of the fiberglass cloth and biax strips I had laid down, scraped off what I could, then wiped it all down with acetone. I could have been a lot worse...  

Lesson learned.

Can get seduced by the local marine convenience store (WM.)  Aside from ranting West Systems (Gougeon Bros) for foisting blush epoxies on the inexperienced,  they do have packaging down pat.  And they're the only act on the shelf.  It is also true we are paying for the convenience of having the store down the street: taxes, morgages, salaries, utilities - that game forces the prices of everything up.  (WM is a publically owned company and is probably worth more in real estate than inventory.  Who knows what they're into.  Who owns West Systems, for example?  The CEO of WM makes a paltry million and a half a year.  Good ole Empire building goin on heare!)

For that little bit of wait you mention, online suppliers offer greater selection and better epoxies at half the price.  The site I use sells 'marine' epoxies without the added surcharge.  They are often what industry and the military use.  The only problem I've found is eclectic containers.  And maybe too large quantity.  My white tank coating, for instance, requires a gorilla to open the plastic pail part A comes in.  Decanting the thick creme into small batches takes invention and patience.  What the hell...

At least I'm not married to WM's consumeroid choice.  Happy pumping! :D

Quote from: ebbFor that little bit of wait you mention, online suppliers offer greater selection and better epoxies at half the price.  The site I use sells 'marine' epoxies without the added surcharge.

I know it's on this forum somewhere, but is this your internet site of choice Ebb? (http://www.epoxyproducts.com/)

I'm sure I'm not alone when I say your well considered and thought out opinions weigh heavily when it comes to boat related decisions. You should work out deals with the companies you buy from and get royalties when a new customer says "Ebb sent me."... :D

As for the re-recore progress: Saturday AM I rewiped the deck, then did some self appointed penance and reground the whole side deck to make sure no trace of my stupidity remained.  

Here's the latest picture. (Remarkably similar to a previous one I know - at least it's from a different perspective. :o ) But, I did manage a little happy pumping (and all of the batches hardened nicely) when I filled the forward stanchion holes with soaked biax and plenty of properly mixed and thickened epoxy, before Earnest made me relplace the tarp...

Absolutely Gorgeous.
It's definitely art.
Those mysterious symbols....
Interesting you've kept your core material
a complete secret.

The recored, re-glassed starboard side deck.

More details and pictures ad nauseam on "the blog (http://ariel414.blogspot.com/)"...

PS. Ebb, I'm using Corecell for the core material - shown earlier in this thread (#66).

Mike

looks good, glad it set up for you on the second try. while I haven't had to start over with a mix problem, I have hit both extremes of tempurature problems (too thick a layup schedule = a small fire) and ('glassing in the snow without a heat gun = a big mess).

hope you don't encounter these two event first hand ...

cheers,
bill
 ;)

This time, instead of sawing up the whole side deck, I'm going to try and minimize the sawing (and thus the grinding!) this time around...

This arrived Monday and has been sitting in my office. I finally brought it home last night. After work today, I just had to see how it would look - plus, I wanted to make sure the measurements weren't off.

Mike

that's a nice looking stern rail. who was your vendor?

Bill

After doing some checking around, I finally decided on Tops in Quality. Nobody could match or come close to their price, and a number of others have recommended them as well. (I'll be happy to fill in the gory details if anyone wants them.)

I had them add an arch, which they did for an additional $25. Here's a snippet of an email to them:

QuoteAdditional considerations:
1. Please make it look as much like the attached picture of Sirocco as possible (i.e. slight arch/bend going up to AND over taff rail - following the lines of the transom)

I don't know that they actually read the emails, but when all was said and done, I'm pretty pleased. :D

How to say?  An attention to detail that turns a plain guard rail into elegant, eye-pleasing sensation! :D

I see from your post that you wanted the rail to look like Sirocco's.  I am now the very, very proud owner of Sirocco.  Too bad neither one of my modeling ex-wives never looked as good as her LOL  :D  :eek:

Quote from: joeI see from your post that you wanted the rail to look like Sirocco's.  

Yes indeed, imitation is the highest form of flattery. :)  

Congrats again on your new boat!

Got the port side deck gutted and recored. Same process as before, yadda yadda yadda...

You can see where an expoxy plug was done under one of the stanchion bases. I didn't even take pictures post grinding, etc. I'm just ready to be done.

The port side deck is recored and glassed just in time for the cold weather. Here's a picture of it glued and ground. It was too dark for pictures last night when we finished glassing, but I'll post one at some point.

I'm done opening up the decks until next year. In the meantime, I have plenty of other projects to do if any more nice days happen to fall on weekends when I don't have family obligations or leaves to rake.

Great Befor and Afters!
You can really see from the darker areas how they relate to the stanchion bases.  The darker areas must be the oldest rot radiating out from the fastenings in the bases from fresh water invasion.  Good forensics.  Good job!  You make it look like a piece of cake.

Doesn't look like much to show for an entire season out of the water...

I feel your pain, brother.  

There is alot more to it than meets the eye.  Anyone that has done it knows for certain.  I guess you just try not to let it go on for too many seasons.  

Sometimes it's hard to discern if it's a blessing or a curse to have your boat at home where you can take your time...and one project runs into another. The rent is just so darn reasonable!

She'll be better than ever when you're done so keep that thought in mind when you get to beat'n yourself up.

I keep thinking of stuff like this....(thanks Nathan)

Thanks, Tony. That is one great picture from Dasein and crew. A little bittersweet though - he's dippin' his rails in the same bay I was/would/will be... :o

Ps. BTW, how's 113 coming along and where are your latest photos, Mister?

Well, Spring is here - believe it or not. The state of things with A414: I've mulled it over all winter long, and this was the question that really sealed the deal. How would I like to spend my time this Summer - doing this (http://www.pearsonariel.org/discussion/attachment.php?attachmentid=3656&stc=1&d=1158625280) or doing this (http://www.pearsonariel.org/discussion/attachment.php?attachmentid=3671&stc=1&d=1160258080)?

One summer languishing in the side yard is enough. In short, I've contracted Tim Lackey to finish up the recore. In one month's time, the boat will be headed up to his shop and his capable hands. Approximately a month after that, Ariel 414 will hit the water again with new decks and a new name. I psyched.

Simply put, I'm too slow and life is too short. :)

PS. Incidentally, the decks seen on that boat sailing in the picture above are also a beneficiary of Mr. Lackey's expertise, as well as some long hours put in by the owner, Nathan Sanborn.

hope the snow melts soon up there. with a short trip to Mr. Tim's, you'll probably still beat Periwinkle to the water. there are lot of boats between her and the travel-lift...

Good move Mike.

Get 'er done

Is he going to spray the deck too? Zip, zip

I'm afraid we'll have to see how smoothly the recore goes first...  :o

Why people move South...

ahhhh.....but you wouldn't fully appreciate nice days as much ;-)

True, true. I guess the REALLY smart ones just cruise down South during the Winter months. :cool:

South? s o u t h ? ....'go west young man'
where your picture (now on my corkboard in the kitchen!)

- instead of whatever that white substance is you have there -
in sunny California right now
could be  apple, pear, and wisteria petals wafting down in perfumed zephyrs and balmy billows.:rolleyes:

It wouldn't take much convincing these days! Another storm due on Sunday. However, there's still some hope...

Getting her prepped for the trip to Tim L's later this week...

Mike

glad to see the snow is gone. you've been busy. it looks like you've removed to ports and hardware from the cabintop.

cheers,
bill

I've removed just about everything that can be removed except the companionway, cockpit hatch, and all the silicone that was used to bed the deadlights and rub rail. :eek:

The progress of the project can be followed on Tim's website: Sea Glass Project (http://lackeysailing.com/seaglass/seaglass.htm)

Quote from: mbd;15135The progress of the project can be followed on Tim's website: Sea Glass Project (http://lackeysailing.com/seaglass/seaglass.htm)

Looks a bit like false advertising :D   Nothing is happening on that site . . :confused:

Oh, that's only because it's nowhere near him!  Give it a couple of days.  :p  

He's working on his own boat while he's waiting for mine to arrive. I don't think the guy sits still for very long...

Here's his "current" projects:  Current Projects (http://www.northernyacht.com/current.htm)

Mike

is today "moving day" for Sea Glass (aka. the "flying squirrel")?

good luck, hope the move is uneventful.

Bill

Quote from: bill@ariel231;15143..."moving day" for Sea Glass (aka. the "flying squirrel")?

Heh! I like the sound of that!

Yes, today is moving day. I just got a call from the hauler and he'll be here in a bit.  Bonzai!

:) :) :) I t'ink Mike be Happy wit dis, mon.... :) :) :)

To say the least, Kurt!

Here she is this morning, on her way to Tim's for the makeover. She arrived safely this afternoon, and work begins tomorrow...

In only 9 days, Tim L. has the decks done and ready for primer...

Mike

I've been following Tim's progress, the decks look great. If it's wednesday it must be time for primer!

Have you picked a launch date?


Bill

We're tentatively set for June 4th.

What about you?  How's your Spring commissioning coming along?

I splashed last week but I haven't had time for anything more than an engine start and a battery charge.:(

Looks like a really nice weekend coming up to remedy that! :)

Boy does Tim work fast!

Mike

very nice. what finish color(s) should we be prepared to see??

Bill

Alexseal Snow White for the glossy portions and 1 part Interdeck Beige with 1 part Interdeck White for the non-skid...

So, who here is fully prepared to be extremely jealous of Mike when he gets his brand new boat back from Tim?

(http://extension.missouri.edu/explore/images/g01965art11.jpg)

She's beee-yoo-tee-full! Like the color choices, too. WTG!

She is gonna look Great!
 
  Can't wait to see her with the fresh paint on the decks.. :D

Kurt...can I take my right hand down now ????????????  ;)

BON APPETIT MARINIERE!
Gorgeous cream bun there, mon.
Watch out for the cholesterol and the carbs!

Heh! Indeed!  Sadly, it doesn't look like Tim will be getting to the really really good stuff until next Tuesday. Virtually eternity!  :(

BTW, does anyone have bronze cleats or lifeline hardware they'd really like to get rid of?  :D

Tim's web site has been down, but he's mercifully sent me some pictures!

...and another.

Thank goodness. Tim's site is back up! Non-skid goes on today or tomorrow!

The cockpit before non-skid...

Gosh...she looks...Virginal

Beautiful

How old did you say that boat was?

Mike
That new non skid isn't going to dry with all of us drooling on your new paint.

Congrats she looks great
Cheers,
Bill

My right hand is STILL up :D

Lookin' fine! Allow me to pull a Captain Obvious for a second as I'm sure it was mentioned somewhere before, but what paint/color did Tim use? Spray? Roll-Tip? You are giving me something to shoot for with those gorgeous pictures. Between you and Bill A-24 is certainly envious of her New England sisters, but now she knows what she could look like someday.

Quote from: Tim Mertinooke;15411Lookin' fine! Allow me to pull a Captain Obvious for a second as I'm sure it was mentioned somewhere before, but what paint/color did Tim use?

See the post above: http://pearsonariel.org/discussion/showpost.php?p=15347&postcount=131

Tim's site referenced earlier as well has lots more details...

But wait, I have MORE pics! This just in...

I don't know how I'm supposed to work these days!

Stop it !!!!!!!   now BOTH hands are up !!!!!:D

And the second coat of non-skid goes on, then the tape comes off...

Hatches, windows and hardware next. Sure wish I had nice bronze stuff worthy of this deck job...  One step at a time. :o

Mike (and anyone with a factory in-board)

are those big round cutouts in the lazarette bulkhead original?

Bill

I assumed it was done by a PO.  Does Periwinkle have them too?

The latest pictures of Sea Glass may motivate some manufacturer to start producing these beauties again. Does anyone know if the mold still exists?

On the Lazarette subject:
My lazarette bulkhead has a couple small holes related to plumbing and electrics. I was going to guess that's a previous owner's alteration to A-414. It probably helps lighten the stern a bit. Wouldn't be a good idea for the outboard folks.

On the "why don't we start production" subject:
With the exception of the Ensign, the 60's vintage pearson molds are gone (although a new mold could be pulled off a vintage hull). The Ensign is still in limited production by Ensign Spars.

there are other options for surviving molds for close cousins (Cape Dory relatives)...
CD25D & CD26  (Triangle Marine in R.I. owned by a current Pearson Triton Owner & Restoration guru)

Mike, your yacht is something else!  Can't wait to see it put back together.
 
If some manufacturer would start making them again, that new Ariel / Commander would fetch a pretty penny.  Any guess-timates? :eek:   $35-40k?

Thanks Kyle! I'm hoping to make it up to Tim's next week to help him reinstall the dead lights and whatever else I can manage. I'm really really looking forward to seeing things put back together too!  I can't wait to get sailing again. It was a long Summer last year...

Nice, and Motovating! #97 Just got pulled into the paint booth today, tommorrow everything should be preped fror primer on monday, I like the cream nonskid though the "great one" says it must be gray, she doesnt like the sand look.

A side note (i didn't want it to get lost in the previous post) That stripe (cove stripe?) along the top of the topsides, what is that design from?

It a gold vinyl stripe from the previous-PO. I'm afraid that's all I can tell you, but I do like it - a lot. Breaks up the topsides and accents the shear nicely...

So gray non-skid? Cool! That's a nice look too. Sure is nice to see the pretty stuff go on!

FYI.  West M has a range of widths in vinyl striping tapes: Seafit.
There is Mylar metalic gold stripe tape by MDR from other catalogs but it comes in 3/4" only.  $9 for 50'.  Can't find other widths.  Mylar would outlast vinyl, imco, depending on the adhesive too.

Mike -

Like Frank, both hands are up, and whatever color 'jealous' is, I am officially colored that shade, in a deep hue. :D

She's lookin' great!

Mike, you could always rout a real cove into the hull. I was going to do that when I redid Dasein, but time got short so I didn't get to it. The plan was to screw a batten to the hull as a guide for a hand-held router with a (duh :rolleyes: ) cove bit.

That's not a bad idea, then you could just paint it.  But I've got a myriad of other projects that would take priority over routing a cove stripe - like copying your toe rails and cabin sole, not to mention the topsides...    :D

Befor you rout a cove into the topside of your Ariel or Commander make damn sure you are not creating a zipper that will separate your top from the bottom again!

338 has about 3/16" thickness near the seam with about 1/8" at the seam.
I urge you to drill some holes to measure actual thickness along the proposed track of your cove befor you take a router to it.

There is no doubt that an incised cove line with real gold leaf in it has way more class than any vinyl stripe.

Good point. Dasein has a solid 1/2 inch or more at that location. And a routed cove doesn't need to be very deep. You just need the right bit.

If you're thinking about this classy style of coving, you have a variety of corebox bits to choose from.  Depending on the width of the cove, it's obvious that the wider the bit the shallower the radius in the rout.  So as dasein668 sez, you don't have to go deep to get a nice effect.

I wonder what is the best width for a cove stripe?  Anybody know?  It could be too narrow, or too wide for that matter....?


And what the hell is a corebox?  Isn't it a 'coving' bit?

Here is some inspiration:
 
(http://www.geocities.com/Yosemite/Forest/2727/images_flicka/flicka20_Hard.jpg)

Getting anxious to hit the water again...

I used 1/4" vinyl for the cove on 376 (look at the last few posts in the 376 gallery thread).  Been on for 3 years and not coming off, not yellowing.  Just make sure you don't have a fender rubbing right over it at the dock.  Also, I didn't spend more than 45 minutes taping it on both sides (including making the pencil marks equal distance down from the rub rail).  I'm lazy and planed to see how the vinyl looked before re-doing it in paint, but I really don't see why I should waste the time.http://www.pearsonariel.org/discussion/attachment.php?attachmentid=3867&stc=1&d=1168725909

Mike

Sea Glass is looking great on Tim's site. What projects are left to complete after she leaves the shop?

cheers,
Bill

Ho boy. Let's see, just off the top of my head: Commission engine, get zincs, install prop, bilge pump, put on the coamings, miscellaneous deck hardware including lights, install handrails, lifelines, varnish on the hatches, interior trim, bottom paint, number boards, vinyl name, rewire electric to mast, etc. etc. :confused:

At least the BIG stuff is done - and done right. :D

Boy does Tim do nice work! I like this view - spartan, but oh the possibilities!

Viz post 166
For inspiration lets turn our attention to Tim's masterful restoration of his Ariel.

While Bingham designed a couple masterful boats: Flicka and Allegra - that to me metaphorically have a cabin in the woods feel to them, pile of dry wood outside the door and a curl of smoke snaking out of a stove pipe sort of thing - The Ariel's and Commander's somehow transcend the folksey and picturesque and exist as living, animal, sinuous, sensuous, breathing art forms.

I think you can spiff up a Flicka with a coat of paint,  but Tim has found a marvelous way to develop the relationship on a transcendant level.  From this observers point of view I'm not just astonished with the craftsmanship in evidence but feel good and unstressed that another Ariel is alive and well and off the endangered species list.:rolleyes:

Mike

was yesterday the install day for the portlights?:)

Bill

Hi Bill.  Ummm, yes it was.  Everything went relatively smoothly and came out great - except my color choice for the aluminum deadlight frames. Tim hasn't posted his pics yet, but lets just call it the "undercoat"... Sure wish I had bronze portlights! :o

On the other hand, we hooked up the Yanmar and she started first try. Not bad after a year and a half in the side yard!  :)

That's good news on the Yanmar. SeaGlass looks ready to splash real soon. Outside of running rigging she looks ready to go.

Heh!  Let's just say, Tim has done his part to get her ready - and then some! The decks look really fantastic! I couldn't be more pleased.

Regardless of my readiness, splash day is Monday...  :)

I'm excited for you!  I hope you have an uneventful splashdown and that everything works out as planned.  You are gong to have a blast this summer I'm sure.  
 
BTW-I'm still interested in having some sort of Rendezvous this year.

Thanks Tim. I'm really looking forward to getting back out there - toddler challenges and all...

So the port lights are in. I'm sure Tim L. was real pleased to see me take these beauties out of my car to put them on his classy deck job! The night before, I had visions of Ebb's subtle gray powdercoated frames with an added hint of color. ...Rustoleum Gray Lavender. Let's just call it an "undercoat".  :o

Mike

don't worry about the frames, the Seaglass looks new! she's weather proof and ready to splash. plenty of time to paint once she is in the water.

best of luck on launch day.

cheers,
bill

Thanks Bill! Sunday is "bottom paint and whatever else I can get done before we splash" day. Should be interesting.  :)

Do we need to remind you to post pictures?

Of course not! I mean, come on, I just posted my purple portlight frames! Launch day will be a joy...  hopefully.

Ya know, taking a close look at your boat and Bill's (231), I'm thinking A-24 will do the beige non-skid when the time comes. It just looks awesome! Don't get me wrong, the "Alberg Purple" is nice too, but Sea Glass cornered the market on that one...;)
 
BTW- Assuming all things go well with A-24, we plan on being up in the Casco Bay area the first or second week of August so pencil us in for a rondezvous at Jewel Island. I have fond memories of hiking all over that island. We also scored a CQR anchor there that someone abandoned after unsuccessful attempts to free it from a mooring chain it was jammed into.
 
Can you picture it...
(http://www.boatmaine.us/pictures/articles/jewell/viewfeatured.jpg)
 
(http://www.boatmaine.us/pictures/places/jewell1l.jpg)
 
An Ariel cousin enjoying Cocktail Cove...
(http://www.stonehill.edu/compsci/bdugan/summer2002/IMGP0213.JPG)
 
Anyone else game?

Well, Steve Morse should be putting Mike in today: and of course, its P-O-U-R-I-N-G. Here's hoping for a smooth launch!

Well that was fun...

Thanks Nathan - I can't help but feel our homage to the boat name gods last night paid off. It was a very wet and windy, but thankfully uneventful splash after a year and a half. Here's the latest picture from Tim's website - she's on her mooring now. Woo hoo!  Sorry, no action photos of the launch -  it was way too wet.  I'm going to have a beer or five now.  :D

Mike

Congrats! Glad she's wet. Hope you have dried out. It's pouring here too...

Did you repaint the portlights sunday? they don't look lavander colored on Tim's site.

Cheers,
Bill

Hey Bill. Yeah, we spent a lot of valuable time yesterday and that little project. Bronze rustolium spray paint was the choice this time around. They came out real nice. Not as nearly as nice as your bronze, of course! It'll be interesting to see how it holds up.

I'm going to guess that you've got yourself an annual chore, Mike. But maybe not. Did you acid etch and chromate prime those ports before the first coat of paint?

Nope. They were ground and buffed, then I primed them with an aluminum primer, then a gray lavender undercoat :D , then the bronze spray paint - time and funds were short. So, you're probably right Nathan, but I hope you're wrong. Time will tell...

How have your properly pre-treated frames held up?

For comparison to the earlier post here: http://pearsonariel.org/discussion/attachment.php?attachmentid=4163&stc=1&d=1180709190

This is how the frames look now:

Another shot from this morning. Too bad a topsides job wasn't in the cards! Tim's work had drawn to a close, so yesterday, me and my friend spent all day doing the bottom, boot top, repainting the window frames, applying the new name and whatever else we could to get ready for the launch today.

Here's a BEFORE from Tim's web page.

...and AFTER. What a transformation!

Quote from: mbd;15609Nope. They were ground and buffed, then I primed them with an aluminum primer, then a gray lavender undercoat :D , then the bronze spray paint - time and funds were short. So, you're probably right Nathan, but I hope you're wrong. Time will tell...

How have your properly pre-treated frames held up?

I hope they hold up for you too. That said, touching up the paint every year wouldn't be the end of the world. Tim does it (with his clear laquer).

My frames are holding up very well so far. I used the Awlgrip system including etching and chromate priming with an LPU topcoat. After two full seasons I haven't noticed any issues at all.

Your boat looks great, Mike. Looking forward to seeing her out on Casco Bay this summer!

Thanks Nathan. I'm really pleased with how it all came together.

Good luck with your launch on Wednesday. The weather is looking MUCH nicer! Heck, it might even be pleasant out there!

Quote from: Tim Mertinooke;15583BTW- Assuming all things go well with A-24, we plan on being up in the Casco Bay area the first or second week of August so pencil us in for a rondezvous at Jewel Island...

Tim, Jewel Island is a great spot - and, unfortunately, a well-known one. My sailing is mostly on weekends and I don't think you could even get near there on a weekend in the middle of the season! It might be OK during the weekdays, but I'm afraid my vacation time is mostly spoken for this year. Keep me posted on your schedule though, I may be able to find you a mooring in S. Portland. We could have a mini  get together on your way up the coast...

Well, at least it looks like it won't be miserable!

Back to Whitefield one last time today to wrap up a few odds and ends, then hopefully sailing on Thursday or Friday!

Quote from: mbd;15617Tim, Jewel Island is a great spot - and, unfortunately, a well-known one.

QuoteTrue, but what a sweet spot it is. For me, it's good memories, that's mostly why it came to mind.  I am interested in tapping local knowledge to find other spots however. As the summer progresses, we'll chat and figure something out...

Quote from: mbd;15617It might be OK during the weekdays,

I tried to go in there on a Wednesday in October two years ago and it was too crowded for my taste. I could likely have found a spot to anchor but there were 5 or 6 other boats in there so I just went back to Cliff Island.

Well, she's coming together, bit by bit. I got the coamings on this weekend. Mast stepping should happen next Sunday. I'm waiting for my lifelines to arrive. Oh, and I suppose I should put some sailing hardware on the decks to...  :)

Sure is nice to be able to putter around on the boat again - in the water, as opposed to the side yard. I'm on a mooring now. It'll be nice too not to have to worry about backing out of a slip...

Varsta Brud!

Looking Good!  No one would ever guess she's forty years old.
 
"I'm on a mooring now"
My preference for sure especially in the river I am in.  
 
You and your family are going to have a great summer on that beauty.

Good to see her in the water. The coamings look great. When does the mast go up??

Looks nice Mike. You need to get some weight forward though to get her rear up a bit. How about some nice chain rode in the anchor locker?

Get her in sailing shape and I'll meet you somewhere for lunch!

She's riding a lot better than last time she was in the water. One big difference is that I was able to get the lead pig out of the bilge (67 lbs). I relocated it to the chain locker in the bow. That has helped.

A couple of more things will help as well: 1. Hopefully, stepping the mast Sunday will move a bit more weight off of the stern, and 2. I need to fill my water tank in the v-berth. 3. I still need to hang my anchor off the bow pulpit. I'm not crazy about this setup, but it's what I've got for now. But that'll move more weight forward too. 4. If all of that doesn't get her to ride on her lines, I'm thinking hard about relocating the batteries forward.

An anchor chain is a good idea - for multiple reasons. But first, I suppose I'd better get and install a new hawse pipe, although I just hate the idea of drilling into the decks! :)  

Meeting for lunch sounds great sometime! :D

She looks great Mike,
 
  I would fill the water tank before you make too many other decisions about how to get the bow down.  I see a fair difference between it being full and empty.

Ahhh soon, soon ours will be in the water . . .  Looking good though.

Very FINE lookin vessel !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Mike, did you put the mast up yesterday or is that happening this weekend?  Also, what are your "first trip of the season" plans?

We got the mast up Sunday afternoon along with two others at the club. No major mishaps, fortunately, other than me pulling the unconnected masthead light wires into the mast when trying to secure the wires at the base for connecting later. I was so annoyed about that I forgot to connect the antenna for the radio...

Our "first trip" plans are not nearly so ambitious as yours, Tim. I'm just planning nice short day sails and work my way through the "kinks" before I head too far with the family. I'm insanely jealous of your Summer work schedule!

Quote from: mbd;15730I'm insanely jealous of your Summer work schedule!

I worked at a yacht club as a steward and launch operator while in college at the yacht club we are now members of. It gave me a real opportunity to meet great people and observe many different life styles. There were those with the large beautiful yachts, yet they were too busy and stressed to use them as they were working too hard to pay for them. They would get used during the "planned" weekends when it was raining anyway so it was miserable for them I'm sure. Then there were those who had smaller, less polished boats that were paid for, and their work schedule allowed them to spend more time onboard. They seemed the happiest and I liked the idea of sailing a small unpolished boat that's paid for all summer, all over the place, rather than being a slave to say a $100,000 Cape Dory 36 attached to a mortgage. I looked for the best job to fit this criteria and fell into teaching. As challenging as my job is (and it is), the perk of summers off is unbelievable at times. Fortunately my wife works as an elementary school teacher in the same district so our schedule is the same which allows us to be together all summer.
 
We are still planning on going up to Casco Bay this summer Mike, and I would love to get our families together. I will certainly keep you updated. I'm glad you got the mast up with only a little annoyance. When we put our mast up last weekend I accidentally had the backstay passed through the space between the masthead and the spreader despite having checked everything before lifting. It wasn't until I started attaching the stays that this error was obvious. Needless to say it took some creative throwing, pulling, untwisting, etc. to work it back to where it needed to be without compromising the supports holding up the mast. I had temporary stays up as we reworked everything. It was stressful and frustrating that such a small oversight could lead to such a situation. We have ALL had interesting experiences with our boats and those experiences add to the lore that goes with owning one. Besides it makes for great beer talk down the road. I'm loaded with stories about things I screwed up, broke, lost, or put on wrong so be prepared when we do have beer talk :)

Mmmmm... Beer. :D

Keep me posted on your schedule. Weekends are pretty limited in the Summertime for us 9-5ers...  And BTW, where the heck does N-I-N-E to 5 come from??  My freakin' work day starts at 8! :mad:

The shakedown sail...

...with my friend Scott. No genoa tracks installed yet, but the stanchion bases worked just fine.

The family sail...

With company of course.

Tucked in at the end of a busy day...

Glad to see you've got her out. I just came here to ask if you had been sailing yet, and I see that you have!

I sailed up to Portland yesterday and thought about heading up the river to see if you were on the boat, but decided to head up the ship channel instead.

She looks good in those pics. You must be very happy!

Too bad, we were there all day. It'd have been nice to see you. Nonetheless, it was a good call to stay out in the channel. That's basically where we had to go to find some steady wind. The Fore River was quite "flukey". We finally just motored out to Ft. Gorges where we caught a fresh and steady sea breeze coming up the harbor, then headed towards your neck of the woods on a nice beam reach. Great day! :D

I used to sail a 60 foot charter boat out of DiMillos, so I'm familiar with Flukey and Fore River being in the same sentence! That's why we decided to just head up the ship channel...

Another shot from the first weekend back in the water. I don't think I'll ever get tired of looking at these boats!  

(Note: The mast is stepped, the water tank has been filled, and the lead pig relocated to the chain locker forward (67 lbs), and she's still not quite sitting on her lines... Oh well.)

Mike

she looks about right to me (A-231 sits the same way with a 288lbs inboard and an aft mounted 12 Gal. fuel tank.). Is there anything in the aft most locker? Its a long moment arm from the CG of the boat. As a rule if I store anything more than a couple life jackets and a deck hose back there the boat squats a bit....

one other question: Where are you batteries & fuel tank located?

Bill

I've only got my fenders and dock lines in the aft locker. The fuel tank is under the cockpit in front of the tiller post, which doesn't help. I think I recall reading in my Yanmar manual that the 2GM weighs in at around 225 lbs or so. (??) The batteries are at the forward end of the port cockpit locker. Those beasts are on my "someday" list to move forward.  Also, I should still get some good ground tackle (chain) as Craig suggested previously.

In any event, a topsides paint job is also on my "someday" list, and I'll fix the boot stripe then. By then, hopefully, I'll have had more chance to shift things around, though I am running out of options. Not that I'm complaining by any means. It's good to be sailing!

So have you guys been out much in Periwinkle this season?

The locations of your batteries and fuel tank match A-231. I've found that storing the sail bags forward in the vee berth helps with the trim too..

been off the dock 3 or 4 times with our boat. we'll be on the edge of the tall ships parade this weekend if schedule permits... If it happens we'll post some pictures. :)

Quote from: mbd;15812Another shot from the first weekend back in the water. I don't think I'll ever get tired of looking at these boats!

It's floating art.  She looks great!  I really like how the name came out, nice and simple with a perfect arch (or elipse, can't tell from that angle)  Enjoy!

You are right..."never get tired looking at them" !!!!!!!!!!!  Bonus is they sail great too;)

Quote from: mbd;15814In any event, a topsides paint job is also on my "someday" list, and I'll fix the boot stripe then. By then, hopefully, I'll have had more chance to shift things around, though I am running out of options. Not that I'm complaining by any means. It's good to be sailing!

By that time your boat load and trim should be fairly well established, so take lots of pictures and paint the boat the way she really sits--regardless of how that compares to the "design" waterline.

Dasein's actual waterline doesn't quite match up with the scribed line either.

I think it is probably a good idea to mark on the stem and stern where the designed scribed bottom line is/was - for future reference.  This could be done with  #6 - 1/2" roundhead bronze wood screws.
No matter how much paint gets on them there'll aways be a bump to remind you - and to trim to if necessary.

Wow, was it a great day today!

...really great!

He didn't mind dippin' the rails at all.  Now we just have to work on the women in the family...

Mike
great pictures! your crew is going to thank you when that third picture shows up in his high school year book some day...
cheers,
bill

I finally got the handrails mounted this weekend, and last week we got the traveler re-installed. But, the boat finally looks "complete".

We celebrated by inviting some guests out for a sail. Add 4 adults to this and we just may have set an Ariel record. You'll notice, however, they're not in the cockpit.  :D

Bunch a cool kids there,  they all look like future sailors, certainly Master Spyglass has a sailing ship in sight.
Nice job on the little details you notice in the photos.  SeaGlass is a sweetie.  The woman may just be a little jealous, that's all.

Here's to sailing on a Sunday afternoon with the kids!

You may now hold the record  for souls on an Ariel....
but C'pete of Brightwaters has the all time for a Commander!


Press on, Mike, you done good!:D

Quote from: ebb;16070You may now hold the record  for souls on an Ariel....
but C'pete of Brightwaters has the all time for a Commander!

Indeed, I know better than to try and compete with a Commander on that one! ...Although, we Ariel-ites could probably take 'em in a "cabin stuffing" contest. :rolleyes:

Mike

great crew shot on the leeward rail. The most folks we've had aboard at one time is 6 adults (very crowded on the Ariel, it's probably much easier with Commander Pete's enormous 9' cockpit).

have you thought about adding lower lifelines? I'm thinking of doing the same (forward of the cockpit).

cheers,
bill@ariel231

Hey Bill,

Quote from: bill@ariel231;16079great crew shot on the leeward rail.

They have no appreciation for the benefits of sitting on the high side. They just like to get their feet wet when we plow through waves...

Quote from: bill@ariel231;16079have you thought about adding lower lifelines? I'm thinking of doing the same (forward of the cockpit).

Yup. It's on my to-do list. It would save heaps of gray hairs.

So, I've started compiling my lists of lists of things that need doing before Spring launch, and I was struck by a thought. I've had the boat since July 2005. This will be my first entire and FULL season of sailing her! Woo hoo!

So happy be-lated New Year everyone, and here's hoping that everyone is able to get their boats' bottoms wet this year! :D

Great picture!
 
Don't forget about our rendezvous!  If all goes as planned, we should be heading up to Maine soon after July 4th and won't come home until August.  More details later, but it would be cool if we met up for a night on the hook.  
 
BTW- I stock lots of good beer.

Cool! I'm looking forward to seeing the Fuji.  ;)

Mike, we are tentatively planning on leaving Newburyport July 7 and will be returning sometime around August 7.  Weather permitting, we are going to start the trip one of two ways.  The first will be to bounce up the coast doing overnights at the Ilses of Shoals, York Harbor, Little Stage Island Harbor, Biddeford Pool, Jewell Island, and then The Basin.  The second scenario will be to do a straight shot from the Ilses of Shoals all the way to Cape Small, then on to The Basin.  From the Basin, we plan to head north into Booth Bay, Muscongus Bay, and then into Penobscot Bay.  I'm not sure if we are going all the way to Acadia this year like I want to as this will be my wife and son's first long voyage (four weeks), but we'll see.  As far as the return trip, it may be one where we just try to get home in three days or bounce back down the coast taking our time.  Again weather will play into this as will the crew's needs.  As we get closer, more details will emerge obviously, but I wanted you to have a general time frame of when I'll be in the area.  I hope we can coordinate at least one night on the hook together.  There is a possibility that my friend in his CD27 will be with us as well as my parents in their S2.  An Ariel will make it a fleet for sure!  I'll be the one in a Ketch sporting a big grin!:cool:

Hiya, Tim! Once again, I am soooo jealous! A month off?!?!  Why oh why didn't I become a teacher??

My plans for this year are not nearly so ambitious. I've complicted things with the addition of a new crew member - "Teddy". I'm hoping to work up to a week long cruise sometime this Summer.

In any event, keep me posted on your schedule!

Your new crew is positively beautiful !!  Will probably a great sail trimmer!

wE lyke yorr nEW cRewdoG its puRty -

moLly anD bUffeTt
thE cRewdoGs

:D

Heh! Thanks guys! I stopped short of calling him "crew dog" - that one's already taken.  Besides, he has to earn that rank!

PS. Teddy sends Molly and Buffet a big "Grrrrrr.... woof!"
(Translation: "I can't wait to pee in grass instead of this white stuff or carpet!)

This is a great thread Mike.  Everything from the 'survey' photos to the kids having a memorable blast.  When you get the chance to read it begining to end its inspiration in a bottle for some of us.  I don't know if I'll ever get that far North on the coast to bend elbows with you but South is surely in the plans.  And yes, I do mean on the boat.

I just noticed in post #9 there apears to be light shining in from the cockpit lockers in the area of the foot well of the port quarter berth.  Is that so or am I imaging it?

Any plans for what is going up front for ground tackle and associated equipment?  Starting to finalize a sprit design here but not ruling out any other good ideas yet.

Looking forward to some new posts here.

Hiya Tony,

Long time no pics! (hint hint)

Quote from: Tony G;17296I just noticed in post #9 there apears to be light shining in from the cockpit lockers in the area of the foot well of the port quarter berth.  Is that so or am I imaging it?

Nope, there is a hole cut through the bulkhead there - a POs mod. I intend on filling it when the time comes to better separate the cabin from the engine compartment. But, it has come in handy when dealing with the batteries. (The squirrel from last year appreciated it too...)

Nothing special at all with my ground tackle, something I'll need to address this Summer.

It was kind of fun rereading the thread. I've been in a serious funk this weekend when I finally determined my overly ambitious launch date was a bit too optimistic. But looking a year back, I'll still probably be able to get in before I did last year. :)

Launch tomorrow afternoon. Yippee!

How did it go?
 
Pictures?

Hey Tim. No pictures, sorry. But, launch day went very smoothly, thanks.

Yesterday was mast stepping day. I took the afternoon off and joined a couple of other sailboats at the club to do the deed. We waiting all afternoon for the wind to die down, and it was 6:30 PM when it was finally my turn. I took the launch out to my boat to head in to the crane. I opened to raw water seacock, turned the key and with great anticipation, pushed the button to start the engine.  ...Nothing. No turning over, just nothing. It ran and started perfectly the day before. :confused:

So, instead of rigging the boat my next trip out there, I'll be bringing Nigel Calder, Don Casey and Mr. Manual to troubleshoot my starting issues.  :mad:

BTW, nice looking website!  (http://www.fuji32.com/page_home.html)

Good to hear the launch went smoothly.  There is always that moment with me where even though I know it will float, I expect the worst.
 
I ran into a similar situation this spring running mine on shore.  The throttle for my diesel needs to be set back to neutral in order for it to start.  I would throttle down some and then turn the key off, then pull the stop cable to turn the engine off.  I couldn't turn it over again unless I put the throttle back in the neutral position.  I don't know exactly how it works, but it appears to reset something.  Hopefully your problem is as simple solve.
 
Thanks for the website plug.  Once I have more material it should fill right up.

Thanks for the thought Tim. I went down this weekend with your angle in mind, thinking I had missed something, but to no avail. Eventually, I DID get it going though. As a last ditch effort, before I started dismantling everything, I thumped the solenoid with a rubber hammer, powered up, pushed the button, and vroooom!  Go figure. Looks like I'll be needing a solenoid.  

Hopefully, the mast will go up THIS weekend...

It's the old "hit it with a hammer" trick.  I have tried that on most things I work on to no avail.  Glad to see it worked for you:)
 
 
BTW-Excalibur Launch date is confirmed for 6-14.  There was a 6-13 spot open, but being a sailor I was too superstitious to take it!  The plan is still to head north on the monday after the 4th of July with Casco bay in our sites the end of that week.  You should pm me your cell number so we can do some coordination.

Nothing wrong at all with 6-13 - that's my son's b-day!  

I'll be in touch...

At last the new season is here!!  :D

Sweeeeeeeeettttttt... :)

Of course she's the center of attention.
THAT's a GOOD LOOKING little boat.
OK, now check out the others in the background....

Feel the same thing???
Anything at all?:p

Well, I missed out on getting the boat hauled before the docks were pulled this year, so I'm staying in until the end of October. So far, so good!

Wow! Another gift weekend for October!  My son and I went to explore an old fort in the middle of Portland harbor.

It's easy to get lost in the lists of lists of things to do and jobs that need tending to. Yesterday was a nice reminder of what it's all about...

http://picasaweb.google.com/mbderr/FortGorgesOct192008#


A good day! :)

I just love these boats!

...still dreading that November winterizing though.  :o

That looks like it was a great time, Mike.  Truely envious here.  I gotta chuckle, with a tear in my eye, 'Novermber winterizing'?!  Must be nice!

QuoteYesterday was a nice reminder of what it's all about...

Very nice Mike

Hey Mike,
On the prospective winter project list...  on the chain locker cover pictured in post #11 http://pearsonariel.org/discussion/showpost.php?p=9602&postcount=11, I can't tell from looking at it - is the panel with the anchor raised or routed out?  My eyes are playing tricks on me and I can see it both ways!

Hi Kyle, I see what you mean... It's a removable panel. It's got little clip things and a cleat along the bottom on the backside so you remove it and access the chain locker.  I'll be tarping this weekend and can take some pics if you're interested...

Well, after some unpleasant news in the beginning of the year at work which left me wrestling with the idea of selling Sea Glass for a couple of months, then a long and soggy Spring which seems to have no end in sight, Sea Glass is finally back in the water at her new mooring field.

The sun poked out for a moment and the wind picked up just enough to go out for a short sail. I think these guys were just happy to have some sun to dry out a bit - they didn't even try to move, just watched us slowly ghost past them...

I had a "full circle" moment as we sailed past Orca. She was the first Ariel I came across on the web a number of years back and the one that got me hooked. I even emailed the owner Ed a few years ago to see if he was selling back when I was looking for my Ariel. Now, I'm happy to have landed in the same mooring field as Orca and will see her every time I go out. Looking good Ed!

Also, a quick "thank you" to Ted Mahavier for his generosity - a little piece of Chalupa lives on (main sheet block) and will enable Sea Glass to sail the waters of Southern Maine for the forseeable future! (Hope you're enjoying your spacious CD28 Ted!)

Mike, I know what you mean on news from work, Who gets GOOD news from work any more? I would guess only the people who work the printing presses making money for this Gov'ment.

 Boat looks great. Ted M. is a very generous man indeed, I got a couple of much needed parts as well,

Have a great sailing season.

Thanks Carl - we're trying to get out between rain storms!

Here's Sea Glass at her new mooring, and Orca just beyond. Nice to have another Ariel for company.  :)

Well, it's been a short but fun Summer. Sea Glass and crew spent the last couple of weekends at Chebeague Island in Casco Bay. Just a few hour sail and we're at the Chebeague Island Boatyard, but it feels worlds away.

I felt quite at home with all the Alberg hulls in the mooring field. Ensigns are everywhere, they've got a huge fleet there.

#1 - an Electra
#2 - Oops! I stand corrected. One much more knowledgeable than myself pointed out this is a Sea Sprite 27, not a CD 27. That means it's not an Alberg hull - but it's still pretty nice... :o
#3 - one evening, a Triton pulled in and anchored at Crow Island, just across the way. To the right, you can see an Ensign, just behind it, the recently purchased Commander 126, then some non-Alberg to the left...

Chebeague Island is a very special place. One day we hiked out to Deer Point, on the SE tip of the island.

#1 - Deer Point looking West to Little Chebeague Island
#2 - Deer Point South towards the Atlantic

Cheers everyone, enjoy the rest of the season! Fall is here in New England. :o

Maine...the best cruising ground on Earth!!!  I know what you're feeling inside when you take your kids to these magical places.  We're doing our kids right Mike.

Sailing off the mooring...

Pretty decent Sunday afternoon view of Portland harbor from the mooring...

Back on the mooring...

Mike
That companionway looks great! I may have to add one of those to periwinkle ;)
Cheers
bill@ariel231

Quote from: bill@ariel231;20304That companionway looks great! I may have to add one of those to periwinkle

No kiddin' there!  Thoses hatches have been an inspiration since day one.  Put me down for some teak on #113.  It won't be on the slider but we'll get some just the same.

Spring has sprung!  Hopefully I'll be putting her on my mooring sometime this weekend.

Picture courtesy of the Chebeague Island Boatyard webcam...

Congrats, Mike!

She looks great out there.  That is probably the best use of a webcam I've seen yet!

I must confess, through the winter months I go to the St. John Island Spice webcam that look out onto Cruz Bay Ferry dock.  Whew!  That was cathartic.  Thank you, Mike.

So I headed out to the island this weekend to bring Sea Glass to her home mooring. The forecast was for 70's and sunny with a nice breeze picking up in the afternoon, thanks to a high camped offshore for a few days.

Sunday morning, my wife took me up the the ferry landing and this...

Here comes the ferry...

I'm not complaining. It did clear up somewhat once I got out there, and at least it wasn't hot. The item in the foreground, however, was a harbinger of things to come...

The Yanmar ran for about 5 minutes then abruptly stopped. I have never been a fan of where a PO place the fuel fill - on the floor of the cockpit. A curious decision to say the least.

After finding lots of water and algae in the fuel, I diagnosed a failed rubber ring on the fuel cap. As much as I like my Yanmar, it is not a hydrogen fuel cell and algae is the wrong kind of "bio" for the diesel.

The sail home will have to wait. So I put the main sail on and called it a day.

There are certainly worse ways to spend your day...

Apart from the fact that you have Sea Glass moored in a Impressionist painting....

Mike,
that fuel tank situation sounds like a disaster!
Visited a site called Diesel.com where I learned you have 28% degradation of diesel after 28 days storage in the tank.
To keep a diesel happy it's like the guy who has to keep the plates spinning, running from one to the other constantly!

What does one do with fouled fuel?  How do you get the solids out?
How do you get the slime out, clean the tank, clean the lines?  Can you afford changing the filters constantly?
Is the station where you buy the diesel selling you good stuff?
Man!

Just gonna say you can always go sailing!  But looking at how tite and tidy and skinny the blue cover is on your boom... have you checked your mainsail recently?

Wish mine was in the water!

Hope it's not as complicated as it sounds, nor as expensive.

Quote from: ebb;21506Hope it's not as complicated as it sounds, nor as expensive.

Me too - and hopefully not a "disaster"!

Mike,
   I know this may be long winded but..... Once Algae is in your tank you have  one of two choices, kill it or starve it.
 Kill it, you have to treat with a biocide, this stuff is very dangerous for you to use, think totally suited up and don't get any of this on your skin or breathe it either. This difficult for an individual to purchase.
 Starve it, All the water moisture has to be removed from the fuel and kept out long enough to starve the algae, I can't tell you how long that is , it depends on the algae, probably 3 or 4 weeks ( although forever would be good) Go to a NAPA type parts store and buy fuel additive that removes moisture, in ME anyone that sells diesel will have the stuff, my favorite brand is HOWES but any will work. Drain the water out if you can ,replace filters and run engine. You may want to consider a fuel/water seperator for your boat if you don't already have one. Keep your fuel tank full and use the correct amount of fuel conditioner for several weeks and your problem will be solved.
  I might add here a test for algae or simply sludge,  drain some out of the filter and smear on a cloth. spray this gunk with a degreaser or starting fluid. If it dissolves it is just gunk, if the cleaner does nothing to it , it is algae.:(
  That's my "short" answer!!

Carl thanks for the reply! Also, I was just assuming all the black floaties in the watery fuel I was draining was algae. I'll certainly take your advice for future use, but this time around, being that the boat is still at the boatyard out on an island and difficult to get to, I elected to go the "call the boatyard" route. I've been pleased with their responsiveness and have no doubt they'll do it properly. I'm just worried, as Ebb mentioned above, what the final invoice will look like...

Sorry to hear of the troubles Mike.   I'll be putting in around June 9 and bringing her over to the mooring that weekend.    Ed

Mike,
Sorry for your troubles.
This is a common problem, the internal tanks are usually way too big and you can never burn through a tank in a year. the fuel gets treated in the fall, a gallon or two are added in the spring, on and on. pretty soon the mean average age of the fuel in the tank is five years.
What I like to do is ditch the inboard tank completely and add a 3 gallon outboard tank complete with squeeze bulb. you do need to add a fuel return line by installing a brass barbed fitting from the hardware store or better yet another fuel quick disconnect. The squeeze bulb helps with bleeding the engine after filter changes etc. With this tank you can take it home with you to fill it, easily inspect the fuel and ditch any remaining fuel  at the end of the year. The whole set up will run ya about $75.00. On a long voyage, just bring more tanks.
Mike
C227

Carl, that is a fantastic idea! I've been intending to do the squeeze bulb thing, but had never heard/thought of the portable tank. It'd help with my trim issues too.  Very clever.  Thanks!

Ed - hope to see you out there soon!

Today I'm on the fence with the portable tank idea. It certainly has some merits, but so does a well cared for (eh hem!) permanent installation...

Saturday the 29th looked like good weather to bring her home. The weather report said 10 MPH winds from the South in the afternoon, and the boatyard cleaned the fuel system and pronounced Sea Glass 'ready'.

...but the winds didn't materialize and as soon as I put the motor into gear and gave it throttle I started belching a black cloud of exhaust and trailing soot in the water. But the fuel was quite clean. The boatyard had just closed, so I made the decision to just get her to my mooring already where she was closer. Halfway home, the engine finally just quit. But the wind did pick up enough to have a nice quiet sail home where I tucked her in for the day.

It is high time for some TLC and proper care and feeding of the Yanmar anyway, which I'll deal with this season. Fortunately, I don't really need an engine where I'm located.

I was glad to have her close by and back home, and was rewarded Monday with a very nice and breezy sail out and around one of the islands. :)

Sea Glass at her mooring...

Mike,
 
That looks like one of the Ariel's big sister ship Triton that you are moored next too.  Do you know the owner or the hull number?
 
BTW, beautiful pictures!
 
Ray
Triton 106 "Blossom"
Alameda, California

Thanks Ray. No I don't know the hull# and have only spoken with the captain in passing. I'll make a point to check next time I get a chance. It is interesting to see how small an Ariel appears next to a stretched out Triton...

Ray, the Triton pictured is Aurora II...

Thanks Mike for id'ing the Triton in the picture.  Here is the picture of Aurora II on Naitonal Triton Website:
 

 
Moored at Willard Beach, South Portland Maine.  Notice Portland Head Light in the background.

Mike,

Is there a picture that shows the Triton next to an Ariel?   Sure would love to see that.

As I've said before
it'll be like comnparing Marylin Monroe with Jamie Lee Curtis.....

Ebb, by growing up in the Deep South I have always had a keen eye for women and for horses and a comparison of those two is a match race.  It just depends upon where you are and how frisky they are when you do see them but know this and it's a guarantee:  both are show ponies and they'll break your heart if you let them.   I still like seeing comparative pictures though, lol.

...from post #299.  Not exactly side-by-side.  A little deceptive because I'm farther out in the mooring field, and perhaps the darker hull makes Sea Glass appear a bit smaller? Although, I'm waiting for Pete to post the pics everyone would really like to see. :o

Well, haulout is next week. I've been spending my Fall sailing time clearing a spot beside the garage to store the boat. This gives me the option to store her indefinitely for *FREE* until I am able to get to the upcoming project$. (No more plans to sell her - looks like you guys are stuck with me.)  :)

The season began with a webcam shot, so it somehow seems fitting to end the season with one.

She must love you!

Mike -

I am glad to know you will still be around, and with Sea Glass.

I never voiced that opinion before, since it was contrary to your own (thankfully short, and quite possibly, faulty) thinking ;), but think it safe to do so now that you have come to your senses.

{two_thumbs_up} Atta boy!!! :cool:

Thanks for the sentiments fellas. I had thought I was ahead on things and had a few more years before anything else BIG came due. Oh well, onward through the fog...

Great news Mike. Your boat is too nice to give up.

Alberg designs and Maine sailing waters, is there a better union? Very good to hear you'll be maintaining stewardship of Sea Glass.

Time to get started on those commissioning chores...

That looks a lot like Wisconsin.  I spent 3 weeks there this winter and shoveled the white stuff almost every day I was there.

Looks like Ithaca too. I got so tired of the late spring this year that I'm moving back to Maryland this summer, and I have sworn never to live north of the Mason-Dixon line again. Good to hear from you.

how long will it take for that big
chunk of ice on your boat to melt?

winter has been kind to us here in maryland. let me know where you settle and maybe we can meet up this summer.

Been awhile since I've updated this thread.

The good news is that I finally got the tarp off Sea Glass and started doing some clean-up and mucking about.  

The bad news however, is that Sea Glass will not be splashed yet again this season.  

But the good news is that I AM sailing another exceptional Alberg designed boat this Summer!  

The bad news is that she is not mine, but through a series of serendipitous events, I am now fostering a Sea Sprite 23 while I help the owner sell her.

Meet Totoro.  A 1977 CE Ryder Sea Sprite 23. Incidentally, her decks were also redone by the capable hands of one Mr. Tim Lackey.  Get in touch if you or someone you know would like to buy an excellent boat in great condition. Details here: Sea Sprite 23 Classifieds (http://www.seaspriteassociation.com/classifieds/forsale-ss23/cayce/)

(http://www.seaspriteassociation.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/Totoro-101.jpg)

That is a sweet little ride.  Love the oars.  Where ate the oar locks?  An Alberg?

The owner made those oars along with an almost finished Bolger designed stitch and glue dinghy, which also goes with Totoro - unless I buy it and finish it myself.  Oar locks are one of the first of the "care and feeding" projects to do.  Feels great to get back out on the water in a pretty boat.  :)

You lobstah fishin'?  http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/08/25/blue-lobster-caught_n_5710735.html

Ha! Yeah, I saw that - it seems like I should at least know the guy being in the same town and all.

Update:
So Totoro was sold last August, but the new owner still hasn't picked her up. :confused:
What a fantastic and pretty design by Mr. Alberg! The SS23 is a really nice little sailing vessel, but tight down below.

...nd Sea Glass has missed another season.  I've done a couple of things on her but just didn't get the inertia going to get her ready.

I have gotten some sailing in on a friend's Rozinante though! :cool:

How is sailing the Rosinante? I nearly bought one before I settled on The Princess.
What a stunning boat!

She sails every bit as good as she looks too!  We went out last weekend and I cannot believe how incredibly well she points!  I think the extra sail area of the mizzen really moves her along deceptively well in light airs too. He's also engineless, so not dragging a prop through the water is a big plus too. Every time we go out, we just sail right past other, often larger boats. And I have yet to be out on the boat when someone didn't compliment her looks. On the down side, there is a LOT of Spring maintenance to get her ready, and the extra sail adds a few more lines to deal with. I'd think it'd be a challenge to single hand.  But wow, what a boat!

The best part though, is her name: Ariel...  ;)

So it has been a long time coming, but it is time to part ways with Sea Glass.  She is up for sale and needs a new home. (http://www.pearsonariel.org/discussion/showthread.php?2786-FS-Ariel-in-Maine-3200)

She has been a wonderful vessel, has given me and my family many many cherished memories, and has always gotten me and my crew home safely. But she should not be sitting in the side yard like she has been. It's criminal. The diesel needs attention or repowering, and that is just not in the cards for me.  So for someone who is ready for that challenge, she's a perfect fit and ready.

I'm very sad however - but it's not all bad either.  Remember sv Totoro, that perky little Sea Sprite 23 from a few posts earlier? Well, as it turns out, after 2 years, the owner never had her hauled down to Jersey or picked her up. The first winter, I shoveled the snow out of her cockpit and put a tarp over her. The next winter I kept checking on things and she still hadn't left.

That following spring, as I was commissioning Sea Glass to sail her engineless for the season, I talked it over with my wife and said, what if I offer Totoro's owner a ridiculous price? Long story short, I did, he said yes, and the little orphaned SS23 found a home.

So I have been, and will continue sailing Totoro for the immediate future. At this point in time, with 2 high schoolers and their schedules, the smaller boat is just a better fit. So we'll continue on with Sea Glass' little sister and hope Sea Glass finds a new family she can take care of soon.

Hey Mike,
While I know that the time is right when the time is right... I hate to see you go!  I've appreciated your input and insights over the years.

Well, Sea Glass has been sold. She isn't going too far. She'll be sailing out of the other end of the bay.  Fortunately for her, her new skipper knows his way around diesels and happens to be a carpenter as well.  Hopefully he'll sign on here soon and take advantage of this great community.

So thanks Kyle and everyone else who makes this such a great place to hang out.  Maybe my next post will be one of Sea Glass out sailing with her new family! Until then, fair winds!

Hello All,

I am the lucky new owner of Sea Glass, hull number 414! I know Mike is a well respected member of this forum and I hope I can earn my keep too. Many of you have likely never met Mike in person but I have had the pleasure and he is a great guy who clearly loves these boats very much.

I'm excited about her and looking forward to getting on with the engine rebuild and rudder issues that she currently has. We should have her in the water by next spring and sailing the coast once again. I'm a newbie to "big boats" and have only owned a small aluminum fishing boat and a 12' sailing dinghy, so lots to learn for me.

Just wanted to introduce myself and say thank you to the members of this forum for already providing a huge resource of knowledge.  

-Ben

Welcome Ben! Congratulations on your new boat!

Welcome Ben!  Keep us posted on the gory details of the work you'll be doing.  We eat that stuff up.  Congrats on upgrading to such a great yacht!

Hi Everyone,

I'm starting to get my head around the list for A 414 - Mike's (MBD) old boat 'Sea Glass'. I've got a bunch of ideas and a a few big items that must be addressed and most of them I have a good idea how I want to tackle them. The rudder though is a different story.

After reading what I can find here and elsewhere on the rudder I'm thinking this one is not as bad as it looks. There is not really anything that is soft except one spot in the center that I can cut out and fit a new piece of mahogany in with epoxy and some bronze rod. Also the shoe is perfect - no play between the shaft and shoe. The rudder to tiller connection is also good with a just barely noticeable amount of play. And Mike already did the upgrade to the delrin bushing and gave me a new o-ring too (he really is a great guy)!  

SO what would you do if this were your boat? I'm not afraid of pulling it and doing whatever will get me the most years.

Thanks!

-Ben

Quote from: 414;28153...SO what would you do if this were your boat? I'm not afraid of pulling it and doing whatever will get me the most years.

OH OH!  You'll learn not to say something like that around here! :rolleyes:

Seriously though, a PO had previously encapsulated the rudder with expoxy/glass. It had long failed and I would just bottom paint it each year. I had been picking at it over the years to determine if the wood underneath was still solid.

 I'll now return to vicariously spectating. I am really looking forward to watching your progress. She is in good hands!

Hi Nathan (in response to post #188 of this thread. Way back in 2007),

I'm the new owner of 414 "Sea Glass" and I've read through this thread about 5 times now (yes it's a little much but I'm excited damn it!) and I just realized I can actually contribute here.

The portlight frames still look great 10 years later. No chipping or fading, or at least if they are fading it is very even. For this specific application it looks like the rustoleum is a great choice.  

-Ben

Hey Everybody,

Finally pulled the '83 Yanmar 2GM out of #414 today. Surprisingly quick and straightforward job. Mike (mbd) had done more than half the work for me before I bought it. All I really did today was unhook the wiring, fuel lines, raw water and unbolt (had to cut one) engine mount, and the control linkages and come-along it up through the companionway. It's now sitting on blocks in the shop ready for teardown. I've already taken the exhaust elbow off and it was pretty rough in there, I don't have a picture to post now but I will post it soon. Here are a couple shots of the engine ready to come out and one of it gone. Feels crazy to have it out - and exciting!

-Ben

P.S. Sorry for the sideways images. Still learning how to use the forum!

Here is a view of the inside of the exhaust elbow and the exhaust port on the head. The port on the head was about 2/3 full but I couldn't help but poke it before getting a picture. Obviously the head is coming off so we'll see how she looks on the inside.

On another note - I'm pulling the current fuel tank and building a new one. Any input on size that would make sense? From research it looks as though 3 gallons will get about 12 hours of run time so I'm thinking between a 3 and 4 gallon tank but I'd be open to input before I go building one. It will be a custom tank - not interested in a portable or plastic tank - I'll just make it up from either stainless, aluminum or (dare I say it?!) mild steel! or I might cut up the current tank and reuse it's bits and pieces. It's aluminum. The reason to move to a new tank are many including:
-Tank is under cockpit floor and the filler is in the cockpit floor too.
-Tank is too big and it will take too long to move 12 gallons of diesel through this little bugger.
-Tank has no access port for cleaning. New tank will include a port large enough to get a hand inside

Another question I have on the tank is where is the best place to mount it? I'm thinking about inside the rear lazarette with the fill neck in there too. I'd need to open the hatch to fill it but it would limit the potential for water entry and would be nice and tidy looking. Spills while filling could be an issue with other items in there but I need to be careful either way (don't want diesel going overboard through the cockpit drains either). Breather would be kept in the same location on the transom.

Thanks for any input!

-Ben

Good luck with the rebuild. Looks like she needs it but I think the 2GM is worth the effort. I have a 2GM and I put my tank on a shelf under the cockpit floor above the stuffing box. The fill is on the cockpit floor but no problems with water or spills so far.

Hi Bisquit,

Thanks for the response - I know it's a common place for the tank and would probably be fine but it just gives me the hebejebes! What has your experience been with with fuel consumption? Ever have issues with algae in the tank?  

Pulled the head off late last night and everything looks good. Cylinder liners are in great shape with cross hatch still visible and no scoring or uneven wear apparent. Valves looked good too. A little carbon build up on everything but nothing that would cause the engine to not run or even run rough. I lapped the valves since I had it apart anyway and cleaned all the carbon that was accessible. Going to order the gaskets and get it back together soon.

The thing I was not expecting was the water injection elbow (it's the u-shaped one in this case). On the outlet side it was very corroded but had a fair amount of area for gasses and water to escape as you can see in the picture. After much heating with the oxy-propane rosebud the inlet side came apart (meaning separated from the exhaust piping that is between the water injection elbow and the cylinder head, what would be called the manifold if it had multiple ports) the interior had closed down to less than a pencil's width for the exhaust to escape! It was impossible to see this until the two had been separated. In the photo you can see a greenish area that is the passage.

So my thoughts now, after seeing the inside of the engine looking quite normal, is that the exhaust had closed down to the point where back pressure was extremely high and thus the engine could not pull in the fresh air charge. This made the fuel to air ratio very rich for any given engine load and caused incomplete combustion, giving the black smoke that Mike experienced back when she conked out.  The only thing this doesn't explain is why the mechanic reported low compression on inspection in the boat:confused:. I should have tested it before tearing the engine down but I was just so convinced I'd find a smoking gun in the valve train or scored up cylinder liners I just went for it - lesson learned.

I had a ~6 gallon tank on my Com-Pac 23D (w/a Universal M2-12, IIRC), stainless and custom-made to fit under what serves as the laz/seat on those boats. It was that capacity because that was the amount of space available there. To run it dry would have taken 24 hours or more of non-stop motoring, as it had a 1/4gal/hour burn at hull speed, so you should be able to get by with a 2-4 gallon tank plenty fine. I'd go with a small tank like that under the cockpit floor like Bisquit has, and design it to be pretty easily removable for cleaning/inspecting. Shouldn't be hard to do, with that small of a volume. You can use an outboard engine bulb/line to transfer from a jerry tank sitting on the cockpit seat into your main tank with little drippage/mess, and keep the inlet inside one of the cockpit lockers for simplicity. Thanks for taking care of the old gal! :)

Hi Kurt,

That is a good idea, thank you. It is a nice space for the tank since it's hard to use for much else and if the filler neck was under the cockpit seat instead of in the cockpit floor I'd feel a lot better about water entry and such. Also thanks for the fuel usage numbers. That's about what I've been able to dig up on the 2gm but good to hear from someone with experience with a similar engine and similar weight boat.

The rebuild has been on hold for the last week or so. I stupidly misplaced a part which is not helping. Also, I always think that at the holidays I'll have time to putter but I never seem to find it!

More photos and details soon.

-Ben

Whooo Hooooo!!! Found the misplaced part, bled the fuel system and cranked the engine on the stand. After about 5 seconds of cranking it fired and puffed out some white and black smoke then quit. After another 5 second crank it started and idled along! Black smoke cleared up in a couple seconds of running. After maybe 10 seconds I shut it down because it's currently inside (exhaust build up) and the cooling system is completely removed and I don't want to go backwards on this thing.

Now on to temporarily getting the cooling system hooked up, testing the transmission and letting it run for a good while to see if my hopes are correct at this point. If that all checks out then it's on to resealing, cleaning, painting and all the work on the boat to get ready to put things back together.

Excited to have a living engine! Here's hoping it's healthy too.

Happy New Year to all!

-Ben

Had a scary moment in the engine rebuild yesterday when after hooking up the temporary cooling system (a bucket filled with water and some garden hoses) water started spraying from the exhaust! Shut the engine down and when in the house to have dinner. Later that night I realized that the zinc bung just below the exhaust had been leaking and the exhaust manifold wasn't on tight. It was creating a venturi effect and sucking in the water spray from the bung and pulsing it out with the exhaust. Today I tightened the manifold and the problem resolved.

I then descaled the engine with 7-10% HCL (muriatic acid from the hardware store) circulated through for 5 minutes, followed up with baking soda and water to neutralize the acid then about 5 gallons of clean water that I allowed to circulate through the system for 5-10 minutes. All told the engine was running for about 25-30 minutes. I might catch some flack for using HCL for the descale and I wouldn't recommend it for routine maintenance but I decided to go for it after testing a few bronze (brass perhaps given the anodes?) parts from the engine in undiluted HCL (~30%) for 5 minutes. They did fine but were totally descaled. Also this engine is all cast iron - no aluminum heads or any other part and I removed the two zincs to prevent them from being eaten. Lastly the engine had a bunch of fine sand in the bottom of the water jacket that was sort of encased in scale. The only way I could see to get it out was to bust all that scale first then flush it out. Seems to have worked.

I then drained the oil from both the engine and transmission. The engine oil was great but after the 30 minutes of running the transmission oil looked like thin mayonnaise :(. I'm hoping it's from condensation that built up over the years this motor sat and not from something I have yet to discover. We'll see when I give it a flush then refill with new oil and run it again.

Next is to take care of a few oil leaks, replace all the rubber hoses, new thermostat, raw water impeller, degrease the thing and slap some paint on. Then on to the interior of the boat - new rear engine mounts, paint for the whole engine "room" and a drip pan of some sort for under the motor to keep everything out of the bilge.

What have others done for a drip pan under the engine? I've got a bunch of 20oz copper left over from a recent job and I'm thinking of making a simple soldered copper pan that laps onto the logs the engine is mounted on then hangs down under the oil sump - with a pretty agressive  slope forward so I can mop up the inevitable spills easily. I also have some galvanized sheet from another job that solders nicely and it would take paint better than the copper. Anyway just spitballing now... if anyone has a recommendation let me know.  

-Ben

Still chipping away at the 2gm. New zincs, fuel filter and I replaced the couple of fasteners I chose to cut to remove the engine. I also slapped (and I do mean slapped) some new Yanmar grey paint on it. Time to deal with the engine room if I can get a day that isn't super cold or raining. Plan to cut out the rear engine mounts and replace them then clean, sand and repaint the whole area before re-installing the engine.

I'm thinking of tearing out most of the existing wiring. It's all pretty old (much original I'd guess) and some of it is confusingly complicated for what it is. I need to dig around more but that's the way it's headed I think.

Also need to make a hinge for the foot of the mast (is this a tabernacle or is that specifically the type that leaves a couple feet of mast on the step before the hinge?) and a bow roller for the new-to-me Bruce 33 that'll be up front.

Scored a mooring recently too at Broad Cove in Cumberland, Maine. About 20 minutes from the house in the municipal field. It's an unpopular spot because of the long tender ride out (read row in my case) to the field, the shallow (and this year no) dock and it's a long walk to the water from the car. But It's all mine! I'll be dragging a 10' row boat with a 2 year old and all his stuff over the mud every low tide I get a chance to. Super excited!!

That's awesome news - and the engine is looking great Ben!

Took advantage of the very non-typical weather we're having here in Maine to get the "engine room" and deep bilge painted tonight. I'm hoping that with the above freezing temps for the next few days and a small space heater I'll be able to get it cured. I can finish the paint that can be seen at the back end of picture after the engine is in.

In finishing up the engine I've replaced the couple of coolant hoses that run from the raw water pump to the block and from the block to the thermostat housing and head. I opened the raw water pump and had a good look at it but the impeller was in perfect condition so I let it be. I've got an extra (thanks Mike!) and I'll keep it on board with the tools to change it. From here on I'll make it a yearly maintenance item. I also pulled the oil pan while I had it out of the boat just to get a look at the bottom end and see if there was any metallic chips or shavings in the pan. All was well in there with barely any sludge which surprised me given its age and the amount of non-run time all boat engines experience.  

All that's left to do before dropping the engine back in is to make a catch pan for under the engine that slopes forward to catch drips and make them easy to clean up and perhaps a two new rear engine mounts (I had cut about .5" off the top of one to get the nut to unthread but they are actually still stiff and in goodish shape). They may wait though as boat funds are running particularly low.

Looking good Ben! You're giving the old girl the attention she deserves.  In looking over this, while building your drip pan, another thing you might consider is setting up your bilge and bilge pump similar to Capt. Ebb's.  Lot's of good ideas and educational reading in his thread!

It's somewhere in his thread here: http://www.pearsonariel.org/discussion/showthread.php?249-EBB-s-PHOTO-GALLERY-THREAD

But once the engine is in, access to that bilge is difficult, unless you have the arms of an orangutan, which I don't thing you do.  :)

Boy the months do slip away!

I thought I should give an update on 414. She's been rechristened as "William King" after the great state of Maine's first governor. Sea Glass is a great name but I felt like I was using Mike's boat until I painted the topsides, boot stripe and bottom and renamed it. Now I feel like I can call it mine (but your still welcome anytime Mike!). The Yanmar 2gm has been great. Starts right up, idles well and will rev to a little over 3k. I was having some trouble with the transmission but it turns out I had overfilled it. With fresh oil the dip stick is very hard to read. Once the level was corrected it has been engaging properly with no slipping.

I also relocated the thru-hulls for the bilge pump and engine exhaust to the transom. I know this is an unpopular choice because it messes up the lines but it was important to me to be able to see that the exhaust is flowing the right amount of water and since I had already done the engine I decided to make it symmetrical and do the bilge pump the same way. So I made up two 2" stainless thru-hulls from pipe and round flanges, added 2" ball valves on each inside the rear lazzarate. Then they got painted along with the topsides in an effort to make them less noticeable. They also are about 16" above the waterline and I like the idea of that.

Speaking of the exhaust- I couldn't bear to buy another yanmar mixing elbow after seeing what had happened to the one that was on the engine, so I made my own. It's an experiment to see if it will hold up to the vibration and is made from mild steel automotive exhaust pipe. If it makes it the season with no cracks or other issues I'll make it again but out of 316 stainless. It's been good so far with about 6-7 hours on the engine. It has a pretty radical ubend that comes as high as I could directly after the engine and a few inches of drop before the water is injected. I don't want any water getting back to the exhaust valves and since my thru-hull is mounted high I wanted the insurance here.

I also rewired the mast with new anchor and steaming lights and a new VHF antenna and cable. Getting the wires through the deck as a little puzzling to me and I went back and forth on how to do it but finally settled on a traditional goose neck. I ordered some 1.25" 316 stainless pipe elbows and a flange from Amazon and made it up. I was concerned it would be ugly on the cabin top but I located it right next to the mast (just forward of the beam) and it disappears since that area is busy anyhow. Also in the mast department was a new port lower aft stay. I made it up with sta-lok ends and it was very straight forward. It did however make me wonder about the rest of the standing rigging and I'm thinking of switching to Dyneema next year or the following. Anyone have any experience with synthetic standing rigging?

Along with the new antenna was a new VHF. The standard horizon GX2200 and a USB cable that  allows me to run openCPN on my computer. It's not really needed for the kind of sailing that we've been doing this summer but it's fun to mess with and the program is free so the only added expense was the $30 for the cable from milltech marine (which works great by the way). And if we did get stuck out in the fog or after dark we'd have both GPS and the AIS receiver which is comforting.  

Lastly I stripped out all the wiring from the whole boat, including the switch and fuse panel. I made a new fuse box that houses the fuses and switches and got new ground and positive bus bars that are currently located just aft of the port side settee next to the battery. Nothing exciting there just wiring that works and most importantly wiring that I know since I did it - but since my memory seems to fade daily I also labeled both ends of all the wires :o.

That's all for now. I hope everyone is having a great summer on their commanders and ariels! These are really great boats and me and my little family have been having a great time learning to sail a "big" boat on ours.

-Ben

That is one mighty fine looking vessel!  :cool: