Messages

Hi.  

Sorry to take so long to answer. I've never considered it difficult to operate the controls on the outboard. I've taken it out once or twice a month  for 29 years now.  First in the SF Bay and then in Monterey Bay.  Conservatively, I figure I've put over 100NM per year on her. Do the math.  In my old age, I turn the motor off, put her in reverse and let her hang in the water for the rest of the sail while I have a nice lunch. I'm mostly a single hander and my crew is a great Nautico tiller pilot.

Job complete, everything fit. Time for a 2 beer daysail.

They certainly are.  Haven't been able to install them yet due to construction at the house.  I did go about acquiring them backwards, however.  Not thinking about the forum, I measured the hole pattern and found what I thought was the perfect match from Rig Rite Co. back East.  I bought what turned out to be an unused Wilcox Crittendon cleat for $180.  Unfortunately, the hole pattern was perfect only if I turned the cleat 90 degrees.  Dang!  I installed it for my traveler by using only 2 screws which then fit with the cleat facing fore and aft.  Then I broke another jib cleat, and found an ancient W/C plated bronze cleat for $30 off of Ebay.  I installed it to mind the traveler also.  Finally, I remembered the forum, found Historical Arts, sent them the broken cleat for sample, and I now have 2 new plated bronze jib cleats.  Will check back in when they are installed.

Here is one of two new chrome plated bronze cleats which I bought from Historical Arts and Casting to replace the Ronstan originals which I stepped on.  At $200 each I don't expect them to break.  Actually, it's a W/C design.  Will repeat the saga of the new cleats soon.

My bracket is centered for no good reason except maybe for weight distribution.  The main concern was getting the height right in order that the long shaft motor would bite at the correct depth and angle when running.  Seems to have worked out so far.  Between you and me, though, I wouldn't want more than 60 lbs hanging off the back of "Sinbin" the way I have set it up. Reinforcing the stern is a definite consideration.  There is a story of an Ariel losing it's stern in the Berkeley chop due to having an outboard on a bracket.

Actually, I've been hanging off the stern myself - the biggest stretch is to control the shifter.  Need to kneel on the lazarette for that and for starting. Backstay makes a good handhold. Throttle can be controlled w/o leaving the cockpit. Whenever in doubt, I attach myself to the boat with a lanyard. Am set up for singlehanding, incl tiller pilot, which I mostly do. You could always have a crew member assist (hang on to lanyard, etc).  I don't consider operating the motor off the stern any more sketchy than going forward to change a headsail or secure the main. Don't worry about having to start it in heavy airs - you won't need to.  I beefed up my stern based on cautions about it in the manual.

Have been hanging an outboard off the stern since 1994.  Beefed it up with plywood backing and 2 layers of roving, leaving the backstay chainplate exposed to air.  Have been in 30 knot conditions and (embarrassingly) hit the beach one time.  Stern is still intact with no evidence of stress (cracks, distortion, etc.) 2 stroke Mercury 5 (48) lbs and 2 stroke Evinrude 6 (60 lbs.).  Checked by boatbuilder (Wilderness, Moore) and engineer. Not recommending you do this, just saying.  Wish I hadn't Sikaflexed the plug. Will take a special tool if I ever want to undo it.

Many Thanks.

There are pictures of the model somewhere on this forum.  Perhaps the moderator can help locate.  If not, I can get them to you after I get back into town in a week or so.

Right. It definitely was not "Pathfinder" that I saw in SC.  Finally bought "Sinbin" from the Boy Scouts up in San Rafael.  Took me a year at Fortman and many beers to get her set up for the trip to Moss Landing.  I'm good on sails at the moment, but will keep it in mind. Regards.

Thanks for the info.  As a matter of fact, I had the model built over the course of a year by Motion Models.com.  Most of the work was done in the Phillipines, and some of the rigging was damaged in shipment.  I had a plaque made by Brinks Trophies, where I met Mick Podorson (4278073) who modified the base so it could accept a plexiglass cover.  Gary's Plastics (4264002) made the cover - perfect fit for a 20" model.  Brinks gave me the name of Carl Ruhne and a guy named Sid Waller (4757120).  Sid was on Opal Cliffs, so I went to him for the repair.  Great model maker - used to be curator of Monterey Maritime Museum.  If I had met him first, I would have saved some money, as the model cost me as much as as the boat.  The pain is over at this point, though, and I can admire "Sinbin" in the living room.
  Ed:  I believe I met you when I was looking for an Ariel ('93)  and yours was up for sale for awhile.  Also, I'm one of Ernie's many sailing students from the '80's. Many thanks.

Seems we have digressed. "Don't set your pale ale next to the varnish."  Back in the "good old days", varnishing against the grain was a firing offense, so apparantly your man may was breaking the rules.  If you find a sag on your 3rd of many coats, pull it up vertically with a dry brush, then finish with the grain.  If it's dry, smooth it out with an orbital sander , and thin your varnish a little more on the next coat. Cheers!

You certainly are "waxing" poetic about this.  Here's advice from my first boss on my first job:  "Dip it deep and swing it wide".  Now that  I do more sailing, it's the Pilsner Urquells that make my varnish look great.

That's pretty esoteric stuff.  You might consider performing the job in Vegas.

This is  getting to be pretty exotic and out of my limited realm of knowledge.  You might try to find a wood filler that accepts stain.