Messages

Geroge,

How far have you gone thus far?  J-dock has been doing some coastal cruising and is thinking of another longer (week long) cruise.  There are a number of us that go -- Hunter 32, Watkins 27, Dufour 27, Pacific Seacraft 30(?).  I am sure you have done the Double Bayou and Redfish thing -- definitely NOT cruising.  We have been to Freeport and some of the J-dockers have been to Port Aransas.  Keep me posted, I am very interested in continuing to outfit Chalupa for more extended coastal cruising and have given thoughts to offshore cruising as well.

Ted

First/ It's amazing how many people don't understand how important ballast, and where it is placed in a boat, both sail and power. Research ballast in boats and you wont' have as many questions!!! Honest. I know this through my own experience when I first got started in England on the Thames River and went from non tidal to real tides, swells, and ships wakes which are perticularily fun when going against a spring tide. A properly ballasted boat makes all the difference. Of course this is only one aspect of your question. Know your boat inside out and learn if you haven't how to prep and use fiberglass and other products that can be found cheep normaly used for other aplications such as plumbers. In case you are not use your brain and research. The internet is great for sailors/boaters of all types. Don't be sold on products that are designed advertising/package wise for wanna be mariners. The Pearson Ariel is a boat that was designed for some serious water. Unfortunatly it doesn't matter what you go out in. There is as they an inherent risk of voyaging on to open bodies of water. The best boats are the ones that can't sink even if broken up owing to sealable bulkheads, foam, air bags, and what have you. I think what maybe most important to to you is picking your time of year for sailing/ cruising. Depending on where you are on the globe some months are better then others. There is a lot ot consider. If your going alone it's your life. If you are taking other people it is their lives too. Remember a boat is never just a boat and the more you know (it may seem coplicated at first) the safer you are, and also those you take with you.

I've spent the last ten yers restoring wood, steel, and fiberglass boats, and have been a live-a-board for most of those years in England and Canada year round. I've even patched up the odd rubber boat. The key to getting the work done in a timely manner is first off having the time, second planning with hours of research involved (which this site is great for as are many books out there. I spent three years in the army as a supply tech. When it comes to organization and planning the key is strategy and knowing that long range planning and strategy are seperate things in themselves. One must be strategicaly focused. Whatever can go wrong will go given the circumstances. Planning and here and now strategy must be based on this. What I realy love about this site is the are the competing points of view on any given aspect relating to any facet of the boat. This by far helps with Strategy formation... present ideas, thought about, discussed, and then acted upon. Assessing effectiveness is the key to strategic thinking. There is nothing better then assessing effectiveness and organization. All part of the effort to set strategy. What is the amazing about this site is that critical questions are raised in respose to many of the threads.
Clear definition of strategy... Why, why, why. Critical questions. Organizing information, materials and so on. How to get there? Long range thinking.
One needs momentum and direction to properly organize and keep on track. If one does not have a clear cut strategy it's useless. One also needs to be able to reassess strategy periodicaly as need be. All efforts need to be set stratigicaly and based as such. During the implimentation of strategy things do tend to arise such as threats and oppertunities, which can be avoided or pursued. With Organization of any project it is always best if possible to keep up momentum. This is something I learned in the army. Momentum is a powerful asset and should be kept fine tuned and at the readt. It is an important tool. When restoring a boat in any condition it is very important that you look after yourself and anyone is helping. Water for the body is the best fuel. Drink lots to keep going. Very few people relize that water is in fact more important then food. To some it may not seem that way because of the types of food and other liquides they put in their bodies. What actualy happens is that their bodies are ridding toxins with the help of the water and it can slow them down, effect their mental state and result in a mess. Having worked in a boat yard and crewing on cruise ships I can say that Spirits/ booze and boat restoration don't mix. I've seen very large expensive boats suffer terrible structural damage with a drunk boatyard owner operating the travel lift. When fiberglass hlls have problems in travel lifts it sound like bones breaking. Not good. I have to tend to a friend who is sick and must go. I w anoter thread later this evening. Please feel free to take the piss. I have not yet fully communicated my point. PS: the fact that the Pearson Ariel is missing mny features of a true blue water boat leads me to believe either the producer ever really intended the vessel for true off-shore work or the boats where made cutting corners, leaving things like gaskets up to the owner(s)  if they need such modification to make the boat safe with the lockerd secure.
By the way the boat is being moved on Monday to a lake side. currently it is land locked sat in the middel of no where with several other boats waiting to be launched, I have decided on one week on the hard at the marina to prep the boat. If you do see HORIZON MARINER out there ( will bne sailing down South through ther Intracoastal waterway for he best part in the Fall to escape another brutal Canadian winter. I've already sold my igloo and am all ready for when the bpat is ready. Any salt water suggestions would be much apprieciated. Thanks to all on this incredblesite.  
Will add another thread later. I'm addicated. The pearson Ariel is a  wounderful boat. I'm not going to spare any tiem or what little money I have making it a custome Areil.

Thanks for the quick reply. Very much obliged. Will try that. Carpenter friend has offered to throw that together for me. Will make a worl of difference for me. Renting cars and going back and forth is expensive. Looking forward to having the boat moved to a Port Dalhousie, Lake Ontario in the next few days so I can begin intensive work. I have lots of plans for the boat after the main structural problems are dealt with such as a recore of all the decks. I bacame used to owning steel boats with the last two being HO-28's. Looking forward to working with fiberglass again. Obviously retaining structural strenght is more important with fiberglass boats. I love a challenge and the rewards that come with a job done right that involves advance research and grey matter gymnastics and not just brute strenght. Thanks again to all. I have found this site more informative then all the books I've ever read.

Hull number is 3*@#. Not hull number 3. 351 or around there. Having the boat moved to StCathrines on the Southern shore of Lake Ontario. Keep it on the hard for a few day to get it ready for the water. Hope the rudder will be okay. I think it will be having past experience with wooded boats. Hate for the thing to rip off while out in a good breeze. Let you al know what the number is when I see it next. Have had three visits... long drive. Last time rented car to out and mkae payment in full and get the interior a bit cleaner. My luck the temp was below 4C. Next day it was above 18C and I was home pinning away. Things will come together soon. They always do. Thanks again. Still need the measurements for the companionway drop board. Lots of work to be done. Looking forward to it all. When I'm done I plan on having a boat that is better then what the designer had in mind. I will have to post pics. With the help of this owner site and my own past experience both commercial and pleasure I plan on comming up with something special. I'm hoping for lots of input from fellow sister vessel owners with lots of theory and experience. I've been planning for the last couple of weeks with research mostly on this site and with soem other sources like books, and other sites. Gotta love this site. I am sold on the Pearson Ariel. What gets me is I've neard of one prior to comming across the one for sale which I bought as is. It sure is the perfect boat for me at the present. I'm blown away by th boat and the owner site. It is all something terrific. These boats are special. Thanks... James

I purchased a Pearson Ariel just over two weeks ago a fair distance from where I live in Toronto. There are no washboards or anything for the boat and I need to make something up for my next visit which will be in a few days time. I want to be able to leave things in the boat which would be nice. At present I have a piece of very thin ply that a freind cut out in haist to keep most of the rain out. The wheather has been really all over the place as of late. Over the last two weeks or so I have been going through this site on a full time basis and this site was the big deciding factor in purchasing the boat. I've worked on and restored many a boat. Wood, steel, and fiberglass. Cabin cruisers, sailboats, ans tenders. I must say I would never have thought that I would come across an owners site like this. I'm amazed. I thought I was prity knowledgable when it comes to anything about boats and I've been blown away. It is great to see so much debate and trading of ideas and info. The boat I've gone and bought is a major fixer upper. I think almost every boat I've bought has been a project and I think this one takes the cake with the need for recoring and the fact that the gelcoat on the deck is flaking off. I enjoy working on boats as much as I enjoy sailing and cruising. The plan for this one is to fix it up and take it South for this up comming winter. Bahamas and maybe Cuba. Recently I bought charts off a friend covering the entir Eastern Seaboard of the US and beyond to the Pacific, and more covering a good deal of Europe. Was supposed to go last fall on a friends boat with another mate and the owner bailed last minute. Girlfriend is just in. Please. Need info for making companionway slide washboards. Even a one peicer for now so I can lock up. Leaving soon for intensive restoration (two weeks) far from home so boat can go in water and brought back to T.O. I've never seen so many through hulls, and I'm a little worried about the rudder. The info I have is that the boat has been out of the water for a year and a half. The rudder feels like it isn't very strong on the post. There is some glass work on it in places. Will the wood take up and there is nothing to worry about or should I be taking it apart and glassing it proper? Thanks to all. James Lake Ontario. Toronto Canada. Boat origionaly hailed out of Michigan on Lake Erie. #3 something. Forget now.