Messages

Man, is that exciting! Good voyaging to you! How long do you anticipate the adventure lasting, and will you be sailign abck for northern climes at some point?

I'm sure everyone would love to see some pictures of your venerable boat.

Jim

Okay, it was a dumb thing to do... I had a tarp over the boat draped over the lifeline stanchions and when the tarp filled with snow it levered the stanchion over and cracked the deck. Looks like some water got in before I noticed it. I would be grateful for some tips on how I fix this. I assume I'll be cutting the deck back and digging out old balsa, then doing some glassing. What do you use to recore? I have never understood how you guys make those repairs so seemless, particularly with a nonskid deck.

Thoughts?

Thanks.

Jim

Ariel #290

My boat, #290, has the more sophisticated worm gear in the goose neck, and I, too, have the special handle that goes with it. I'll have to give it a try to see how it works, but will certainly see about having gen-u-ine reef points put in the sail. New-fangled nonsense.

Right you are. Roller reefing, not roller furling. I suppose one potential advantage with the roller reefing is that you can fine-tune how much sail you want to take in, but I still suspect you are right that a tied reef is better. That mechanical stuff works great until you really need it.

I'm still in the process of learning about my new Ariel. I just realized (under the heading of "duhh, that's why there were no reef points on the sail") that she has a roller furling mainsail. Is this standard on Ariels, or a later addition? Do any of you folks have such a thing, and how has it worked for you? I fear such new-fangled contraptions, and the traditionalist in me shuns roller anything, but if folks have had good luck with it I'll keep it.

I'm not so old a dog that I can't learn a new furling trick.

Jim

No, just the boat was produced by Carl, not the wife. She is from Phoenix and grew up as land-locked as one can get, but she ended up being pretty salty from about 18 on. Now we are proud parents and proud co-boat owners.

Thanks for that intelligence, Jack. God knows I need all I can get. I am hoping 1966 is the right year. That way it works out that my boat and my wife that were both produced in the same year.

Got the picture posted, but I guess I have to make the images a bit smaller.

Anyway, here is Paraclete in the shed with the boat movers loading her on the trailer. I'm the big goon with the beard.

Thanks, Commanderpete, there's nothing like getting on the water for real inspiration. I'm thinking of a new book in which Isaac Biddlecomb defeats the entire British navy in his circa 1778 Pearson Ariel.

I'll try to post a picture here, as I try to figure out how it is done...

I'm not seeing the image on the preview, let's see if it appears on the post...

Nate,

Do you keep your boat at the Basin? I just brought mine to its new home in Potts Harbor. We live on Harpswell Neck.

Jim

Hello all on the Pearson Ariel Association Forum! I just joined the forum, and am very excitied to have done so. My wife and I bought Ariel #290 about a month ago and just put her in the water last week. We had a ten hour sail/motor from Round Pond, Maine, to our home in Harpswell. My wife and I are both former professional square-rig sailors, and it was a delight to be out on the water again (14 years since I sailed professionally) It was the first real sail for our kids, ages 11, 8 and 5 and they loved it, so we are all in all very enthusiastic, and very happy with our little boat.

It's great to find this site and be able to share with others who have the same enthusiasm we are quickly developing for the Ariel!

Here's my question - I thought 290 was built in 1966, but I am seeing reference on this site to higher hull numbers with earlier years. Is there a way that I can find out what year my boat was built?

Thanks. I'll get some pictures on the forum one I get them downloaded.

Best,

Jim Nelson

//www.jameslnelson.com