1963 Ariel

[carbonsoup]

So, it has begun!  I have had a great time sailing and getting to know the Pearson Ariel this summer and fall but it is time to get down to business.  You know the saying, "You can have time, or money, but you cant have both"?  Or something like that... Well, I have been given the gift of time, or at least until the spring.  So, once the boat comes out the water and placed on the lawn I should have nearly a full time schedule to do a major refit on the boat this winter and complete the job the previous, previous own didnt finish.

You may have seen the last refit on A97 which was done in 2006.
http://www.pearsonariel.org/discussion/showthread.php?1332-Ariel-97
And though I appreciate the hard work that was previously done... there was certainly some debatable choices made and some areas that were never completed, namely, the interior.  I have lived aboard an offshore sailboat when I was a wee lad and so one of the main goals of the refit is the interior and make her seaworthy to sail up to Maine next summer.

Anyway, as a designer and fabricator I am treating this project as any other major project, so to get started I made a spread sheet to try and prioritize all the projects against time and money.  I have uploaded a spread sheet on Google Docs. (you may need a Google account to view).  

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AnTWR9qnmfX6dFRxWVFTVFRHdDhWZGtfUGJGRFVqSGc

Since i have not completed a marine project like this before it was interesting to see all the costs add up... as well as the time involved.  also, it was very tricky coming up with a time estimates for each of the sub projects as there are going to be lots of parallel work going on, but whatever you have to start somewhere.

So, on to Phase 2... measure and design - I will be modeling the interior and cockpit in Solidworks, this will be ongoing, but I will post the model in progress.  maybe, at some point I will model the entire boat for everyone to reference

[carbonsoup]

purchase day...

[mbd]

Great spreadsheet!  I remember when A-97 was getting her external chainplates and her topsides painted. She'll be quite the looker when you're all done.  Looking forward to watching your progress and seeing the pics!

[carbonsoup]

request for better hull line drawings.  I am modeling the entire boat but I would like to have the most accurate line drawings.  I have the original elevation drawings but not the hull line drawing.  The best that I have found so far is what I believe TonyG or Ebb had drawn over for a trailer quote.  Can anyone help out here with a better copy?  ideally something where I can read the dims?

[Bill]

There is a copy in the manual.

[carbonsoup]

There is a copy in the manual.

Aha!  i knew i had seen it around somewhere.  I have two white 3-ring binders of the Ariel, courtesy of the PO, but I was looking in the wrong one!  thanks, that was easy.

[carbonsoup]

Here's the hull.  whew.  purty.  there are a couple areas that if i were making actual parts I would be going back into solidworks to clean it up, however the hull is merely a pretty back drop for the interior.. which is really the point of all this.  anyone interested in making half cuts?

[ebb]

What better hull lines could you want?
These are the lines with Alberg's signature
and are as accurate as they can possibly be.

Whether Pearson in the 60's faithfully translated those
lines into the final fiberglass  boat we have
is open for discussion.
I do not believe anybody has redrawn  lines
measuring from  actual sailing Ariels and Commanders
- and published those lines.
Some surprising differences will be found, imco.


Said elsewhere here,  you can take  page 144 from the Manual
to a copyshop and have them enlarge the image to EXACTLY
9 1/4"  WATERLINE and an exact 4" beam.
   That will give you a scale for the Ariel's 18'6"WL and 8' beam.
(Believe the Commander WL is different.)
Did the same with all the other Ariel drawings in the Manual.
Downloaded a 1:12scale 'doll house' ruller,  that has foot graduations
in 12 rather than 1/8s.
Because you are using unknown gens of copies, this is a close-enough- but-no-cigar approach.  
When you have the enlarged-to-scale drawings,   you  check  the other known measurements,
 like the published full length and depth
 & should find that what you have is pretty accurate.

What we have is what we all have - and that
is the actual reality of the sailboat.
So you should take actual measurements from  non-remodeled boats.

[carbonsoup]

using a copy of a copy, of a sketched over copy, of a fax of the original Ariel hull lines drawing, I was able to create the hull by transposing the other Ariel drawings of the cabin elevations and measurements of Ariel #97... about as accurate as its gonna get.  I am working on the deck/cabin currently, which is a whole lot more complex, but I would say that the hull lines drawing, from the manual, has been very trustworthy so far.  Once, i get down to brass tacks I will run into some of the deviations.  When i am finished I will upload a 100% accurate drawing packet of Ariel #97 which should be about 99% accurate to everyone else... that last 1% is a doozy!

[carbonsoup]

[carbonsoup]

Now to get down to work... here is the preliminary layout.
Strbd side aft is a 6' quarter berth with about 1/2 under the cock pit seats.  The cockpit is going to get teaked over so there wont be a locker door, but I am going to keep the 'icebox' access... more on this later, i still need to model the cockpit.
Strbd side mid is a vertical ice chest with a 2" stainless pole which will attach to the cabin roof, next to love seat.  The pole will also act as a pivot for an adjustable table on a metal arm. (not shown).
Strbd side 'v berth' is the relocated dresser and drawers.
Forepeak not yet finalized, but probably will be toilet with storage/water tank.
Companion way large quarter round surface and step, completely removable for easier engine compartment access.
Port side aft galley with sink.
Port side mid single/double berth with slide out.  Head placement is aft with a foot cubby through main bulkhead.
Port side 'v berth' single berth.
Settee and aft berth height is 16" off the cabin floor for more storage and better leg room in aft berth.

[carbonsoup]

The main bulkhead is going to have two shear walls sandwiching a non symetrical series of compression posts, this is primarily to compensate for the foot cubby in the main cabin.  Also, I had created round cut throughs to allow better light and air movement into the main cabin... and, some what by accident I created different sized circles which i actually like.

[carbonsoup]

[carbonsoup]

Any thoughts?

[bill@ariel231]

that is a nice group of images. i actually have an easier time visualizing the spaces in 3 views vice isometric (but that is just an old school thought). so a couple questions. where will the forward edge of the aft galley counter space land relative to the port lights? also a question on the starboard quarter berth.. is there room to squeeze back into these spaces?

the curved panels look very cool. if you have time to mock up any of this full scale in cardboard it is good insurance that you will love the result in plywood.

like the others on the thread, 'can't wait to see the tools come out and the changes begin.

cheers,
bill@ariel231