View Full Version : Ariel #1
walberts
06-07-2005, 07:37 PM
John Griffiths, a retired marine surveyor, is restoring hull #1 in MD. Hull #1 was sunk on land. Abandoned. John bought her and took her to his farm in Earleville.
The engine is a 12 hp yanmar that John restored also.
walberts
06-07-2005, 07:43 PM
John Griffiths, a retired marine surveyor, is restoring hull #1 in MD. Hull #1 was sunk on land. Abandoned. John bought her and took her to his farm in Earleville.
The engine is a 12 hp yanmar that John restored also.
ElBeethoven
06-07-2005, 07:46 PM
Wow! What did he use for that gorgeous new strongback?
walberts
06-07-2005, 07:52 PM
Two more shots.
Mike Goodwin
06-08-2005, 03:51 AM
So he is going to take all those cabin modifications out and put ugly 60's plastic laminate back in ?
frank durant
06-08-2005, 10:13 AM
Great to see #1...even better to see her in capable hands..looks SUPER !!!!! Keep the pics coming as the project progress's
walberts
06-08-2005, 10:27 AM
When I asked John "Where do you start?" when you have a derilict boat like Kestrel was when he found her in an Oxford boatyard, he responded:
"Start with the nastiest job. Do it when you're still in love. Don't begin by refinishing the brightwork."
Kestrel had a long list of really nasty jobs vying for the honor of being the nastiest. A lot of 'glass work on the decks and coachroof'; the keel had vater in the voids. He drained and reglassed that. He removed the old engine and replaced it with a Yanmar 2GM diesel. New driveshaft and rudderpost and the tube that holds the post had to be reglassed. New fuel tank and water lift muffler. The pictures will some of the story better than I can.
These have been taken over a period of two years. l hope to take some new ones this weekend.
Tony G
06-08-2005, 07:58 PM
I like it. The combination of her being hull number one and the 'feel' of the interior cabinetry really sets off a genuine lust here. While we all are focusing on Kestrel, did anyone else notice the shop? I bet a guy could live there when he's into the job. And I noticed a fire extinguisher in one of the pictures. That's something we don't see that often in the gallery pages.
I talked to the gentleman that owns the number one Hinckley pilot and asked him how or where one starts a restore job like that. He replied, "It's like eating an elephant, just one bite at a time." After seeing Kestrel it's plain and simple, a guy can't own just one of these beauties.
Mike Goodwin
06-08-2005, 10:50 PM
A restoration would be putting an Atomic 4 back in with a generator instead of alternator , putting the icebox back in .
You guys are awfully loose with the lingo. I can accept , rebuild , refurbish, renovate, repair , upgrade and modernize , but restore is pretty specific in it's meaning .
You can restore it to 1962 condition , even 1972 condition , but adding an engine that was never offered can't be a restoration .
Unless a restoration is done right , it can lower the value of an object. Any maritime museum would laugh their butts off at this " restoration" .
IMHO #1 has been stripped of her historical value , as if you took the 1st Corvette and replaced the Blue Flame 6 with a 350 V8 .
walberts
06-09-2005, 02:24 AM
I suppose one could argue semantics regarding restoration vs. repair. As far as being stripped of her histoical value is concerned what are any of us doing when repairing these boats? What did Geoff do when he added a hard dodger? This boat was derelict. It's historical value had been stripped long ago and her next voyage was to the dump.
Call Kestrel a re-built boat ... but she's been restored to life.
walberts
06-09-2005, 02:28 AM
Some more pictures
There's the 'letter of the law.' Mike is correct about the word 'restore.' It has come to mean 'bring back to its original condition.' And equipment. A museum quality Ariel would have to have every piece authentic original including, we presume, the oil filter on the Atomic 4. A museum quality Ariel would have to been stored unused and covered in a barn since 1962.
It does look like #1 has had some enhancements that are not true to her type. What's in a number? In some ways it is a disappointment, but it IS more important that the boat will go on sailing into the future. Even if 'restoration' is not wholly correct. 'Refit' is a nice neutral word for the effort Capt John is making.
Went thru some heavy mental games myself when I began working on 338. Choose to make my peace with Alberg - not Pearson. To restore an Ariel to what Pearson put in the marketplace would be ludicrous. There is no way to do anything to the inside of the vessel that you couldn't do better. The furniture in an Ariel is some of the ugliest carpentry ever conceived. The bulkheading not far behind. Restoring that would be rather sick and impossible.
Looking at it from both sides now, tough love sez you can't restore any Ariel. Made me feel a little better when I too decided to appeal to Alberg rather than Pearson for the violations I have did to 338. It's my personal opinion that Carl never climbed down the ladder into any of his boats under 35', anyway! ;)
In pure terms of a Great Project Boat an Ariel is MADE for that function. Improvements, modifications, rebuilding, customizing, alterations, reworking, remodeling, modernizing - not a problem. When you get it done, you'll still have an exceptional boat that will get you there
and back again.
frank durant
06-09-2005, 07:58 AM
modify..rebuild..improve..bla bla bla bla bla.Details details details.Can't sail a boat in a museum.Save it from the bone yard..make her how ya like it..sail it !!! The beauty of these boats will be appreciated for MANY more years because of all our efforts...what ever ya want to call them. That they are still out there sailing and will be for a long time yet is what really matters.
commanderpete
06-09-2005, 10:12 AM
Congrats to John on the good work.
The mold inside my boat will now be called "historic patina"
walberts
06-10-2005, 05:28 AM
Notice the position of the winch pads. Way aft.
iceman
06-10-2005, 06:49 PM
Hey Capt Walbert
The association gave me grief for incorrect insignia on my brandy new sails that came with the boat
Fix it sail it :rolleyes:
frank durant
07-09-2005, 04:33 PM
How's progress on #1 ??? Any new pics ?? news ???
walberts
07-11-2005, 08:09 PM
John hurt his back about 8 weeks ago and Kestrel has not had any more done to her. But, a lot was done since I took the pictures I posted, so I'll ask him if I can take a few more as updates.
I know he re-did the hull deck joint and probably much else as well. The mast and the cockpit are painted ... but the finish varnish work is not done. All the wood on the interior is cherry and poplar from his farm.
walberts
07-17-2005, 03:08 AM
I haven't gotten back down to John G's farm to take any more pics yet. I will post more as soon as I can.
walberts
07-20-2007, 02:47 AM
An old campaigner is about to make a come-back. Kestrel, Ariel #1, is just about ready to go. After a nearly 5-year long re-build, her owner plans to launch her in early September. Plans are to take her down the Inland Waterway to Florida and to the West Indies this winter.
Pictures and a story to follow.
Fantastic! Lots of pictures please!
epiphany
07-24-2007, 07:53 AM
Seconded! :D
frank durant
07-26-2007, 05:58 AM
PICTURES...we NEED pictures ;) ...can't wait to see #1
walberts
08-20-2007, 08:11 PM
This past weekend, Kestrel was moved from her barn and into position for bottom painting and fitting out before launch.
walberts
08-20-2007, 08:16 PM
Cabin interior. Strong back. LED lighting in V-berth. Means of hauling out of barn.
bill@ariel231
08-21-2007, 05:51 AM
Great to see ariel #1 on the way back to the water.. one question.. what is the welded stainless bracket aft of the tiller going to be used for????
Great pics!
Ditto on the bracket(s) behind the tiller head......? quadrant steering to come?
:cool: I find the extreme fender washers on the tiller bolt most fascinatin!
Can still hear Bill telling me to lower the tiller or I'll strain the tiller head.
Wonder if there is enough added from the 'washers' to support the tiller (in terms of strain on the tiller bolt.)?
Once threatened to weld some ears on the old tiller head so that you wouldn't strain something with the tiller up while sitting on the coaming. You'd have continuous wide area of surface bearing on the head no matter what angle the tiller. Jowls might be a more appropriate body part name - they would be short extensions added to hinge underneath just forward of the bolt. But, be messing with the temper. Wouldn't weld to an old bronze casting. Nope.
The big washers give support to the tiller hinge in any postion:
Straight Up Vertical, like some tie their tillers when they leave the boat.
Good idea! Simple.
__________________________________________________ _______________________________________
A 5/16" tillerhead bolt isn't a hell of a lot of insurance. Mine came with a bolt with threads running to the head. Got a longer american threaded bolt that has an unthreaded 'shoulder'. (Jamestown Dist) So that just the nut has threads, NOT any part going thru the knuckles. All moving parts now bear on smooth metal.
Too bad they didn't leave enough meat for a rebore in a 3/8"s bolt. That would be perfect.
__________________________________________________ __________________________________________
About this tillerhead we have.
{The moving part of the tillerhead is a channel. Very simple casting. A wood model could be made that was
slightly lighter in section,
had rounded corners,
was a bit deeper (Little Gull's is 1 1/8" - could be redesigned to 1 1/2") to hold the wood tiller better and allow a better spread of the bolts.
Also more metal could be left around the hinge bolt hole so that a larger bolt could be used to hinge the tiller.
Even simpler: you could keep the same channel width that the tiller is bolted to on the head so you could have a wider tiller end for strength. My fitting gets narrower in way of the tiller wood for some dumb reason.
It is 1 3/16" wide where the tiller goes. At the hinge-bolt it's 1 11/16" wide. Not a hell of a lot more. This tillerhead was designed for a metal tiller! Tell me I'm wrong. We should make a wider one.
And take the pattern to a foundry, have em make us some.
Don't suppose anybody is interested in this esoterica. Right?
I'll do a model of this part of the tillerhead that attaches to the tiller - to approval - if anyone is interested in replacing....}
Could be fabricated of welded s.bronze also.
The bracket seems to be a pair of rudder stops. The old square-riggers mostly had short double-spliced lines that were attached to the rudder and the transom. Some very old wooden boats that I have seen had arrangements similar to Kestrel's, usually in wood but some also in bronze.
Used to keep the rudder from jamming hard over
Oh!
Hence the cheek pieces on the tiller head....
Clever!
Dang, what a bang!
need some rubber nips on those tips.
bill@ariel231
08-22-2007, 05:23 AM
interesting... I hope they don't get in the way of the main sheet.
When does Kestrel splash???
that's a good point.
What about putting a 'shelf' across the top?
walberts
09-01-2007, 03:25 PM
Joe figured it in one. The ears are to keep the rudder from jamming over ...
I know what you mean about the mainsheet. The effect of the ears will be determined as the boat is sailed.
The bottom has been sanded and is being readied for paint. More pictures as soon as I can get back down to visit.
Thanks Walberts for keeping us all posted on Ariel Numero Uno!!
Do we get to see your baby?
Maybe not that important here, but rudder limits have not been big in discussion in this Forum, why did John G feel they were necessary?
walberts
09-03-2007, 01:26 PM
A few more interior and exterior shots of Kestrel. The cradle has been removed and she is blocked up for transport. She could be launched this Friday. Bottom paint will go on Thursday.
walberts
09-03-2007, 05:54 PM
OK ... trying again. This time, I hope the pictures accompany the text.
walberts
09-04-2007, 11:08 AM
Here are a few more. The rudder shoe repair and the new rudder as well as the hull work are shown. Bottom is being fared and painted this week. I'll take pictures of the launch.
bill@ariel231
09-04-2007, 11:33 AM
The propeller aperture looks a bit taller than mine.. I'm curious, what size prop is A-1 using?
Also, what are the 3 through-hulls? One is obviously the exhaust...
walberts
09-05-2007, 05:33 AM
I asked John about the prop size this morning. He said he would measure it but doesn't remember its size off-hand. He replaced it with a larger prop because of the engine replacement and made the prop aperture larger when he built the new rudder.
The thru-hulls are for exhaust and for bilge pumps. The larger is attached to a Whale Gusher pump operated from the cockpit. The small nipple John said he "left in" to be attached to an electric bilge pump. I assume that it was there to serve that punction in the original design.
bill@ariel231
09-05-2007, 05:55 AM
Are the limit stops he built for the tiller required to prevent interference between enlarged prop and the rudder?
walberts
09-05-2007, 06:12 PM
I think that is likely. I will ask him next time I see him. I'll get the prop info then as well.
walberts
09-06-2007, 05:17 AM
On the topic of the propeller/aperture/and rudder-stops, all guesses were right on. The prop is larger because the engine (a Yanmar 12 hp) turns a lot slower than the original engine. The larger aperture was obviously necessary to accomodate that, and the rudder stops were necessary as well.
Tomorrow, Friday September 7, Kestrel is to be launched. The bottom is painted and the interior re-varnished, and she is due to be splashed in the afternoon. I'm going down to take pictures and will post them.
Thanks for all the pics and keeping us posted, Bill. Looking forward to seeing A-1 splashed again!
Tim Mertinooke
09-07-2007, 12:27 PM
She is certainly looking sharp. It is so nice knowing #1 will be in the water soon.
walberts
09-09-2007, 04:57 PM
Kestrel was launched at 1:40 pm Friday. Here are some shots of the event.
walberts
09-09-2007, 05:14 PM
I'm trying to post these pictures, but they are not making it to the site. I will keep trying.
walberts
09-09-2007, 06:54 PM
OK .. I am hopeful that this will make it to the site. I am struggling with technology again.
walberts
09-10-2007, 03:47 AM
Now I see what was happening. Each picture exceeds the file size for the forum. Any suggestions as to how to get around this problem?
As per the E-mail sent you, the photo size needs to be reduced. The software that came with your digital camera should be able to do this. Posted graphics should be no larger than 600 pixels on the longest side of the graphic. That's about 2 inches if you're using linear measurements.
walberts
09-10-2007, 12:24 PM
Unfortunately, I downloaded all the pictures onto the computer and then deleted them from the camera. I hope I can somehow post what I have. Do you know of any other options?
My email has changed. It's now billalberts at comcast dot net
The photos should still be on your PC. Find them and use the software from the camera, Microsoft's photo software or go to Google and download a free program call Picasa that will edit and organize you photos much in the same fashion as Adobe Photo Shop Elements.
Then remove those over large photos you posted earlier, reduce their size and repost them.
Here you go. I offered to resize it for Bill, because I'm sure we're all anxious to see no. 1 hit the water again!
Wot's all this white hair grey beard stuff anyway?
OK, here are more pics Bill (Haabet) sent me...
Last one. (Sorry for the commentary, apparently you can't post pictures without at least a 10 character comment. Hopefully they weren't too distracting...)
Wow! Look at how high she sits on her lines. No squatting here... (pics 59-61)
http://pearsonariel.org/discussion/showpost.php?p=16246&postcount=59
http://pearsonariel.org/discussion/showpost.php?p=16246&postcount=60
http://pearsonariel.org/discussion/showpost.php?p=16248&postcount=61
Was additional ballast added to the later models?
walberts
09-11-2007, 10:25 AM
Thanks for posting those pictures, Mike. I knew it would be at least a week before I got it figured out and I was anxious to get them posted. My son is flying in from Colorado tomorrow and he will help me resize the rest. I'll post them soon.
I believe Kestrel is high on her lines because she is going to be carrying a lot of provisions. She is light now, but soon will not be. John's son and his girlfriend are planning to take her down the Inland Waterway next month and from there, to the Bahamas and the West Indies for the winter.
An adventure in the making.
I hope to get a shot of Kestrel under sail before they leave.
frank durant
09-11-2007, 04:20 PM
Gotta be very proud right about now !! ;)
Thanks for posting those pictures, Mike.
Glad I could help out. Thanks for taking them Bill!
Tim Mertinooke
10-06-2007, 04:50 PM
Helloooooo sweetheart!
http://www.mrmert.com/ariel24/images/ariel.jpg
frank durant
10-06-2007, 04:53 PM
BEAUTY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:D Dam fine lookin lil yacht
WhalerMike
03-13-2019, 12:37 PM
I now have Ariel #1 Kestrel on the hard near the Chester River in Maryland. I bought her a few months ago.
I also have Commander #266 "The Way" in the Severn River up from Annapolis in Round Bay on my mooring. I hope to get more sailing done in 2019 than I did in 2018.
I also have a couple Pearson Ensigns, and Boston Whalers.
frank durant
03-13-2019, 12:41 PM
Congrats!
You own a piece of nautical history!
Keep us posted and.....pictures ��
WhalerMike
03-31-2019, 11:29 AM
Here are some Pics, Ariel #1 is still on the hard in Crumpton MD. Along with 3 Ensigns.
Commander 266, The Way, is in the Severn. Along with P26, and Ensign #189 Anything Goes.
frank durant
03-31-2019, 12:25 PM
Not sure....
But.....
I think you like old Albert designs....a Pearson’s to be specific ����
epiphany
04-16-2019, 06:12 PM
Great to hear she has a new home now! Congrats! :)
WhalerMike
09-29-2022, 01:26 PM
Since 2019, I have gotten Married. Best thing toever happen to me!
Then came Covid.
I have never put Kestel in the water.
I would like to find her a new home.
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