A-231 Periwinkle

[Bill]

Please welcome (another) Bill and his Ariel #231 PERIWINKLE. According to Bill, the yacht was rescued from dumpster in 1996 and restored. It also has an interesting auxiliary power history that Bill will relate as time permits.

[mbd]

Welcome Bill! Now that's a great pic! Sheer poetry...

[frank durant]

welcome 'new Bill' don't know much about ya yet...but I'm dammed impressed with your photographer !! GREAT SHOT !! Keep them coming

[bill@ariel231]

Alyce and I have had Periwinkle since '96. The previous owner was in the process of moving from a rented place to a new house with no offers at the price he was asking. Given the unfinished state of the boat, it nearly got chopped up. Going into the project I knew the boat needed the following:

new engine (inboard or outboard, we hadn't decided at the time)
major deck recore - the foredeck was a swollen mass of spray-in-foam, water, rotten balsa and tile-grout (no kidding)
the coach roof was full of water on the port side
rudder was in three pieces
the boat needed a complete electrical & plumbing replacement
there was also some visible keel damage masked by bondo


Here is what the boat looked like on delivery day:

[bill@ariel231]

The recore of the decks and coach roof was the first priority (after chasing out the critters). Sorry I don't have pictures of the demolition phase, it was a bit to dusty to think about using a good camera. The foredeck was reassembled from the Inside (only because the upper skin of that section of deck was the least damaged). Clamping pressure (from inside the V-berth) was afforded throught the liberal use of drywall screws. While the core and inner skin were curing the boat looked like a pin cushion...

The coach roof & side decks were far easier since they were addressed from above.

Here's the new deck ready for some paint:

[frank durant]

I love seeing an ole boat saved!! Looks like you had your hands full.Any pics of the restoration?? From the ariel shot , it looks like it was all worth it.How long did it take??What mods,if any inside?? Thanks for the 'before' pics...helps some of us realize we are not the only crazy people out there.

[bill@ariel231]

after the top side was complete, the demolition party moved to the keel.

Under the old bondo, there was evidence of several collisions with the bottom and maybe two trips to the beach.

One interesting problem that may show up in other boats is a 1" gap I found between the ballast and the bottom of the keel. This appeared to be one of the reasons #231 had a large number of fractures and repairs to the bottom of the keel. The air gap may have resulted in damage every time #231 was hauled out and placed on blocks.

During the overhaul, the void below the ballast was filled with mat and epoxy. The damage from the mid-point of the ballast aft to the rudder was reglassed in matt & roving to just a wee' bit heftier than original.

below that image is the leading edge of the keel (after the bondo-ectomy)... this too was repaired with mat & roving to the original dimensions

last is an image of the final stage in the keel demolition...

[bill@ariel231]

In this timeframe a new beam under the mast step was fabricated (in white oak) and the V-berth was repainted. The main cabin however left a bit to the imagination...

[bill@ariel231]

I love seeing an ole boat saved!! Looks like you had your hands full.Any pics of the restoration?? From the ariel shot , it looks like it was all worth it.How long did it take??What mods,if any inside?? Thanks for the 'before' pics...helps some of us realize we are not the only crazy people out there.

I had a lot of help from friends and family (we all kept track of hours in a construction log book) the rough answer is 2000hrs start to finish (and I vowed never to add up the receipts)

[bill@ariel231]

I lucked into a used Westerbeke 20B2 that had two seasons of use. The big question was how to get it up in the air and onto the engine beds without a crane. The answer was a come-a-long, a couple of pulleys, four jack stands and a whole bunch of ubolts and threaded rod....

This was easter sunday '97, 12 calendar months from delivery.

[bill@ariel231]

this was the easy part. Cutless bearing install, Shaft installation & alignment and the remainder of the electrical work dragged on till mid summer...

[bill@ariel231]

First launch day... mid august 97... we've got new running rigging, we've restiched the sails. Time to rig the boat for the trip to the ramp.

best of all the registration is finally sorted out..

I've since changed the depth sounder, but you can see the transducer for the original electro mechanical sounder. needless to say, after nearly 40 years it didn't work (maybe that explains the history of keel damage)

[bill@ariel231]

off to the boat yard....

[bill@ariel231]

Ok that was a couple of years back what has happened since? new sails (very happy with a set from www.cruisingdirect.com), new standing rigging, a furler (Schaefer 750). a repaint and the removal of the outboard well...

Here's what Periwinkle looks like today:

[bill@ariel231]

lets start the tour in the cockpit..

While I don't mind doing varnish, I prefer to make it last a couple of years. Hence everything that is varnished gets a cover....

[frank durant]

Beautiful !! What took you so long to find this site? You are sure to enjoy the 'company' here and obviously have much to contribute as well.thanks for sharing.

[bill@ariel231]

I'm just guessing someone's going to ask about the handle atop the companionway. I made it to solve a couple of issues. The original wasn't very easy to open with cold hands and I wanted a drip edge at that location as one more way to keep the cabin dry in the rain (with the hatchboards out).

Below are two images. A closer view and a profile.

[bill@ariel231]

The traveler & mainsheet system is built up from Garhauer blocks bolted to an old Fico traveler I collected as separate parts from a couple of local marine consignment shops. Just like everything else, it gets a cover too....

[bill@ariel231]

Thats enough topside for now, lets go below decks....

The companionway steps are a change from normal. When I loaded in the westerbeke, I needed to make a bit more room. As a result I ended up with these steps (I'm told they came from a Dehler??, maybe, the style looks right but I've not seen one with just two steps below).

One other change was to move the galley sink outboard... my advice.. if you move the sink off the centerline, do not plumb the sink to a seacock. I found the sink below the waterline when I got knocked down on a starboard tack. As a result, the sink now drains into a sump/pump system, and I don't worry about taking the boat offshore.

[bill@ariel231]

on the port side of the companionway is the usual fuse block and just for the fun of designing a rotating/sliding mount using a bit of teak, a stainless steel spring and a harken recirculating-ball track&car is an old chart plotter a friend donated.

[bill@ariel231]

on the stbd side of the companionway are the radio and the backside of the depthsounder/compass... I got carried away here

[bill@ariel231]

Lets have a look at the engine..

It's a Westerbeke 20B2 (18Hp) driving a 2 blade 12x12 prop. It's a bit of overkill, but the price was right. Its also a bit larger around than the original atomic 4....

Actually this boat has had a series of different power plants as evidenced by details in construction, witness marks and accumulated junk uncovered during the demolition phase of the project.

Here is a timeline (with liberal speculation):

1. As built, the boat left the factory as an outboard The evidence is a factory outboard well, and the cockpit drains are forward. However, I never found any sign of the mystery "extra ballast" some other Ariels have found.
2. some time in the late 60's but before the v-berth was painted purple and fuzzy feet were glued to the overhead (must have been pretty psychedelic). The boat was professionally refited with an atomic 4 or palmer. The evidence for this phase of prior owners is three old guages, cutouts for shift/throttle and a very professionally installed shaft log.
3. The lost years (20+ years), evidence of abuse, neglect, engine removal more neglect, cheap repairs and by the time I've found her a dead 8Hp mercury from the early 80's. In this timeframe, the shaft log was sealed with a wooden plug and the inboard side connected to a bit of old radiator hose tied above the waterline (it's a mircale the boat floated).

Anyway. The install of the westerbeke entailed new engine beds and some changes to the cabinets port and stbd of the engine block. You may notice the cutout under the icebox to provide clear access for the oil filter & raw water impeller. The raw water strainer is on the left (above the waterline), I make a habit of flushing the heat exchanger with fresh water after everyuse. :)

[bill@ariel231]

Up forward, there was a puzzling leak (just an occasional wet spot way up forward in the bilge). I started looking for it when I found a trail of bottom paint in the bilge (It looked to be transported by the leak). Last winter, I opened up the cabin sole in the v-berth to locate the problem (a small series of spider cracks that have since been ground out and re-glassed).

That left a gaping hole in the cabin sole crying out for teak.....

I've started thinking about pressurized hot water (and maybe someday a shower)...

[bill@ariel231]

I recall a couple of months back, someone was thinking about a teak rub rail. I had a similar issue in the original overhaul. When we got the boat , the hull/deck seam was split on the stbd side from a midships to the bow. Somewhere in the previous repair attempts (before we took posession), the original stainless rub rail was removed & lost. I elected to replace the lost rub rail with a line of teak (using the witness marks of the original for dimensions).

Here's a view of the bow:

(p.s. before any professional riggers send hate mail, the clevis pin at the base of the furler has since been turned end-for-end. Just in case the cotter pin breaks/drops out, the clevis will stay)

[bill@ariel231]

I installed the Schaefer 750 furler dockside in 2004. The biggest problem we puzzled over was settling on a path for furling line back to the cockpit. Ultimately, the routing you see below emerged. At the cockpit coamings, the line passed through a 3/4" copper fair lead. The furler works great with the 100%. With the rope luffed 130% it's probably a bit small... time for more thinking....

[bill@ariel231]

One other change worth visiting is the forward hatch. This change was made the second time I changed the mast step (why-oh-why didn't dig out the Balsa under the mast step the first time).

Anyway, the hatch (Bomar model #1080) and its mount are roughly an inch bigger all around than original. The unexpected benefit is that stowing the spinaker is much faster (nothing to snag on). The real nicety is the jib sheets don't get caught like they did on the original.

[bill@ariel231]

That's the tour for now.

One other thought. Thinking about the distance some of the other Ariels & Commanders have traveled (Australia, Greece ...). We've got to have one of the least traveled in class. 42+ years later, Ariel #231 is still within 3 miles of the original factory in bristol.

Alyce is passing the Mount Hope Bridge (just south of Bristol)....

[French]

Great work !!

[mbd]

Very very nice Bill!

Where did you get that two-part pushpit - if it can be called that? Or would it be stern-quarter lifeline stanchions or something? Anyway, how do you like them? Sems like it might be a more cost effective solution than a full-blown pushpit.

I'm sure I'll have many more questions for you down the road too.

[commanderpete]

Eeeeegads

A gorgeous boat

[c_amos]

Bill,

What a great job you have done! Your workmanship is top notch!



I just picked up that same Bomar hatch 2 weeks ago, when I find the 'round tuit' I will be looking for more info on exactly how you built up that mount.

Great boat!

[bill@ariel231]

Where did you get that two-part pushpit - if it can be called that? Or would it be stern-quarter lifeline stanchions or something? Anyway, how do you like them? .


I found the two part stern rail (new) in a consignment shop. The manufacturer's label read "High Seas" (never had any luck finding a web site that matched the label). The installation was probably easier than a single piece, the only mod was that I needed to shorten the aft most column.

The remains of the label for the stern rail show the following mfr address:

High Seas
4861 24th Avenue
Port Huron, MI 48060
313-385-4411

I like the two piece version, it doesn't get in the way when boarding over the stern (at the dock or by ladder when out of the water)

thanks for the kind words,
bill@ariel231 :)

[ebb]

You do some dazzling carpentry there, Bill. Thanks for sharing.
Teak rubrail.... that's real class. Great idea, nice work on that V-berth grate.

Gladdens the eye!

Compass cover does double duty for grog, correct?

[bill@ariel231]

Aye grog or gruel. depends on me mood....

[epiphany]

Welcome, Bill 3 :)

Verrry nice vessel you have there - top notch work - I was also wondering about the split pushpit she has.

[bill@ariel231]

periwinkle is wrapped up for a short hibernation. As time permits, this winters projects will include mounting the new port light frames... ...I'm starting to think about adding a radar mount sometime next year. Has anyone tried a removable stern rail mount? The building blocks in my garage are a 2.5" aluminum tube and some spinnaker car toggles...

A festive new year to all....

bill@ariel231

[bill@ariel231]

The snow is melting, the RedSox are playing baseball in Florida... humm.... must be time to get the boat cover off. It's time to install the new portlights (covered in the technical discussion under the "Large Portlights" thread http://www.pearsonariel.org/discussion/showthread.php?t=1227 ), lifelines, zincs and bottom paint.

Here we are two days into the process....Just three weeks till launch.

[bill@ariel231]

I had a couple email requests for details on A-231's stern rail attached are some photos:

[bill@ariel231]

... and a dimensioned sketch if anyone is heading to a welding shop:

[bill@ariel231]

There have been a couple of threads on the site related to coaming repair. While I haven't had to deal with rotten wood, 40 years of abuse left A-231 with a couple of splits on the port side coaming. These were fixed with a couple of dutchmen replacing the splintered and torn sections.

As you can see, the color match isn't perfect but the original fabric of the boat is still in place

here is the repair to the torn screw hole on the forward edge:

[bill@ariel231]

the repair to the aft end of the coaming was needed where a split occured along the line of fastners. originally I just glued this with epoxy, but the coaming split again right next to the seam. In the end a whole section was cut out and a new piece glued on....

[bill@ariel231]

The technique is shown in the sketch below. I tend to use a circular saw to rough out the openings for new material. Other more careful folks use a router or chisel...

[ebb]

bill,
when 338's new coamings go in - and having seen so many coamings split at exactly this place - think I will drill in thru the bottom edge 3 or 4 holes to glue in dowels of the same material, mahogany in my case.

Think the split occurs from the upper portion of the coaming being free standing. Someone could design a nice curvey block that could be lagged into the deck and screwd to the coaming that would help keep it from bending outward. Wish I could add a drawing here!


__________________________________________________ ________________________________
Mysterious cleat and line going forward to the coaming post. What's happnin there? :D


__________________________________________________ __________________________________
I'm also intrigued by the quarter rails with the stern wide open. What's happnin here? Are you berthed with stern access? Does look cool! Thanks for the cad and measures!

[c_amos]

Mysterious cleat and line going forward to the coaming post. What's happnin there? http://www.pearsonariel.org/discussion/images/smilies/biggrin.gif I noticed in the earlier post, that is his furling line. Pure genus! I love it.

Mine is strung outboard, with fairleads on the bow pulpit (like most bosts I have seen) and I regularly step on (read roll off of) the line when going forward.

Might borrow that one!

Add my voice to the choris of 'Great Job!'

:D

OBTW, look how thick the glass is laid up under the keel in this shot.

http://www.pearsonariel.org/discussion/attachment.php?attachmentid=2897

[mbd]

Bill, thanks for the pics and the woodworking 101 drawings! Very helpful to those of us challenged in these matters... :o


...think I will drill in thru the bottom edge 3 or 4 holes to glue in dowels of the same material... Why the SAME material? They'll be hidden, so couldn't you use some kind of indestructible wood or other material? Good idea, BTW, think I'll steal it. :D



Mysterious cleat and line going forward to the coaming post. What's happnin there?Roller furling line?

Doh! I see Craig snuck his post in!

[ebb]

same material???
because: like likes like?
Dunno: similar expansion, same wood no problema, that sort of thing. Wouldn't use a rottable wood like beech dowels, right?
Ready made mahogany dowel is catalog available.

I'm the sort that if I used the buscuit cutter I'd have to hand make the buscuits out of mahogany too. And not only that, I'd have to turn the grain of the inserts so they were vertical to the grain running in the coaming. That's the sort I am, and that's why I'm still doodling around on the boat and not SAILING!!! :o

[bill@ariel231]

You guys figured it out.. the cleat is for the furling line. It runs through a copper fair lead in the coaming and then forward just below the portlights. I stole this idea from a Cape Dory 33 that was once in the family.

ebb.. I'm not to worried about the mix of wood types in the repair pieces (i.e. beech vs. mahogany vs. teak) since the joint is sealed with epoxy. Were this some form of marquetry applied to the surface, I'd worry a lot more. The repairs are two seasons old now with no sign of movement.

cheers,

bill

[bill@ariel231]

ebb - [I] Think the split occurs from the upper portion of the coaming being free standing.

On my boat the split appeared to be the result of the winch base being loosely bolted to the deck. As a result of the loose winch base, the coaming was twisted everytime the winch handle was pulled towards the cockpit. Once the winch base was secured and the plank repaired, I've seen no movement of the coaming.

-bill

[bill@ariel231]

One other standing request that I've received was for details and dimensions of the chart plotter mounting bracket:

[bill@ariel231]

In the attached sketch you'll see the major parts:

* 12 inch section of Harken 1 inch recirculating ball track
* Harken car to fit the track (tapped to hold a 5/16th" NC bolt)
* teak - base containing a 5/16th NC bolt, a stainless steel spring (1" x 3" or so)
* teak - cap (for the base)
* teak - transition from Harken Car to the plotter arm

[bill@ariel231]

Next a close up (before disassembly):

[bill@ariel231]

here's a photo of the base (note the slot between the track and the base, this acts as a detent to hold the plotter in position):

[bill@ariel231]

The cap that covers the rough end of the base & plotter arm is also formed from teak and fastened with #8 machine screws here's a close up:

[bill@ariel231]

one more section of teak makes up the transition from the harken car to the chart plotter mount:

[bill@ariel231]

If anyone is crazy enough to try building one here are the drawings for the base, cap and transition sections:

cheers,

bill

[Mike Goodwin]

Does it plot your charts or chart your plots?

[mbd]

Holy smokes Bill! No wonder your boat looks so good! -- you must be an engineer... :eek:

[bill@ariel231]

Mike & Mike

thanks, actually when I use it at all, I just use the GPS repeater & cross track error pages (large text). I've used a lot of electronics charts (like CMAP) and written software to do the same. I still prefer paper unless it dark, rainy and I can't see beyond the bow....

Bill

[bill@ariel231]

In answer to Frank's "what's new" challenge of 7/6/2006... A-231 does occasionally leave the dock. Although far less often than she deserves to....

[frank durant]

lookin good out there...lookin good

[bill@ariel231]

Periwinkle did make a few more trips until work got in the way.. here's a picture from July. That's my sister Kris, brother-in-law Tony and their son Michael doing the driving...

[bill@ariel231]

the ice is melting must be time for bottom paint. Interesting thing happened last year, you can see it in the pictures where the bottom paint has been sanded. Last year's bottom paint was "pink", the can said "shark gray" but "pink" it stayed until it hit the water. I got a few raised eye brows at the boat yard. We'll see what comes out of the can this year...

[joe]

I think the smiles on the faces of your "crew" say it all !!

[bill@ariel231]

While I once subscribed to the idea that I was going to keep Periwinkle's systems very simple (at least that was my plan 10 years ago)... I couldn't resist a Radar I stumbled upon last summer. It's a old 12" Sitex T150. The problem is how and where to mount it. I had in the back of my mind the thought I might make it a "clip-on" that could be removed when I didn't plan to use it. A mount on the Spinnaker car was one choice, Another is at the stern rail. Of all the boats I've sailed on, those with a pole mount on the stern seemed the least likely to foul lines etc. I looked at Mr Lackey's install along the center line of his Triton (http://www.triton381.com/projects/restoration/electronics2.htm ), very nice but a similar install with my split stern rail would result in a lot of struts to keep it in place. The second best option seems to be the location mocked up below (port side aft).

The obstacles to this install will be the 6" deck flange and the pole blocking a clear path between the deck cleat and the fair lead. Argh! this would be easier if the lazarette hatch was smaller or the boat was couple feet longer. Looks like the 6" flange will have to go....

[joe]

Have you given any thought to taking your stern rail to a shop and having them weld a bracket on for you? You could have them cut the 6" plate off of the bottom and weld a "sleeve" piece of tubing onto your stern rail. You could then put it into the sleeve and secure with one or two ball-lock pins when you wanted to use it and then just pull the pins and stow the whole thing when you wanted it out of the way. Just a thought.
Joe

[bill@ariel231]

Joe

interesting thought. I was headed down the track of fabricating a clamp that grabs the base of the stanchion (like a cheeseborough clamp). I'll give that a think...

thanks,
bill

[bill@ariel231]

today was a day for getting the top side sanded and ready for a fresh paint on the cabin and decks. Ebb, you are right, "silicone is EVIL"... we spent far to much time sanding that goop from around the portlights we glued in last year...

[bill@ariel231]

on the plus side this year's "experiment in tools" is working just fine. I picked up a set of drywall stilts last year for a theater project. always thought they would work at the boat yard for some varnishing... It turns out these are faster than staging and kind of fun too.

[mbd]

Very clever idea Bill. Could come in handy when there is no room around the boat for staging as well.

[bill@ariel231]

the weather hasn't been helping this year's race to the water. generally i'm in the same week as Liberty (Triton #15). Looks like she beat me in this year...

[bill@ariel231]

Since I wasn't sure if last year's pink bottom was the result of insufficient mixing, or the fact that I was painting in a snow storm. I took no chances; this year the paint got a thorough thrashing with a mixer and was applied on a warm day.

[Tim Mertinooke]

That's a nifty mixer. Before I slapped on a quick coat of paint over my repair this morning I must have stirred the new quart of bottom paint for 15 minutes. I envisioned something like what you just posted while I was slowly entering carpal tunnel town.

[bill@ariel231]

and the result...

[bill@ariel231]

I was really happy with the mixer.. the paint was homoginized in about a minute. I did pour off about a quart before using the mixer. I bet it'd make a heck of a mess with a full can of paint.

[bill@ariel231]

today's project is painting the decks and coach roof. it's been about 3 or 4 years since the last paint job on the decks. I got the second coat of white on the vertical surfaces painted today. hopefully I'll get the sand finish on the foredeck painted before the week is out.

[bill@ariel231]

still inching towards the water... 'got the decks redone for this year (except for the cockpit. that can wait 'til we are launched). The deck color is different from previous years (interlux "cream" vice "pre1990 Hatteras White"), still, Alyce approves of the color...

This is the first year I've tried the Interlux "Interdeck" with the non-skid mixed in.. It went on without a hitch and saved a bit of time. I'd use it again in a heartbeat.

[Tim Mertinooke]

Looks great! You give me a product to shoot for.

[joe]

How about a product number for that beautiful non-skid paint??
Joe

[bill@ariel231]

Tim & Joe

thanks for the complements. Here's a URL for the stuff I used this year. The color is a "Cream" it's just a bit more "French Vanilla" in color than the "Beige" on the Interlux color chart (oh by the way; one quart = 1 coat for the deck on an Ariel):

http://www.jamestowndistributors.com/userportal/show_product.do?pid=67&familyName=Interlux+-+Interdeck+Polyurethane+Non-Skid+Deck+Coating

the pre-mix varieties have fewer color choices than the "Brightside" series but I was short on time:

http://www.jamestowndistributors.com/userportal/images/Multi/Interlux/large/67s.jpg

Tim, on your idea for a NE chapter rendezvous. I think it's a great idea, although at 5 knots it may take a while to get there... worth starting a thread on the "General/Offtopic" line to poll the crew(s) for interest...

cheers,
bill :)

[joe]

I really like that color!

[mbd]

Top notch as always Bill! Man, do you and Alyce get a lot done! But I feel I must say however, that you've failed to show us pictures and details of your new radar set up...:D

[bill@ariel231]

Mike

that's one more project that will have to wait 'til we splash. The design is in my head, hopefully I'll commit to paper & powertools soon...

Bill

[ebb]

Thanks, Bill,

Ariel decks: One Quart equals One Coat.

Fantastic job of anti-skid painting there!

Also looking forward to pics and tips of your radar set up.......

[commanderpete]

Oh, I don't know. I kinda like the way it was before. Good traction ;)

http://www.pearsonariel.org/discussion/attachment.php?attachmentid=2894&stc=1&d=1133739416

Very nice Bill. She's a beauty

[bill@ariel231]

I started to make some progress on the radar mount hardware (previewed a couple postings ago. The Radar is a (very) used mid 1990s vintage Sitex/Koden T-150. My plan remains to mount the radar on a removable pole bolted to the stern rail.

here's a look at the set:

[bill@ariel231]

Aside from a small mishap in the garage it's still usable. !$*^%, now, i"ll need to add a 10 pin DIN(?) connector to the materials list

[bill@ariel231]

The pole is 1 7/8" aluminum with welded flanges top and bottom. The top flange at 16" around needed to be cut to 10" on a side.

[bill@ariel231]

The 4" base was just too big to fit around the existing stanchions, cleats and lines aft. As a result, one of those "why does this take so long" sort of problems needed to get worked through. I'm going to try this, it's an 2" ID aluminum casting from the base of a club boom (maybe, it's not like any spinnaker pole end fitting i've seen) with room for three M19 (metric) thread set screws. It looks like a 1" clamp for a Bimini will make a good pipe clamp to hold the base to one of the stanchions. The weight of the radar will be born by the stanchion base and the whole assembly will remain clear of the dock lines...

[bill@ariel231]

With that problem sorted out, time for the saw...

The base fits with room for a sleeve around the pipe (sleeve material tbd). As for those frankenstein like bolts, I'll be cutting them down to size (and making set-screws out of them). Other than that, it looks like it may work.

The base will eventually get a plastic shoe to bear against the stanchion & deck.

[bill@ariel231]

After drilling the top flange, the radar got a trial fit on the pole before quitting for the day.

[bill@ariel231]

Enough work on the radar... here's a couple pictures from Periwinkle's first underway this year.

[bill@ariel231]

not the most scenic trip, but we did drop by the USS Massachusetts (BB59)

[mbd]

And that's what it's all about! Very nice Bill! The decks look great!

[bill@ariel231]

Thanks, How are you and Tim doing putting hardware on A-414?

[mbd]

I had to postpone my trip up there until next week (car troubles), so the dead lights are going to wait until then. But magically, the stanchions, pulpits and limited pieces of hardware are getting installed. BTW, thanks again for the stanchions!

[bill@ariel231]

I made a little more headway on the Radar project started on post #85.

the work since the last post has included painting the aluminum top plate and further work on the hardware for the following:
1. bracket for a strut.
2. assembly of the base for the radar pole
3. assembly of a rail mounting bracket.

here's the bracket for the strut:

it's assembled from a two inch fiberglass tube with a tab glassed to the side. The tube is slotted, clamping pressure on the pole will require a pair of hose clamps.

[bill@ariel231]

The base had a couple revisions since the last post. I was ready to machine three set-screws from the M19 cap screws shown in a previous post, but as luck would have it, the threads match those of some stainless 1/4-20 threaded inserts. I'll use those threaded inserts to attached the stanchion clamp and two set screws to grab the pole. That was a time saver. here's the revised base:

[bill@ariel231]

The rail mount needed to stand off from my stern rail by an inch or so. While i was scratching my head in the hardware section this collection started to make some sense. It began life as a stanchion mount for a 2" spinnaker pole. The bridge to the rail is cobbled together from some bimini hardware.

[bill@ariel231]

fully assembled the radar and pole look like the attached photo. I can't wait to drag it over to the boat, but that's going to have to wait for the replacement 10 pin connector to get here from Sitex.

[mbd]

I love the ingenuity of individuals on this forum! It's inspiring, encouraging, and just plain fun to follow... Nice work Bill! Looking forward to seeing that radar mounted.

[ebb]

bill231,
Looking forward too to seeing how the install goes.
And looking forward to scratching my head on the very same challenge -
using this thread for inspiration......

lemme see... how am I gonna make thishere sliding sleeve wit the flange, hmmmm.... that's a great idea the hose clamps.... ....:D

[bill@ariel231]

thanks for the support. I finally got the radar pole installed ahead of today's rain. ...but before we get to that part of the story:

several posts back there was the embarassment of mowing over the connector that plugs the radar antenna into the lcd display. The good news is both a spare connector and a user manual with the pin-outs were still available from Sitex. After a phone call and a wait over the holiday weekend I had the part in hand. Following a hour of strained eye sight, the replacement connector was soldered on and buzzed-out. After that, I was ready for a trip to the beach to test the unit.

The picture below shows the test set-up: Starting from the upper right, the radar was mounted on the truck's ladder rack with power from the 12V supply in the cab. On the left, the display unit is showing the beach, the two barges, a tug and the small island in the upper right. These match the scene out of the windshield shown at the bottom. Apparently a couple of years bouncing around in the garage hadn't damaged the unit.

Aside from getting rear-ended by a Honda on my way to the beach this had the makings of a great day!

[bill@ariel231]

A couple of small changes in the parts list from previous posts included some more hardware to secure the pole at the rail. I'm still using the 2" stanchion mount however, my plan to cinch down the mount by mousing the gap with some small stuff didn't have the clamping pressure needed to prevent the inadvertant rotation of the radar pole. As a result, I ended up with the 1/4 20 machine screw clamping the pole in place (this is visible on the left).

[bill@ariel231]

As for the installation, it's pretty much as planned. The pole is very secure fore and aft (despite being 7' long and weighing about 20lbs). Athwartships is still a bit looser than I'd like. This is a consequense of the two part nature of my stern rail. A one part rail would stiffen the pole a lot. For my setup, I may have to change the diagonal strut for something longer that reaches to the center line of the boat.

[bill@ariel231]

wiring this thing will start next weekend (maybe). in the mean time.... pass the hole saw:)

[Tim Mertinooke]

One would think you would have picked that Honda up on RADAR and prevented the crash... (Click Here (http://www.ringelkater.de/Sounds/2geraeusche_gegenst/tusch.wav))

Looking good! It must be nice to at least hear water splashing against the hull as you wedge yourself into those netherland regions of the boat.

[bill@ariel231]

Tim

I never expected I'd need to "check my 6" while I was parked at the ATM. Although I got a dent in the back bumper, the Honda was a write-off. The good news; nobody hurt, no coffee spilled.

Have you set a launch date for A-24?

cheers,
Bill

[Tim Mertinooke]

We are shooting for Saturday the 16th. My buddy and I will be trailering her to Newburyport from my house in Lee which is about 150 miles apart. I have done the trip with my Typhoon about ten times, but this trip ought to be interesting. She will be launched and motored down river to the yacht club where I will have a couple eager (ane naive) helpers to put my mast up via a gin pole attached to the club's flag pole. In a perfect world I will be spending that Saturday night drinking a Sam (or many) under the moonlight with my mast up at my mooring. We plan to stay the weekend then head back to work for a couple days, then my wife and I are off until the end of August. We'll head back to the boat that Tuesday with our son and take it from there. We plan to sail as much as A-24 allows us too. She has not been in the water in ten years and although I am combing her over, things happen. If all goes well, se'll be bumping around the local spots and cap the summer off with a mini Maine cruise. Lots of excitement these days, lots of unknowns. One step at a time... I wish I had a RADAR they come in handy up my way.

[bill@ariel231]

While we are on the subject of hunting for as yet undiscovered Ariels and Commanders (possible future members).... Alyce and I thought we'd stop by Bristol to see if we could get some better pictures of A-250 (posted in the A-250 thread). As a bonus we found this well kept Commander, we didn't get the hull number but her name is "Banjo": A pretty boat and yes that's her original gel coat (we have a friend whose Ensign shares the same color).

[bill@ariel231]

Shortly after that picture was taken we were at the second reef point on the main and getting kind of wet. Much different story today, just 10-15kts. That's Alyce's Dad doing the driving:

[bill@ariel231]

Perfect day to play with the spinnaker... GPS recorded 6.7kts (SOG). This was at slack tide so i"m comfortable it was pretty close to speed thru water.:D

[bill@ariel231]

Burr.. time to wrap up the boat for another winter.

I must be slowing down, this year's winterizing, gear cleanup, erecting the frame and tossing on the canvas took most of the day.

[bill@ariel231]

The cover will come off again at the idles of march..

in the mean time i can dream about sailing, while the winter projects start... leaking gearbox, new tiller, rev 2 on the radar mast, a new main, and maybe a working jib (a melges 24 looks to be about right :rolleyes: )

[mbd]

Looks like you've already got the bottom prepped for new paint in the Spring! No wonder it took you a whole day. Spiffy cover too!

[bill@ariel231]

I wish i was that far ahead, the bottom is still painted (Gray), but the power wash took most of it off. It will need a couples hour's prep for paint some time this winter. It was the frame for the cover that consumed a good part of the day. The frame is just 1/2" pvc conduit, really it's just a shelter from rain & wind, as we never see the snow load you probably get in Maine. ;)

[Tim Mertinooke]

I wish i was that far ahead, the bottom is still painted (Gray), but the power wash took most of it off. It will need a couples hour's prep for paint some time this winter.

Bill, besides pressure washing the surface clean and free of debris, what other prep is needed.


It was the frame for the cover that consumed a good part of the day. The frame is just 1/2" pvc conduit, really it's just a shelter from rain & wind, as we never see the snow load you probably get in Maine. ;)

Don't discount the ocean-effect snow you guys can get down there. A stiff northeast wind for a few days leads to a dumping.

BTW- I like your boat, it's always nice to see pictures.

[bill@ariel231]

Tim

thanks, I usually hit the bottom with a random orbit sander with 60 grit paper out of habit as much as anything (every nano-knot helps). Last year I stripped most of the paint off the bottom so the comming year should be easy.

As for snow.. we do occasionally get 6-12 inches but it doesn't stay long, the cover usually sags a bit before shaking off the snow on the next sunny day. Also the boom & spinnaker pole are my ridge poles so the cover doesn't move as much as the light weight frame materials might imply.

cheers,
Bill

[mbd]

Must be the gray bottom paint, because it looks like you're right down to the gel coat on that bottom.

[bill@ariel231]

two weeks to the launch window... i'd better get moving on preping the bottom:

a couple minutes with the long handle scraper....

a couple more hours with the random orbit sander and we are ready for paint!

[bill@ariel231]

With the easy part out of the way, saturday was spent on the knuckle busting project for this year; a transmission swap (just a precaution really it worked fine just leaked a bit)... but it's a good excuse for a tour of the engine bay on A-231.

here are the sides with easy access (the front side and the view from under the ice box)

[bill@ariel231]

All of that easy access on the front and side is no help reaching the transmission. This collage shows the access from the port side locker. Back when Alyce and I first resurrected A-231, fitting the Westerbeke into this small space was an interesting puzzle. As you can see, it just fits. The biggest obstacle to reaching the gearbox is the water lift muffler. The muffler comes out with a couple of hose clamps and the removal of the shock cord strap.

with the muffler in the cockpit we have fair access to the shaft coupling and the bell housing and shift linkage... 3 machine screws on the shift linkage, 4 bolts on the coupling and 6 bolts on the bell housing. with that and a little boatyard vernacular (i.e. ^&#*!@#$*), the gearbox was free in a matter of an hour.

[bill@ariel231]

with the hardware moved to the new gearbox it was time to reassemble.

there is one small change this go-around.. a new shaft coupling (from PYI)

that's a full day's work... the stuffing box will be next.

punch list to go:
1. stuffing box
2. rudder inspection and repair
3. rubrail varnish
4. bottom paint
5. shaft zinc

[epiphany]

That's looking great, Bill. The access you have - must be very nice! My last boat had an inboard, it was installed by the double-jointed midget mechanic that does those things, and it was all hard to get to. :)

With all that Ferrari red, you oughta put some matching chrome on that engine. :D

[bill@ariel231]

thanks. access is not as good as it looks on film.. i occasionally get stuck in there when i need to go in head first. :o

[mbd]

Sheesh! You go Bill! I don't think I can even get to my boat yet! Your engine looks freshly painted too. What did you use?

[sailorcave]

Bill,
I was looking hard to see if you have a vented loop in front of the cooling water injection into the exhaust elbow. I have an old Yanmar in A416 which is mostly below the waterline (the exhaust elbow is above WL). Whoever did the install did not put in a vented loop. It has not been a problem but the books all indicate that there should be one.

Access is great to mine if you only need one hand to do the job....

[bill@ariel231]

Both the intake and the exhaust have vented loops. The intake loop runs from the heat exchanger to the vent in the starboard locker then to the exhaust elbow (its the red hose)

as for mike's question..."Your engine looks freshly painted too. What did you use?" . The answer is engine block paint from the hardware store (chevy red) for the transmission, the engine is just retouched where the paint had chipped.

[mbd]

Isn't this Periwinkle's launch day? Feel free to report in and post lots of pics to inspire those of us still on the hard. :D

[bill@ariel231]

mike

i splashed yesterday.. 'still need to do some cleanup and varnish. Pictures to follow.

:)

[bill@ariel231]

Periwinkle made her first trip off the dock on last saturday (apr 19th). not to many boats in the water yet at the marina...

[bill@ariel231]

we got to try out the new main... I like the full top batten and the loose foot. A couple details like the batten pockets need attention (maybe some velcro) and i'll add a pair of SS rings to the cringles at the luff to make reefing easier like our old main.

[bill@ariel231]

not much traffic in the upper bay today. 1 power boat and 1 sailboat...

[bill@ariel231]

all in all a pretty nice day. although it's clear i still have varnishing to do before the season really gets underway. ;)

[Lucky Dawg]

What a cool area to sail! Seems like you'd have lots of desitinations / nooks and crannies to explore. http://cdmo.baruch.sc.edu/QueryPages/viewstations.cfm?Site_ID=nar

[bill@ariel231]

Agreed there are a lot of great places to hang out. Good place for 'round the buoy racing (lots of fleets to choose from). The wind is very predictable for the Newport Tuesday night series (230@10 to 15 kts all summer). :)

[mbd]

Periwinkle made her first trip off the dock on last saturday (apr 19th). not to many boats in the water yet at the marina...
Congrats Bill, and well done! 3 weeks to launch up here, and way too much to do!

[bill@ariel231]

Thanks Mike..

hope we see some pictures of Sea Glass soon. This should be an easy pre-season for A-414 with new decks and hardware installed last year. ;)

cheers
bill@ariel231

[mbd]

This should be an easy pre-season for A-414 with new decks and hardware installed last year.
Heh! I've calculated my weekend days to launch, and I'm down to 6 (-2 for Mom's Day and a Red Sox game). BTW, someone should switch Father's and Mother's Day so Dads can work guilt-free on their boats during "their day"...

Anyway, that leaves only 4 days between birthday parties, swimming lessons, yard work and whatever else may come up to deter my commissioning. Yikes! :eek:

BTW, how do you clean your non-skid?

[bill@ariel231]

your plate's full... have fun at Fenway!

i've found the non-skid cleans up with boat soap and aggressive scrubbing with a brush.

[bill@ariel231]

sorry to see the season ended with only a hand full of trips this year...:(

[bill@ariel231]

time to get the cover installed...

[bill@ariel231]

first is the frame (mostly 1/2" pvc conduit)...

[bill@ariel231]

then the canvas...

[bill@ariel231]

hopefully it will stay nice and dry on the inside...

[bill@ariel231]

plenty of time over the winter to start on projects like a more elegant rail bracket for the radar pole ...:)

[SkipperJer]

Bill,
Have you detailed how your cover is built and fastened elsewhere? If you haven't I'd appreciate it if you would. Nice work.

[bill@ariel231]

no problem. The bulk of the canvas is a 16'x20' rectangle modified with a 9' cut on the centerline. The white strip sewn into the cut is a length of old sail cloth stitched in to add a line of grommets. Amidship, both sides have three 16" slots sewn in to the cover to clear the standing rigging. The other pieces of canvas are a 12x12 and a 12x16 that overlap on the boom and cover the cockpit to the stern.

the frame material consists of 1/2" schedule 40 pvc conduit (sold in 10' lengths). The hoops bent in place and insert into the stanchion sockets on the deck (each is 8-10 foot and are cut to allow for contact with the ridge pole (aka the boom and an 10' length of 1.5" conduit over the fore deck). for my boat there are three hoops cut to fit the stanchion sockets and two more secured to the pulpit and stern rails. The four fore-aft lengths are each glued up to a length of 25'. These are secured to the hoops with wire ties during assembly and lashed in place once the frame is assembled.

[bill@ariel231]

We finally got Periwinkle off the dock last weekend. Still plenty of spring projects to finish. That clump of trees to starboard is "Mount Hope", I don't know why it got that name (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Hope,_(Rhode_Island)), the highest point in the state is Jerimoth Hill (about 800' higher).

[bill@ariel231]

good grief i has been a while since we posted anything on periwinkle. so some pictures from our last couple trips off the dock are in order.

A couple weekends back, Alyce and I were amused when we crossed paths with neighboors from the marina in their CD28.

[bill@ariel231]

i've been told it that when two or more boats are gathered you have a race .

so out with the reef....

[bill@ariel231]

...chase the CD28. take a couple pictures, and...

[bill@ariel231]

...and enjoy a leisurely chase to the dock... :)

[bill@ariel231]

this weekend was a time for more boat spotting... during a circle around hog island we caught sight of A-250 "fluent" off in the distance exiting bristol harbor. unfortunately she was too far away to get a good picture.

but after we passed Hog Island light..

[bill@ariel231]

... and the mount hope bridge....

[bill@ariel231]

we crossed paths with a commander.

the big prize for the day was this picture: C-302 "Fine Lines". once upon a time she was Carl Alberg's personal ride when she was known as "Alma". She now hails from Bristol.

[Commander 147]

Bill

Nice pictures. I especially like the one of C302. I have often wondered but never asked which commander Carl sailed for himself. And thanks to your post I now know.

[bill@ariel231]

thanks, i've seen C302 before at anchor. that was the first time we've seen her under sail.
cheers,
bill@ariel231

[bill@ariel231]

Another season in the books. We got one more sail in saturday before the arrival of "Sandy"

[bill@ariel231]

now like most of the mid atlantic thru southern new england Periwinkle is tucked away while "Sandy" passes by.

Good Luck folks.

[mbd]

Lookin' good Bill - always good to see Periwinkle pics. Good luck to all you folks down the coast!