Ariel #44

[maikelc]

Hull #44 came with a Gray Marine Light 4 when we bought her, but we'd rather have an outboard. I've had gas and diesel inboards in other boats; this one seems to have plenty of life left in it. It starts easily, runs well and, if there wasn't so much growth on the bottom, would certainly move the boat along at hull speed.
We'll be hauling out next month at which time we'll take out the gray. Would be a shame to junk it if someone can use it. If interested email maikelstone AT hotmail dot com. Our boat is in Brooklyn NY

[maikelc]

The engine is slowly coming out! How it was ever installed I don't know, I'm having to dissassemble it to remove it. I had assumed the inboard was added later but maybe it was done at the factory. Anyone have any information I'd be interested to know. Main problem now is the bolts on the flange that attaches the shaft to the transmission. I can only just reach them and they are rusted tight. And the shaft won't slide out of the flange. Anyone know a pint sized contortionist who could squeeze into the cockpit locker? There's a snake lady at Coney Island who could slither in but she has no arms.
Tsprat, the other guy never got back to me so if you want it let me know. Maikel

[bill@ariel231]

Maikel

i've extracted the flanges on mine and other boats using a gear puller (like the one shown below). the bolts will likely be seated in the shaft and will need to be extracted with the application of penetrating oil and or a torch.

if you do not plan to reuse the shaft, the easiest method of extraction is a reciprocatring saw. ;)

If anyone is going to reuse that engine they really should install a new shaft and a new flange. don't toss the old ones though, as the old shaft and flange will be needed as patterns if the unit is headed to an ariel or commander...

Good luck, demolition is one of the fun parts of the restoration process!
bill@ariel231

[tsprat]

maikelc

I still would like the engine I just figured the other guy would take it. I am out of town the week of july 11 to the 19 but we could talk

tsprat

[maikelc]

I hadn't seen the boat out of the water when I bought her so we were very relieved to find no major problems when we hauled out at 'danny's' in july. There's water in the foam in the keel, I'm sure I'll have to deal with that before too long. What does one do? I drilled a hole, smelly water oozed out but we needed to go back in the water so I plugged the hole.
Went for a 'shakedown cruise'... through the city and out Long Island Sound. Further we went the better it got- less wakes [god how I hate big powerboats. It's like being on a bike on the freeway. I swear, they just don't give a damn], more wind [if you call 10kts wind....that's for you SF folks] and fewer big, ugly 'mansions' spoiling the shoreline.
Made it to Block Island, sat out Hurricane Bill, went up the Connecticut river to Selden Creek, saw the swallows gather for their trip south. Crossed the sound ten times, only motored twice. Ain't quite the pacific northwest where I cruised for years but so nice to be out sailing. Five weeks two with my partner Madeline and three alone.
Louise Michel did just fine...what a difference to be in a boat that likes to sail to weather. [Last boat was a skipjack]. I took out the old grey marine, gave it to tsprat, and put in a Tohatsu 4 stroke based on what I read on this site and was delighted with how well it did and how little gas we used. So I'm happy. Will spend fall and winter completing my 'restoration' and, inshallah, head south next spring. Will add some pictures soon.

[c_amos]

Sounds like a great shake down cruise.

WRT the water in the keel... is it leaking in? If not, the decision to excise it is really just a matter of doing what you want. There is not a real threat to the boat from it IMHO.

Did you take any pictures?

Look forward to hearing more. :)

[maikelc]

We have been sailing our new boat in Jamaica Bay and a few times out into ‘open water‘, [ the outer bay.] The haul out was done: now it was time for a more extended cruise. Madeline came for the first two weeks;. We explored Long Island Sound, crossing from one side to the other, out as far as Block Island. We swam every day and got more than the back of our hand tanned.. The return trip, on my own took three weeks. I lucked out on the weather. I had been thoroughly miserable the first week when it was hot and humid, but finally it was really nice - dry, sunny and pleasantly warm. I lingered at Shelter Island then went up the Connecticut river and anchored in a secluded side creek in the middle of a marsh.
Apart from a small leak at one of the through hulls, nothing went wrong. Those of you who have heard my accounts of previous sailing misadventures will appreciate this took some getting used to. Much worse, in terms of safety and enjoyment, was the inconsiderate and at times dangerous behaviour of the owners of big sport fishing boats, and mega yachts, coming by too close and too fast. Must be the same people that own the big ugly mansions that dominate the Long Island and Connecticut shorelines! Actually there were probably fewer power boats than usual because of the weather…a hurricane passed by offshore one weekend, then there was a major storm. I don’t know if more people own boats here or there are just lots of people, but it sure is crowded especially on weekend.
Getting to Long Island sound means going through the city. We left with the ebb, caught the flood at the Verrazano narrows. Wow says Madeline as we sail into the inner harbor and first the Statue of Liberty then lower Manhattan come into view. I guess I’m impressed but for me this is Mordor, the belly of the beast, a monument to all that is wrong with our world. Motoring up the East river was pretty miserable with all the wakes. The notorious Hell gate, even at mid flood, was no big deal compared to Stuart Narrows or even Cattle pass. On the way back there was a wind, lots of it, and I sailed the whole way, from City Island to Coney island.
From the charts it looks as if there are plenty of sheltered bays for overnight stops. However most of the bays are shallow - 3ft or less outside the dredged channels and the low lying land offers little protection from the wind. Even worse, nearly all the decent anchorages have been commandeered by mooring fields, effectively privatizing what officially is public property. So we ended up doing what other cruisers do: we tied up to a vacant mooring and were never asked to move on. To tie up at a marina, even for an hour cost $20 and up while overnight fees were a minimum of $4 per foot.
Back in Brooklyn the owner of the marina is not impressed. Mocking the slow pace of our trip he brags how he and a friend got to Block Island in an hour [in a speedboat] He’s proud of this. I’m thinking of all the fuel burned - and the wars that have to be fought - to make possible that kind waste of scarce resources to satisfy a whim. Of how much he missed by going fast. Of how that is one of the great lessons of traveling by sailboat…that it’s the journey not the destination.
.