Ariel #104 Thistle Dew, time to refit / refurbish

Howdy

There is a world of invaluable information on this forum.
I've been following several of the threads for a while now.

After looking through the technical threads, there are a few questions that I have not found answers for.

what's best marine blister filler & why is it better than Bondo?

What is the recommended hull sealant?

I think I have removed two or three different colors from the hull, what were the original color options for Ariels ?

For fresh water, what is the recommended anti-fouling paint?

My rudder looks as bad as all of the pctures, do I just grind and paint?

Deck hardware, coamings, windows and electrical come next, but the hull is the current project and any supportive advice is appreciated.


Where I am so far

Bondo absorbs water , any good auto bodyshop will tell you that , marine filler doesn't .
I have repaired a lot of Bondo repairs . Use 3M Vinylester filler and blister repair , it works very easy . If you want to spend more and take longer , you can use WEST system or any other epoxy . Vinylester is more waterproof than epoxy , epoxy is more waterproof than polyester resin ,the WEST people even admit to that.
You can seal with Vinylester resin at $25 per gallon or epoxy from $32 to $100 per gallon .

Mike
Thank you
I've read your posts on perferred bedding compounds for deck hardware.

Tom,

Clicked on the link and saw one page of photos. Very nice.

Are there more photos I'm missing? Got any of the keel and rudder?

Tom - very nice boat (of course) but also Very Nice trailer. I need to haul out every year, and would love to save on yard fees. Was the trailer your design? How much did it set you back, and can you give me any more details about its construction?

Yeah, and that "aft cabin" modification on the lazarette.

Very cool.

The trailer is an 18 ft flat bed w/ 2 3500# axles
Bought it at Aubrey Trailers

The cradle was designed and built by Paul Bates of Sailing Services on Lake Grapevine for $650.00.

It's all salvaged Drill Stem Pipe and creative welding and muffler clamps.

all in all I've got around $2000 or a little over a years slip rental around here.

It's been in the back yard for about a year and a half. So far I've broke even, first time where a boat is involved. I'll post some pictures of the cradle.

Thanks Tom. My compliments to Mr. Bates as well. Looks like a beautiful execution of a great idea. I look forward to seeing any additional pictures when you find time to post them.

FYI - the manual has a tech drawing of a cradle for the Ariel/Commander, if you're thinking of building a trailer.

Maybe Captain Yamaha bunks there?
338 is just about to get customed for a 4-stroke electric tilt Yamaha.

Does your OB have a straight-up elevator device. When it's up can you seal the hole? Do you have any thoughts about the added weight back there?

I'm certainly going to have to raise and or remake the hatch for the tilting of the OB - but it never occured to me that there could be a straight-up option. The 4-stroke weighs in at 110#!

Well I see everybody else does it, but I can't figure out how to post a picture!

I've got several

In my opinion that thing has got to go!
Ruins the lines all together.
But the OB is too tall to close without some added height.

In there lives the dreaded British Seagull.
It stays in the water.

Does look like someone left a dock box on the stern. But a rise in the back there would not be unacceptable if it were modest and in keeping with the rounded forms of the deck structures. (Of course I say this because I may have to alter the lazarette on 338.)

It's a good strong sheer line Ariels have. What you have there is a box, wrong maybe, but it doesn't detract from the lines of the boat.

Don't some Alberg Cape Dorys have a large squared rear hatch that looks really wrong to me tho it's low and flat? The hatch is not as shapely as the Ariel's.

Despite the box's awkwardness, doesn't it give you grreat access to the OB? It must feel more safe when you mess with the kicker? And it gets enough air without having to run with the (original) hatch open and hooked to the backstay?

There must be other advantages. Like if you mid-boomed the sheets over the companion way you could have cozy upscale backrests in the back of the cockpit. (I'm trying to find a place for propane bottles. Maybe back there's the spot for a locker or lashing. It's already a gas locker.)

Just trying to get some support for the modifications I'm facing:eek:

Hopefully, here's a picture

here's a couple more