ARIEL - 75 AD ASTRA (Formerly JUBILEE)

Configuring Ad Astra for Single Handed Transpac Race

Unless she fails inspection, my sanity suddenly asserts itself, or more likely - I run out of funds - I intended to enter Ariel #75 in the Single Handed Transpac race: San Francisco to Hawaii.

I'd like to defer to the wisdom of those on this board for some advice on a few points.

1) Lifelines. She has never had them. I personally hate lifelines because they provide little protection at the high heel angles when people usually fall overboard and they encourage people to not use a tether with jacklines. But the rules require them. I really don't want to compromise the integrity of the deck by drilling 40 holes in it (even with the fill-the-holes-with-epoxy technique). Does anyone have lifeline stanchion bases attached to the side of the hull instead? If so, do you have a source for those bases? Did you need to shim them to compensate for the greater than 90 degree angle between the topside and the deck? Yes, I know they will drag in the water when the boat is heeled - but it's a choice of the lesser of evils. The cored deck rots fast when water gets in and deck-mounted stanchions reduce the deck surface area making it less safe (another reason not to have them).
2) Any suggestions on upgrades? The previous two owners took good care of her, and there hasn't been a lot to do. What I've done so far is:

Remove the inboard jib tracks that were leaking and contributing to deck core rot.
Replace the stainless jib tracks at the rail that were shimmed with rotten wood that leaked. I used aluminum T track from Shaefer and bedded them with Dow 795 silicon (I normally hate silicon - but it was the best compromise).
Reinstall two 1/4 inch steel plates at the strongback for reinforcement. The holes were already drilled, but the plates were missing.
Repair hairline cracks in the tangs in the tiller attachment.
Remove and seal the through hull ports for the (illegal) head.
Replace the port lights with 1/2 inch plexiglass and new bronze inner frames (photos posted elsewhere here).


Are there any gotchas that I've missed? I plan on replacing the standing rigging next. It's 3/16 inch SS wire. Has anyone sized that up to 1/4 inch? The chainplates look really good, but the backstay chainplate is only 3/16 inches thick, and there's plenty of room to size that up to 3/8 inch 316 stainless. The weight gain is minimal. Any thoughts on that? I still need a close inspection of the rudder, but there are no symptoms of problems with it. And I intend to remove the bronze "T" in the port side cockpit drain that drains the sink. I've already sealed the sink drain (the sink's only purpose now is a convenient holder for loose gear). Reaching those drain hoses is not going to be easy - I might have to call Hire-A-Midget to get someone small enough to get to them.

One thing I've been puzzling over: The water tank has been removed. There are carefully drawn pencil lines where the cutlines were drawn. Looking inside the cavity, it appears that a thick layer of fiberglass was removed at the top of the cavity. Could that fiberglass have been depended on for stiffness? Should something be installed in its place to act as a replacement stiffener?

Finally, the rules require that I have a backup tiller. It's very unlikely that my nearly new tiller would break, but the tangs on the tiller head attachment have already demonstrated a vulnerability to cracking. Does anyone have a tiller head to sell (with no cracks in the tangs)? Otherwise, I'll have to have one cast from bronze.

Thanks everyone in advance for your help in my adventure. I don't believe anyone has ever sailed an Ariel in the Transpac, let alone one that's 53 years old.

Last edited by pbryant; Today at 06:14 PM.

For the race!
First thing, is to get your tillerhead, attachtment points (both active bolts), O-rings inspected and replaced if needed.

I would look at your whole rudder situation, including the rudder shoe and the gudgeon strap.
There is a bucnh on the subject here to look up. Maybe someone will locate pertinent
threads, sometimes they won't come up with logical prompts.

Cracked sides in the tillerhead fixture is totally unacceptable.
You may be able to find a replacement with help from the board here.
Castings can break because of their crystaline structure. You might be able to have one
machined from sheet stock and welded together, but that's a long shot. $$$

If lifelines are demanded, I would not go with a new untried system like lifeline attachtments to the hull. (More leak points.)
Normal lifelines and bases are commonly available. The bases are obviously put on close to the toerail
- not all the base fastenings will go thru balsa core.
Where they do, pot oversized holes with epoxy to protect the wood and redrill holes for the stanchion base machine screwws.
Get the job done faster and easier. Take them off later.

You are going to need the jib track. Explore how bad the thru attachment situation is. If you aren't
doing a recore you may fix it with a hockey puck system. Depends on your upgrade plans for the deck.

You should also really check out the chainplates and how they are still attached.
They may show some cracks as well.
Changing up size on the rigging opens a whole new kettle of fish.
I would stay with original rigging wire size - change out original tangs, screws and bolts in the mast if needed.
If you are going to continue on around, rerig in Hawaii. Mauri.

That's another thing: check out the mast..... as if your life depended on it.
Masthead on A338 was a total mess - the jib-block tang was ready to fall off - masthead casting was
completely corroded with elongated rigging holes.
The mast behind the shroud tangs - where the heavily loaded thru-bolt goes - was corroded as well.
Check out the midmast lower shrouds connection and the spreader cups.
Not to say you'd expect these things, but
you ought not assume that all's well with the mast until you minutely check it out. IMCO

There have been many recorded backstay chainplate upgrades, look em up.
3/8" sounds oversize for the plate - but OK for the fastenings if there is a backing plate.

Check out the headstay casting at the bow. Look for elongated holes.

Check out drogues and parachutes and how you'd rig them from the bow.
Have you got decent upsize cleats and chocks? Also at the stern.

Check out and upgrade your battery system viz 12v bilge pumps.
Have TWO manually operated bilge pumps available in the cockpit. One small. One humungous.


ETC.

Read this thread first:

Passages on Ariels?
http://www.pearsonariel.org/discussi...ages-on-Ariels

Here’s a whole “novel” written on one skippers Hawaiian adventure:

Sailing an Ariel to Hawaii and back:
http://www.pearsonariel.org/discussi...k&daysprune=-1


You might consider searching the Sailing & Events forum. That’s where these threads are hiding. Go to the Thread Options and select “Since the beginning.” If you read something, use the back arrow to return to where you left the listing. Otherwise, you’ll need to begin again . .

You can also use the Google search option described in the Off Topic forum to search more specifically. It will search all forums.

Regarding the rigging, the rigging on my 30 foot Pearson Wanderer is 7/32nd for all the stays. I think 1/4 would be way oversize for your boat and as long as you are replacing with new I would keep the original size. As already suggested, take a good look at all the fittings on the mast. Anything that looks as if it could be corroded should be looked at very closely and possibly replaced. Take a good look at the masthead and also the spreaders. On my last boat, they were quite badly corroded (galvanic corrosion at both ends) and had to be replaced. The wood ones on my current boat came off a few days ago for replacement due to rot.

I have lifelines and OEM stanchions as well as a pushpit available free to you - Shipping for the items would be your only cost. I don't need them on Lucky Dawg, but I'd love to see them reused especially on such a cool adventure. The lifelines would be cheap to ship. The pushpit is not - about $250.

I have to admit two things, I do question your sanity but I also very much admire your spirit. That being said I would offer the tip of looking at the rudder post, in particular the upper portion. I think I mentioned that we raced against #75 for a number of years. During the latter part of our class racing a number of boats in the SF area started to experience rudder shaft failure near the water line. I do not recall #75 having the problem. If they did not I would suggest that you do a serious inspection of the shaft.
I hope I might have helped and do admire you for plans to make the long journey

If you are going to replace the standing rigging how about using a synthetic rigging? I would be tempted.

http://www.colligomarine.com/

welll....yeah....if it had a metal jacket!

Won't it get frayed? Won't it cut? Won't it get UV'ed?

I know the stuff has extraordinary tensil strength....

But if you set up the rigging under exraordinary tension,
and sometthing whallops it at a point (as in point load),
wonder if the highly strung and compacted fibers wouldn't snap?

Won't it melt?
If the rig is loose on a lee side when sailing, and the shrouds are, let's say, working....
won't the fibers be moving against each other, as the line flexes and tightens?
I'm not sure if the rope is made with a thermoplastic, thermoset plastic... or a combo....
Maybe the stuff, like nylon rode working in a storm..... can melt inside?

Won't it chafe?

Think you'd have to replace it every year.

Every once in a while someone asks the forum here if it's time to change their rigging.
It's been on the boat since 1965....

Not that s.s really is so trustworthy. :D

The simplicity of creating a synthetic standing rig, not to mention the cost and weight savings over using stainless are undisputed. Will it last 50 years? No, I don't think so, but it's easy to replace.

I think its great that your going for it. Wish I was joining you with my Ariel. Hope to prepare my Ariel for some sort of adventure in the near future but I'm not getting any youger. Wonder if an emergency outboard rudder would be acceptable, just a thought. Hope you make it through inspection ok. Bills post on the other Hawaii voyages is very good advise, great material. I plan on using some of what I gleaned from those voyages.