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I am the extremely proud new owner of a 1967 Ariel #407, "Houdini", in Clear Lake, TX...looking for a little practical guidance in setting up properly for a cruise along the Texas coast. Questions would range as follows: what practical limitations have people discovered for provisioning the Ariel? Any routes particularly attractive--or unattractive, from the standpoint of safety? Favorite facilities or stop-overs? Thanks!
George,
I'm just moving 376 from Pensacola to Houston this week. Got delayed by the tropical storms and last week's hurricane. Haven't explored much of Texas yet. Mostly farther East (Florida). Where is your boat docked?
well, i don't have advice on cruising, but i do have advice on buying the stuff you need for a cruise.
go to Boat U.S. and sign up for their new boat owner's program. it costs $14, but i well worth it. they give you one month of "wholesale" prices. at least 20% off and sometimes more. it's only for a month, but you can't beat the pricing.
west marine has a new boat owner's program too, but they only offer a flat 10% off most stuff.
www.boatus.com has more info, and i see that there are stores in houston. this means big savings for you.
no i am not an employee of boatus, but i did go to both westmarine and boatus (in that order) and kicked myself for not going to boatus first.
-km#3
What are the cruising limits of our Ariels? Anybody know of lengthy passage-making aboard these boats? I would love to cross the Gulf of Mexico in Houdini--maybe sail to Belize or Antigua or the Bermudas. I can't see any logical reason why this would be ill-advised--am I missing something?
No reason not to...just do a search on the forum for "Zoltan", "Commander 266" or "The Way".
Dave
Let's not forget 'Aussie' Geoff's Ariel UHURU. She was sailed from the States to the great land Down Under by somebody tougher than I. I'd love to read Zoltan's story in full, not piece by piece in the glossies.
George, if you're heading to Belize, go to Ambergris Caye in the first half of Februrary. I'll buy the boat drinks. Tony G
I might add that our own Peter Theis has taken some extended vacation aboard his boat as has Sailor Liz aboard her own Commander.
Voyaging Commanders! OUT-Standing! HOO-Rah!
(oops...sorry.)
Dave
Geroge,
How far have you gone thus far? J-dock has been doing some coastal cruising and is thinking of another longer (week long) cruise. There are a number of us that go -- Hunter 32, Watkins 27, Dufour 27, Pacific Seacraft 30(?). I am sure you have done the Double Bayou and Redfish thing -- definitely NOT cruising. We have been to Freeport and some of the J-dockers have been to Port Aransas. Keep me posted, I am very interested in continuing to outfit Chalupa for more extended coastal cruising and have given thoughts to offshore cruising as well.
Ted
Have made several trips to Galveston--but, of course, that's not a cruise. Reasons for my inquiry: theoretical stability formulae suggest there is no reason for not taking an Ariel to sea, but I wonder: what arrangements have others worked out for heaving-to in storms? How have others provisioned the boat, and what are the limits to loading the boat adequately with water and other supplies without inadvertently introducing problems? What systems have others perfected for deploying anchors or drogues without taking all sorts of risks in going forward in less-than-ideal conditions? What of retrieving those items in less than benign seas? And what of the dinghy problem? How to carry one aboard without introducing safety problems?....My first short cruise goal is for Port O'Connor--just because I know the bay like my own bedroom and enjoy fishing there. But I also want to chip away at these other issues because I want to go to Belize. Among other reasons for going, there is a yard there where I can have my beloved Houdini thoroughly refitted in teak and mahogany at a fraction of state-side costs. You just have to get there and have a month to wait on the yardbirds to finish the job. By the way, keep me posted on your cruise plans--always interested in getting out for a few days with fellow Ariel devotees. Also, just completed the new dodger and bimini and will have the new sail cover in a week. All new Canvas. Also added all new docking lines, all color co-ordinated. Smashing. Stop by and have a look.
We gotta sit down and have an adult beverage and chat about these things. I spend a lot of time equipping Chalupa and asking myself these same questions. Just moved my fresh water tank under the main berth -- added 320 pounds near the center. Need to stabalize my batteries for heavy weather. Lost an anchor recently and now have three aboard. I've hunkered down in 54 mph winds in Galveston Bay and I can tell you that forward on deck in 5 foot seas is not a great place to be! I stripped a trashed out Ariel for hardware for my boat -- this other ariel was a true blue water boat -- the owner had charts from everywhere and triplicate of EVERYTHING -- anchors, air pumps, motors(3), fuel tanks, water tanks, etc.(x3). He had also crushed boat ends and ripped out the rear chain plate! Congrats on the new wardrobe for Houdini -- I'll definitely come look.
Hey Ted and George,
I made the suggestion on these boards about two months ago that we need theTexas fleet to show up at next year's Ariel regatta in San Francisco Bay. And I don't mean by trucking our boats! Seems they didn't get many attendees this year (like ONE!). George, why stop at Belize? Lets keep on going for the big canal and up the West Coast!:D
Guys,
I'm not sure Chalupa and I will be ready next year, but cruising is what I am working toward. I'm adding systems as fast as I can to get her ready to go anywhere. Anytime you guys want crew, give me a holler and we can start chipping away at this cruising thing. And I'll do the same. I'll try to keep you posted when J-dock goes somewhere. The next trip is supposed to be a week long. The last cruise to Freeport was one night at Galveston, another at Freeport, and then we came back all in one day. The boat I was aboard (sadly, not Chalupa) was the only one of the three that made the entire trip. One crew got sea sick at Bollivar (it was heavy seas), one had engine trouble in Freeport, and ours made it there and back without too many difficulties!
Ted
Now, I'm about as seasoned in being on the salt water as any man walking the lower 48, but I have to tell you: that ride north to San Francisco will make a crying girl out of Melville himself. Done that ride about 100 times between '75 and '80 for the US Navy, and when you get north, around the Farallons, it gets rough as the proverbial cob. I would do it in an Ariel (provided every last screw and key was accounted for), but you wouldn't want to come to the task with anything less than a full set to your jaw. There's still time to re-think this thing--otherwise, let's commence and show those white-cap skimmers in SF Bay what Texas sailors can stomach.
A friend of mine's father bought an Ariel when they were new and sailed it offshore several times from New York to the Bahamas and never had any problems. He said the Ariel is as seaworthy a boat as he has ever sailed and will handle more than most skippers want to deal with. Said the rational response of terror when the waves are bigger than the boat goes away once you realize the boat isn't having any problems and almost seems to be having fun. Only limitations are food and water storage, which, if you aren't taking a large crew, isn't really much of a problem. This guy loved the Ariel and was so excited when I bought mine he flew across the country just to sail on one again. On a somewhat less ambitious scale, I just got back from a three week trip up to the north end of Vancouver Island complete with an unexpected (and unforecast) 40 knot gale and 12-15 foot seas in the Straits of Georgia and the boat did wonderfully. These boats were made to go to sea and get you home again.
Tom