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Was given a new old mainsail for Ariel 109, this one even has insignia, strong and well shaped, thanks Bobby! What happened to that weather helm? I now realize how blown out my old main was. Also had a new UV cover sewn onto the genoa, badly needed. These twenty(?) year old Herb Hild sails were built on City Island, back in the day when local sail lofts could still economically build sails in house.
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Ben, I sent you a PM Carl / Ben your PM box is full. If you won't be able to follow through this Monday, Please ship items to me COD, FedEx is my preferred carrier. Thanks Carl
Pair of bronze small ports from an early production Pearson Triton, I believe. Slightly smaller than the more sculpted aluminum ports currently on 109. Another winter project, replacing the corroded aluminum small ports on Ariel 109 with these robust bronzes. I got them at my friend Trader John on City Island, a bargain. He's got at least another pair for anyone interested.
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Found a picture of an early Triton with these smaller portlights. They don't look too bad, a little bead-blasting and some new plexiglass.
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Ben, for the record.
I have two of those aluminum opening ports that look pretty good powder coated.
But recently getting them ready to put in, discovered that the gasket ring that creates a
channel for the gasket using #4 3/16" FHMS could not be screwed in because most of
the blind taps in the frame are corroded - no threads left.
That led me to call Historical Arts who evidently still have Rostand pattern bronze
opening ports for sale. $585 a copy! Considering there are four castings per copy, plus
the machining, tumbling, fitting and number of other parts, I'm pretty sure Historical
Arts isn't making much profit. I'm pretty sure there aren't many takers either
- who can afford them? From the pictures they emailed, they do look gorgeous.
Whether they are an exact 'dropin' fit to the hole already in the Areil needs confirmation.
First Sunday every month I meet with the SFBayArea Alberg Fleet at the Oakland Grill
in the produce district. Most of the guys and gals have Tritons. They have six of
these antique Rostand ports, or aluminum ones, with broken parts and corrosion.
Chief 'Officer' of the breakfast is Rob Heggen, who is embarked upon casting new
ports of his own. Locally cast with his own patterns based on the original Rostand.
So far as I know these little opening ports are the same on Tritons and Ariels - and
no doubt on other early Pearson/Albergs. Rob makes his living working on small
boats in this area. He is an innovator & problem solver and I can imagine that when
available his rendition will be completely competant. How much? I don't know.
In the meantime, at Rob's suggestion. I'm drilling new holes in the aluminum gasket
ring, and will attempt to bottom tap tiny new holes in the frame! Patch with LabMetal.
So, I patched most of the corrosion in the little ports and took them to the powdercoaters.
After sitting in a box for years - and me thinking how smart it was - find not only the
machined screw holes have poultice in them and are threadless.....but then discovered
the pretty powder coating on the finishing ring that clamps and screws the port
together in the cabin side..... no longer slips over the spigot.:eek:
The coating on the ring and the spigot together add enough thickness so the ring
don't slip over the spigot no mo.
No, it can't be sanded....because if you do it'll break thru to the encaspulated aluminum
.....and then: BAM worst case corrosion. Because aluminum should not be capsulated.
Also have a couple places where the polyester coating wrapping corners has chipped off!
So this is a caution.....I think repairing aluminum ports is only a temporary fix.
If nothing else it's a lot of labor and futzing. Given the tiny screws,and the crankiness of
aluminum it's a lousey material for the job.
The Ariel mast sheave and original blocks are Tufnol*, a resiliant high pressure cotton fabric
phenolic laminate impervious to saltwater, weather, corrosion, UV. After 50 years.... still
ageless. Today, the high pressure phenolic laminate is available in small quantities
and not too horrorbly expensive for a lightweight and nearly indestructable thermoset.
Original blocks that came with A338 still look and work great.
Recommended lubricant for the sheaves is sea water! No roller bearings.
A338's 6" mast sheave with wire groove could almost have been new when it was removed
....while the aluminum around it was literally disintergrating on all sides.
The stuff is easily milled with carbide into innumerable shapes and doesn't look too bad either:
the phenolics are a nice dark tan/brown. (*McMasterCarr Garolite LE and CE)
Mean to say: Do you think you can translate this material into a Rostand inspired opening port?
Before making patterns to give to the foundry for casting in bronze, why not first create
a working model with Garolite? It wouldn't be an exact copy of the metal versions, but close.
Have a mental image of the opening port in phenoiic! (Sorry for the length of this....!)
Acquired this asymmetrical spinnaker from Trader John on City Island. I believe it comes off a Columbia T26, which has a very similar forward head-sail plan to the Ariel. It's in very nice condition, fits and moves the boat nicely as you can see in the picture from yesterday's sail. I see a small bowsprit in my future.
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Bargains are out there. Found these bronze small ports on EBay, minimal corrosion, no cracks and nice glass. I've got a nice set of screens already on 109.
Hope to clean up the two early Triton bronze ports I was going to install and sell them to someone here on the forum at a good price.
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W O W
Some people sure are LUCKY!
Have a great New Year 2014!
Happy New Year Ebb and everyone! Wanting also to wish Ariel 109 Noesis a happy 50th birthday! Thanks for providing hours of adventure, excitement and beauty to all who have sailed her through the years!
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A cold rainy Saturday at City Island. Installed the small bronze ports in 109's "forward stateroom". Who wants a Cape Dory 25d after you've got an Ariel with bronze framed portholes and deadlights!
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Revisited the first project I did for Ariel 109. Shorted, carved and installed a height adjustment screw on the purple heart tiller I made four years ago. All this is to allow me to use a Simrod TP-10 auto-tiller on 109.
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Nature's redesign of the Ariel's topsides.
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Sleek! She looks like she's doin 6 knots just sitting there.
Here's the "re-sculpted" tiller back in the Ariel. The bolt I added on the end to use as an adjustable stop against the rudder stock works nice. Still need to drill a hole in the starboard bench for the auto-tiller mount and epoxy in it's bronze bushing, some warmer day.
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Ariel 109 made it into the New Yorker's online edition! The pictures are from a trip from City Island down to New York Harbor made about two weeks ago. The photographer Ben Zucker did a beautiful job! It was my first time through Hells Gate and into New York Harbor. Nice to be out sailing again.
http://www.newyorker.com/sandbox/por...new-york-city/