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The oft discussed outboard extra ballast revealed
Here is a shot of the 2 pigs of lead from the deep sump , the one to the right would be furthest aft in the bilge .
These are reputed to be in all outboard models . It looks like there was a steel lifting eye in each one , long coroded away in mine .
These suckers are heavy , had to use main halyard to get to cockpit .
I'm cutting them in half with a sawsall and will either remove or use for trimming .
Mike G
I bought it from Herb Tucker
Herb lived in Hayes, VA just across the James River from Yorktown.
He bought the boat from a man who (if I understand correctly) bought the boat from a charity (sea scouts?).
The boats linage appears to be;
Me
Herb Tucker: Great guy. Replaced the combing boards, and some of the deck core. Painted the topsides and addressed the maintenance issues identified as problem areas in the manual. He also added some nice upgrades like the boards that span the center of the cabin and turn it into a large bunk.
Unknown short-term investor: sold boat to Herb, believed to have bought boat from a charity auction and painted cabin and deck in an attempt to 'spruce it up'. This person does not appear to have owned the boat for long.
Original owner: Herb met this man, and spoke to him about the boat. He apparently was a member of a local Yacht club and raced the boat in regattas. There might have been a few Ariel’s purchased at around the same time, and I do not know if they would have been out of Hampton or the other side of the bridge.
I would place my bet on this owner as the one who had done this modification, or had it done. The condition of the boat shows it was well maintained, and the work was well done (much more consistent with the earlier malignance then with that of "Unknown short-term investor".
I know Herb was moving shortly after he sold me the boat, but I will try to contact him to get more information.
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The deep sump-less (free?) aft bilge access.
The real point of interest on this tour is the third picture.
THis is the aft most bilge access (under the sink).
The upward slope (to the left in the picture) is going aft, it tapers down forward to the bilge pump (forward, or to the right in the picture).
THere is no 'deep sump' on Faith, and the more I look at the glass down there, the less I believe there may have ever been one. :confused:
And this little piggy went home.....
It took me a while to get around to it, but I finally decided to remove that tapered block of lead sitting on it's side in my bilge, the one with the small rusted eye bolt on it's side. All this time I thought it was securely glassed or epoxied to the bilge floor, but hel no it was just sitting there up against that rusty eye that goes who knows where. I just goosed it around with a crowbar till I could latch onto it with the main halyard and winch it out and onto the pier. I did not risk the rusty eye but rigged a line around it securely. Anyway I got about four hernias humping that lump down the dock and up to my truck. Good thing my bride was there to help me. And no wonder it never moved in the bilge - that little block must be 200 lbs. if it's an ounce.
To celebrate, we took the boat out under motor, and just like Bill predicted, removing that block livened up our baby noticably, and we found it very sensitive to weight shifts fore and aft, and probably to rail meat as well. We are racing the Adele M like madmen this season, and we are currently in second place in the Wednesday night series, Division B, which has raised more than a few eyebrows around the clubhouse. They are calling our boat a 41 year old strumpet. Imagine. Tomorrow we race again, and will see how the leadless hull performs.
ps: Thanks Bill for the racing tips. Ariels--OOH-Rah!
reduced weight for added provisions
I took those lead pigs outta mine too....to allow for more beef stew. :DI already said that ---however as the provisions were used(I wonder where those tin cans are now) the boat would inevitably sit higher.BF'nD
Water Ballast????????????????????????????
Ya kno' its like I sez before----the lead pigs were removed to allow for more provisions.If ya' read the part about how I removed the v-berth cushions to allow formore storage space-----well picture this----8 five gallon sparkletts bottles in the v berth----4 each aligned amidships on eachside.now --as the water was used -----what to do with the empties???? hmmmmm----lesseeeee-----the vp-os plotting sheets-----with a felt tipped indelible marker(aka:sharpies)---I wrote notes on these sheets-who what where when----put them in the bottles----secured the plastic top reall good with sealant and duct tape-----man nowyaz" gotta real *****in message in a bottle----note -----this was done during the way back---outhere in nowheresville---1n 1985.where dooyaz' tink dey b' now?????????????/------totally encrusted with marine sea growth------turned crazed yellow by the sun----- probably half submerged by the shear weight of the encrusted barnacles-----or washed up on some tropical atoll------where my mind is when I think about it
Commander ballast question
I recently received the Ariel/Commander owners manual and maintenance guide and while reading it I learned something I did not previously know. It states that the ballast on the Commander inboard model is 2,500 lbs. lead casting set inside the keel and fiberglassed in place. But for the outboard model (which I believe is the way most of the Commanders were sold) there was an extra 500 lbs. lead casting which is portable and fits in the bottom of the keel.
My question is this. If I repower an outboard model with an inboard can the extra 500lbs. be removed without major surgery?
Thanks c_amos for your quick reply...
I tried a couple of searches before I asked the question but did not apparently hit on the right key words for the search.
That makes me feel better about my future plans.
I have been contemplating the exact same thing...
My electric drive will have 500 lbs of batteries and getting that 500 lbs out would bring me back to even. I had wondered how to cut it and now I guess I have me answer. Thanks for posting that. I'm especially happy to know it will come out without cutting up the floor.
So... how does she handle?
I have had the opportunity to sail The Princess a couple of times now after the compensator lead's removal.
The boat accelerates noticeably better in puffs & she is much more tender between 0 - 25 degrees of heel but stiffens right up like she always has when the rubrail starts to get wet.
Both times I have been out Its been blowing around 10mph and have been under full main and 150% genoa.
I'll report in next time I sail her in the 15-20 range.