Beautiful !! What took you so long to find this site? You are sure to enjoy the 'company' here and obviously have much to contribute as well.thanks for sharing.
I'm just guessing someone's going to ask about the handle atop the companionway. I made it to solve a couple of issues. The original wasn't very easy to open with cold hands and I wanted a drip edge at that location as one more way to keep the cabin dry in the rain (with the hatchboards out).
Below are two images. A closer view and a profile.
The traveler & mainsheet system is built up from Garhauer blocks bolted to an old Fico traveler I collected as separate parts from a couple of local marine consignment shops. Just like everything else, it gets a cover too....
Thats enough topside for now, lets go below decks....
The companionway steps are a change from normal. When I loaded in the westerbeke, I needed to make a bit more room. As a result I ended up with these steps (I'm told they came from a Dehler??, maybe, the style looks right but I've not seen one with just two steps below).
One other change was to move the galley sink outboard... my advice.. if you move the sink off the centerline, do not plumb the sink to a seacock. I found the sink below the waterline when I got knocked down on a starboard tack. As a result, the sink now drains into a sump/pump system, and I don't worry about taking the boat offshore.
Last edited by bill@ariel231; 12-05-2005 at 11:38 AM.
on the port side of the companionway is the usual fuse block and just for the fun of designing a rotating/sliding mount using a bit of teak, a stainless steel spring and a harken recirculating-ball track&car is an old chart plotter a friend donated.
Last edited by bill@ariel231; 12-04-2005 at 05:23 PM.
It's a Westerbeke 20B2 (18Hp) driving a 2 blade 12x12 prop. It's a bit of overkill, but the price was right. Its also a bit larger around than the original atomic 4....
Actually this boat has had a series of different power plants as evidenced by details in construction, witness marks and accumulated junk uncovered during the demolition phase of the project.
Here is a timeline (with liberal speculation):
1. As built, the boat left the factory as an outboard The evidence is a factory outboard well, and the cockpit drains are forward. However, I never found any sign of the mystery "extra ballast" some other Ariels have found.
2. some time in the late 60's but before the v-berth was painted purple and fuzzy feet were glued to the overhead (must have been pretty psychedelic). The boat was professionally refited with an atomic 4 or palmer. The evidence for this phase of prior owners is three old guages, cutouts for shift/throttle and a very professionally installed shaft log.
3. The lost years (20+ years), evidence of abuse, neglect, engine removal more neglect, cheap repairs and by the time I've found her a dead 8Hp mercury from the early 80's. In this timeframe, the shaft log was sealed with a wooden plug and the inboard side connected to a bit of old radiator hose tied above the waterline (it's a mircale the boat floated).
Anyway. The install of the westerbeke entailed new engine beds and some changes to the cabinets port and stbd of the engine block. You may notice the cutout under the icebox to provide clear access for the oil filter & raw water impeller. The raw water strainer is on the left (above the waterline), I make a habit of flushing the heat exchanger with fresh water after everyuse.
Last edited by bill@ariel231; 12-07-2005 at 05:34 AM.
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