A-271 Michalla

[hawkinsp]

Howdy from Sheridan, Wyoming. Our family has been enjoying playing around on local lakes in our O'day Widgeon (12 ft) and our Hobie 16. If you have sailed lakes in Wyoming you will know that you are either enjoying the sunshine while waiting for wind, or hanging on for dear life as you try to talk the others into taking another run before the sails are entirely shredded. (slight exaggeration but only slight)

I had been looking for a cruiser and came close enough to purchasing another Alberg (Seasprite) last winter that I drove to Annapolis, MD. to visit it. I apparently have a soft spot for the lines of these Alberg designs. In any case, while in Europe for the summer I had the time to do some serious searching on line and came across this Ariel in Ventura (just down the road from Simi Valley, CA where I grew up) and negotiated the purchase of the boat, the acquisition and refurbishing of a trailer that would be roadworthy, and finally hauling the boat out during the Long Beach boat show rush hour all from long distance. I paid to have the boat brought half way to Wyoming. I drove to southern Utah and picked it up. We turned around and drove back up here the following day.

Our plans are to take the next three to four years slowly refurbishing it. We would like to make it truly comfortable for two to cruise in and eventually take it to the Mar de Cortez (Gulf of California) to cruise.

That said, I will be full of questions and not much help myself for the first few years I am sure. Here are a couple of photos of the boat at its new home in Sheridan, Wyoming.

By the way, it has three names still visible on the hull, they are Miranda, Micbeth and the current name is Michalla. We plan to change the name when we have finished, but the name will not begin with M this time. If anyone has any information on this hull please let me know. I would like to know all I can.

So for my first question. I know that there is some water in the keel as it maintains a wet spot on the ground where it is dripping just in front of the rudder. I am worried about what might happen if that water were to freeze (-30F is common enough here for the next six months or so). Any suggestions?

Well, looking forward to getting everyone's thoughts.