Quote Originally Posted by epiphany View Post
Here's more-or-less where I'll be putting foam and sealed lockers in order to make this boat float in case the sea gets in.



Also, I have been playing with 3" thick piece of test foam directly against the hull, seeing how much *usable* area I lose with that thickness. It ain't much. If I can go with 3" thick from the stringer down, all the way through the boat, that will give me 48cu/ft of the the estimated 55-60cu/ft needed to float the boat if she gets holed.
Kurt, let me offer a different opinion on your flotation idea.

1. It will be a huge PIA to put foam in those places, especially sheet foam.

2. It will be expensive to put in that pour in place stuff.

3. It is unlikely that an Ariel will get holed in such a way that you will want to stay on the boat. Think about this: What scenario would have to happen for an Ariel to get holed? What is the max speed of an Ariel under any condition...5.5 knots or so? How thick is the hull... 3/4" or more? If your Ariel is taking enough of a bashing to get holed, you are likely not going to want to stay there for it. The only candidates in my mind are a lee-shore of jagged rocks, fast moving freighters in the middle of the ocean, and those 100-mph cigarrette boats with alcoholic-induced accidents/collisions. With jagged rocks, just go ashore. With a frieghter, it will tear the boat up in a million pieces, so the floatation will not be any use. With the drunks, take your chances, your are as more likely to be injured by the accident than to worry about your boat sinking.

3.a. If you already sealed off the anchor locker, that is going to be your most bang-for-your-buck. That is the most vulnerable part, the front. That is the part that runs into things like containers, other boats, bouys, etc.

4. Even if it does float after getting holed, why do you want to save the hull? All equipment will be emersed and likely trash: engine, electronics, personal effects, everything. Why do you want to save that stuff? And it's not as if the boat will float that high in the water, likely it will be like the containers we hear about, nearly nuetrally bouyant and floating with just inches exposed. It's not as if you can really use the boat in that condition.

5. A good 3-person life-raft is probably cheaper and less frustrating than any floatation-addition-project.

6. In a small boat, the space taken by the foam is going to be "expensive" in terms of usability. Better to install the air-bag-floatation things. They stay small until called upon.

7.Do many other long-distance ocean voyagers do this mod? I am thinking about the father-son duel that went around Cape Horn in the 80's in a 24-footer. They were from Connecticut if I recall, and built the boat themselves from a kit. Their book is really good and might give some ideas about what is needed for blue-water ocean passages.

---not raining on your parade, just giving you something to think about, and maybe save you some time so you can get to making passages sooner.---