The album of Ariel #422

[george copeland]

Been awhile my good brethren of the noble Ariel. Attached are some pics to do the Ariel devotee proud. Note the Executive Officer's relaxed disposition--nothwithstanding her maiden voyage into the sometimes nasty Gulf of Mexico. Note also the Sea-Dog, Nick, who, at one point decided to have words with the porpoises. Note above all else that lavish varnish work.

[george copeland]

More braggin-shots of Houdini getting some work done. Ted M.-I think you would approve.

[ebb]

George. your last quarter stern shot of Houdini shows a very high waterline. Is it where it oughter be? You visit bad water and want bottom to protect the pearly whot hull??
I ask because I have just lowered 338's from four inches above the top of the factory waterline - there were two so I assume the top line was the top of a boot stripe - moved it back to the boot line. That gives me some leeway for extra weight and will allow the higher boot top to be painted on epoxy bottom protected watewrline.

The 4" I put back took my line down from the transom bottom tip to something like what we see on other boats - if it's an outboard well, to the bottom of the well. Just wondering if I did the right thing! Got it taped and was thinking of putting hull primer on.

[frank durant]

George....LOOKIN GOOOOD!!!! Nice dodger/bimini !! I have my new one in a bag..will find out soon how it turned out (I made the pattern for them=scary)I hope it looks 1/2 as good as yours.Every thing looks 'proper'...great work.I must say ya managed a great dolphin pic to boot.They never seem to come up in the same place and only surface where your camera is'nt.That boat IS a exellent example of 'the breed' Enjoy!!.. one FINE lil yacht !!

[frank durant]

I just looked back at your previous posts..what a beauty !! Just in remarkable shape for an ole gal !! You are so lucky to find such an obviously 'loved' boat and she was so lucky you found her to carry on that pride of ownership !!

[george copeland]

Thanks all for the compliments--Ebb: the water line is where it is as a function of the previous owner's decisions. I just let it stand. I suppose it is a bit high, but the boat has made well-laden trips to Louisiana, all over the Texas coast, and at least one long haul to Belize. I have never gotten her loaded-up enough to settle that extra 2 inches or so.
Mr. Durant--if ye like varnish, ye might have more soulful satisfaction to come. Just finished a total rework of the interior, but haven't put the photos in. All interior teak has a mirror finish--just so the Executive Officer could avoid the trouble of finding a mirror in the morning.

[mbd]

Hey George, I'm anxious to see your pictures, and you've a most excellent boat as well, but I think you may be posting on Kurt's Gallery thread (Ariel 422) instead of yours???

[CapnK]

Hey George, I'm anxious to see your pictures, and you've a most excellent boat as well, but I think you may be posting on Kurt's Gallery thread (Ariel 422) instead of yours???

No problem with me, either way! She *is* a fine looking vessel! Katie Marie also has a higher-than-usual waterline, but it is working well at keeping stains off of the hull.

[CapnK]

Ebb -

As I type, my laptop is sitting on the starboard side shelf I erected over the big storage bins. This shelf sits 24" over the original berth height (and/or 36" above the sole), is 48" long (going aft from the hanging locker) and is, I've found, a comfortable height when standing to cook from, use the laptop, etc. However, I will be, when I build in the final version (this being a working prototype), making a top that is 2" lower. Reason for that being that will give me 10" storage up against the hull, under the side deck.

Having the big shelf and stowage under it doesn't seem to have taken away from the roomy feeling of the cabin (which does seem roomy, to me at least, my previous boat having been much tighter belowdecks). It may do so a bit more with a dinette table to port. However, I do intend to make the dinette table drop-able, so that I can convert it to a berth much like what we have from the factory.

My working prototype countertop does not extend all the way to the after bulkhead - being experimental, I went with a piece of ply that I already had on hand which was only 48" in length. Where my icebox was, the countertop height remains original for now at least. Actually, that stepped-down area is working out nicely, and might be seen in some form when I finish. At some point in time, I will raise it to line it up with the rest, and see how that "feels" before making a decision. One object of my living aboard is to make sure that I have modifications optimized *before* I build them in. I am too lazy to have to do something twice. That lower area may suffice as a place to sit while underway and still be able to see out of the deadlights, but it would need to be a bit convertable as I intend to have the icebox under there. It would not be a fore/aft aligned seat, but bracing for movement of the boat would be quite easy. Starboard tack, your feet would be about level with your head, though, and on port, it might be too much like standing up.

One idea that keeps coming back to me in different shapes and form is an old one: the hammock. Have you seen hammock chairs? Something like that could be designed to be slung in the cabin, secured at four corners so that the person sitting there did not get bashed against the boat whenever a wave rolled under. Oddball thinking, yes, but there just may be a way to implement it so that it would work, and work well. It would be extremely stowable, too.

One other oddball thing that I have been thinking may lend itself to what you are thinking, as regards a companionway ladder: I'm considering using a fold-down, telescoping ladder of the transom mount type up under the bridgedeck. It could be collapsed and stowed out of the way when belowdecks, and would provide for a higher top step (which would be good for when washboards were in at sea), as well as closer spacing between steps than the original steps offer. Nothing about the idea seems bad to me, though I am still considering it. For you and your plans, it might make access to the pilot berth a little more handy.

I'm interested to hear any feedback on my "oddball" ideas.

[mbd]

Neat idea with the folding ladder, Kurt. FWIW, I love my companionway ladder for ease of use (the kids can scramble up and down it) and would design an interior around it in a heartbeat. A great PO mod.



Also, just curious if any of you modification mavens have considered an athwartship convertable dinnette? Working areas and shelves could be fore or aft (or both) of the dinnette, you could still have double settees to either side when not "deployed", and the table could be used up in the cockpit as well...

[ebb]

Kurt, I can look at something a number of times befor it sinks in.
Let me ask this: are you at all worried about taking the (let's call it) spaciousness of the cabin away by having the long counter/stowage on the starboard side?
I ask because I'm looking to do the same by raising of platform levels in 338 and I'm really worried about stuffing the old girl like a thankgiving turkey. I want to sit at the dinette/chart table and look out all four windows. That raises the seat up maybe 6". And taking that as the double bunk conversion height, it makes for a lot more stowage, but at what cost?

338's bit of quarter berth that sticks into the cabin is too low to sit on (except when getting in and ducking under the bridge deck), and would only be accessable by moving the ladder and bending the dinette seat forward. If it is used as a berth you could raise your knees. At least I assume so, not tested with cushion.

Your drawing has me seeing 338's portside opposite the dinette having something very similar to your starboard side. Maybe something not as wide following off the galley - a workbench, double wide shelf, like that - but still enuf cubic space for a double bunk coming across the aisle.

But it could still a good idea to have a single fore and aft seat where one could scrunch down in with head under the deck. Assume bracing oneself on either tack.

Anyway.
Wondering what your thinking might be on our cabin viz roomyness? I worry about it.
338 may have even more of her compression bulkhead removed and a laminated ARCH bent in - as a way of getting more side room and somehow incorporating the Vberth wholely into the cabin. In fact, the height of the Vberth brought into the cabin as the platform/seat datum. 7", I think.

Raising the bar, er, bunk, so to speak.