Ariel #414

[mbd]

Bill, would you kindly change my forum status from "boatless lurker" to "Ariel Owner". Thank you!

[mbd]

Here's A414 when we surveyed her... more pics soon!
- Mike

[frank durant]

looks GREAT !!! Congrats

[willie]

Wow, is that the last gal out of the mold? Sweeeeeeeeeet!

[Bill]

Wow, is that the last gal out of the mold?

No, #440 is the last boat. Highest boat number we have seen is #437, which appeared for sale on eBay in July of 2004.

[mbd]

Thanks guys! I can't tell you how thrilled I am!

I will be heading up to Belfast, Maine sometime at the end of the month to sail the boat down to Portland with the current owner. He is a very nice fellow who has owned the boat himself for only three years - before that, he and his wife were full-time cruisers in the Caribbean. You can bet I'll be picking his brain all the way down the coast! But, he has obviously taken good care of the boat. Sadly, however, the survey came back with deck problems, so I'm afraid there is a recore job in my near future.

Now for some more pictures...

[mbd]

The need for better access to the leaking stern tube hurried this project along. As I've never cut a hole in a cockpit before, and because he is such a nice guy, I was able to secure the services of the master himself, Mr. Tim Lackey to install the access hatch.

I bought a Bomar L-Profile Slam Hatch, 16x20 (I think - the picture and dimensions online don't seem to match the hatch), part number Bom-17621-w for $61.99 from Hamilton Marine. It seemed like a good fit for the area and felt and looked as though it had plenty of support.

[mbd]

The cockpit BEFORE...

[mbd]

Tim drilling...

[mbd]

Tim sawing...

[mbd]

And Tim looking rather pleased to be holding a big chunk of my floor in his hands...

For what it's worth, the cockpit floor was solid as a rock and seemed very well put together and supported.

[mbd]

Bill, as posted in another thread, looks like I'm going with the 'stock' setup (though a bit beefier) for the chainplates - though I do really like the idea of the externals, the path of least resistance wins out. Guess I'll just have to wait for you, Ebb, TonyG to do it to see another installation besides Geoff's.

http://pearsonariel.org/discussion/s...9&postcount=57

http://pearsonariel.org/discussion/s...8&postcount=35

[mbd]

Progress is slow on the recore job, but things are getting done. In the meantime, here's the old chainplate (it was flattened out to make the new one), and the new - one after I made the opening on the taff rail larger...

[mbd]

I'm very pleased with the CoreCell. I got the 9mm thick stuff. It's easy to work with and just the right thickness. Here it is dry fit on the starboard side deck.

[mbd]

Here's the ground out deck, including the hole through the lower skin.