Ariel #24

[ebb]

Tim,
If I understand, you ARE making a temporary repair so you can continue summer cruising....?

why not continue the curve of the rudder to the shaft. In other words: jigsaw the 'square top' into a curve - so that there is NO FLAT OF ANY KIND to hang up the anchor rode on! And if your temporary repairs are fairly smooth and hydro you can get a feel for the missing area. It is MINOR but must be important because the master left it there in both the ear shaped rudder and the constellation style.

So that even if the anchor rode is pulled across the rudder - which is also pulled hard over - the rode will have to slip!!! So that even if the rudder is pulled out at right angles to the boat like a barn door, there is no ledge for the line to hang up on. Only curves. Have to make it so that line will NEVER hang up the way you describe again!

[Tim Mertinooke]

The rudder is repaired and it works.

The repair pictures are on a disk at my house so those will have to wait, but I made up a couple photoshop pics showing the process. Remember that this is a temporary repair to get me through the season and that MacGyverisms are not my norm as I have hopefully proven over the past few months. There is however a certain level of satisfaction and pride involved with making such a repair on the cheap and while it is in the water and on the mooring.

My friend and I dove down and removed the two bronze bolts holding the strap in place. Those came off easy. Prying the strap off of the hull was tougher as I had used 5200 last spring to attach it to the hull. With the right tools and some persuasion we got it off and bent it back enough to lift the rudder out of the shoe. This took us about an hour to complete. Now we had rudder in hand and brought it up on deck where we motored to the dock to do the work.

Here is a photoshop rendition of what the rudder look like when it was removed. The pins coming out of the shaft were broken off and the wood snapped along the grain down to the cutout for the prop aperture.



We decided to make a lateral cut using a pull saw so that the steel pipr could key into the rudder taking advantage of the upper half and lower half that were left once it was sandwiched.


Here is a picture of where we made the cut. BTW-I suck at photoshop when using my laptop which has a touchpad so blur your eyes and imagine a little looking at these photos.



Next, using galvenized 1" steel plumbing pipe we made a shaft attached to a 90 degree elbow off of which was the pipe that keyed into the cutout of the rudder. The two pipes attached to the elbow were set in thickened epoxy and then coated with three layers of cloth running up about 6 inches on each pipe. This was to strngthen the casting of the elbow which was not designed for the forces t was going to undergo and it also sealed the threads and prevents the pipe from unthreading itself out of the elbow when sailing. THis part was pretty straight forward and took about 30 minutes to do and we let it cure for three hours in the hot sun. Once cured, we set the piece into the cutout made earlier in the rudder.




We then sandwhiched the pipe using copper roof flashing on both sides of the lateral pipe followed by 1/4 inch plywood, and on the outside of the ply placed another piece of copper flashing where the lateral pipe is. The flashing was so that the pipe had something solid to push against if the plywood got soft which I'm sure it will as it is regular grade ply (again to make the repair cheap.) I then began screwing galvenized screws into the plywood every couple of inches or so. I put fifty on one side which sandwiched the plywood and flashing to the pipe and what was left of the original rudder. Then I flipped it over and broke off the screw threads that werte sticking through and crewed fifty more going the other way, then flipped it over again and broke the threads of those. At this point it was pretty well sandwiched with no movement of the pipe. We then drilled two 1/4 inch holes just above the copper flashing and two below and used four stainless steel bolts with fender washers and locking nuts to clamp it to the pipe. Then we trimmed the plywood so that it followed the lines of the original rudder and that was it, a new rudder.

It looked something like this once done.

+


Having the rudder completed, we went back out to the mooring and slid it up into the tube and set it in the rudder shoe with no problem. THe strap however was a problem. It was the biggest pain trying to get it back through and have it straight enough to line the holes up so that the bolts fit through. It took use about two hours to do this part believe it or not. I'm trying to work out a strap that might be a little easier to take off and put back on in the water. Maybe enlarging the holes and using washers which would allow for a little more play to get the bolts through would work? Speaking of bolts I am very glad I went that route instead of going with the original peened rods that were there originally. I cannot foresee how one could get the strap off underwater with peened ends. Also, I used carraige bolts to reduce the drag, but in hindsight I think it would have been much easier to have a regular hex head bolt. THat way you don't need to grab it with channel locks if you cannot get it to key in all the way to get it started like we had to do.

Here is the sutset we came back too after motoring around for a while testing it out.




I spent about $60 and it took a whole day to start and finish this repair. So far we have cruised to the Ilses of Shoals for a few days and sailed in 15 knot winds close-hauled with no problems at all. We have logged about 50 NM with the repaired rudder. I don't think I'll push it in high winds, but 15 knots was quite fun and typical for a nice day here and the rudder worked perfect.

[Tim Mertinooke]

On our way in 5-10 knot winds. (I opted to flush mount the depth sounder for now for the sake of ease as Bill suggested, it's set in 3M 4200. Yes, that is duct tape you are seeing on the bulkhead. I've been too lazy to fill the holes left from the obnoxious box put in by the PO that I removed.)



A shot of my friends CD27 on the way there.




A very happy camper at the tiller. The indoctrination continues...



Family chilling out down below in the V-berth.




Approaching the Isles after about 12 miles of sailing. This is looking at the White Island Light. The port winch is being reconditioned due to it sticking often in case you were wondering where it was in that shot.


At anchor in Gosport Harbor, Maine.



A sunset, a successful anchoring, a happy wife and kid, a cold beer, a rudder that works...does it get any better?



My wife burning through the new Harry Potter book using our new berth lights.


This is the next morning looking at my boat with my buddies CD27 rafted up beside. I have a 22lb delta that I use for my primary anchor with 50 feet of 5/16" chain and 150 feet of 3/4 inch rode. The anchor held he and I well with no dragging and it set on the first try. I also have a 35lb bruce anchor with 50 feet of 5/16" chain and 150 ' of 3/4" rode, and a big danforth with a short amount of chain and 150 feet of rode. We took this picture from Smuttynose Island.




Here's a shot of that CD27 as we headed back to Newburyport.

[ebb]

Taken forever to go thru rudder trauma on Little Gull - finally ending up with a slightly different rudder than most but hung just the same as everybody elses.

FYI. Made up and had cast in bronze a TWO PART gudgeon fitting.
The idea is that it will clamp around the rudder shaft.
One side is meant to stay in place on the keel while the other is taken off to allow the rudder to be lifted up and moved out sideways to drop it. The bolts are long enough to hold both pieces - but the static side is held on with nuts that turn in onto the fiberglass of the keel - then the other half is put on those bolt ends and snugged with more nuts. The rudder will drop on one side of the shoe, port side only in this case. Just came out that way.

If you remember which side to take off, it would be a matter of just unscrewing the nuts to release the gudgeon effect. If underwater you wouldn't want to drop that half of the gudgeon. Nuts you can replace.

Once the sleeve bearing is removed from the top of the rudder tube, there may be enough room, once the rudder is below the shoe, to move the rudder around a bit and away from the fitting. Don't know yet.

[Tim Mertinooke]

Ebb,
That is a very good idea. It makes a lot of sense to have a two piece casting especially having been there and done that with the strap. That was definitely the hardest part of the repair. Had I had something like you described it would have made it much easier. Do you have any photos, drawings, etc. to give us a visual?

[ebb]

Tim,
Was putting the above post together while you were giving us some verse on how great it is for you and your family to go on that shakedown!

CONGRATULATIONS

Underwater!!??
I was thinking, it would be much easier to use a socket wrench under water than a screw driver, or nut driver, ON THE GUDGEON FASTENINGS. Not with a rachet but one with a plain long handle and the socket on a knuckle so you gain purchase. Hope to hell I never have to do it underwater!

Once out of the water, maybe the fitting could be taken apart and put back together with anti-seize Tefgel. Never know!

Bet you forgot about it already....

[bill@ariel231]

Tim

Bravo! glad to see you got past the rudder problems.

cheers,
bill

[Tim Mertinooke]

So far we have logged about 200 miles on the repaired rudder with no problems (knock on faux wood laminate.) We have been down in the Salem Mass. area and as far North as Cape Porpoise Maine (Just around the corner from you Mike.)

First we went to Great Misery Island near Marblehead in Salem Sound. This is one of my favorite local cruises because of the shore diversity over a 20 mile stretch of coast. We start off from Newburyport where we keep our boat and head down Plum Island which has eight miles of sandy beach before reaching Cape Ann which has all an granite shore with a few small beaches sprinkled in the coves. Then we traveled through the Annisquam Canal, which allows you to go straight through Cape Ann cutting off about twelve miles if one were to go all the way around it. You need to go under a total of three bridges before you end up in Gloucester Harbor at the bronze fisherman’s memorial seen in the “Perfect Storm”. Two of the bridges need to open for you which my four-year-old son thinks is so cool. At first he though it was me using the Force, but I later admitted I radioed ahead when he wasn’t paying attention. Once in Gloucester you head out of the harbor dodging hundreds of lobster pots along a shore with high granite cliffs. You pass a number of small-uninhabited bare islands before reaching Salem Sound where Great Misery Island lies. Such a cool trip. The pictures…

Here was the first of many stowaways on this trip as we left the Merrimack River.

Approaching the Annisquam Canal a few hours later.


This is Gloucester Harbor after motoring through the canal. This is looking at Ten Pound Island.


Too bad it’s blurry, but this is a shot of the sunset after reaching Great Misery Island. That’s my friend’s CD-27. He’s been tagging along on all of my trips. This is his first year sailing. He wanted to learn so he bought a boat and asked if he could follow me around all summer. So far it has worked out great for him. Local knowledge and firsthand experience is unbeatable and he is making great strides.


This is looking behind my boat on it’s mooring at about half tide. We found some great tide pools right there.


Sunrise the next morning.


A couple shots of A-24 sitting peacefully at the mooring.




This island has some great hiking trails. This is looking at Little Misery Island which you can wade to at low tide.




This is looking south toward Marblehead where Carl lived. It’s hard to see because it was Hazy in the morning, but there are hundreds of masts sticking up as the whole entire harbor is walled up with boats. On a clear day you would see the Boston skyline in the background.


Another shot of Little Misery. You can see the remains of an old ship wreck on the beach.




This is a shot of Baker's Island light as we were leaving. This Island is part of the city of Salem.


This is in Gloucester Harbor approaching the Annisquam Canal.


Here is the Bronze Fisherman's Memorial in Gloucester.


we averaged above five knots sailing home with a lateral current. I am impressed with the turn of speed these small full-keeled boats have.

[Tim Mertinooke]

Our next trip was north to Maine. We made it as far as Cape Porpoise where there is an awesome anchorage in Stage Island Harbor. We originally wanted to make it up to Biddeford Pool Harbor which is 8 miles to the North of Stage Island, but the weather forecasted as suspect. Next year we plan to spend three weeks cruising Maine making it up to Acadia National Park. This trip was a teaser...

On our way to our first stop in Little Harbor Portsmouth. You can see the Ilses of Shoals off to starboard peaking up over the horizon.




We made it to Little Harbor right at sunset which was really cool. Plus we went through a school of small sharks which my son thought was neat. By the time we grabbed a mooring it was dark.




A-24 on her mooring. You can see a large building in the background with a red roof. This is the Wentworth by the Sea Hotel where Roosevelt brokered the Treaty of Portsmouth to end the Russo-Japanese war.




This is Odiorne Point State Park where there are tons of trails and beach to explore.






We left for Cape Porpoise later in 20-30 knot winds and three foot seas. She handled great.


This was off of York Maine looking at Mount Agamenticus.


This is looking at Cape Island which makes up part of Little Stage Harbor where we were spending the night. The winds had died down considerably at this point.


After making it around Cape Island, we snuck into the harbor where we were the only ones there with the exception of my friend in his CD-27 who tagged along. Funny enough this quiet lonely anchorage is where the older George likes to picnic. In fact I have a couple friends at the yacht club who have come in and seen secret service boats blocking the southwest part of this small harbor so George can BBQ with the family.








There were some awesome tide pools to explore. The tidal range is about 10 feet.




Operation, "Recover the Dinghy". Looping the painter over the cleat doesn't sut it I guess. I'm lucky it was an incoming tide and I saw it out of the corner of my eye. I'm sure some people have woken up and said, "Hey, where's my dinghy." and have never seen it again.


This is on our way home looking at the Cape Porpoise Light on Goat Island. There was no wind, not even a puff.


Just around the corner from that lighthouse is Kennebunkport where the older George lives. You can see the white security markers preventing you from getting too close to shore near his compound. If you want to meet a secret service agent in person tie up to one of those marks for lunch. I hear they come out pretty fast wielding goods.


This is looking at Nubble Light on the tip of Cape Neddick.


We stopped into York Harbor for the night and then back to Newburyport MA from there. It was an awesome trip and the boat performed beautifully. I now have a real clear picture of what the boat needs and what modifications I will make.

On the way into the Merrimack heading back to our mooring we saw an ocean sunfish which are uncommon for this area and the most bizarre looking creatures you will see.




We spent a night at my folks house and then headed out to the Isles of Shoals again for a Yacht Club overnight BBQ thing. Ten boats left for the Ilses including my parents in their S2 and me in my Ariel. Only two boats made it to the Ilses because there were steady 40 mile an hour winds gusting to 50mph (verified by two different boats outside the river with there anemometers before they turned back) with 4-7 foot seas. When my parents and I got to the Isles it felt like a nice accomplishment being the only two that made it. My dad and I are similar and like these types of challenges, but we are both very experienced and were in control of our boats the whole time. I had the storm jib up and double reefed the main and she sailed like a dream. We were on a beam reach sailing 5.5-6 knots the whole way. We only took about 5 waves into the cockpit which quickly drained and the crew and myself felt safe the whole time. The boat was very well balanced and I had very little strain on the tiller except when I had to fall off and surf down a wave and then turn back into the wind during one of the large gusts. I was very impressed with the way this handled high winds and seas, and set up correctly I would not hesitate to sail this to far off destinations.

[mbd]

Only two boats made it to the Ilses because there were steady 40 mile an hour winds gusting to 50mph... I had the storm jib up and double reefed the main and she sailed like a dream.... I was very impressed...

I went out last weekend in 1/2 the weather you describe, with the same set up, and was also very impressed with how well Sea Glass behaved and took care of us. I was thinking of starting a dedicated "reefing" thread and ask for everyone's input and pics of their reefing setups. But now, I should get back to work and stop daydreaming.

BTW, thanks for the inspirational update Tim! I hereby declare that Sea Glass will venture forth for at least a week next Summer with her crew of 4! Perhaps we can meet up then.

PS. Love this pic! It's like Archimedes is a beacon in the anchorage. (Also like the wide-angle one. Nicely framed...)

[Tim Mertinooke]

I hereby declare that Sea Glass will venture forth for at least a week next Summer with her crew of 4! Perhaps we can meet up then.

With great enthusiasm, I look forward to meeting you and your family next year on the water. I was hoping to get to Casco Bay this year, but the rudder issue set me back some and I calmed my ambitions down considerably as I didn;t want to be too far from home if my repair failed. We are planning some cliche' stops in Casco Bay next year as I mentioned in an earlier post like Jewell and Eagle Islands. My wife and son have never been there before and they both warrant a stop. We plan to hit the basin and hang out in the best hurricane hole on the east coast, then just bump our way up to Acadia. It is about thirty hours of sailing to get to Acadia from our mooring and we are still working out a loose itinerary. My friend in his CD-27 will probably be with us and my parents expressed interest although they would probably be with us for just a week. What would be a lot of fun would be for you guys to hook up with us for a couple days or more. Even if it's when we buzz through Casco Bay. We'll take some great pictures of two Ariels rafted up for the night in a cozy harbor somewhere in Maine. It doesn't get much better than that.

[mbd]

Sounds good!

[Tim Mertinooke]

Click here to see a video of A-24 sailing

[Tim Mertinooke]

This was our first trip out to the Isles in July taken by my friend in his CD-27

[bill@ariel231]

Tim
that looks like it was a fun trip, I haven't see an ocean sun fish that close. For some reason we get more than our fair share of sea turtles and seals playing around the boat (although the camera is always home when that happens ).
Cheers,
Bill