Mike Goodwin showed me his Ariel and I guess I got the bug again. I havn't sailed sinse Seascouts (ship 19 Delanco NJ) and my 4 year hitch in the Navy cured me of boats;however, the beauty of the design of Mike's Ariel and some very good memories of sailing on the Delaware has me back at it.
Mike found for me an Pearson Commander(hull 105) in great shape, ready to sail. I have removed the old peeling/powdery bottom paint and repainted it. I have replaced the worn out tiller and handholds on the cabin. I plan on painting the cabin and hull also. The deck areas will get an application of Tufflex which will make them better than new and hide some very minor stress cracks. The hull had no blisters. The decks are in great shape.The boat came with 3 almost new sails and a new spinnecker sail. The winches are original and worn I plan on installing new self-tailing ones- any ideas? I can't wait to sail her.
Congratulations. Sounds like you got a winner there.
One good piece of advice I got is that, when you first buy a boat in sailing condition, you shouldn't do much work on it for a year or so (except safety issues).
Go ahead and sail the hell out of it. See what works and what doesn't. Your plans will change.
Naturally, I didn't follow this advice. I ended up regretting one or two "improvements" and having to re-do others.
Self tailing winches are great. Once you get them, you can't go back. But, if you buy them new, they will probably cost almost as much as you paid for the boat. Don't buy Harkens. You have to remove them from the base to fully service them. A real pain.
Defender offers a "trade in" on old winches if you purchas new Lewmars. Actually, they don't really want your old winches I purchased a pair of ST16's at a great "trade in" price. Give 'em a call.
Any original parts that I decide to replace will be offered to the association membership before the dump
I'll be keeping the winches for now...I was just asking for future reference. I do, however, have handles for both size winches. I stumbled across them when cleaning out #66. I also came across a number of other goodies, including wooden shroud rollers (in need of varnish, but otherwise in great condition) and the cap for the vent in the bow.
Please note that that when repainting your hull not to preclean it with mineral spirits before painting! It will cause the paint to bubble and form fisheyes when drying. It seems that mineral spirits leaves a residue. Use a detergent to clean before painting or better yet denatured alchohol. I found out the hard way and will have to wait for the paint to cure and resand the hull before painting it again. I had hoped to be sailing long before this.My wife Pat is a rep for Seaguard Marine (Sherwin Williams), I should have asked her first before painting.
Just to keep in touch, Commander 105 renamed Njord, has been pulled and repairs have begun. Found new spreader base and other damaged hardware, the Commander logo was ripped off, I rememebr sending off one to have castings made for the forum group but have not recieved original back yet. Will replace the old portlights with W&C 5" brass portholes, have installed one on the port aft cabin bulkhead. The starboard toerail damage is extensive and there is a deck hole, using pvc pipe to form base for new toerail fiberglassing it in and molding it to look and function as original. The pushpit was damaged almost beyond repair..it was swiped from the yard..does anyone know where they were made or can be bought..is useful for hanging things. The damage to my boat from the hurrcain is hearbreaking...but its my boat and it will sail again..I'm even going to take some sailing lessons with my family crew.
These photographs were taken in early September, the portholes are 1938 c.Wilcox & Crittenden 5" bronze replacements for the damaged original ones destroyed by Isebel. Half of the toerail has been rebuilt along with the stern quarter. I installed a larger rubrail also. The cabin has been repainted sinse a warm beige. The decks are repaired and will be Navy Gray. Have also added Harken mainsheet traveler with a mahogany traveler track bed that fits the curve in front of the outboard motor hatch. (can't spell lazeratte) Will take new and better photographs soon. The boat needs a new tiller may carve one from single piece of ash...any ideas.
Last edited by Robert Lemasters; 11-01-2004 at 02:51 PM.
Reason: left something out
Once made a sinuous pattern of a tiller out of doorskin, one I considered ideal, and one I wasn't going to find at the marine 7/11. Just happened that a convenient honey locust came down in one of the first storms that year - befor the branches got whacked went around laying the pattern on limbs until, magically, there it was: the tiller still in the limb. Cut it roughly flat and square section on a band saw to air it out a bit. If it's already got the shape and you haven"t straightened it out too much it won't change that much either as you whittle on it as it dries.
What can beat a grown tiller of Ash or Cherry, Walnut, or any of the nut or fruit woods. Osage Orange. Elm, Black Locust, Etc. Ended up with square to the tiller head, then eight sides ending in points to the long rounded 'S' curved shaft in an exceptional gratifying taper to a carved knob at the end.
Considering the symbolic ramifications here of making your own personal boat handle and looking forward to the times spent grabbing it. why would a sensible skipper accept an imatation lamination?
Besides, don't you need a tiller that in the down position misses the knees there sitting in the cockpit? Is this not so? So that unfair forces are not put on the tiller to tiller head connection like when you steer with the almost straight one? There have been posts on this subject.
She looks great, Robert. Those new ports may not appeal to everyone but I think they look like the real deal. These hulls just look fantastic. I can't wait to sail one! You know I'm always surfing the gallery looking for pics.
Couldn't agree with you more, Ebb. These knees are already knobby, scarred and creaking. Didn't Carl plan on turning around or weather helm?
OK, this is an essay by a skipper who has pedestal steering but wanted a backup tiller for his Pearson. Like many P. of our era the ruddershaft comes up out of the deck in the back of the cockpit. His project is knarley but what you might like to see is the shape of the tiller (there is a photo) which starts bending upward as it leaves the tillerhead fitting. What I have in mind. Looks fine for a Commander. Ariel might want an even more radical bend.
The maker of the tiller is also mentioned. Might be an easier way to go. Be interesting to find out what a custom tiller costs these days. Looks to me like a pattern for ours could already exist in a woodworker's shop.
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I purchased a pair of ST16's at a great "trade in" price. Give 'em a call.
knobby knees tiller
