jewelry

[ebb]

Recently sent some patterns off to have cast in highly alloyed manganese bronze by a highly respected outfit. These were of my own design - including a beefed up version of the Pearson stemhead (headstay) fitting. Also two tangs for a split backstay and a bobstay!!! fitting. Don't ask.

These WHATIF'S came up in conversation with the extraordinary oldsalt looking after my toys:

What if you needed a new ruddershoe and for the price of the casting and your choice of air or ground it was just a few days away, instead of weeks or months?

What if the holes in your stemhead fitting have elongated and you want to replace it and the bolts too?

Suppose you're finally going to do something about the aluminum ports and the frozen broken toggles and you could replace them with a nice bronze copy?

Suppose you could replace the chain plates with the same proper alloy bronze but of the correct length?

What if the patterns all existed and all you had to do was negociate the price for casting?

What if the aluminum window frames were available in bronze. Maybe even triple nickle/chrome plated, knock yer topsiders off.

Well, you'ld have to have a pattern bank. And you'ld have to figure out a way so that you and any member of the Ariel/Commander Association would have the ability to replace any fitting with original spec alloy and casting. Wouldn't that be grand?

Do you know your original rudder shaft is probably made of tobin bronze (an alloy of copper, zinc and tin), a very stiff strong non work-hardening material that was originally supplied to Pearson in the 60's by the guy I talked with about my fittings. It does have that galvanic problem after a few decades in the rudder tube and not keeping up with the sacrificial zincs. Perhaps rudders also need replacing after a third of a century of loading.

What do you think?

[Brent]

Ebb,

All for it!

I've been trying to find a decent bronze replacement for those forward ports, but no luck so far. Do you need one for a pattern? I'd be glad to send it along.

Brent

[Brent]

Another thought...what about the masthead? One side of mine is cracked where the backstay attaches. There was a thread a while back that described sistering and welding some aluminum plates to correct this, but what about a new casting, perhaps with some more beef to it?

[ebb]

It would be nice to have a replica of that port in bronze. Unless there is some extraordinary interest here I can't see it happening.

Cast bronze shrinks like 3/32" to a foot So we could use an aluminum port fof the patterns. It would be just a bit smaller. If you did the finish work, it might be cost effective. But if you wanted a finished shiney chrome product my guess is you'ld seriously consider scuse the expression Beckson. There is a lot of hand work in an opening port. BUT I don't know for a fact what the bronze guy would charge, now that Harrington has retired and left port manufactureing and given his patterns away maybe 'my' guy is interested. We'ld have to talk. With enough member interest maybe the boss will talk with the guy. He like to talk mucho.

( We'll see how my puddings turn out! )

My understanding is this: WE, as the Association, supply or pay for the patterns which will always be available to members = for the cost of casting in the appropriate bronze.

WE as members would have to create for the future, for future owners, this official pattern bank that would be kept in trust by this foundry - by some method of fund raising I can't imagine given the cheapskates who own ariels these days.

I wouldn't mind paying extra dues.



[Brent checkout "fruits of my labor" page2 for some notes on the mastcrane topknot]

[Ed Ekers]

I have a thought. !!..... There seems to be pockets of Ariels and Commanders scattered around these states. How about a few different people stepping up and organizing regattas at the different hubs. We could charge a fee to attend and the proceeds would go towards the cost of the castings. This may not raise all the money but it might give a nice deposit. The big plus is obvious in that it would pull the different skippers together. We could then rag on each other on how bad your port frames look. I assure you there would be comments made about the frames on Pathfinder........ed

[commanderpete]

Sounds good.

I must tell you though, its hard to get this group organized.

As First Asst. Rear Vice Commodore of the NorthEast Fleet, I have quite a few boats under my jurisdiction. Many of them have neglected and refused to remit the "special assesment fee" to support my research activities.

You know who you are.

All contributions are fully tax deductible (What do I care)

[Brent]

I think I'll have a hard time convincing the socialists in Boston that beer is a charitable expense

Time for another tea party...I can't justify dumping perfectly good beer into the Harbor, no matter how clean it is now

[commanderpete]

Deducting beer expenditures might be a bit of a stretch. Maybe I'll put a little stove on the boat and declare it a second home.

I could use a break here. Lately, the only thing getting pissed away faster than beer is my retirement portfolio.