Fruits Of My Labor (A-113)

[ebb]

If you are going to cruise the Ariel, you'll probably raise the boom so you can move freely in the cockpit without loosing your head.

Midboom on the Ariel is exactly over the bridgedeck. If you are going to dodger it, you will probably make that tall enough to get in and out without fuss.

Instead of putting the traveler way forward over the hatch where the forces are probably tripled to control the boom, I think the traveler could be designed to go over the cockpit end of the dodger. In such a way that fingers are protected. A hard dodger can be designed to help take the forces of a traveler. The block spread on the boom would be further aft, easier to haul, and probably have shorter tails. The almost flat top dodger design that Tony has designed would be PERFECT!

You may still have to have a new boom made, especially if a rigid vang is rigged along with the extra blocks. Traveler lines would probably stay at the forward end of the cockpit rather than draped over the tiller and tangled under foot like most have.

An independent arch for the traveler over the dodger could also be used for the forward end to fly a bimini or rig a snug tent.
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When I asked Sponberg (Yacht Design Inc.) what he would do about headroom in L.G.'s cockpit, he simply raised the end of the boom leaving the gooseneck in its original position on the mast! That's how it's gonna be on Little Gull.

[mbd]

...he raised the end of the boom leaving the gooseneck in its original position on the mast. That's how it's gonna be on Little Gull.

Why? To retain more sail area by keeping the forward end low? Is that a better shape for a loose footed main? Inquiring minds would like to know.

The hard dodger location seems like a winner, or, probably been mentioned somewhere here, how about incorporating a traveler and a boom crutch?

[ebb]

Mike,
I don't really know.
It's a pretty small main.

Also at the same time I asked him to do the geometrics and areas on flying jibs on a three foot bowsprit. That lowers the original stay on the stem to a baby stay position on the mast and moves centers of efforts around.

If you are interested in seeing the Ariel-as-a-cutter math I'll make a copy and send it to you. The sail plan retains Alberg's original circle-and-crosses.

Maybe you can make sense of it from a sailor's point of view.

I would really like to see it CRITQUED.
(I don't mean necessarily by you unless you want to of course - but by ED or Craig, say, who look at sails a lot.)

[mbd]

If it's not too much trouble, Ebb, please do. I'm certainly no sail maker or yacht designer, but I'd love to see it. I really like the idea of a cutter rig. Seems like it would make sense for you long-term cruisers, too. You could fly 2 head sails on your downwind legs. (I like the idea of an eventual double headstay for my coastal cruising ambitions too. Or really, a roller furler and an inner stay just aft of the original position that could fly another head sail or a storm jib if needed.)

It seems like you'd need a mizzen to balance a 3-foot bowsprit. But what would be really cool is your 3-foot bowsprit cutter with a mizzen mast to balance it out. Not sure what that would be called - a cutter-rigged yawl? Or, how about increasing the size of the main to balance the bow sprit and make a gaff rigged cutter?? That'd be soooo cool.

(Oops! Sorry Tony - back to our regularly scheduled thread.)

[ebb]

Don't recall if Mike Goodwin rigged his Ariel as a yawl before he sold her. There was talk and photos here on the Forum.

There would have to be a boomkin added to the stern. But the idea is intriguing. Being able to tune the rig with smaller sails is good for a cruiser. And in light winds having even more wings and balance would make it that much more fun.

There's a cost in adding weight to the ends of an Ariel. I've got a beautiful pipe bowsprit ready to be fitted to the fordeck.... but I wonder sometimes if it can be made lighter as a single spruce spar.


Tony, like Mike I apologize for the sidebar!

[ebb]

Tony, Mike,
I didn't respond completely to Mike's remark in post 285 where he says that perhaps the dodger top that extends over the companionway into the cockpit
can be designed to have three major functions?

It can be a place for the traveler.
Tony's original proposal for his dodger which is wide across the top would be ideal for a wide versatile traveler.
Boom gallows support
could be built in there also.. While not ideal, the boom could be immobilized well enough for a storm sail to be rigged. Perhaps with a temporary crutch added at the cockpit end.
And of course the bimini

Finding the ideal point over the cockpit to terminate the dodger, making it tall enough to make it easy to get in and out below, yet aesthetically pleasing and comfortable to sit under... is the challenge.
Having a traveler there will mean the dodger edge has to be designed as an arch to take the loads the mainsheet will put on it. The dodger will be structural, not a casual addition.

But it does seem like a natural.
Maybe the only real problem is going forward with the main sheets at that elevation over the side deck. It's am arguement to keep the sheets at the aft end of the cockpit.

I'm wide open to your ideas and solutions. Our dodgers are definitely part of the solution. May be it IS the solution. I'll be watching....and hoping...
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By the by - You can't have midboom sheeting if you have a loosefoot main.

[Tony G]

MG did not get around to rigging a mizzen on his old Ariel. Initially I thought that would be a great addition to the sailing arsenal. That highly coveted mizzen spinaker you know. But once you tack on a grill, some adjustable solar panels, boarding ladder, rod holder, parasail platform(?), well, there just wasn't enough room! A removable inner stay and a short bowsprit for the MPG would probably be complimented by a mizzen for balance. But I'd hurt myself with all those lines and stays!!

Dodger topics never get old and go away. I personally would over build a dodger/gallows/traveller arch to the extent that if Dream Weaver rolled she'd stay bottoms up! I lack the engineering skills that others here possess. Seriously, because of the cost of a new boom and the fact I live in the middle of the country far, far away from any reputable, economically feasable mfg/shipper plus we already own a brand new Hood loose footed main, our traveller will stay in the aft end of the cockpit. If the whole coaming 'thing' comes off like I envision, having the traveller there really shouldn't be a problem. Think the dodger will come from a Steve Marshall concept with the lines a little closer to a tube framed traditional. UNLESS! Someone can post a picture of a really sharp looking hard dodger on the dodger thread [hint hint]. It aint over yet!