s/v Ariel, Cape Dory 36

Snug under her cover

2008-11-09T11:35:00.002-05:00

Ariel is officially put away for the winter. The boys and I got her covered this morning. I didn't bring my camera, so no pictures, but the cover is snugger than it was last winter due to a different approach with the frame.

The other night I sewed some reinforcement in critical spots and added a flap to the rear opening to completely cover the taffrail and stern of the boat. She's looking good.

A new harness

2008-11-08T12:50:00.004-05:00

I made a few changes to my harness design and made one for Josh. Improvements include velcro shoulder pads and seized strap terminations. I built enough adjustment into the harness to fit Jake, so Josh won't outgrow it too soon.

So totally NOT about sailing

2008-09-21T18:28:00.000-04:00

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A little sumpin' sumpin'

2008-09-15T22:42:00.007-04:00

This is an in-progress film of our summer cruise covering the first half of the trip. It leaves off at the Manitou Shoal lighthouse, so don't expect more pictures/video after that - just enjoy the music.

Just fine

2008-09-15T18:28:00.002-04:00

Ariel is fine. Her lines had stretched a little, but otherwise she was fine. Jake and I visited her today. We snugged up the lines, then went below and hung out for a bit. The marina is still a little sloppy, and the channel is moving at a swift four or five knots.

Leftovers

2008-09-14T21:05:00.002-04:00

The remnant of Ike appears to be making its way into the Midwest. The southern Lake Michigan buoy indicates a steady 24kts, gusting to 28kts, out of the NW. Wave height is already 7.9ft, which means that our marina is going to be getting sloppy. I was at the boat earlier today to check lines and secure chafe protection. Ariel was doing fine then, there wasn't much slop. Hopefully she'll be fine overnight. This time of year always brings extra anxiety about the boat as the northwesterly winds set in and boisterous waves roll down the channel.

Sleep tight, girl.

Feeling safer

2008-08-10T08:34:00.011-04:00

After discovering that most of the harnesses made for kids use plastic snaps and buckles and are difficult to adjust and don, I decided to make my own for Jakob. The harness has worked so well (Jake even says it's comfortable and he prefers it over the life jacket) that I've decided to make the design available through this site.

This harness is more robust than any of the other child harnesses on the market, which makes sailing with children more enjoyable. Combined with a good tether and a solid anchor point, the harness keeps the child securely attached to the boat, with no worries about plastic snaps or buckles letting go in a fall.

The design uses 1" nylon webbing for the shoulder and crotch straps and 2" webbing for the chest strap. All hardware is stainless steel: 2" rings and a buckle for the chest strap, and 1" buckles for the shoulder and crotch straps. The webbing is doubled and sewn using v-92 thread. All stitches are tight, locked, and secure.

The stainless buckles allow easy adjustment without sacrificing security. Optional soft leather shoulder pads add comfort.

The harness can also be reversed to keep little hands from fidgeting with tether snap.

Contact me for more information if you'd like a harness for your child. Click here to send us email.

Daysail Aug. 2

2008-08-04T16:40:00.002-04:00

A fresh wind out of the NW made for an invigorating afternoon sail.

Summer Cruise 2008

2008-08-01T10:23:00.003-04:00

Dad and I returned from our summer cruise last night at about 8:30, 3.5 hours earlier than we'd promised.

Our northbound trip took us to Charlevoix and Beaver Island. Southbound included an all-nighter from Beaver Island to Arcadia. After that it was a relaxed cruise home. Approximate total distance = 550nm

Hopefully I'll be able to generate some cruise logs and update the site before school resumes.

I must down to the seas again

2008-06-29T09:13:00.005-04:00

Beautiful day on the water yesterday. Wind 12-15. Blue sky. Sunshine. Temperature in the low 70s. Jake, Grandpa, and me.

Note Jake's new harness. Nice piece of work, if I do say so myself.

Dodger done

2008-06-26T22:34:00.002-04:00

I wrapped up the dodger project this evening after finishing the contours of the leading edge and installing the fasteners. Things look good. I'm pleased. It feels great to have the project completed.

I'd like to get rid of the wrinkles just above the side windows. I thought I'd gotten rid of them when I attached the fasteners. Clearly something shifted when I installed the grab bars during the final step. Overall, though, I'm happy with the dodger.

Two days in a row

2008-06-20T19:15:00.007-04:00

While Josh took a four hour nap, I finished sanding the interior of the CD10 - this time in the Tyvek suit.

Photo credit goes to Jake, who takes the hazardous material warning seriously and stays far away.

With the interior sanded, I propped the boat on its side and hosed it down to get rid of all the dust and debris.

Last night, before putting the boat away, Jake and I epoxied the drain hole in the bottom of the boat. We mixed up a batch of slightly thickened epoxy and topped up the hole. There's still some filling and fairing work to do when it's time to take care of the bottom.

I had noticed during sanding that the seat fillets were cracked and that the tabbing was a little loose, so once the hull had dried sufficiently I reinforced all four attachment points for each seat with fiberglass tabbing.

When work resumes, I'll give the tabbing a washdown and sanding before wiping down the interior of the hull with acetone in preparation for a layer of lightweight cloth. I happened to have a piece of cloth on hand that will cover the aft section.

Here's the original aft seat. I've decided to salvage most of the wood, partly to save money but also to preserve the boat's original character. Bits that are missing or too far gone will be replaced.

Jake's boat

2008-06-20T08:52:00.007-04:00

The CD10, which I purchased almost four years ago, has been resurrected - if only temporarily.

With summer underway, I've been home with the boys for the past two weeks. Although I've managed to get a bit done, most of my time has been devoted to playing ladder golf, climbing trees, swinging, fishing, and riding bikes. Yesterday, at Jake's urging, we dragged the CD10 out of the garage and began work, stripping off the old, damaged gunwale and sanding the interior of the hull.

Between filling Jake's pool and keeping an eye on Josh, I sanded most of the interior in shorts and a t-shirt, generating a mess of dust in the process (I should have known better, but I was having so much fun I didn't give it a second thought - and I'm still itching).

Jake and Josh inspect the CD10, glad to be doing something with it.

Jake has made it clear that this is his boat, and he intends to do "whatever I want". He already seems to know that sailing means freedom and independence.

The plan at this point is to finish sanding the interior, give it a good cleaning, then lay in a lightweight fiberglass cloth. After fairing the surface, I'll turn my attention to the exterior, which is a mess of crazing, flaking paint and gel coat. I think the exterior will get about the same treatment as the interior: a lightweight fiberglass cloth and fairing.

Once the hull is sound, I'll turn my attention to converting the CD10, originally a rowing version, to a sailing dinghy, cutting a slot for the centerboard and building a trunk. Unless I can get some information from other CD10 owners, the centerboard size and location will involve a little guesswork. I've gleaned enough pictures off of the internet to make a pretty good guess, but it would be nice to have some detail shots of the centerboard trunk and a few measurements.

After all that's done, it will be time for paint. When will that happen? Jake asked basically the same question and I gave the project a one-year timetable. We'll see. For the moment, we're having fun.

And when it ceases to be fun, there will always be swinging, ladder golf, bike riding, fishing, relaxing in the hammock, swimming, climbing trees....

Ah, summer. Yes.

First sail of 2008

2008-06-17T10:30:00.004-04:00

Father's day arrived a day early.

I managed to get Ariel's rig tuned and other items taken care of on Friday so she was ready for the first sail of 2008 on Saturday. The day couldn't have been nicer. A gentle 10-12 knot breeze blew from the south out of a clear blue sky, the temp was about 70, and the water flat.

What a way to start the season - and celebrate Father's day. (Dad, you should have been here!)

Launch day arrives

2008-06-01T09:22:00.005-04:00

Ariel splashed at 2 pm on Wednesday after the usual pre-launch flurry of activity. Launch was uneventful, just the way I like it. I moved Ariel off the fuel dock and to a transient slip for a couple of hours while I stowed some gear and got her anchor on board.

I needed to rig up the docklines at our marina before taking Ariel over, so I ran home and picked up the lines - and Jakob, who was excited Ariel was finally in the water. Jake and I inflated the dinghy and prepared the slip (our marina has ridiculously high cement docks with abrasive edges that chew through docklines. The height also equates to leads of 45 degrees or more down to the boat, making the geometry to chocks and cleats all wrong. We solved the problem by wrapping a length of chain around the cement pillar that supports the dock. The docklines are then attached to the chain, providing a relatively chafe-free attachment point and much better geometry).

By the time we were done rigging the docklines, it was 4:30 - time to pick up Josh from the babysitter. We did that, returned to our marina where we left the car, then the three of us walked the mile or so to West Basin Marina and Ariel. What a trip! Jake was "tired", so I ended up carry both boys almost the entire time in 90 degree weather. All three of us were drenched in my sweat by the time we got to Ariel.

We tied up at The Waterfront around 5:30 and got home about 6:00 in time for supper. The boys were great, and Jake even helped pick up a spring line. He's getting more and more useful every day; perhaps we'll keep him.

Details, Details

2008-04-20T21:44:00.005-04:00

As of Saturday evening the side curtains are fabricated and attached. I ended up using the pattern for the port side to create both side curtains to ensure that they'd be identical. I was in a hurry and didn't take any pictures of the construction. The process was much like the other panel construction.

Mom and dad were here for the weekend, so dad and I went over to the boat today to work out the attachment details for the front panel. I'd purchased some PVC channel material from Sailrite last week, so we determined the mounting locations. One section of track will mount to the aft end of the seahood, just under the traveler. The other will mount on the port deck just beneath the traveler. I brought the seahood home to over-drill, fill with epoxy, redrill and tap for final mounting. The holes in the deck will have to wait until I get an angle attachment for my drill or rotary tool that will allow me to get under the traveler - my current angle attachment is too big.

Sailrite's awning track:

Fastening the forward edge of the dodger to the deck with snaps or twist-locks is standard practice, but neither dad nor I like the idea of projections cluttering up the deck when the dodger's off the boat, hence the awning track idea. The track requires creating a boltrope along the edge of the dodger, but sewing as one continuous piece along the dodger would make it difficult to install or take down. Borrowing an idea from some dodger construction pictures floating around the internet, I decided to create zippered panels that attach to the boltrope on one end and the dodger on the other. Then, installing or removing the dodger is a matter of zipping the front panel in place. Much simpler - not to mention slicker.

Test Fit

2008-04-14T18:17:00.003-04:00

I had the day off so Jake and I removed Ariel's cover and reinstalled the dodger frame to do a test fit. I need to determine just how best to attach the dodger's edges to the boat. I'm not eager to use a bunch of snaps, so I think I'll order some awning track from Sailrite and boltrope material so attach the majority of the front panel to the traveler bridge. The dodger is wrinkled in all of the pictures because it isn't secured along the forward edges, but the pictures give a basic idea of the final appearance.

Zipper-flap-thingie

2008-04-11T17:49:00.003-04:00

Mother Nature is toying with my emotions. The weather service is forecasting snow tomorrow and ice on Sunday, so it doesn't look like Ariel's cover is coming off any time soon.

Before cleaning up my mess in the living room and dining room, I added a flap to the aft edge of the dodger that will allow us to quickly attach a cockpit shade. I cut a piece of Sunbrella 50" long and 1-1/4" wide to match the rear curve, attached one half of the zipper, and added binding to all of the edges. I then sewed the piece to the dodger top.

Nearly There

2008-04-10T19:56:00.004-04:00

A major part of the construction is complete. The dodger is now ready for the frame and final fitting on the boat.

I got the top and front panels assembled a couple of days ago, and just this evening I added the trim along the aft edge and installed the rear zippered sleeve, which I cut shorter than Sailrite directed so it wouldn't interfere with the side windows.

Here are a few pictures of the fit so far. The dodger fits good and tight between the forward and aft bows. The wrinkles on the sides will (should) disappear when the front panel is tightly attached to the deck and the sides are finished and secured. Moderate tension in the right spots smooths it out nicely. Once the weather cooperates, I'll peel off Ariel's cover and reinstall the frame, fit the dodger, and take some final measurements to determine side curtain size. I have patterns, but I'm rethinking their size.

I omitted Sailrite's tail piece, as they call it, a flap designed to wick water away from the dodger's underside. Instead, I'm going to add a zippered flap to the top of the aft panel, right near the rear bow. This flap won't do much to wick away water, but it will allow us to quickly connect a cockpit shade that will be secured aft, most likely at the backstay. I arrived at this idea only recently, so I'll need to order a couple more yards of Captain Navy Sunbrella. The shade, and its ease of installation, will be a major plus during those scorching windless summer days.

A couple observations about the Sailrite kit:
- Include zipper terminations rather than melting or whipping teeth
- Attach the forward zipper from the aft sleeve directly to the top panel - there's no need to add the complexity of cutting the tabling strip in half, installing the zipper in that, hemming the ends, adding a 1/4" fold, then stitching the assembly to the top panel. Next time (if that happens), I'm stitching the zipper to the top panel with a piping piece sandwiched between for reinforcement.
- And while I'm on "next time," rather than construct the dodger out of four separate panels - top, front, two side panels - why not make it out of two: a top panel long enough to create the side panels, with a nice fair curve along the aft edge; a front panel that doesn't terminate at the dodger frame and mounting point, but one that runs aft, right into the top panel (side curtains).
- Patterning: pattern all pieces on the frame, one on top of the other, carefully transferring match-up marks. Oh, yes, don't use the cheap plastic junk that Sailrite includes in their kit; use Canvex(?).
- It's not necessary to follow the kit's steps in order. In fact, doing so makes it incredibly difficult to do detail/finishwork on the panels. I didn't follow Sailrite's suggested order, and instead worked with the panels separately, a much simpler proposition.
- Beef up thread size. V-92 is probably sufficient, but why not either upsize the thread or buy a stronger thread - such as Profilen?
- Use contrasting thread for accent. I assumed that the kit would come with white thread, but instead it came with black. I considered going with white, but decided that using a less visible thread would be a better option for an amateur, who might not always make the most even stitches. In retrospect, I'm to the point where I feel fairly confident about being able to stitch prettily enough, so I should have gone with it.
- With all of that said, the Sailrite kit is very complete, the directions are clear, and it's a great introduction to the art and craft of dodger making. Their designs, and the amateurs that produce them, are better than many professional dodgers I've seen. With a bit of tweaking, one can have an even more professional looking dodger. I'm very happy with Sailrite, and I will patronize them again.

Panel Assembly

2008-04-08T17:41:00.002-04:00

Basting tape ready for vinyl trim along forward edge of top panel.

Vinyl trim prior to sewing panels together.

Top and forward panels joined together.

Detail of forward seam and binding. Seam includes top panel, vinyl trim, front panel, and zippered sleeve.

Forward trim secured.

Detail of forward trim.

Top and front panels assembled.

Hiccup

2008-04-01T15:08:00.004-04:00

Last night it dawned on me that there was a potential problem with the aft zippered sleeve interfering with the side panel window. Sure enough. It turns out that the sleeve is supposed to be secured in the area where it overlaps the window. I appear to have two options: terminate the sleeve above the window, or reduce the witdh of the sleeve. Terminating the sleeve above the window is probably the easiest option, but what I don't know is if doing so will prevent the dodger from fitting snugly in the lower part of the side panel. I loathe the thought of a wrinkly, loose-fitting dodger, especially after all the work. The alternative, reducing the sleeve's width, might be a better route, but it may make it difficult (or impossible) to secure the dodger to the aft bow since the sleeve tolerances would be so narrow.

Anticipation

2008-03-31T14:49:00.002-04:00

Now that the major pieces of the dodger are taking shape, it's nearly time to begin assembling the panels. Last night I constructed the two zippered sleeves that attach the dodger to the forward and aft bows. Tonight I'll cut and bind the tabling strips that form the small flap that extends beyond the dodger's aft edge - I'll probably add zippers to that piece as well to give us the option of adding a zip-on awning for the cockpit. Other steps will have to wait until I get a shipment from Sailrite - a yard of SurLast to reinforce and protect the aft edge of the dodger, Sunbrella facing to trim out the inside edges of the windows, and another yard of Captain Navy Sunbrella to use for the side curtains. Once those parts are in place, it will be on to final assembly.

Dodger Panel Construction

2008-03-29T23:39:00.011-04:00

With the drifter project completed and some minor sail repair on the Yankee jib out of the way, I got back to work on the dodger kit that dad and I had started back in the fall. Resuming the project after being away from it for so long required at least a few hours of mental preparation as I did my best to recall how we'd gone about patterning and cutting the panels months ago. Once I felt confident, I cut the remaining pieces - 2 tabling strips to reinforce the aft edge of the dodger, and a sleeve for the front bow zipper.

With that done, the instructions indicated that "now is a good time to install the windows," and that was about it - not much in the way of just how to go about it. Fortunately, I'd purchased Sailrite's "Constructing a Dodger" DVD a few years ago, so I reviewed the relevant sections and began working on designing the windows for the front panel.

Although the Sailrite DVD suggests designing the windows on the Strataglass, then adhering each one separately to the back of the fabric with basting tape, I decided that I'd be more comfortable drawing my design on the front of the fabric - with all of the necessary stitch, fold, and cut marks - then position the Strataglass on the back and cut along the lines to reveal the window material. The window design for the front panel came together nicely and allowed me to simply sew one long piece of Strataglass to the panel, then make the cuts in the fabric to reveal the windows. To ensure a smoother finish and allow a little more flexibility, I cut the window material into three separate panels once it was stitched in place. My hope is that the cuts will allow the panel to follow the contours of the deck and the frame more smoothly. The pictures below demonstrate some of this process.

Center window pattern and measurements.

Port window measurements and design.

Fabric cut away, revealing window, and edges finished.

Detail of lower radius.

Detail of corner and stitching.

Completed front panel windows.

This morning I went back to work on the top panel. I really like the look of windows in the shape of inverted triangles on either side of the dodger, so I set about to add them. I managed to take more pictures of this process since I was more comfortable with the process and wasn't so worried about wasting nearly $200 of Strataglass.

I made a few measurements of the dodger frame before beginning to ensure that the side windows were located as high as possible without being too high - I wanted them to begin just below the bend in the bows.

Side window measurements and design.

Cut Strataglass ready to begin stitching to back of fabric. Checking for size.

Securing Strataglass to fabric. First row of stitches along outside edge of window material.

Outer row of stitches completed. Strataglass secured to fabric now and ready to be exposed. (Dashed line within inner triangle represents location of grab bar)

Fabric removed, exposing Strataglass.

Cutting reliefs and folding the fabric under itself to finish the inner edge.

Ibuprofen cap worked well for forming the corner radius.

Material folded and ready for row of stitches along inner edge.

All three corners folded and ready for stitching.

Laying down inner stitches.

One window sewn in place (back side), one to go.

Both windows sewn in place and inner edge of Strataglass trimmed.

The boy made off with my ruler and pencil.

One of the hazards of spreading out my mess in the middle of the living room is that both boys are always eager to "help".

Jib Repair

2008-03-27T19:19:00.004-04:00

Dad and I dragged the Yankee jib out of the bag Sunday evening and made some repairs. The stitching along the luff was chafed through in places, exposing the cable. I restitched it in the worst spots, then decided to add new material along the luff to reinforce the seam. I had some 3" luff tape on hand, so dad creased it while I removed the jackline and snaps. I laid down a row of straight stitches as close to the luff wire as possible, then a row of zig zag stitches along the edge. I stayed up until I'd finished seizing the snaps and eyes back to the sail. With Emiliano Marino's book perched on the footstool in front of me, I followed his illustrations until I had the seizing process down. My hands were red and sore by the end, but it was fun. I'm guessing that the seizings will outlast our thirty-year-old sails!

I need to order a new Swedish snap to install near the head since this old snap is worn.

Drifter Done

2008-03-21T11:15:00.005-04:00

Between watching the boys and taking care of other business around home, I was able to spend some time finishing the drifter. Wrapping up the construction included:

1. A line of straight stitches along the inside edge of the boltrope
2. Securing the head thimble to the sail
3. Installing two brass rings with whipping at the head and foot
4. Adding leather chafe protection at the head, tack, and clew
5. Installing spur grommets along luff
6. Installing Swedish snaps along luff

I grossly underestimated the amount of time involved in all the handwork. What I thought would take about 4 or 5 hours was almost double. Watching the boys while trying to finish the sail contributed to the extra time, but not by much.

Here are some pictures of the final steps.

Clew (with obligatory blood offering)

Swedish snap installed on luff

Head with reinforcement and snap

My handwork isn't the prettiest, but it should be effective. With more practice my handwork should look better.

I said in my previous post that I wasn't going to add the snaps just yet. After thinking about it and considering the geometry of the sail, I decided that the sail wouldn't set well without being hanked to the forestay. So, rather than fuss with adding snaps in the middle of sailing season, I took care of it now.