Winter Cover

Work has begun on a winter cover for Ariel. With my wife’s blessing and some extra cash from Jake’s piggy bank – college isn’t that important, right?! – I phoned Sailrite and placed an order for their Deluxe LSZ-1 PP zigzag/straight stitch fancy-shmancy sewing machine and forty yards of Surlast fabric. Now, a week or so later, I’ve constructed the ridge pole – Ariel is mast up this winter – made my measurements, and begun sewing the panels together. So far things are looking good. It’s too bad we didn’t get an earlier start on the cover, but it took some mental preparation (and scraping) to order the machine and fabric. So, now it’s a race to get Ariel covered before winter wreaks her havoc.

An In-Progress Account of Constructing a Winter Cover:
1. Construct a ridge pole that will support the winter cover and provide enough pitch to easily shed snow.
a. Based upon the design of other – professional – winter covers at our marina, I decided to locate the ridge pole approximately level with the gooseneck (Ariel’s boom is off, although some boat covers are designed to utilize the boom for support). This height creates an adequate slope and yet is low enough to avoid excessive windage, which was a concern since we get some fierce winter storms with high winds here in Michigan.
b. Several 2x4s with overlapping joints were screwed (scabbed) together to span the distance between the aft edge of the mast and backstay, and the forward edge of the mast and the headstay. I sandwiched the stays between the ridge pole and a scrap of wood with thru-bolts to hold the ends in place, being careful to not to apply too much clamping pressure on the stays.
2. Begin preliminary measurements and design work:
a. Using a hull diagram from the CD36 manual for my schematic, I took some rough measurements:
i. boat length from stem to stern, including bow and stern pulpits
ii. distance between the backstay and the aft edge of the mast along the ridge pole
iii. distance between the headstay and the forward edge of the mast along the ridge pole
iv. distance from the mast to the stern and bow pulpits
v. distance from the ridge pole centerline* to the lifeline tops at five** foot intervals
vi. distance from the lifeline tops to the rubrail
vii. distance from the rubrail to the bootstripe
b. * My plan was to run the fabric panels perpendicular to the boat’s centerline. Doubling the measurement from ridge pole centerline to lifeline top provides total panel length (plus seam allowances) at each interval.
** I had already decided that I was going to use a fabric that is 60” wide when I began taking measurements, hence the width measurements at five foot intervals along the ridge pole. Any other fabric width would require measurements at corresponding intervals.
c. I sketched the several panels on the diagram and calculated their total length plus seam allowances.
i. After consulting Don Casey’s Cavaswork and Sail Repair, I decided to use flat-felled seams for all the panels. Not only is the flat-felled seam better looking – and a must in areas without selvage – but I thought it might be a stronger stitch than a simple double- or triple-sewn 1” overlap. This type of seam is undeniably more work, but the finished look and hopefully added strength are well worth it – not to mention all the experience I’m getting!
ii. Flat-felled seams with an initial 1/2” overlap result in 1” of fabric used per seam. When joining two panels, this means that each 60” panel width – actual measurement is 60.5” – is only 58.5” in its finished width. The finished width measurement must be used when determining the number of panels necessary to cover the length of the boat. In my case, this amounted to 7 full panels, plus bow and stern closures.


Flat-felled seam - total of four layers of fabric with initial overlap folded over on itself.
iii. Regarding the length of each panel, I added 2” to each measured panel length to account for the flat-felled seams that will join the cover to the side panels.
iv. To this point, the cover only spans the “topside” dimensions of the hull and does not include the material needed to span the distance from the lifeline tops to the bootstripe, or other arbitrary ending point. With a distance of 26” from lifeline top to rubrail and an additional 30” to the bootstripe, I chose a finished length of 48” for the side panels – although I may choose to extend this as I progress. Regardless of my final length, I must add 1” for the seam that joins the side panel to the cover, and 1 ½” for the final hem that will enclose a drawstring to conform the cover to the hull contour.
v. All that said, I estimated my required yardage to be around 40. As the project nears conclusion, I’ll find out just how good of an approximation that is. In the meantime, I’ll keep my fingers crossed.
3. Begin cutting the panels according to the longest length necessary in each panel. Due to the shape of the boat, it is likely that the panels will be irregular, with one end of the panel longer than the other. For example, one of the panels for Ariel is 146” long at the forward edge and only 130” long at the aft edge. This means that my minimum panel length must be 146” if I am to have enough material to span the hull at that point and match the adjoining panel properly. As the panels are cut, ensure that the edges are square to avoid uneven seam lines later on.
a. With two panels cut, mark the center of both panels.
b. On one panel mark a series of marks along the panel’s length ½” from the edge (or selvage). These marks will be used to locate your overlapping panel.


Marking the panel edges with a 1/2" margin prior to basting.
c. Apply basting tape within the ½” marks along the length of the panel.
d. Align center marks on the two panels and begin adhering the two panels together, working from the center out, and aligning the overlapping panel with your ½” seam marks.
4. Sew the panels together using a 6mm straight-stitch. Sew a single stitch down the center of the seam, locking both ends by backing up over the stitches.


Straight stitch right down the center of the basted seam.


Locked stitches at both the beginning and end of a seam.
a. Handling a substantial length of material can be difficult, especially as three or more panels are sewn together, so rolling the panels together like a scroll can help with feeding the material through the machine as well as keeping the seam flat and wrinkle free.


Panels rolled to ease feeding through the machine.
5. Flat-fell the seams using the same 6mm straight-stitch along the exposed fold.


Sewing the first line of stitches along the fold
6. Sew another stitch approximately a ¼” from the first row of stitches to capture the fold on the inside of the cover.


Second stitch in the seam finished.


"Captured" inner fold during second row of stitches in flat-felled seam.
7. Continue sewing panels together. Depending upon experience and confidence, it may be wise, after sewing together three or four panels, to test fit the cover and mark the cutouts for the mast, shrouds, and any other obstruction rather than assembling to whole thing only to discover that your measurements weren’t quite right and cutouts need to be relocated or otherwise modified.
8. Once all of the panels are sewn together, spread the cover out flat on the floor and mark out panels lengths. Draw a fair curve using a long batten to reproduce an outline (approximation) of the hull shape. Cut along outline.
9. Fabricate panels for bow and stern enclosures.
10. Fabricate vertical panels that will conform to the hull’s sides.
11. Sew in hem for drawstring along panel bottom.
12. Sew webbing attachment points for tie downs.
13. Sew in reinforcement patches for ridge pole and lifeline tops.
14. And….experience will show me what I’ve overlooked!

Gratification

It's always a joy to reap the rewards of a job well done.

Two years ago I installed a fuel polishing/filtration system aboard Ariel with the hope that our fuel problems would be a thing of the past - or at least not an interruption to cruising. And now, days of worry-free hours logged on the engine hour meter, I can happily (and confidently) say, problem solved.

After a lively six-hour sail from Holland to South Haven with a 25+ knot wind on the nose and rambunctious seas, "Old Blue" - as we now affectionately refer to our Perkins 4-108 diesel - ran without so much as a hiccup and brought us safely into harbor at South Haven. In the morning, prior to departing South Haven, we did our usual systems check and discovered that the primary fuel filter had accumulated a significant amount of crud - a layer of sludge lining the bottom of the bowl. In less than fifteen minutes I had the filter changed and the engine purring, and the best part was...no bleeding necessary. Flip the valves on the fuel system, change the element, turn on the Walbro fuel pump to prime the system, and crank the engine. It's that easy. That's the way cruising ought to be: uncomplicated.

Splash!

Ariel splashed on Friday, June 17. After a frantic week of sanding, waxing, painting, and a last minute thru-hull rebed (oh yeah, and closing on a new home the 16th), Ariel was finally sitting smartly in the water - what a sight!

Countdown to Launch - Projects

Ariel must be in the water no later than June 20 - ideally, some time closer to the 15th to allow for at least one shakedown cruise. Looking at the calendar, noting that there are only seven days til the 15th, it would be an understatement to say that time is running short, especially after spending nearly two days working on a project that should have only taken a few hours.

Sunday morning I pulled all of the wires out of the mast and began working on attaching them to a cable (essentially a boltrope) that runs in a track inside the mast. (We had ordered sail slugs from Rig-Rite that allegedly fit in the track but they were far too big, necessitating some improvisation.) With all the wires secured, a new run of wire for the deck/steaming lights, and the new radar scanner mounted, the mast was stepped yesterday (Thursday). I was unable to attach the radar cable to the internal cable, so I reused the pipe foam and insulated the cable that way.

I believe it was Monday that I began repairing the bowsprit in preparation for the new Spartan rollers. Prior to any installation, though, I had to epoxy teak blocks to the end of the 'sprit to lengthen it enough to prevent the aft end of the roller assembly from contacting the stem fitting. Yesterday, I sanded and shaped the prongs that the rollers mount to and, after some careful work with the Dremel and Fein Multi-master, bolted the rollers in place. And my are they beefy!! The repair looks good and I'm very pleased with how things turned out. A large piece in the center section that I had epoxied in place prior to winter required some sanding and shaping, but it turned out great too. I have yet to reinstall the threaded bolt the runs through the 'sprit and draws the laminated strips together. Once that's in I'll have to set some bungs, lightly sand the 'sprit, and cetol.

Wednesday I spent about five hours chiseling out the toe rail for our new mid-ship cleats. Although the job wasn't too difficult, it was rather stressful. I measured and re-measured, shaved a bit then test-fit the cleat (repeat and repeat) before finally shaping the starboard toe rail to nearly a perfect fit. The port side took about half as long since I had a better feel for just how much I could cut out without going too far. I drilled the holes and mounted the cleats yesterday. Again, drilling was rather tense. Due to the proximity of the cleat to the hull, drilling (not to mention placement of the cleat) requires some forethought and precision. Drill at the wrong angle, and you'll either drill straight into the hull laminate, or, worse, you'll drill right through the hull. Drill the holes at too sharp of an angle (inboard), and you run the risk of deforming the bolts to the point of breaking as you tighten them. Place the cleat incorrectly, and you just might drill into a hull-to-deck bolt. It pays to plan and measure and plan and measure - and take your time. I'm thrilled with the way the cleats turned out. Fantastic.

First Official Day of Summer Vacation

I submitted my final grades this morning around 11 o'clock, and yesterday the faculty concluded our three-day post-session, so I am now officially on summer vacation. Unfortunately getting to this point has been fraught with complications (some my own fault, others not) and disappointment. Where to begin?
In addition to my long list of things to do on Ariel, I now have pressing matters to deal with at home. We're preparing to move to a new home, so beyond all of the paperwork and stress that comes with that, we also need to get our current home ready to rent. To complicate matters even further, I smashed up our new (to us) 2003 Camry thanks to a deer. So, now we're back to the old cars that were the reason for purchasing the new Camry! Six thousand dollars and a couple of weeks and the Camry should be out of the shop. My disappointment is tempered by family and friends who tell me the accident could have been a lot worse (I'm sure the deer would disagree).
Enough complaining; we're blessed to be able to move and I'm happy to be alive. This too shall pass.

Little to do with Ariel

Today is one of those days that northern sailors long for: blue sky, a gentle breeze, temperatures in the high 50s…the beginning of spring. The urge to dash over to the boat, peel back the cover, and begin commissioning is almost irrepressible; however, I must exercise of bit of maturity – i.e., postpone gratification – and spend the afternoon prepping and grading due to my week-long hiatus to England for the academy’s annual Educational Tour. Sadly, this piece of writing is the closest I’ll get to messing about with the boat for the next couple of days – perhaps a small price to pay for the luxury of traveling England for ten days at virtually zero expense.

We departed for England on March 17th and spent the next ten days visiting the requisite locations: London, Hastings, Stratford, Canterbury, Oxford, Bath. It was a bit of a whirlwind tour, but as an English teacher these were all sights that I probably should have visited years ago; teachers who have seen and experienced their subject exude an enthusiasm and knowledge otherwise deficient. I was especially thrilled with our visit to the reconstructed Globe Theater on the banks of the River Thames. I have often told my students about the Elizabethan/Jacobean stage and the magic of the theater, but it has never been as alive as it is now that I’ve seen it, stood at its center and gazed at the “wooden O.”

Also especially awe inspiring were the several castles that date 700 to almost 1000 years ago. Bodiam Castle, located in East Sussex, is the quintessential medieval castle, complete with moat, towers and battlements, and a romantic rural setting.

Although I could continue telling the wonders of England, I’ll let a few pictures tell the story.

Bodiam Castle








Holy Trinity Church, Stratford, Shakespeare's Burial place

Bottom Work

I had some time yesterday to get some work done on the boat, so I went to work scraping Ariel's hull. In four hours I managed to remove almost all of the ablative paint. Once all of the ablative is off, it's time to sand the barrier coat down to gel coat.

There are only a couple of "small" spots remaining to be sanded/scraped.








I'm anxious for more time to spend messing about with boats.