Namesake

The Ariel was a clipper ship famous for making fast voyages between China and England in the late 1860s.

The Ariel was a full-rigged ship of 853 tons net register, measuring 197.4 feet x 33.9 feet x 21 feet. She was designed by William Rennie and built in 1865 by Robert Steele & Co., Greenock, for Shaw, Lowther & Maxton of London. Like most tea clippers, she was composite-built, of timber planking over iron frames.

The Ariel is most famous for almost winning an unofficial race between Foochow, China, and London with the first tea crop of the 1866 season. Premium prices were paid for the first consignment to reach London. The clipper Fiery Cross left Foochow on 29 May and the Ariel, Taeping, and Serica on the 30th. On 6 September, Taeping docked 20 minutes ahead of Ariel and about 2 hours ahead of the Serica. The Fiery Cross and Taitsing arrived two days later.

Taeping, owned by Captain Alexander Rodgers of Cellardyke, Fife, drew less water than Ariel and was able to tie up at the London docks 20 minutes ahead of Ariel, Captain Keay, 99 days, and almost 16,000 miles out of Foochow. Taeping divided her winnings of 10 shillings per ton with the crew of Ariel, and Captain McKinnon divided the captain's £100 with Captain Keay, who hailed from Anstruther.

With the completion of the Suez Canal, the tea trade was taken over by steamships, and most clippers transferred to the Australian trade, carrying general cargo to either Sydney or Melbourne and returning with wool, for which a premium price was also paid on the first shipments of the season.

The Ariel sailed from London for Sydney on 31 January 1872 under the command of Captain Talbot, but failed to arrive. Around August 1872, the remains of a teak-built ship's lifeboat carrying a brass fitting with the Gothic-scrip letter A were found on King Island in Bass Strait. It was believed to have come from the missing vessel, which, if the assumption was correct, probably foundered in the Southern Ocean after rounding the Cape of Good Hope.

Setting a Date

This has actually been the hardest decision for us to make. It is a balancing act between saving for retirement and leaving soon enough to be reasonably fit and in good health. The financial advisers warn those contemplating early retirement that medical insurance until Medicare kicks in at the normal retirement age is extremely expensive.

Neither of us has retiree medical insurance. Linda lost hers when her employer totally revoked the benefit and, in its place, added a small amount to her 401 (k). I lost mine in one of the many corporate reshuffles I have otherwise survived. I could work just another year plus and again qualify for retiree medical insurance, but that would delay our departure by two years, since we could not leave until the fall of the following year. It sounds enticing, but the trend has been to shift more and more of the premium burden to the retiree, and I don't have confidence that the program will not be dropped in the future.

In the end, we decided not to wait for this benefit and to struggle through the gap with individual insurance plans. 

So then what happens in 2007? I will reach the 30th anniversary mark with my employer. This is special because I can then draw a full unreduced pension. The timing could not be better. My anniversary is in August, and we want to leave in September.

Linda is already retired. She retired when we moved from Ohio to Massachusetts. She no longer had a career as such, but a job with little opportunity for advancement. During one of the campaign periods for an increase in the local school levy, they restricted school buses to the state minimum of outside two miles from school. We lived just within a two-mile radius, so Linda gave up her position in the Trust Department and accepted a part-time bank teller position with the same employer to be closer to home and have more flexible work hours. Within a couple of weeks, bus service was resumed, but the change had been made, and she was never considered for a position in the Trust Department again. Over time, she was assigned to branches farther and farther from home. It was an easy decision to retire when relocation provided another good excuse.

For me, I am not so anxious to retire as I am to pursue our dream while we can. For the last 10 years, I have been a consultant configuring SAP software. This is project work, which, by nature, is very demanding, with long hours and a high level of travel. It is also extremely rewarding as the teams, conditions, and challenges are constantly changing. If we did not have this dream, I would not even think of early retirement.

Counsels from Water Rat

From The Wind in the Willows, a classic of children's literature written in 1908 by Kenneth Grahame

`This has been a wonderful day!' said he, as the Rat shoved off and took to the sculls again. `Do you know, I`ve never been in a boat before in all my life.'

`What?' cried the Rat, open-mouthed: `Never been in a -- you never -- well I -- what have you been doing, then?'

`Is it so nice as all that?' asked the Mole shyly, though he was quite prepared to believe it as he leant back in his seat and surveyed the cushions, the oars, the rowlocks, and all the fascinating fittings, and felt the boat sway lightly under him.

`Nice? It's the only thing,' said the Water Rat solemnly, as he leant forward for his stroke. `Believe me, my young friend, there is nothing -- absolute nothing -- half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats. Simply messing,' he went on dreamily: `messing -- about -- in -- boats; messing -- -- '

`Look ahead, Rat!' cried the Mole suddenly.

It was too late. The boat struck the bank full tilt. The dreamer, the joyous oarsman, lay on his back at the bottom of the boat, his heels in the air.

` -- about in boats -- or with boats,' the Rat went on composedly, picking himself up with a pleasant laugh. `In or out of 'em, it doesn't matter. Nothing seems really to matter; that's the charm of it. Whether you get away, or whether you don't; whether you arrive at your destination or whether you reach somewhere else, or whether you never get anywhere at all, you're always busy, and you never do anything in particular. When you've done it, there's always something else to do, and you can do it if you like, but you'd much better not.

Look here! If you've really nothing else on hand this morning, supposing we drop down the river together, and have a long day of it?'

Boat Tour – Guest Cabin

The guest cabin is on the port quarter. This features a double berth which extends under the cockpit. We have changed this area significantly from the original design. Island Packet included a small sink in a slide-out drawer under a lift-up top in the cabinet. While interesting and functional, this just wasn’t a practical use of the space for us.

We removed the sink, water supply, and drain lines. We re-routed the hot water line to the cockpit shower, which had previously been cold-water only. This involved adding a mixer in the cockpit to regulate the water temperature. We converted the sink drain through-hull to use for the generator exhaust water. We then built a teak desk that slides out just as the sink did, and it also has leaves that fold out to create a reasonably sized work area. The desk was designed primarily as a station for the laptop computer. When the laptop is not in use, it is stored safely in the desk compartment.

We finally added a chair for the desk. This chair uses a pedestal system that allows for easy removal, leaving a plate flush with the cabin sole. While guests are aboard, the chair is stored at the helm in the cockpit. Guests, of course, now use the single-head sink in Ariel.

This compartment also includes a hanging locker. While rarely used as such, this space is used to store a toolbox and a wet/dry vacuum, both of which are too bulky for other storage areas but are now readily accessible.

Generator Installation

The biggest project we undertook was installing a generator. We get many of our ideas from the Island Packet Discussion List, a forum for exchanging ideas via email hosted by Sailnet.com, and from Islandpacketphotos.com, a site hosted by Hayden Cochran, also an IP owner. We had been searching for a small generator at a reasonable cost. We were drawn to a 4.2kw generator made by Entec West. The size and price were right, and they are very supportive of owner installation and maintenance. We made the decision and traveled to the Annapolis Boat Show to see the model in person and place our order. We immediately started creating a space for it on Ariel. We decided the best location was directly under the helm. This is on the centerline, which we felt was important since the generator with sound enclosure weighs 234 pounds. This space was already occupied by

the hot water heater. We took a radical approach and moved the hot water heater all the way forward to a space under the berth. It just fit through the opening. This meant re-routing the water lines and running electricity to the water heater to the new location. Normally, the water is heated from one of two sources. While the engine is running, the engine cooling system will provide heat to warm the water through a heat exchanger. The second source is 120-volt AC power, provided by shore power or a generator. We decided not to route the hot water from the engine all the way forward, but since we now have a generator, we can produce hot water anytime using 120-volt AC electricity. The space now occupied by the hot water heater is not readily accessible, as it is under the mattress, so we felt it was an easy trade-off.

The generator needed a solid base, so during the winter, a base was constructed to beef up the existing platform that previously supported the hot water heater.

Most of the work during the installation was focused on the supporting services. A new through-hull was installed to provide cooling water. Just after the through-hull, a new strainer was installed to filter out any debris that may be drawn in. A new fuel line was required and well as a fuel return. We designed a fuel system that included a fuel filter identical to the one used to support the main diesel engine. We also designed a manifold that permits the main engine or generator to use either fuel filter. If one fuel filter becomes clogged, we can immediately switch to the other, continue on, and then change the dirty fuel filter later.  We also had to install the cables from the starter battery to the starter motor. The generator shares the same battery for starting with the main engine. We added the control panel, which is mounted in the cockpit. This particular one will shut down the generator if problems are detected, such as overheating or low oil pressure.

We added the electrical wiring, which required a set of circuit breakers to prevent sourcing 120-voltt AC from shore power and the generator at the same time. We added the exhaust system, which required routing the exhaust through a water lift muffler and then to the transom, where a new exhaust port was added. Marine engines mix the cooling water and the exhaust. We knew this would create a splashing sound, but decided to try the system one season before deciding whether we needed an air-water separator. The air-water separator does exactly what the name implies. It separates the air and water and then routes the exhaust air to the transom exhaust port and sends the water to an underwater through-hull. The following year, we added this feature. While the generator has its own very good sound enclosure, we decided to add another layer of sound insulation to the area where the generator would be installed. Finally, we lowered the generator into place, using a chain fall attached to the spare halyard. This operation went smoothly, and after making the final connections and bleeding the fuel lines, it started quite readily. We have been very pleased ever since and are very satisfied with the sound level. The unit produces 35 amperes, which can power everything we have on board, but not all at once. We added an amperage gauge at the electrical panels to monitor our consumption and the generator load. Access to the generator for maintenance is through the starboard cockpit locker. The sound enclosure is removed as shown in the first photo to provide access.

Tucked Away for Winter

Ariel is now ready for its final winter in the Northeast. It is a required ritual in the north to prepare for winter and, of course, in the spring to re-commission for another season. There is actually quite a list of tasks, all of which are extremely important to avoid damage from freezing and severe weather. We had a custom cover made in the first year we had Ariel. In addition to keeping the freezing rain and snow off, it also protects it from the sun and from boat yard hazards such as paint overspray. We remove all items that could freeze; many of these are items from the head and from the galley. We put antifreeze (pink pop) in all of the systems. The engine, generator, and air conditioning units all use seawater for cooling. This seawater has to be replaced with antifreeze. The water tank and the hot water heater are drained, and the antifreeze is run through all of the fresh water lines. This antifreeze is non-toxic, so in the spring,g the lines are flushed and are ready for normal use. All other systems are also winterized in the same fashion. These include the head, wash down system, and sump pumps. We then open compartments and place cushions on end to allow air circulation. On the exterior, we start maintenance at the bottom. In the spring, we will put on new coats of bottom paint. This is paint with a high copper content, which helps prevent marine growth. The propeller (Autoprop) is greased to force out any water that may be inside the hub. We scrape the few barnacles that have accumulated. Barnacles attach to any metal surface, so the prop will have several. Once all of this is done, Ariel is pretty safe left alone. We check on things about once a month during the winter. This gives us a chance to see if any water has accumulated in the bilge, and if not frozen, it is removed. We also run the battery charger to keep the batteries left aboard topped off.

Those are the tedious details of putting Ariel away for another winter. But this year is very special for us, as this is the last time we will go through this process. The alternative to all of the above is to take the boat to a warmer climate. So stay tuned, as next year we will do just that. Now we have the long winter to endure. We will turn our attention toward cruise planning and start putting some more details around the dream.

Boat Tour - Main Cabin

The main cabin is both our living and dining rooms. Much of our storage space is behind and under the settees. The locker on the starboard side is where we keep our foul-weather gear and our coats. In front of the locker is our laundry bag. This is one of the trade-offs, as there is just not enough space for this in any other compartment.  We have two air conditioning units, under the forward-most portion of the settees on both the port and starboard sides.





















The dining table is shown below in both the up and down positions. This is a wonderful design, as it is so easy to put away when not in use, which really opens up the space. For the two of us, we use it as shown. When we have guests aboard, the table folds open again to double in size. The navigation station and chart table are just visible in the picture with the dining table in the down position. This area really doesn't get much use as we have our instruments and radar/chartplotter at the http://helm. Without a seat back, this area just isn't very comfortable to work at for more than a few minutes. We have solved this by adding a work desk in the guest cabin, which we will review in a future post.

Boat Tour - Galley

The galley features a three-burner propane stove with oven, a double stainless steel sink with hot and cold water, a microwave oven, and a large refrigerator freezer. This is a roomy space with good lighting and good ventilation. Visible in the foreground is a fold-down counter which, when up, provides additional counter space, which is at a premium. The cabin sole (floor) in this area is fiberglass and gelcoat, which makes for easy cleaning. This space is at the base of the companionway (entrance), so it is also a good area to remove wet clothing. The refrigerator/freezer box is split about 1/3 freezer and 2/3 refrigerator. We keep the freezer at 0 degrees and the refrigerator at about 40 degrees. The refrigeration unit uses seawater for cooling and does not have a fan, so it is very quiet
and very efficient. One of the improvement projects we undertook was adding insulation to the interior of the box. We added custom-made vacuum panels and then a new fiberglass covering. We lost a little space, but the gain in electrical efficiency was well worth it. We keep the most frequently used items in the galley area, but food supplies are also stored in the main cabin. One nice feature, not visible in these pictures, is that the waste basket is mounted in a roll-out drawer under the galley sink. Since we have an inverter (which converts 12V battery power to normal household 110V), we use some regular appliances such as a toaster, blender, and coffee maker.

Boat Tour - Forward Berth

This is our cabin. It is quite roomy. The bed at its widest point is between a queen and a king. Linda makes custom sheets beginning with a king-size flat. She adds a pocket for a drawstring to tighten the sheet under the mattress. Forward, the mattress sides follow the shape of the hull, so without some way to tighten and hold the sheet, it would slip off forever. Just forward beyond the pillows is access to the anchor locker, where the anchor chain and rode are stored. The mattress is hinged in the middle, and the lower half of the bed lifts to access a large compartment we use for linens. There are also drawers under the bed and cabinets on both sides, hidden in this camera angle. There are shelves on both sides and additional lights and fans above the pillows. There is one opening hatch overhead and two port lights with shades.

Exercise

Thomas asked his grandma about exercise while cruising. This is a great question and one we have wrestled with. Right now, before cruising, we both walk frequently. Even while at the boat in the marina, we take time to walk for exercise. We also both like Palates.
While cruising, we expect walking to be a mainstay for exercise. Since we will not have a car, walking will be our main way to get around once we get to shore with our dinghy. We will walk for exercise and to explore, but we will also walk to the laundry, to the grocery store, or to a restaurant. We will also be lugging around that laundry and those groceries.
Some cruising areas actually organize some activities, such as volleyball, and so we will check that out. Pilates will be difficult as there is barely enough open space on Ariel to do this. At best, we will be able to do this one at a time, being careful to keep within the defined space. We do have some resistance bands on board, which we may try. So far, neither of us has had much luck with them. Overall, we expect this to be a more active lifestyle.

New Activities

We are always planning ways to live with much less space once we move aboard. Linda is planning on giving up her cross-stitch and her knitting. She has been knitting Afghans for Foster children for the past few years. This is an activity that a group in our neighborhood does, meeting on a weekly basis. To replace these activities while living on Ariel, she is taking up sketching. She just enrolled in lessons a couple of weeks ago with a local artist. Her favorite pastime is gardening, which she must give up. While we now live in a condominium, we have plenty of space for gardens. Linda has beautiful perennial gardens, both sun and shade. She will really miss the gardening and will look forward to taking it up again once we move back off the water.

Introduction

We are Norm and Linda. We are in the final year of preparations to move aboard our sailboat, Ariel. It is hard to know exactly when we decided to begin our retirement years exploring the East Coast of the United States and the Caribbean on a sailboat. It was an evolutionary process over a period of years.

We have been sailing for about 15 years. We began our sailing experience in Sandusky, Ohio, on Lake Erie. Later, we relocated to Massachusetts and, for the past several years, have made Portsmouth, Rhode Island, our home port.

One of the most difficult challenges was finding the right boat for us. We read all the sailing magazines, visited the boat shows, visited many boat yards, and had many discussions with other boaters, and became very confused by all the options. Finally, we made a list of the features we wanted in a boat for the type of cruising we had planned. Once we did that, the sailboats made by Island Packet Yachts became the very obvious choice for us.

In 1999, Island Packet introduced the IP380. Even before the first hull was shown at the Annapolis boat show, we knew this was the boat for us. In 2001, we purchased what would later be named Ariel. Ariel is hull number 103. Since then, we have been equipping and preparing Ariel for the day we will move aboard.

Ariel Christening (still at dealer's lot)

Receipt of Delivery Day