The restoration of the classic wooden sailing yacht Ariel, an Angelman Davies cutter built in 1953, was a lengthy project that lasted from 2011 until August 2018. The video below highlights the intricate work that went into restoring this iconic vessel. Restoring such a yacht typically requires meticulous attention to detail, craftsmanship, and a thorough understanding of wooden boat construction, such as repairing or replacing planking, frames, and fittings while preserving the design’s historical integrity.
Ariel is named after a famous clipper ship that nearly won the 1866 Great Tea Race. Built specifically for the Transpacific Yacht Race (Transpac), she was designed to tackle the 2,225 nautical mile course from San Pedro, California, to Diamond Head, Hawaii. Known for exhilarating downwind sailing under spinnaker in trade winds, this historic race, hosted by the Los Angeles Yacht Club, first started in 1906. In the 1950s, the fastest boats took around 11 days to complete the Transpac, making it a benchmark event in offshore yachting.
History
In 1951, Alexander McCormick, inspired by his Transpac victory with Sea Witch (designed by Angelman and Davies), requested a new racing yacht. Angelman, a veteran designer, created Ariel, drawing on Sparkman & Stephens’ Stormy Weather but with a shorter stern. Ariel, launched in 1953, did not win her first Transpac and went through multiple owners and deterioration before being found in 2011 by Franz. He committed to a full restoration, addressing extensive termite and structural damage, eventually extending the stern by 22 inches to recreate her original elegance.
The Angelman Davies Cutter, designed in 1953, is a classic wooden yacht renowned for its timeless craftsmanship. Angelman cutters were designed by Hugh Angelman and Charles Davies, known for blending beauty, seaworthiness, and practicality. The Ariel cutter, one of their iconic designs, has a full keel, a traditional cutter rig, and is built for long ocean voyages with excellent balance and control under sail. Restoring such a vessel preserves not only its aesthetic charm but also the exceptional naval architecture of mid-20th century wooden boats.
Ariel measures 52 feet in length, 12.8 feet in width, and 36 feet at the waterline, with a net weight of 16 tons. These dimensions, combined with its sturdy design, make it well-suited for both stability and maneuverability on long ocean voyages. The restoration and rebuilding of such a yacht preserves not only the beauty of its craftsmanship but also its capability to endure the challenges of the sea.
Restoration Part 2
Final
ARIEL AFTER RESTORATION
- Ariel has been rebuilt from the “waist” up. The rudder and keel are the only original parts
which have been retained. - The deck, bulkheads, furniture, etc. were all removed first.
- 116 bronze floor sections were removed, sanded and checked, and only two needed to be
recast. - Most of the original bent Oak frames where removed. The new frames are laminated Asian
Hardwood. - To accommodate this, a steamer was built under the boat, to bend and laminate the frames
in place with the addition of the West System Epoxy and CPES. - Following the lead of the Sparkman & Stephens restorations, the boat now has double
planking – 5/8” of Western Red Cedar inside and 5/8” of Mahogany outside. - The original teak deck slats were used whenever possible and a layer of lightweight African
marine ply installed over them, with a further layer of marine ply epoxied on top. - The original teak furniture and deck hatches had to be replaced because of the loss in a
fire at the factory that were tasked with sanding and revarnishing, so I re-constructed
all of the internal furniture in mahogany. - Ariel now has a new hollow Sitka Spruce mast, new boom and spinnaker pole
- New Westerbeke 55 engine and a ZF gearbox.
- The weight of the whole boat is now estimated to be 16 tons, the original design net weight,
compared with 19 tons when she came out of the water with all the junk that had
accumulated over the years. - Also, a newly built 8-foot lapstrake dinghy is included.
GENERAL INFO
| Designed by | Hugh Angelman and Charles Davies |
| Built by | C. E. Chapman, Costa Mesa, CA, 1953 |
| Boat type | Classic Wooden Cutter Rig |
| Length | 52 feet |
| Width | 12 feet 8 inches |
| Draft | 7.5 feet |
| Net weight | 16 tons |
| Year Built | Rebuild | 1953 | 2011-2019 |
| Owned by | F. Hartstein |
| Asking Price (Neg.) | USD 590,000 |