Yet another Alberg design - Our Sea Sprite

[bhartley]

I headed out to the lake today after lunch to find not a breath of air anywhere. Big disappointment! 75 degrees and not a cloud in the sky.

I spent the afternoon cleaning and taking pictures of Ariel (our Sea Sprite 23). I know that we will have to put her on the market soon. I hate when people list their boats with tarps half off, full of clutter and covered with grime. She has been such a wonderful boat. I know that we will love the new Cape Dory 25D -- if it ever gets a name... Then again, maybe my husband will decide that three full keel boats is not too many for one couple!

In the meantime, here are some pictures of her looking pretty - Ariel Sea Sprite 23 #527

[Rachel]

Bly,

Niiiice! Gleaming clean :-) What a beautiful boat. That upswept sheer in the stern almost makes her look like she has a little bit of Rhodes in her, along with the Alberg :-)

And I love it when a mast lands right on deck, instead of on the coachroof. It looks great and is functional too. I realize why most boats nowadays extend the coachroof, but it drives me nuts to be working the mast way up "on the roof," with the lifelines down below me like little ants, they're so far away.

I'm curious: Did your boat always have a motorwell? Or did it once have an inboard? I ask because I can't recall ever seeing an off-center motorwell, and also I noticed what looked a bit like an inboard-covering motor box just below the companionway.

And let's hear about your mast crane if you have time; that looks interesting.

It's so obvious from your photos that you've restored a project boat: You included photos of backing plates and other things of similar interest to people like us :-) Nice slide show.

[Tim]

Nice boat! I love Sea Sprites. I've seen several project Sea Sprites come and go on Ebay or elsewhere, and am often tempted.

I'm sure you'll have no trouble finding a good home for her. She looks like a nice complete package.

[bhartley]

Rachel,

The original design called for a small diesel but very few were built or still exist. Many of the original Sailstar Sea Sprites have no provision for a motor at all. The Wickford built SS's (like mine) have the port side outboard well and lazarette on starboard. The Ryder SS's (last ones built) have a center well that is HUGE and the outboard protrudes into the cockpit.

Most SS's sit a little bow down due to the lack of the diesel weight in the original design. I have a pile of lead pigs I keep meaning to put under the gas tank shelf in the starboard lazarette. The only problem it really causes is that water accumulates on the seats along the bulkhead when it rains.

We're hauling Ariel Thanksgiving weekend. I'll take a few pictures of the gallows in action. It works quite well. Not quite as simple as a crane and yard workers -- but its a heck of a lot cheaper!

Bly


Sailstar with no well at all.


Wickford with no outboard in place. I removed the hatch cover as it was always open and looked odd.


Ryder's are center mounted with a gas tank locker under the starboard seat.


I saved the lid and the teak pieces are removable should I or someone else want to change it back. The hatch used a piano hinge so the aft piece of teak is covering 20+ holes.


This guy has his outboard radically modified to fit entirely in the well.

[Rachel]

Thanks for the motor-well info, Bly, and especially the photo comparisons.

--- R.

[AJ]

Beautiful boat, Bly! Thanks for sharing those wonderful photos with us. And keep working on your husband, after all, three boats isn't *really* that many... when you think about it... ;-)

AJ