tophatyachts.com

Hi there
I haven't posted here for a long time, but I have continued to read the forum over the years. I am inspired by many of the posts and enjoy very much reading about everyone's adventures and projects in their top hats.

I was wondering if anyone on this forum is familiar with Ariel, a timber top hat currently for sale on ebay? I have messaged the owner with some questions, but he hasn't got back to me yet. As the yacht is on Lake Macquarie, I thought someone may know the boat or the owner? Here's the link

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/192105523491 ... EBIDX%3AIT

I love timber boats (especially having just attended the wooden boat festival in Hobart), so when I saw the ebay ad' and thought - what! A timber top hat for sale - I have to find out more about it! One thing I am interested to know is that the cabin profile seems to be longer than the mark 0 photos I have seen on this site.

There is also another Top Hat for auction on ebay at the moment - called '1/2 hitch'. Is anybody familiar with this yacht? I live in Tasmania, so am not able to check them out.

Cheers and thanks,
Southerly

Hi Southerly. I have only posted a couple of times. I joined this forum as I was intending to buy a Top Hat. As it turned out I bought a Marieholme Folkboat in superb condition. I have met the owner of 1/2 Hitch and had a quick squiz at the boat on the slip....in Woodford Bay, Sydney..which by chance is where my Folkboat is moored.The yacht appears to be in excellent condition. It has been antifouled in the last few weeks...hence on the slip. The hull apppears on good condition. I believe the boat was last rerigged about 2007 but again rigging appears in good condition. The mast step....Harbour Bridge style was in good condition and shows no obvious signs of rust or deterioration. My impression, though somewhat superficial, is that this is a Top Hat in great condition (given I have looked at a fair few Top Hats) going for a great price. I understand the owner is looking for around $8000. Had I not bought my Folkboat, I would be strongly considering buying this yacht. Cheers Mike

This is Ariel's history as told by Dennis Whitely.

I also believe that Ariel may be the hull from which all other fibreglass yachts originate as it arrived in Sydney just before Baker started producing them.
Baker was very experienced in "flopping off', as they called it, timber hulls and moulds to be reproduced in Fiberglas.
Also the deck shape may have influenced, or been influenced by Geoff Bakers' brother who,for 20 pounds, designed the Mark 1 deck.

Dennis Whitely. [Talking about the Mouldcraft hulls built in Melbourne]
Later more hulls were built and one went to Sydney where I was invited to help. This was “ARIEL” which was fitted out by Harold Yohansen who was a builder of plywood planked folk boats. He and I completed the cabin, which looks like a Mark 1, and the fit out of the hull. ”ARIEL” sailed by Jim McIntosh with the Sydney Amateurs with sail number A30. In July 1979 ”ARIEL” was purchased from by Noel Hopkinson and then sailed at Middle Harbour Yacht Club until his death in January 1995. Devon Jones relocated ”ARIEL” to Pittwater until she was sold again in 2014.

The present owner, Cliff, seems to have withdrawn Ariel from ebay. Was it sold elsewhere?