Herreshoff ARIEL II

The decade after the market crash of 1929 was undoubtedly tough on the yachting industry. Even the venerable Herreshoff Manufacturing Company (HMC) in Bristol, RI saw a sharp decline in new orders. With few notable exceptions, the construction of new sailboats continued sluggishly, the majority of contracts being 12 1/2s, S-Boats, and smaller racing dinghies. However, the construction of new power yachts ceased almost completely, with less than two dozen built throughout the 1930s, many of those being smaller launches.

One of these was ARIEL II, a 46 ft. power cruiser-style yacht built for William Woodard in 1931. Designed by Sidney Herreshoff, ARIEL II was a slight modification on an earlier HMC yacht, STROLLER. Similar to many yachts of the same period, ARIEL II was drawn with simple, yet elegant features. From her nearly plumb bow to the gentle tumblehome aft, ARIEL II's profile illustrates a yacht of classic character and style. Her resemblance to other yachts of the era quickly become irrelevant when realizing the craftsmanship and detail that went into both her original construction by Herreshoff Manufacturing and her reconstruction at Ballentine's Boat Shop.

ARIEL II was originally built with little expectation of lasting three quarters of a century. Fortunately, because of efforts by previous owners, ARIEL II was saved from the fate many of her yacht peers faced. Her restoration was completed with the intention of ARIEL II not only being a vessel cherished by her current owners, but to be enjoyed by generations to come. ARIEL II rests her winters in heated indoor storage upon a spring-fed gravel floor. She is easily viewed with an appointment.