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svascension
Sailor
USA
11 Posts |
 Posted - 04/09/2009 : 15:42:32
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Looking seriously at a 47' Pacemaker woodie. I have gotten warned off by waaaay too many people about wooden boats in general.
Can a woodie owner actually tell me what the big REALLY is. I have heard that they are uninsurable( Not so, Boat US will) and unsellable (I want to own it, not sell it). The biggest things are unknowns to me (I owned a steel boat for 10 years and it is a mainetnance problem but no more so than anyhting else on the water).
My questions are about the practical day to day stuff. Do they need to be hauled twice a year and painted, is mold a particluar problem in the South and are they always ready to leak or break?
Is the day to day maintenance that much differnt than steel or fiberglass?? I have assumed that paint and regular up keep are the key. The boat I am looking at has a new mahoganey bottom and ribs and new monel fuel tanks.
Thanks I want go into this eyes open so any warnings from real woody owners would be apreciated. Russ |
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Morning Wood
OLD SALT
USA
429 Posts |
Posted - 04/09/2009 : 19:10:09
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I absolutely Love my Wooden boat. BUT!!!!!!! It is a total financial negative return. More so now than ever before.
The fresh water from rain will rot a boat's topsides,window frames cabin corners etc. Basically any place that water can intrude there will be rot. If you keep your wooden boat in a covered slip you have a chance. The hull if in salt water is not the problem. The salt pickles the wood. The areas that rot normally.... You guessed it,are above the waterline due to fresh water intrusion. Near the rubrail down about 2 planks there will be ROT. Then the electrolysis issue will eventually compromise the fasteners,thru hull fittings, and the wood itself where it makes contact. Shaft alleys,rudderports,strut fasteners and the area around them will be soft as if the wood gets black and soft. To fix these problems correctly involves removal of planks,interior cabinetry and liners. It can become a nightmare. If you have never ripped the guts out of one and repaired it then you have no idea how time consuming this can be.
I am being very candid with you.. This is not the kind of experiment to see how handy you can be and the Hell with it.
There are many boats out there for sale that are not projects and can be bought right.
And don't fall into that trap of someone saying it is just wood and it's easy.That is how some people have drown.
There are many half ass fixers out there that will cover up bad wood on a hull and put plywood over or put glass on it and pretend they have fixed the boat.If you want a floating static display then fine. But would you buy a patched up boat with that kind of repair. Run her in a continous 3 foot sea and watch her hull fail. Do yourself a favor and hire a surveyor. Then look at what it will cost to bring the boat into service to satisfy insurance standards.
That is the minimum standard not a Bristol boat.Then look at the out of pocket cost for things you can do with your expertise then a professional. Then add in the time it will take you.
If you still want a boat then call me. I have a 43 Egg Harbor I will sell you today! And it is in better shape than when she was built.She has been shed kept 24/7 for the last 16 years. BUT...
I do all my own work and the boat cost me out of pocket each year 5 to 7 thousand dollars before she ever leaves the slip. That includes railway ,slip rent, insurance, and preventative maintenance. The boat is paid for.
Steel and glass don't need the constant attention a wood boat does. I have been there and done that for 30 years. There is no cure for boats as you know. It is worse than Crack. At least you can sell Crack. Again just my .02. Good Luck you poor boat sick puppy.
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Morning Wood
OLD SALT
USA
429 Posts |
Posted - 04/09/2009 : 19:23:51
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One more thing. You mentioned in the south.The worms and other goodies love wood boats. You MUST haul at least twice a year to keep the worms from eating her up. So add that fee into the equation. The sun will molest any varnish work you do. So keep a brush in one hand and varish in the other if you go that route.
I know the guys well at Rybovich in Palm Beach. The hired crews on these boats varnish monthly to keep the UV filters intact. Why own a wood boat if you can't show off the wood.
If a wood boat gets a leak and the pump fail she WILL sink. The water will eventually weigh the boat down to the area above the waterline where the planks are not swelled together. So that is 47 feet of boat X2with just one unswelled plank. By then the water amount will overwhelm most portable fire pumps. Anyone who has baby sat their boat in the slings until she swells up know this feeling. So make sure your pumps and your batteries are in good shape. Now are you sure you want a wood boat? |
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Xccentrc40
Sailor
USA
455 Posts |
Posted - 04/12/2009 : 08:34:50
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financial negative return !!! love it. and yes a big BUT. i'd take a wooden hull over most any boat,,unless were talkin american marine grand banks.friends family have said i was nuts for getting involved with a wooden hull,it has consumed alot of money i have gained alot in the education department i am very greatfull for the chance to enjoy the whole ball of wax.im not one of the jump aboard turn the key crack a beer and go boater.i want to know her workings{which would apply to any boat i would own} i have gotten to know her to well if that can be said.i know i'm the last owner of my boat, said that from the onset of getting her.i still say its not work though,labor of love or just sensless waste of time and money its someone else's adjective,i feel a real part of that boat with the battle of keeping her sea worthy,,,,i would get another woodie before a glass boat.now if i can sell my house n get aboard her i just might be happy.anyone looking to move to lovely south lake county indiana? lol.
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Morning Wood
OLD SALT
USA
429 Posts |
Posted - 04/12/2009 : 14:27:07
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This truely is the site for Misfit Toys. Amen to the cause. I don't care what anyone says my wooden boat has a soul. Not mine. I sold that to the devil when I bought her. |
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gidget28
Buccaneer
38 Posts |
Posted - 02/08/2010 : 18:22:27
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| ihave had wooden boats inthe past i traded my car for a 66 38ft criscraft. alot of upkeep, if its not in great shape to begin with. i just bought another woodie, 40 pacemaker in very good condition, i will stay on top of her to keep her in great shape(im a paint contractor!) but if you dont have expierence with wood , be careful. |
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1974 Woodie 47'
