Out of My Mind?

[David M]

If you want to spend lots of money and spend lots of time in the yard and at the dock working on a wood boat, then a wood boat is perfect for you.

That does not sound like what you really want to do though. It sounds to me like you would rather go cruising.

[Amfivena]

By way of encouragement:

Wooden vessels 'work' best with a full time crew living aboard tackling problems as they arise. Ongoing maintenance is constant, if not relentless, however none of it is rocket science. Stay on top of it all and the total time/effort isn't much more than fiberglass hulls. Living aboard a wooden vessel shouldn't be much different than any other boat. Wood is, IMO, the most comfortable hull material for human habitation. However, if you fall behind on maintenance the boat will quickly deteriorate to an economically worthless condition - so...

By way of discouragement:

A boat that size for $17K is likely well past the point of practical recovery. Not to mention resale value will be null and any money you put into it (and it WILL take ALL your available cash + a couple credit cards) will be lost.

Having said that, boating for me is primarily an esthetic/emotional/romantic thing and I lust after most of the wooden boats I see. Kind of like I miss my Land Rovers despite the constant maintenance, even though my current KIA minivan which in addition to being problem free, gets close to twice the MPG, has more space, is quieter and more comfortable.

[Inthewind]

Are you sure that you want to make that boat your life, and I am talking every waking moment of your life. I can understand you being infatuated with a really beautiful wooden yacht, who wouldn't. I would like you to take into account the expenses of such an endeavor.

Look, I have a 41 foot boat that I having pretty much restored to it's current lovely state and it is made out of fiberglass,I didn't have near the restoration problems you will face with a wood boat. I have often wondered if it was worth the time, effort and money involved and the answer that I tell myself is yes.

When your talking a very old wooden boat, that's almost like saying...I am going to open up a can of worms and I don't care what it cost, I am going to fix it??????are you crazy???unless you have an unlimited amount of time and money, STAY AWAY FROM IT.

Have you figured in the insurance cost, the slip rental, the time your going to have to invest??? What about a repower, not to mention the woodworking and paying someone to help you do it. My point being, are you sure you can afford it??? Is it going to get old and you wish you never purchased it? I love beautiful wood boats as much as the next guy. The fact of the matter is that I have a forty one foot fully restored boat with thousands invested that I love and it's totally paid for free and clear, but even still the expences are still very expensive. I could not even imagine an old wooden boat restoraton, I could'nt afford it.

Before you make any decisions, think long and hard about it it, because your looking at a money pit that may keep you from ever doing what you dream of doing which is cruising on oceans. Go for a fiberglass boat and don't loose sight of your dream. Don't open a can of worms... litterally.

You don't have to take my advice, your entitled to make your own mistakes. Good Luck in your decisions. You asked for advice, I gave it to you. Cheers