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BareFtGrl · 09-10-2011, 08:30

I agree Rakuflames! Ours is in the water and ready to go so we can get the practice in that we so desperately need to become skilled at sailing. If she were on a trailer, we'd have no use of her as we haven't got the kind of vehicle to tow her with. Also..I think putting her all the up and down time to get a boat in and out of the water (mast up and down - on and off the trailer) would really put a damper on the fun of going out for perhaps a sunset sail.
We had a beautiful boat in the slip across from us forlorn and forgotten...but just last weekend, when we arrived at the marina...she was out of her regular slip and receiving some much needed love and attention at the end of the dock (newly cleaned hull and topsides.) I think someone with dreams in motion bought her. Warmed my heart!

mhans · 09-10-2011, 08:56

Quote:

Originally Posted by Piney

Any one of yours local marinas has literally thousands of beautiful sailboats just rotting away in thier slips, completely neglected. I just dont get it..

My Grandfather sold his last boat in the late 80s. He had been cruising for forty years, never a year without his own boat. But, the years caught up with him and it got to be too much to deal with. So, even though it may have been one of the most difficult decisions of his life, he did the logical thing and sold it to someone he knew would take the helm and keep her running.

We have a fundamental emotional attachment to the wind and the waves. The thought of removing our connection with that may be too much for some of us to handle. I may be overly sentimental but, I am not sure I could ever accept that check.

zeehag · 09-10-2011, 11:22

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rakuflames

I know people who are assiduous about varnishing their bright work and who sail a great deal. The guy likes to varnish and knows that keeping the brightwork done improves the whole appearance of his boat. He lives on his boat and takes care of his boat just as people who live on land cut their grass knowing it's going to grow right back.

the sails a great deal thing means what, 3-5 times per year?? i found folks who are intent to varnish do not leave on extended tours, merely TALK about it. if the varnish is so bludi easy, then why not go cruise! i do mine the old fashioned, dont have to show off way-- with sea water and oil. i donot have to sand, no mess from wood dustto constantly clean, and no wasted 10 coats of goop tha tinvariably is befouled by some flying critter landing in the omg wrong place. it takes many hours and many days to waste on this task. boats oiled after a good salt water cleaning sail more than boats being varnished to show off the wood--also, boats varnished have many slickery surfgaces that prevent proper sailing of the boat. slipnfall places nmot naturally slippery. i use my rails to gain height=-- varnished, i would die. the oiled after sea water washing method yeilds non slippery surfaces for not just my self, but fopr crew and my cat so we donot have that part of the worry of falling overboard.
varnished wood is great for a yacht clubbie/dock queen than for a much used cruiser. practicality and safety first.

if that doesnt strike home--how about the amount of teak wood lost with each between varnishing ==== as pricing is upwards of 100 dollars per board foot for good teak, i thing is much wiser not to grind it off with a sander.

less make work, more time on board and in use.

Therapy · 09-10-2011, 14:16

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dick Pluta

I'm lucky in that I have the few months to spend aboard. I feel sorry for the guy who bought a boat and came to love her but, for whatever reason, can't spend the time but still holds out the hope that, one day, he will go down to that boat and go somewhere.

Dick Pluta
AEGEA

Tears coming.......

mrohr · 09-10-2011, 15:17

Many people buy into the dream of ownership..........then comes the reality.

callmecrazy · 09-10-2011, 15:19

I haven't seen a single boat leave the dock in this marina in over a month. Only a couple powerboats going out for fishing... All types.

Therapy · 09-10-2011, 16:16

Quote:

Originally Posted by mrohr

Many people buy into the dream of ownership..........then comes the reality.

Heh.

.....

Rakuflames · 09-10-2011, 16:38

"
Quote:
Originally Posted by Rakuflames

I know people who are assiduous about varnishing their bright work and who sail a great deal. The guy likes to varnish and knows that keeping the brightwork done improves the whole appearance of his boat. He lives on his boat and takes care of his boat just as people who live on land cut their grass knowing it's going to grow right back.

the sails a great deal thing means what, 3-5 times per year??"

No. That's not what I mean. If I had permission to name the name you would probably recognize it.

WHO would call sailing 3 - 5 times a year "a great deal????"

You'll just have to take my word for it. I know someone who varnishes his bright work and sails a great deal.

bugmon · 09-10-2011, 17:01

Quote:

Originally Posted by MichaelC

It is a side effect of the modern era. Fiberglas boats will stay afloat no matter how badly they are ignored.

...... this !

Carl-T705 · 10-10-2011, 09:57

I'm glad my boats are in my backyard, I couldn't bear the weight of knowing I've ruined everyone's boating pleasure by having to view my derelict projects by the sea shore. Still the management enjoys the steady slip rent every month. Gee , I'll have to check with my neighbors, maybe I'm ruining there time at home on the weekends as well. What a newbie, I didn't know peeling brightwork is enough to become the scorn of the marina. There is a brightside though, you don't have to feel as bad when you pilfer something off an aging unused boat in the next slip!!!!

webejammin · 10-10-2011, 10:33

I think a lot of folks waite too long in there lives to buy a boat and either get sick or too old and weak to use them. The sailboat across from us has been setting still for a long while then one day we saw the folks just looking at it and putting there yearly state tab on it and I talked to them, They said: They had made a mistaque and built a huge deck on there house and had become too lazy at home to want to sail but still love the dream. As the sail covers rot away and I can't imagine what the condition of the sails are in by now, and the teak decks are an eyesore. Yesterday a couple came crusing the dock and ask about the boat, they sail they have the same boat in the Baha and was looking at buying another boat in WA so they had another cottage to hide from hurricans so gave them the owners number.

Seven Seas · 14-10-2011, 15:33

ask a marina owner? Many deadbeats don't keep up on their slip fees and walk away.

zeehag · 14-10-2011, 16:03

just learned that once a boat here is abandoned, no one is allowed to touch it for a great many months as the process is started..is international. by the time anyone is able to do salvage or restoration, there is so much rot that the job is hardly worth the effort. is truly sad.
folks start their cruising dream and when something happens, they just give up and run home, leaving their boat to rot. there are folks who put theirs up for sale, but many just leave them.

svHyLyte · 14-10-2011, 16:11

Quote:

Originally Posted by mrohr

Many people buy into the dream of ownership..........then comes the reality.

I think this is very true. When we bought our current yacht, I had a hard time parting with our earlier boat--and so actually had two boats for about two years. The amount of work, tho', got to be too much and we finally put the little boat up for sail, asking about what we'd put into a major refit in the months prior to 9/'11.

The first fellow that looked at her bought her for only a few hundred less than my offering price as she was Bristol and shiney despite being 26 years old. He didn't know how to sail, however, but was enthralled with our logs of trips to Mexico etc. and had visions of far horizons. We offered to help him and his wife "learn the ropes" but he was sure he could do it on his own. I will not go through the litany of difficulties he suffered in the early months of his hard-headed ownership. Leave it be said, however, he earned the nick-name "crash" in the marina and the harbor master repeatedly told me how much he appreciated my selling the boat to "that bozo". Eventually the fellow became discouraged with his mis-adventures and finally stopped coming to the marina so our, once near perfect, little yacht fell into a terrible state of disrepair. At one point I heard that he wanted to sell the boat and referred someone I knew that was interested to him but he could not tolerate the idea that he might sell the boat for substantially less than he had paid to someone referred by me. He let the boat sit idle for another two more years but finally sold it to a young guy for less than 15% of what he'd paid me. That kid cleaned her up, replace the canvas and fixed the teak, polished her and sailed the hell out of her here before her took her back to California, where she had started 30+ years earlier. Thank goodness for that, eh?

FWIW...