A Renovation Story

[Jon D]

As one of the folks who mostly chimes in on sailing stuff I figured I should help the topic with this little tale as a perspective on what a task bringing a larger boat back can be.

A Major Renovation Story:

Due to Circumstances beyond my control [that’s my story and I’m sticking to it] we found ourselves boat-less during the winter of 2000. We had that sailors dream come true when a buyer calls you up and says “I understand you have a Frers 36, I’ve been looking for one for over a year can’t find a clean one will you sell yours?” Well who am I to say no. Later that spring a broker my wife had met at the fall boat show">Annapolis boat show called with another buyer for the Frers but it was already sold. That prompted the what do you want next conversation. Answer nothing saving our money for a cruising boat. Next question was well what would that boat look like. Answer – sails like a Santa Cruz 52, is as comfortable as a Little Harbor or Alden and cost less than $250,000. Now all of the boats mentioned were in excess of 800,000 used. Well long story short in June same broker calls me up and says ‘hey got a boat you need to see – how you react will tell me what you really want”. Dam bought said boat.

Our goal was to go cruising full time about 6 years later in 2006. This is what we had to do to get the boat ready to my standards for leaving. The boat is a 1985 Moody 47 Custom that up to us had only one owner. Boat over all was in good shape but needed some updating. Which was way more than I thought.

Coming out of survey process [hull, rig, engine] there were a number of items that needed to be done right away per the survey. Boat did not have usable holding tanks so we also had to address that scenario.

· Replace All Standing and Running Rigging
· All New Norseman Fittings
· All New 1X19 Wire
· Replace Steering Cables
· Replace Aft Holding tank with Lectrasan
· Install new 30 gal. Holding tank Forward
· Install Galvanic Isolator
· Rebuild Rudder [remove skins, new foam, reseal]
· Install Spurs Cutter
· Install PSS Dripless Shaft seal [stuffing box]
· New Max Prop 19” [replacing 2 blade that had a harmonic vibration]

During this same time we elected to replace the working sail suite as all the sails were very tired and I’m an ex-racer so I like sails that really work. They all appeared to be original to the boat so we added:

· New Main
· New 140% Genoa
· New Asymmetrical

We used the boat for the fall sailing season that year and got started on learning what sailing a bigger boat is really like. Unfortunately or fortunately depending on your point of view the regulator went south on our last cruise of the year and toasted the batteries, and battery charger with a voltage spike. That drove us to look at supply side and battery storage system. This resulted in the following.

· 12v Supply side replacement
· New Main Battery Bank –12 Rolls Batteries – 840 amp hours
· New Vital 270 amp primary alternator
· New Vital 135 amp secondary alternator
· Install Link 2000R Regulator for primary
· Install In-Charge Regulator for engine start
· Prosine 2.0 Inverter Charger
· Replace Engine Exhaust Hose [this is a result of when the battery box was out could inspect and see the hose which was starting to dry rot]
· Upgrade Windlass Circuit Breaker and remote
· New Master Switches, Terminal strips, wire, etc. as necessary

Of course it is a boat and the ports leaked, needed normal engine maintenance, and stuff broke over the 2001 season and we needed to

· Repaired leaking fixed ports (all six)
· Replaced both throttle and shift cables
· Normal stuff

At the next boat show as the aft cabin master bed was in pretty poor shape we treated ourselves to a New Handcraft Inner Spring Mattress to be delivered in the spring of 2002.
Also on the fall of 2001 list was the big project. We knew when we bought the boat we would have to replace the teak decks with either new ones or convert to glass decks. Well glass decks won and the boat went on the hard in November of 2001 and was being worked on until Labor Day of 2002. This task required stripping everything off the deck and refinishing the deck including adding a complete layer of glass on top of the surface that was already there as when the deck came off the pulled the gelcoat off with the teak. When we took the teak off we were impressed there was no moisture in the core.

· Removed teak decks, rebuild so ready for Alwgrip,
· Awlgrip topsides, deck, and mast
· Install new teak decking in cockpit
· Replace all deck hardware with Harken Black Magic cars and adjustable jib leads
· Replace teak hand rails with stainless steel ones
· New Wavestopper Hard Dodger with dual height Bimini
· New Screens
· New Hatch sun covers
· New canvas for all other misc. items

While the boat was in the water but before we got to use it, the following two older systems decided to give up the ghost.

· Replaced main DC motor on refrigeration
· Replaced Condenser and control on Air-conditioning

Well we got the boat back just in time for fall crusing again and got to enjoy the fall of 2002. One of the items that I did not like that the previous owner had done was created a fuel system that allowed polishing [good] but had 16 or so little screw valves you had to open and close in the right configuration to make work. So I

· Reworked fuel system for primary diesel install
· Dual Racor filter set-up with ability to polish fuel from tank.

Also that fall the old Autohelm autopilot quit working so we installed
· New Simrad AP22 Autopilot with remote and new Raytheon Type 2 long linear drive
· Upgrade B&G to include compass

2003 was the first year we could enjoy our new boat and did get some sailing in that spring, however fate got in the way and I had a motorcycle accident that caused us to miss most of the summer and fall. Thanks to a couple of friends who made sure she rode out Isabel with no issues. We did get one trip in before weather precluded sailing – which was great. That winter did some normal maintenance and added the bowsprit to improve the asymmetrical’s ability to get out from under the main.

· Rebuild Battcar system all new torlon bearings
· Add Stainless bowsprit

Sailed the 2004 season and the boat worked great. Plan for that winter was to add davits while the boat was hauled for normal maintenance [bottom paint] however we discovered blisters when the boat was hauled. Did a couple of diagnostics sections which take the glass down to where the moisture disappears and discovered we need to do a real repair. Of course nothing is easy on a boat so putting the davits on required strengthening the transom, which meant the generator had to come out. Generator was in pretty poor shape rusted etc so decided to replace it while it was out. Also to get the boat ready for live aboard use we decided to increase storage by converting hanging lockers to dressers. We also for safety reasons added non-skid to the deck where it slopes up from the aft lazarettes to the center cockpit. That winter as cruising is getting closer we did new cushions in the main salon and guest quarters and installed the watermaker so all the plumbing was done in advance.

· Peel Bottom for Blister repair – add 1 layer biaxle cloth and repair with Dow 8084 vinyl ester.
· Add Kato Voyager davits, Kato motor lift and reinforce transom to support
· New Fisher Panda generator PMS 4200 Plus
· Redo 2 closets to dressers and line with cedar
· Add non-skid to “Bob deck”
· Add Lewmar opening port over galley stove
· Repair Refrigerator Box
· Replace all dome lights
· New Interior Cushions Main Salon / Forward Pullman Double
· New Watermaker – Sea Recovery 300 gal/day not installing membrane so warrantee does not begin until membrane installed

2005 was use the boat as much as possible as we a going cruising in 2006. Had a great season and focus was on sailing and adding to the cruising equipment list. Also installed the wind generator before our trip to New England.

· Add new secondary anchors and rhodes [Spade A140 & Fortress FX37]
· Install KISS Wind Generator on Pole
· New #3 as primary offshore sail

Winter of 2005, which is upon us, was time to haul the boat again and address the last major challenge which was making sure the old Perkins was ready for full time cruising.
I called this the engine update.

· New water pump">raw water pump, hoses, belts, clean/replace heat exchangers [coolant, oil, transmission], new exhaust elbow, motor mounts, coupler, rebuild injectors and high pressure pump, etc. If it is external to the block we looked at it.
· New engine sound insulation

So far that is what it is taking us to get ready. Of course buying, stocking, cataloguing all the spares you need to be self-sufficient. As of February 2006 that’s where we are at and getting more excited, as we get closer to casting off.

Now all that’s left is the stuff… house, cars, etc.

[capt lar]

What has it cost to date ? Larry

[ssullivan]

Wow, Jon. What a comprehensive story of your restoration. I know your pain!

I have had to do many of the same repairs, all in one winter. I'm sure the boat is a beauty now.

Congrats on doing a top-notch restoration of the boat. Any photos for us?

[capt lar]

Let me rephrase my question to ask, if you were starting today, would you go about it the same way ? Do you think the investment in time and money was well spent when compared to buying a new, or almost new, boat of similar quality ? Are there specific projects that were disproportionately expensive and might have been avoided ?
This decision to buy old and fully upgrade is a great one. We can certainly gain alot from your hindsight view on the experience.

Larry

[Jon D]

capt lar once whispered in the wind:
Let me rephrase my question to ask, if you were starting today, would you go about it the same way ? Do you think the investment in time and money was well spent when compared to buying a new, or almost new, boat of similar quality ? Are there specific projects that were disproportionately expensive and might have been avoided ?
This decision to buy old and fully upgrade is a great one. We can certainly gain alot from your hindsight view on the experience.

Larry

Larry

Would answer your questions this way. Do it the same way - probably.

The market has changed some from when we bought Sirius [now more of a buyers market]. So I possibly could have found something slightly newer for the same initial dollars. I could not and can not afford a newer boat of same quality.

In fact doing a quick Yachtworld search at the high end of what I have into the Moody would not let me buy a much newer boat of equal quality and then outfit her as well for the same net dollars. I think that is due to the impact of the luxury tax which killed boat building in the late 1980s. If that tax had not changed the industry there might have been some additional options.

OTOH by doing the upgrade I know what I have, how it is built and what it can do. The most expensive project was redoing the deck which is no surprise. If I could have found the same boat with teak deck I would do that differently. Unfortunately or fortunately for me my boat is a one off custom that is very different from the standard Moody in many regards.

[markpj23]

Seeing my new life pass before my eyes in Jon's description of his refit. Substitute a mast step repair for the blister job and I expect we'll have an equivalent refit.

Nice to know we won't be the first

Can't wait to get started..!!

[Jon D]

Here are some pics

First View before we bought her


Original teak decks


Decks after


Dodger and Bimini


Wavestopper


Bowsprit


At Anchor in Martha's Vineyard

[capt lar]

The luxury tax caused many builders to fold and created a huge hole in boat production. Try to find a good boat built from 1992.
Your decision to take on such a large project is one that many of us consider. New or almost new boats are amazing expensive (like everything), will face huge depreciation and are really within reach of only the rich. The rest of us are looking at 20 to 30 year old boats and trying to figure out how to find a balance with all the trade-offs. I do agree that there is a tremendous "value" in controlling the work and knowing what you now have.
These days there are plenty of boat "rebuilders", and that suggests there is a good financial reason to do so.

Larry

[Jim H]

Jon,

Thanks for the excellent post and pictures as well. You've earned some excellent cruising on the Moody, and I hope you let us know about your trips.


Jim H

[CaptainK]

Wow Jon D.

She sure doesn't look like she did, like when you first bought her. You weren't kidding when you said that you have put alot of work into her.

I wish you, and your crew a safe and happy journey across the great blue expanse!!

how do you like your wavestopper?
Pro's / con's?

[irwinsailor]

A Great story Jon. I agree that it is nice to know what you have when you are done. I tell people that I use a shovel when handling money for the boat.

[ssullivan]

Wow...great photos. I can see the attention to detail. I agree about the point of doing the restoration yourself, if possible. There's no better way to know your boat inside and out (in case of emergency) than to have crawled through every little nook and cranny.

[Steve Kidson]

As as fellow restorer I share your experiences. I have a 32' Hartley that was a project boat when I bought her; there was nothing below decks, so I had a clear canvas.

It is not always easy or simple, but at the end of the day, very satisfying.

Fair winds



Steve

[Jon D]

xort once whispered in the wind:
how do you like your wavestopper?
Pro's / con's?

Very happy with the wavestopper. gives us a hard top dodger which I can stand on when needed but still let's us remove the panels in hot conditions and the air flows through. The bimini also attaches to it for a full cover.