Advice about a steel boat.

[cempetitinga]

Hello all,

I'm trying to decide in between to buy a used boat or to build it up, I've seen some projects on steel but need some advice
about performance, re-sale value and so.

Thanks,

Carlos

[micah719]

G'day Carlos, welcome to the steel boat minefield.

You might like to check the boatdesign forum, a lot of info there especially from Wynand N, and the metal boat building association on the web; there is a metal society here but seems quiet, though the forum is lively. Tom Colvin has an interesting page, bob & connie here have much experience with his Gazelle, and there is one guy that spent 27 years building a real beauty, can't remember his name & boat at the moment. If you look around a bit, you'll come across it.

Resale? Hmmmm. Depends on a lot of factors.

[highseas]

Check out the Origami steel building method,a simple design yet effective.

[cempetitinga]

Originally Posted by micah719

G'day Carlos, welcome to the steel boat minefield.

You might like to check the boatdesign forum, a lot of info there especially from Wynand N, and the metal boat building association on the web; there is a metal society here but seems quiet, though the forum is lively. Tom Colvin has an interesting page, bob & connie here have much experience with his Gazelle, and there is one guy that spent 27 years building a real beauty, can't remember his name & boat at the moment. If you look around a bit, you'll come across it.

Resale? Hmmmm. Depends on a lot of factors.

Hi micah719,

Tks a lot, I'll look at the webpages you referred.

[gjordan]

How old do you want to be when you can finally go cruising? Most scratch built boats , (of any material ) take much longer and much more money to finish than is ever imagined in the begining. Take a hard look at the econemy of building compared to buying and paying it off in the same time frame as building. If you buy, you can sail and learn during the payoff time and be more ready for cruising when you can get away. I am sorry that this sounds so harsh, but boatyards have many half finished boats that were ment to be somebodys dream cruiser. I am sure someone will give you a complete opposite view point and it will be just as valid as mine, so it will be your decision in the long run.___Good Luck._____Grant.

[maxingout]

A well designed and constructed steel boat with all the proper coatings is awesome. The problem is that it requires years of meticulous effort to do it right yourself, and it is extremely expensive for someone else to do it for you.

I would love to own a new steel yacht for about the first ten years of its life. Then I would sell it to someone else to sort out the challenging maintenance issues that will happen with age.

[cempetitinga]

Originally Posted by gjordan

How old do you want to be when you can finally go cruising? Most scratch built boats , (of any material ) take much longer and much more money to finish than is ever imagined in the begining. Take a hard look at the econemy of building compared to buying and paying it off in the same time frame as building. If you buy, you can sail and learn during the payoff time and be more ready for cruising when you can get away. I am sorry that this sounds so harsh, but boatyards have many half finished boats that were ment to be somebodys dream cruiser. I am sure someone will give you a complete opposite view point and it will be just as valid as mine, so it will be your decision in the long run.___Good Luck._____Grant.

I understand your view point, I'm planing to work for an other 4-5 years so I thought to take this time to slowly building a boat that fits my wishes.

Tks gjordan

[cempetitinga]

Originally Posted by maxingout

A well designed and constructed steel boat with all the proper coatings is awesome. The problem is that it requires years of meticulous effort to do it right yourself, and it is extremely expensive for someone else to do it for you.

I would love to own a new steel yacht for about the first ten years of its life. Then I would sell it to someone else to sort out the challenging maintenance issues that will happen with age.

Maxingout,

Thank you, that information about maintenance costs after some time sounds new for me, but I clearly got the point.

[gjordan]

Carlos, I was just looking at the classified section of this forum, and there is an add that you might want to look at. It is an offer to pay a finders fee for finding a steel boat for this fellow. The responces are interesting. It is scary that the prices are so low compared to what they probably cost to build. Some may be beyond repair(I doubt it) or need lots of work(probably) but almost give away prices.Im sorry that I dont know how to post a link to the add, but if you scroll down the classifieds Im sure you will find it._____Grant.

[cempetitinga]

Originally Posted by gjordan

Carlos, I was just looking at the classified section of this forum, and there is an add that you might want to look at. It is an offer to pay a finders fee for finding a steel boat for this fellow. The responces are interesting. It is scary that the prices are so low compared to what they probably cost to build. Some may be beyond repair(I doubt it) or need lots of work(probably) but almost give away prices.Im sorry that I dont know how to post a link to the add, but if you scroll down the classifieds Im sure you will find it._____Grant.

gjordan,
Thank you very much, I'll try to find it.

[conachair]

Originally Posted by cempetitinga

Hello all,

I'm trying to decide in between to buy a used boat or to build it up, I've seen some projects on steel but need some advice
about performance, re-sale value and so.

Thanks,

Carlos

Good real world book about maintenance and what to lookout for if buying here..
Metal Boat Repair and Maintenance: Your Ultimate Do-It-Yourself Guide by Scott Fratcher (eBook) - Lulu

[cempetitinga]

Originally Posted by conachair

Good real world book about maintenance and what to lookout for if buying here..
Metal Boat Repair and Maintenance: Your Ultimate Do-It-Yourself Guide by Scott Fratcher (eBook) - Lulu

Tks conachair

[roverhi]

I built a fiberglass boat from a bare hull. It is not easy, quick, or money saving. If you want to build a boat, build a boat. If you want to go sailing, go sailing. Don't try and mix the two as successfully doing either is doubtful. The classifieds are full of partially completed boats that the builders have lost interest in completing and/or health or death have brought an end to the dream.

I worked full time on the boat while my wife worked to keep the endless need for funds coming. Exceded the cost of buying a factory built boat within a couple of months of construction as we bought almost all the hardware, etc up front. Bought almost everything at huge discounts at or below what the manufacturer was paying and it still cost more than a factory built boat. We launched in a year minus the tips of four fingers and took another year of living aboard and doing the final finish work. Came up with a beautiful boat that was better built and customized, though not drastically, to our needs. With the time spent building, could have done most of a circumnavigation.

If you have the skills to build a boat, you certainly have the ability to fix any problems you'd find in a used boat. Probably because are afraid of the maintenance issues, steel boats are mostly pretty cheap on the used market. Doubt there is any way you could build one for twice as much as buying a used one. Remember, building the hull is the cheapest and supposedly easiest part of the finished product.

[cempetitinga]

Originally Posted by roverhi

I built a fiberglass boat from a bare hull. It is not easy, quick, or money saving. If you want to build a boat, build a boat. If you want to go sailing, go sailing. Don't try and mix the two as successfully doing either is doubtful. The classifieds are full of partially completed boats that the builders have lost interest in completing and/or health or death have brought an end to the dream.

I worked full time on the boat while my wife worked to keep the endless need for funds coming. Exceded the cost of buying a factory built boat within a couple of months of construction as we bought almost all the hardware, etc up front. Bought almost everything at huge discounts at or below what the manufacturer was paying and it still cost more than a factory built boat. We launched in a year minus the tips of four fingers and took another year of living aboard and doing the final finish work. Came up with a beautiful boat that was better built and customized, though not drastically, to our needs. With the time spent building, could have done most of a circumnavigation.

If you have the skills to build a boat, you certainly have the ability to fix any problems you'd find in a used boat. Probably because are afraid of the maintenance issues, steel boats are mostly pretty cheap on the used market. Doubt there is any way you could build one for twice as much as buying a used one. Remember, building the hull is the cheapest and supposedly easiest part of the finished product.

Roverhi,
Today i had answered many of my questions concern to build or buy a boat, tks for that for sure It will help me to make my decision.

[cempetitinga]

Originally Posted by cempetitinga

gjordan,
Thank you very much, I'll try to find it.

Gjordan,

I found what you talked about, some interested offer, need to check carefully.