Age of your boat?

[toddster8]

My boat is 46 years old this year. I did haul it home for a season and do quite a bit of bottom maintenance and replaced a bunch of old worn-out and antiquated gear. Of course, it's an on-going project.

My 29'er was supposed to be the "starter boat." I thought I would move up to 40 feet or so for retirement. But after shopping around for a year, I'm not so sure. Most of the boats up to 40 feet don't really have anything that my boat doesn't have - it's all just a little bigger. And they're all full of projects that would cost a lot more at 40 feet than at 29 feet. Then I start thinking about how much better I could live if I don't spend all that money... I've already been down that rabbit hole with the house.

[Rock-Head]

39 years here. Original Yanmar SB12 with 1,000 hrs on her, solid GRP hull & balsa core decks. Solid boat!

[sailstoo]

My boat's 35 this year. Had her for ten years. Replaced the Engine, sails, running rigging, standing rigging, windows and more. The hull is dry and sound and there are no leaks. I still have about 1/3 of what I'd have in a same size new boat $$wise. Then again I could've bought a boat ten years old+/- with a couple thousand hours on the engine. I would've paid about 3x as much and it still would've needed all of the above. New(er) boats really don't make much financial sense when compared to an older high quality craft. Oh...and I would seriously consider a freshwater boat (Great Lakes) as they don't have many of the saltwater corrosion issues and they're in the water <6mths of the year.

[What Anchor]

I am with Toddster, my boat is a 29 and will be 54 this year. The C29 is just right for me, sure I would like to have a Tashiba 36, but I don't see that anytime in my life. Better to stay with something you can afford and be happy in, bigger is not always better. Plus there are literally 1000's of great old boats just waiting to take you to the Caribbean and beyond. Good luck
Carl

[SV Siren]

My boat is 49 years old this year. Currently finishing an engine rebuild on an old Perkins 4.108. Original bulkheads and tabbing in new condition, original glassed in chainplates to be replaced with ti. On the hard at my property currently undergoing a full restoration/refit.

The bones are in pretty great shape, now I am just redoing/restoring the mechanicals and cosmetics...so far everything has been easy to access...crossed thumbs...

[Hudson Force]

My boat is a 1973 moderate build, but great accommodations....



I've cruised this boat for 32 years and marked my children's yearly growth on the mast from the time they could first stand until they left home. It's all about care and upkeep!

[Stu Jackson]

We bought a 1986 boat in 1998. Had looked for an entire year and saw some horrible examples of neglect and abuse. Our then 12 year old boat had been maintained wonderfully by her single owner. But I still had to redo the electrical system because he was a dock queen/marina hopper and we cruise. At the time of purchase, new boats, same ones, were twice the price.

It's been a wonderful 18 years, we look forward to many more. Just finished cruising her up from Sf to Vancouver Island.

As most have said, condition, not age.

Plus, you will have to learn to be an electrician, mechanic and plumber. Hopefully not a carpenter.

Good luck.

[roverhi]

48 years.

[barnakiel]

In my book, age would be one of the major factors.

Specifically, in our case, the boat (grp) is about 35 years old. I can clearly remember she was stronger, stiffer and healthier 15 years ago when we bought her. I can't say we under-maintained anything here.

However, I would rather see the age of the boat as a function (even if a multivariate one) of HOW MUCH and HOW HARD she got used. By this I want to say a grp boat built 35 years ago and kept in a dry hangar will be practically new, while another built 15 years ago and kept full time in a marina int the tropics can be mostly gone by now.

So to say, all other things equal, just like with people and wine, age counts. The problem is that normally all the other things are never equal.

Cheers,
b.

[Orion Jim]

I bought my boat when she was 22, now she's 33. New engine, sails, standing rigging, running rigging, self tailing sheet winches, windlass, anchors, chain, furling gear, fuel tank, chart plotter, radar, etc. Not all because I had to, because I WANTED to.

[FutureStories]

Just bought a boat from 1970. Went with an older boat with new sails and a bulletproof hull for about 10,000 less than I was going to spend on a newer "nicer" boat

Nicer meaning interior.

Refitting my interior to match my sails. I'll come in saving a few thousand in the end. My budget has one less 0 than yours tho!

[StuM]

Originally Posted by barnakiel

However, I would rather see the age of the boat as a function (even if a multivariate one) of HOW MUCH and HOW HARD she got used. By this I want to say a grp boat built 35 years ago and kept in a dry hangar will be practically new, while another built 15 years ago and kept full time in a marina int the tropics can be mostly gone by now.

I race on a grp boat that was built about 35 years ago (Farr 1/2 ton) and has spent the last 30 years full time in a marina in the tropics. It's been raced solidly over that time and is still sound.

[FutureStories]

Just bought a boat from 1970. Went with an older boat with new sails and a bulletproof hull for about 10,000 less than I was going to spend on a newer "nicer" boat

Nicer meaning interior.

Refitting my interior to match my sails. I'll come in saving a few thousand in the end. My budget has one less 0 than yours tho!

[jdazey]

Ours was launched in 1995 so 22yo. Relatively modern I guess. We're doing a lot of refitting before we take off this Spring, but then most systems should be good for a while.

Waterline length counts for a lot

Cheers,

[Pendragon35]

52 years old: my boat is a 1965 Alberg 35. Originally berthed in Chicago, moved to the Chesapeake Bay some years ago (perhaps 15?). Sound hull, sound deck; minor penetration of moisture near some fittings. A PO rebuilt much of the interior with fabulous wood and the last PO rewired her and refitted her with a Yanmar 3gm30. We have done some cosmetic work on the outside and redone a few mechanical items. Other than that, it's just normal maintenance: change the filters/pumps/rebuild head, that sort of thing.

She's old enough to have become classic. Sails at 30 deg heel in anything over 10 kts of wind upwind, and when backing under power it's anyone's guess where her stern will go. After 50 years of experience in boats, it took me two years to stop clenching when I backed out of the slip.

But I love her. She makes me turn around when I walk down the dock and people going by stop and say, "nice". And she feels like she will take care of me when nature gets angry.