Ferro Cement Hulls ?

[Jryder]

I should have put 10 smiley's mate, just poking fun at the ferro haters is all.

I reckon you got a very nice boat there.

[cosmic pete]

Originally Posted by Jryder

I should have put 10 smiley's mate, just poking fun at the ferro haters is all.

I reckon you got a very nice boat there.

thanks now to sell off my roberts steely 38 ft centre cockpit cutter rigged sloop

[BillAU]

Originally Posted by Christerart

Found a schooner on blocket.se:

Skonaren Baltica | Stockholm

but seller not very forthcoming in regards to who built it and how (designed by seller's father) - and it needs rebuilding of deck and superstructure and has a soft spot leaking water into hull which seller says occurred after setting boat on hard too late in the season and frost damaged the hull.

Interior lovely but price £29000, AU$45,000, US$ 46,000 is (as far as I am concerned) far too much for us to gamble on an unproven design - sadly as we do like the interior a lot..=*^)

Christer

Welcome aboard Christer, good to have another potential FC boat fan/buyer added to the group
I would be very wary of any boat designers who has/had little experence in designing FC boats. I recommend you read "Buying A Ferroboat", it's part of Colin Brookes FC website. Colin Brookes has been designing, building and repairing FC boats for many many years so I take his advice on FC boats.
As for that asking price of $45,000AU for a boat of unproven design and unknown builder, imho the seller must be dreaming
Have a look at this FC 44' Wilf O'Kell beauty on offer here in Australia (Wilf O'Kell is a well known and respected Ozzie designer/builder of fine FC yachts, he's still alive and living in Qld, AU but he no-longer designs and/or builds boats, age and failing eyesight ended that stage of his life but his boats are still in demand here in AU) Or there's this
40' Pilothouse Motorsailer in New Zealand, another well proven FC boat. If only I were ready to make my move, I would have one of those FC yachts but I have to bid my time...For now

Cheers.

Bill
Australia

[Christerart]

Originally Posted by BillAU

Welcome aboard Christer, good to have another potential FC boat fan/buyer added to the group

Thank you Bill for the nice welcome. It's been a pleasure to read the thread (except from a few haters and trolls) and your post again reinforces how lovely it is to have a "community" - all trying to support and help each other.

Originally Posted by BillAU

I would be very wary of any boat designers who has/had little experence in designing FC boats.

Yes - me too..=*^)

Originally Posted by BillAU

I recommend you read "Buying A Ferroboat", it's part of Colin Brookes FC website. Colin Brookes has been designing, building and repairing FC boats for many many years so I take his advice on FC boats.

Yes, I've been all over the website..=*^) and decided to buy the books recommended in the posts - as I wrote - you can never know too much...

Originally Posted by BillAU

As for that asking price of $45,000AU for a boat of unproven design and unknown builder, imho the seller must be dreaming.

That's my feeling as well. I found another one:

Ferrocement ketch, oceankryssare | Skåne

This one asking $AU 24,000, $US 24,600, £15,400. The owner has been very forthcoming with pictures but they show it is very rough and needs pretty much total rebuild inside and a lot of work - so again walked away.

It is very frustrating seeing so many lovely boats at great prices and have them so far away..=*^(

Like I wrote - probably end up with the L32 - looking at one which has been very well equipped and kept up over the years by the owners. It' a known entity and strongly recommended by my friends in the area who know the now elderly owner.

Of course, if somehow one of these lovelies like the one you linked to could magically be found somewhere in Europe.....

=*^)

Cheers and good luck with finding one yourself!

Christer

[BillAU]

G'day Christer,

Have a look at the FC yachts at the bottom of this page, most are in the UK and from those I looked at, they look to be well built and most of the asking prices are okay too Remember...It's the asking price, nothing to stop you making an honest offer mate
Good luck with your search for the right boat for you, don't rush in Christer and you should do okay
As for myself, I believe the NZ 40' Pilothouse Motorsailer would better suite my needs as I'm now long in the tooth, boarding and Disembarking any boat could be a problem as I get older, so I'm looking for something with a walk-through transom, or something I could convert the standard transom on to a walk-through transom.
I do not expect I will ever be able to sell the boat I end-up with, I guess I'll leave it to my kids to do as they like...That is when I'm gone. Right now I want the boat only for myself and me dog


Bill
Australia

[Christerart]

Afternoon Bill,

All your points are well taken - and appreciated..=*^)

Thanks for the link - a new one for me - I certainly will keep track of it.

Jess and I think 35' is about right for us and I've always liked the design of the Endurance 35. But a motorsailer is also attractive, definitely...

As for FC prices - yes, indeed, "asking" prices is exactly that - asking..=*^)

Looking at the market, it's not just FC pricing that's down there - it seems the market overall is down by a good margin. World economics is not exactly at a high mark right now.

Anyway, as you suggested - we're taking our time, we know what we're looking for and won't rush in - unless a perfect one pops up of course (but even then I'll think twice - and thrice)...=*^)

Thanks again for the link and your thoughts!

Christer

[awab]

hello Christerart

I liked you positive response. Where are you from originally. You sound like coming from asia. I just bought a fc boat and love it. In my research for information I came along with a book from John samson and geoff wellens. Very readable. The title is How to build a ferro cement boat. Good clear infos. I got mine via ebay for 10 us.
All the best
peter

[Christerart]

Hello Peter,

That's very nice Peter. I liked *your* way of dealing with the stuff that cropped up with your boat - and how you handled that. Glad it all turned out well for you. I'm also impressed what you've been doing with the old farmhouse in Italy (a favorite country of mine)..=*^)

I actually grew up in Sweden but lived most of my life in the US. For the last three years I've been living with my lovely wife Jess:

http://www.christerart.com/slideshow3/show_1125.jpg

just outside Cambridge, UK where Jess is working on her Masters. Once she's done we'll most likely (unless she gets a great job offer someplace else) move to Sweden - hence the need for a sailboat (again)..=*^)

As I mentioned earlier, I always liked the idea of an FC hull and designs, like the endurance 35's but they are few and far between in Sweden and I don't know enough to be a good judge myself - so we most likely will end up with something other than an FC hull.

But I enjoy learning as much as possible about the subject (and anything else that comes along) - you never know when it will come in handy..=*^)

Take care, Peter and keep updating us what's going on with you and your project.

Christer

[awab]

dear readers,
Some been asking to post some pics from the inside. Here are some but I am planning to take everything out to create a big space for comfortable living.
I see the boat more as a floating private house then rather to have little rooms for a lot of people.
I am very happy with my progress. As I am working with very good tools it is stunning how much can be done in very short time.
the link is as usual
Flickr: awabflickr's Photostream

thanks for the interest
peter

[Christerart]

Wow, Peter, there's some lovely woodwork in there.

Please keep adding pictures to your photostream - it's very interesting to see your progress (and I am sure encouraging to many)..=*^)

Christer

[Swarfmaker]

Hello Everyone,

I have always been interested in ferrocement boats and remember first learning of them as a kid back in the sixties. I considered building one in the eighties but never got around to it (or owning any large boat for that matter) as career, family, building a house and other things took priority.

Well, that has changed and I have recently become the owner of a 32' ferrocement cutter. I bought her on Vancouver Island on the hard, where she is now. Anyone that is local and a ferrocement fan will probably know of her. I bought her from the builder (now 95) who sailed her for the last 36 years.

The hull is structurally quite sound and was well built. Her construction was well documented and I have lots of pictures detailing the work, including steam curing of the hull. From the inside (and I've seen most of it) there is no rust showing and it looks great.

She does need work however but most of it seems fairly staightforward - some wood deterioration mostly. The rest of it is cosmetic.

We'll do most of it once we bring her home up the Fraser in the spring, but we do want to paint her bottom and topsides before putting her in the water.

There are many layers of antifouling on the bottom and it's all quite rough and peeling in small areas. Her previous owner says I should just scrape the loose areas and apply more paint, but I would like to do a better job than that. I'd like to remove all the old antifouling, reseal and repaint. Have any of you done this before and could you make any suggestions? Thanks!

[DumnMad]

Congrats on the purchase, sounds like a treasure. PO also a treasure I'd say, finally giving it up at 95 !

[Swarfmaker]

Originally Posted by DumnMad

Congrats on the purchase, sounds like a treasure. PO also a treasure I'd say, finally giving it up at 95 !

Thanks! Yes, the gentleman has only given her up because of failing eyesight. When he shook my hand his grip was like iron, and to see him go up and down the ladder when showing her was amazing. I half expected him to climb the rigging

[BillAU]

Welcome aboard Alan and congrats on your purchase mate, I'm sure you too will be happy with your FC yacht for the next 36 years
As for hull treatments, have a look at this site in the USA, they may be able to help and advise you.

Bill
Australia

[Swarfmaker]

Thanks Bill. I'm looking forward to sharing my experiences here. This has been a super thread to read...