Hello from Sydney - Advice Wanted on a Ferro-Cement Cruiser

[Uneffect]

Hi guys great forum you have here!
I am new here and new to buying a boat, most of my limited boat experience comes from volunteering with the State Emergency Service and their flood boats, mostly V-nose punts with tiller outboards.

Ferro-cement boats seem to have their pitfalls, I'm looking at buying a 32" flybridge cruiser that has a ferro-cement hull and 'needs work' eg engine is no good. It's priced at around 4k.

It seems to be longer than the minimum length to be using ferro-cement at least from what I've read.

Just wondering what that sounds like to you guys and girls. What do you call that hull shape? Any advice or links to info will be appreciated.
Cheers

[MarkJ]

Originally Posted by Uneffect

Ferro-cement boats seem to have their pitfalls, I'm looking at buying a 32" flybridge cruiser that has a ferro-cement hull and 'needs work' eg engine is no good. It's priced at around 4k.

I think you should avoid it like the plague.

Totally and utterly avoid it.

Even if they give it to you for free its not woth is because the disposal cost... i.e. how do you put it in a trash can.... is extreemly expensive in Australia. In the USA they have a boat crusher, but not in Aus.

Have fun

[Jim Cate]

So, Mark, why don't you tell us what you REALLY think???

But I agree... this sounds like a very bad proposition indeed, perhaps the worst I have yet encountered here on CF, and that's a strong statement!

There simply has to be a better deal in your neighborhood...

Cheers,

[Morrissey]

You probably wont be able to get any insurance on it. If you spend any money on it, treat it the same as money into poker machines but with zero payout, and less fun (if that is possible).

[Unicorn Dreams]

Welcome Aboard Cruisers Forum and enjoy the site...

[Lancerbye]

Welcome aboard.

[Uncle Bob]

Originally Posted by Uneffect

Hi guys great forum you have here!
I am new here and new to buying a boat, most of my limited boat experience comes from volunteering with the State Emergency Service and their flood boats, mostly V-nose punts with tiller outboards.

Ferro-cement boats seem to have their pitfalls, I'm looking at buying a 32" flybridge cruiser that has a ferro-cement hull and 'needs work' eg engine is no good. It's priced at around 4k.

It seems to be longer than the minimum length to be using ferro-cement at least from what I've read.

Just wondering what that sounds like to you guys and girls. What do you call that hull shape? Any advice or links to info will be appreciated.
Cheers

Hi and welcome.
I have to agree with Mark, stay AWAY, do not even consider it as whatever money you sink into the project (and there will be a LOT) will leave your pocket never to be returned. You will start with a boat worth virtually nothing, spend trucklaods on it and end up with a boat worh virtually nothing. Find something that is a decent proposition and enjoy the ride. You WILL be better off, in all respects.
Best of luck

[Aussie_Sequoia]

There's a lot of FC boats here in Oz... but very few are up to cruising standard in my experience. You'll see them for sale on all of the .com.au yacht sites and going cheaper than the rest... but you'd really have know the whole history right from the builder to know if it is worth buying.

Where do you want to go cruising?

[Panaseaya]

NO, NO NO, NOOOOOOO!!

No.

[VirtualVagabond]

Welcome to CF.
I think the other posters are being a bit harsh. It could be a good buy, if you have a relative with a property, and could park it in a paddock... maybe grow geraniums in it... maybe a flying fox from the flybridge...

[niel12]

Hi and welcome,

Those fero cement jobs are a wate of good time and good money, a certain no resale value and probaly a greater risk than a force 10 storm!

No sailor worth his salt will venture on that cork, that's 4 sure!

[Nikos Baillie]

I have to agree. Don't bother. There are lots of good deals here in Sydney. Where a bouts are you?

[Boracay]

I notice you have not told us why you would like to buy this boat.

Without a strong reason why I could not recommend buying a boat at all.

So please, think about what you want from a boat and what you want to do with it.

Without a raison d'être whichever boat you buy has a very good chance of joining the tens of thousands of boats that sit on moorings, in marinas or parked by the side of the road and never get used, all the while increasing the costs of services to other boat owners and making boating for everyone else that much less pleasant.