Where should I sail 45' ketch for interior refit?

[PeterLIA]

Looks like you have made your mind up as to location but for what it is worth now I recommend Subic Bay, Philippines.
A number of groups can do what you require here and the cost is cheap by world standards.
I have just completed a complete refurbishment which was done progressively between trips over the last 3 years and the workmanship for timberwork, painting and varnishing is excellent. Typical cost per man per day averages P1000 about US$23 and they work hard.
The only negative is you need to import your own teak as I have not managed to find a stockist anywhere in the Philippines. Pretty well everything else required for an interior and deck refit can be found locally.
Good luck.
Peter B

[Steadman Uhlich]

Originally Posted by Vivamus

Take a look on YouTube "ESPER Refit" a video journal of a complete Ouster 435 refit done at PSS Boat Yard, Satun Thailand.

Impressive and very informative.

I want to second that recommendation.

The Esper series of many videos shows very good examples of a huge project (it took a year) and the very nice results. There are many detailed videos, and they are good to watch, and entertaining too. Highly recommended.

If you want to see a short clip that shows "Before and After" the refit of the boat's interior, go to the following video and start the playing at minute 13:00 and watch from there for a nice montage of still photos showing the B/A.

The Esper crew do a very nice job on video production. I really enjoyed seeing them.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_TOG...ature=youtu.be

That video above is AFTER the refit was completed.

To see the first video in the series that is focused on the long refit, view the following video. There are many that follow that one.

Followtheboat #1 Sailboat Refit - Introduction to our extensive yacht refit.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9RiC2bsE9TY

___________________

Alternative closer to you now?

I recently saw a total refit completed on a large (about 65 foot as I recall) yacht that had been gutted due to water ingress (open seacock at the dock). The interior was redone in tropical hardwoods and it looks great (for that styling).

The work was done in Cuba.

[nauticalnomad]

I was in Krabi, Thailand February 2015.. Its Thailand, Away from Bangkok. A days sail from langkawi. Cheap with beaches..
The local boat builder there who was Australian originally and had a fair sized workforce which seemed to know what they were doing.
I have a 45ft mahogany boat from the 60s which I have restored except for the internals. I shall be heading to Thailand for this. They were collecting boats from all over the world via shipping containers (If theyd fit etc) restoring them and shipping them back. The cost etc was a fraction of what it would cost in Europe.. Not to mention the workmanship seemed to be better in my eyes than boat yards id seen in EU/UK.
The workers seemed to love their job and boats..

[Don C L]

I presume you are still in Florida. I really know nothing of east coast yards, but there are about 1000 photos recently posted on bluewaterboats.org of a total refit of a Pearson Rhodes 41 that everyone should see! It is beautiful; the albums show the whole process step by step. It was done by Hinckley up in Maine. Find the Rhodes 41 on bluewaterboats.org and scroll down to the comment section to find the links.