I'm Walking Away from my Boat

[Greatketch33]

I know several people who walked away from their boat, but only to walk toward bigger boat year later.

Oh well.

[S/V Illusion]

Originally Posted by Therapy

You sorta have to go back to here:

http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...oat-90855.html

Post 121.

Thanks - I think he summed it up in that description by saying

"I was so excited to get this bigger boat I didn't look at what I was taking on."

An expensive mistake from which others can learn the benefits of due diligence.

[Therapy]

Originally Posted by S/V Illusion

Thanks - I think he summed it up in that description by saying

"I was so excited to get this bigger boat I didn't look at what I was taking on."

An expensive mistake from which others can learn the benefits of due diligence.

You are quoting the OP of that thread.

Virgina Boy did not post till page 9.

This is the part that gets to me that VB said.

My surveyor declared most things on the boat "serviceable".

I wish I'd known that serviceable meant that point of decrepitude just before something crumbles into dusty rust right in your hand or dissolves into a pile of unidentifiable gelatinous goo.

[Mark1977]

Originally Posted by Therapy

You are quoting the OP of that thread.

Virgina Boy did not post till page 9.

This is the part that gets to me that VB said.

Yes I believe that was me. As i said before i think I may keep the boat now and finish what i started. Just needed some time away.............I think.....

[belizesailor]

"Cheap" boats are usually not a good deal. Lot's of people have difficulty accepting this fact. Don't be afraid to cut your loses and move on.

However, give yourself a break to consider what you really want to do first and make the decision (either way) with a clear head. If you chose to stay, then I guarantee that you will lose more money and gain more frustration, but you may incur other benefits as well.

My first cruising boat was a fixer-upper too. I think my enthusiasm, and high income at the time, helped to overcome the frustration. As did the fact, that she was at least in sailable condition, but everything except the rig, hull, and engine needed replacing. I learned tons about boats, had a great time, and spent absurd amounts of money (about 3x the market value of the boat in the end), but she took me on some great adventures too.

[Therapy]

Originally Posted by Mark1977

Yes I believe that was me. As i said before i think I may keep the boat now and finish what i started. Just needed some time away.............I think.....

I'm thinkin' you and VB should get together and chat.

I feel for you guys like I feel for that friend I mentioned.

[Rakuflames]

Originally Posted by S/V Illusion

Thanks - I think he summed it up in that description by saying

"I was so excited to get this bigger boat I didn't look at what I was taking on."

An expensive mistake from which others can learn the benefits of due diligence.

Don't EVER fall in love with a boat until after it's been surveyed. Just don't. There are so many boats out there.

I saw one boat -- a 1985 Cherubini. I like my Hunter, but I really liked that boat. Then I took my friend, a retired suveyor and marine architect, to look at it. As soon as he saw the silicone around the base of the shrouds (I hadn't noticed; I was too busy staring at how spacious the head was) he knew what he was looking for. But he started with the engine.

The oil was literally as thick as peanut butter. That was enough for me right there; I didn't want engine trouble (oops; didn't get that one right!) The gussets that helped support the deck at the shrouds were so dry-rotted his finger went right through them. We stopped there, but also the sails, only one year old, were already molded and delaminating.

Someone else bought the boat and eventually sailed away. We hear from him occasionally and he appears happy with the boat, but I'm glad I sailed away from the boat.

Still ended up with a Hunter. That's OK with me. Hunter understood how to build a fast boat with lots of space below. I didn't get the third thing I wanted -- sexy lines -- but you can't have it all.

The BIG lesson was -- get an ENGINE survey as well as a marine survey. My engine went south five months after I bought the boat, and I mean *completely* south. Had to replace it. OUCH.

[senormechanico]

Originally Posted by DumnMad

Love your post Freddy. Lots of people buy el-cheepo cars, run them til they drop and then send them to the knackers. Only 10 or 20 years prior they were the latest thing, but buying them on their last legs is mostly very good economics.

My 1995 Geo Metro with 180,000 on the clock heard that.
I'm going out to give it a hug and tell it not to worry.

[barnakiel]

I must agree with the comment above when a poster says some number of 'professionals' are not professional. I think it is when we mix our personal likes and dislikes with how good a worker one is that we get sucked in.

A good worker can be a pain in the lower back at times and yet deliver an outstanding piece of boat work.

Learned this thru my three years working on projects for other sailors, with countless specialists and 'specialists' doing, and not, works for us.

b.

[SurferShane]

Mate, you are not alone. In fact you almost perfectly summed up my recent experiences with some insurance work. Only difference is today I was keen on punching out the Maritime officer who was hassling me. I would definitely go to gaol, so instead I gave her a lecture in Admin Law about how she could not act outside the powers conferred to her in the legislation and regulations. I am now doing my best to relax over a cup of tea.

I live on my boat (oops, did I just say that. By law you can't live on a boat in NSW Australia) so there is no turning back. Still I have been thinking a lot lately about how life would be more relaxing without the boat.

The only positive is that I am slowly getting on top of repairs and refit. Hopefully by next May I will have a well outfitted pocket cruiser.

[ohdrinkboy]

OK VB. Here is my advice. Put your boat on hold, and go learn to sail. Take the weekend class at Annapolis Sailing School. After graduating you can rent their day sailors all you want by yourself . See if you love sailing. Then decide if it's time to tackle your dream.

[Lajos]

Time for a low-ball... Just kiding!!! I'm looking for a major catamaran project myself but I have all the free time in the world and most of the skills needed... Still scary but I want to live the dream... :-)

[ozskipper]

The first mistake when buying a project boat is not getting it seaworthy first and fast. A lot of people leave the boat on the hard while replacing water faucets, stoves, bunks and a bundle of other things that they can do later. Priority number one is to get the boat "sail-able" so it can be used for day trips and pleasure. Then worry about other things later. One can always get water from a drum and sleep on a sailbag.

There is so much work that gets done, just because its on a wish list, but has no bearing on how seaworthy the boat is. All this takes time and affects the owner emotionally as in this case, the boat has absorbed big bucks but hasnt provided pleasure in return.

Very sad for the OP. I hope he gets at least some of his money back.

[Capt.Fred]

Originally Posted by barnakiel

BTW If any advice is sought then mine is make a list of jobs and take on ONE ITEM AT A TIME.

I am very often overwhelmed by the list of the do does.

Sometimes seeing the whole picture ... is not such a great view. ;-)

b.

I absolutely agree. Just concetrate on one item and finish it. Then go on to the next. It amazed me how things added up. A piece of this and a little of that is nowhere. Just have an overall plan and fill in the pieces.
Happy days, Capt.Fred

[Coops]

Over the 45 or so years that i have been sailing and owning boats, i have discovered just a few things that suit me. The first is that i am useless at fixing things, justs costs me more by having to get somebody in to fix up my stuff up, plus, i get so frustrated at not being able to do things that i get into a mood and swear that i am going to sell the bloody thing and so forth. So, now i simply get someone in and watch what they do, only for making sure that they are doing the right thing, sit in the shade, very relaxed and pay them when it is done.

The second thing, and very important to me, is that i have had big boats and now have a lovely little 20' Trailer yacht, stored mast up in a marina yard, and we sail this, with very little time spent on maintenance, a lot more than we would a bigger one. No, we will not live on it, but a few weeks/months at a time is perfectly possible. Plus, we have other hobbies as well.

So VB, if it is all too much, leave it, sell it, buy a smaller one. You still get the same grin on your face when sailing it and, when you see the big ones go past and wish, as we do, remember what it is costing him/her to do it in that compared to your outlay. Maybe he is looking at yours and wishing as well.Good luck with whatever you do anyway.

Coops.