G'day All, from Australia

[Golden Wattle]

Thanks,
I might have to star a new thread to get answers.

[john connell]

Hi Golden
My name is John and I live on the Central Coast of New South Wales in Australia. Before I post my first message I couldn't help thinking ": Wow -the first one I have come across tonight is from an Aussie so I will post one back and say G'day to a fellow Aussie to break the ice so to speak.
Cheers to you.

Have been sitting back for a while here looking at and soaking up some of the threads going by before I got the courage to join up. As Golden has stated there are some amazing people out there.My initial interest was to see if I could get some advice on the 40 ft steel " Hull " I bought back in February 2008 but I now fully realise it is going to be much more than that-much more rewarding.
Hoping to meet some new friends to boot !!

The boat I will be looking at asking for some helpfull advice with - Lets call it "Longshot " for now.
I am advised by a local yacht designer it is as close to an Adams 40 it can get.I saw it on ebay with no reserve and my partner looked at me and said " dont you dare buy that boat you've already got a 20 ft Hartley cruiser sitting outside unfinished !!!Being a thrillseeker of some sorts I did a bit of research and took the plunge,fully knowing I would be given the cold shoulder/death stare.2 weeks later she came around a little ,especially when it didnt fall apart when we lifted it out of the water.Death stares still coming but weakening now !!.Sold the Hartley stink boat so got some Brownie points.I bought this yacht for $152.50 ( true story ) on ebay whilst it was floating ( always a good start ! ) out in the bay and had it hauled out and transported to a site not far from home where it is now sitting. The deck sheeting was in poor condition so I had already planned to knock the top off it so I could redesign the superstructure as the original one was a bit too boxy for my liking anyway.The hull is in fairly good condition but I have come across some thin sections so am going to replate where required.

It might even go down on record as the cheapest 40 ft yacht somewhere around the world ? All up have spent a couple of thousand for craneage ,transport and the steel hardstand to date.It also has a Yanmar 20 hp motor.
So far I have been blessed by having some really gifted people helping me out with advice and hopefully there will be more to come.

Seems you have the same ideas as I do in a lot of ways Golden.Like you I need to learn how to sail too and am going to follow that dream and sail off one day.

Unfortunately it looks like every dollar I have is going to be sunk into this "Longshot " I have bought so I dont know about having a pension to live off.
I was recently told that the word Boat really stands for Bring Out Another Thousand.

Just about to find out I believe.!!

I wish you and you family well on your journey and all others on theirs.

Regards
John.

[swagman]

Hi Matey,
Congratulations on the bargain - but treat further advice from that local designer with caution.
We enjoyed having an Adams 40 years back - and I'm not knnocking what you've got- but the boat in the picture bears NO resemblence to an Adams.....
Cheers
JOHN

[john connell]

Hi Swagman,
No offence taken..
For all I know so far it could have been built by the "Adams " family down the road or the Adams family from the Munsters on TV.
Its a bit of a mystery ??
Here in Australia we call our lesser canines _ Bitza's.
Bitz of this and bitz of that.

Maybe its a bitza boat ??

Anyway, one day I will find out its heritage.
Until then I will keep on removing rust,removing rust,removing rust.

Regards and Cheers.
John.

[Talbot]

Originally Posted by Golden Wattle

Thanks for the input. I must admit since joining this forum I have had my opinion broadened as to the type of craft I need. My wife is in favour of a cat (at the moment.....sigh...subject to change). There are a lot of seemingly good vessels out there. What would you recommend as to the minimum size cat for blue water?

Most wives have a short experience in a Cat and do not want any other type of boat. Size really depends on how much cash you have and what you want to do. I have known people circumnavigate in 27ft Heavenly Twins Cat. That is too small for me. I have just sold a 29ft cat (having owned her for 21 years) but my preference for a long cruise is 37-39ft. If you have the cash and want to go to the extent of washing machines and space, then average size is 42 ft. My cash will not go that far!

I do not know the prices for cats in your area

[sailor jim]

G'Day John

I have to agree with Golden Wattle, not an Adams.
BUT it looks like a reasonable design for cruising. You have one hell of a job in front of you.

So you get the death stare!!
When I told my wife I was getting a boat and I was on my way to the bank to arrange it FIVE years ago, she said "Do it and you will find out why women are called house keepers".

So I had to work and save for that long to get mine.
All boats seem to involve some sacrifice on the part of the male.
I think it is a bloke thing.

Good luck mate.

Jim.
Yep, I am another Aussie. I have been told that there are a whole bunch of Kiwis LURKING here also.

[john connell]

SailorJim,

Hi.

From the feedback I have so far I reckon it's not an Adams either.
It's definitely something that I will pursue and find.Someone else has mentioned it may also be a knock off of a John Pugh design who was a very well respected Australian yacht designer.
Whatever it is and whoever built it they did a real nice job on the hull.The welds are absolutely perfect.As it is finished in stages I will have it surveyed and plans drawn up.

Anyone out there have any ideas on what type of yacht this may be ??
See couple of photos ( sorry, not good quality ones ) attached.

At the end of the day, for a 40 ft yacht it has so far cost me the low sum of around $4000:00 to buy it,crane it out,hardstand it,buy 15 sheets of 3000mm x1500 mm x5mm sheets.Rent at $30 per week to store it and a few good people giving me some help.Hope to get it back in the water within a year funds being available but I am going to do it real slow and careful.

What type of boat did you buy and have you had some good experiences yet ?


Regards.

John.

[sailor jim]

Hi John
Whatever you bought, you got a bargain.
Go about the rebuild methodically and with care and you will have a great boat.

I am based in Brisbane and for sailing in Moreton Bay I have a Compass 29.
I too got a bargain with almost all the boat reconditioned and the price was the same as for a bombed out boat.
I am still smilling.
It is a great boat that has already got me out of trouble in a storm in the bay. Storms come thru the bay real fast and without warning.

Good luck with your boat. Hope you get it up and going and as they say, "see you out on the water mate".

Jim.

[john connell]

Hi Jim,
It's a great feeling isn't it ? Part of you is thinking what on earth have I done and the other half is snickering away going"How blooody good is this.?
Can't stop grinning.This is my chance to get in there and have a go at a dream I have held in check for a long time.

I am going to take my time with this which is what I am hearing from everyone on the forum so far,leaving nothing to chance with the preparation side of it.Trouble is I am burning inside with questions like a boy who gets his first bike.
Just hope I can soak up whatever I can from all the deep experience that is out there.

I've heard the Compass yachts are very well built.Glad to hear you got a real bargain and are out there in the bay catching some wind already.

I take it the house is intact and the significant other half is happy ??

Regards.
John.

PS. Haven't heard boo from any of those "lurkers" from across the "trench" you were talking about. Quiet aren't they.??
Winter time- in hibernation maybe ??

[Wotname]

Originally Posted by john connell

PS. Haven't heard boo from any of those "lurkers" from across the "trench" you were talking about. Quiet aren't they.??
Winter time- in hibernation maybe ??

Trust me, they are there!

[sailor jim]

Hi John

Feel free to ask the questions.
That is what forums are all about.
You have an advantage in that you can weld and have a inexpensive place to do the deed.

About the "other half", I think I came close to finding out why they are called "housekeepers" but things cooled down when my kids went to bat for me.
All that bribing at Maccas when they were small came in handy.

Have fun
Jim.

[john connell]

Hi Jim,

Questions I have.It's the answers I'm getting that scare me a bit.
See my post on replating hulls in the Construction area.
Great advice and feedback.
Some of my questions would have seemed a bit dumb to some of our more learned builders but the advice is priceless to give me "food for thought" before I really get into it. .
I'm no faint heart so will push on but I hope it doesn't come back to bite me in the proverbial.
I have so many things going for me (costwise anyway at present) but I need to get the fear factor in me under control.Some of the advice I am getting is so well intentioned.
Some of it is scary.And some of it is just plain" Don't even think about it " type advice.

Have to be honest, I don't think anyone is going to convince me it isnt worth it though.

Somewhere in the middle I will get an even keel.

Glad to see that bribery and corruption is still able to be meted out to unsuspecting kids, the dear little innocents.Trouble is they usually come back and bribe you later and it costs you triple treat !!

Looks like we have managed to get some of those "lurkers " from across the trench to poke their heads out.!!

Clear skies to you !!
John.

[MarkJ]

In our limited time cruising we have popped into basically 2 ports that are 'end of the road' sort of places: St Martin in the Caribbean and Colon on the Atlantic side of the Panama Canal.

Both are full of 2 types of cruisers:
1) those head down, arse up fixing their boat with repairs that will never stop
2) those that sail in, fuel up, drag on new groceries, go to restaurants and then piss off to the next nice place.

Invariably the differences are in boats and monthly budget.
Number 2 is those with newer fibreglass production boats with a good monthly investment income ($40-$60k annually is great!)
Number 1 is all those with steel boats, unusual boats, unique boats and combined with less regular or less high monthly income.

As you can not buy a newer multihull for $150-200k, then start looking for monohull modern fibreglass boats in your price range.

Don't borrow money that needs to be paid back with your super. That $40-60k will be a godsend cruising!

You will find a 40ft modern boat more than big enough for a couple (we choose between 4 places to sleep: forward or aft berth, on deck or sometimes at sea drop the saloon table for a huge double fun bed )

Not joking: What do you want you retirement to be like? A cruising dream or learning to be a marine tradesman? And I can tell you the womens get the shits with the guys whose boats are always broken!

All the best


Mark

[Golden Wattle]

Number 1 is all those with steel boats, unusual boats, unique boats and combined with less regular or less high monthly income.

You have just set the "cat" amonst the pidgeons.
Thanks for your input.
I am looking at mono's and cat's, but you are correct with the Cat/Money statement.
There are some nice mono's out there that are reasonably priced.
I still have a while before I need to make a decision.
I have been following your tale for a while now, good luck to you.
At your age why do need huge double fun bed? Oh! Oh! I can't find a smiley face!


Cheers

[john connell]

Hi Mark,

Love that analogy.!!

I will probably end up a number 1 but seriously aiming for the number 2-emphasis on "piss off to the next nice place".
Actually for the last 35 years I have been a tradesman- Licenced Plumber,Drainer,Gasfitter( LPG and NG ) and Roofer so do not want to end up as the marine tradesman in any way shape or form.

Will be too bloody old to go around sailing and doing other peoples LPG/Plumbing jobs.-except maybe my own.
Thats why at the moment I am choosing to put some money ( not borrowed but worked for ) into an older boat that has cost me very little.It may not be modern at all at present but I am hoping it will be a very seaworthy and comfortable motor sailer when I am finished with it or it is finished with me.

It is really amazing though how this forum and the people in it can change/amend your thinking parameters quick smart with some really well placed advice.

Just like yours-THANKS.!

Regards
John.