Well, I'm in with both feet!! Yikes!!!

[Dexterbase]

Well I did it!

I bought my first boat. Well, boats actually counting the dinghy!

She's a one-off Kauri wood boat from New Zealand. I heard many a horror story about wood boats and all their problems so I went into this cautiously. I had a chance to sail her and hang out with her on the mooring and I was immediately smitten by her. Her full keel slices through the swells and holds course with ease.

I had her hauled and surveyed and she seems to be fit as a fiddle with many many good years ahead of her.

I'll be basically reducing the size of my life down to what will fit into two sea bags and moving onto her while I finish nursing school here in Monterey, California.

I'm excited, scared, nervous, and dreamy all at the same time.

I've wanted a boat since I was a very young little boy and all throughout my adolescence reading stories of the great explorers.

I looked at a lot of boats during the couple years I was searching. I always had an idea of what my boat would be like. When I met Margaret Joie (Named after the previous owners mother who passed away) it was like I already knew her, like I had seen her before.

Anyway, I know I went against a lot of solid advice to buy a fiberglass boat, but when I spent the first night aboard her on the mooring, my soul felt completely at peace with my decision to buy her.

I've been reading the forums here quite a bit... man there's a ton of good information on here!

Thanks everyone for creating this community. I humbly request permission to come aboard.

Cheers!

Chad in Monterey.

[Travelnik]

Welcome aboard!

That's a beautiful boat!

I always wanted a wooden boat, but something usually stopped me...what was it again? Oh, I remember...SANITY!

(Just kidding. I would still love one someday!)

Congratulations on getting a good one!

[David_Old_Jersey]

Congrats

She looks like a proper boat (and inside I can see some nice touches).

The secret with wooden boats is.........preventative maintanence. Wood boats don't survive deffered maintainence nearly as well as GRP. But if you are starting from good then you are well ahead of the game. Resist the urge to defer taking care of her. If you haven't already go and look at other wooden boats (including a few projects) to get an idea of what problems can occur from a lack of basic TLC.....before they happen on yours.

The good news is that most of that will be scraping / sanding and painting / varnishing.......if taken care of a well built and designed wooden boat will last a lifetime and then some. The problem is owners......

Salt Water = good
Fresh Water = bad

and yes, I have never had a wooden boat! But me Father did have a couple (when I was a kid) so I know that they are not for me - I bought plastic .

[Blue Stocking]

That material is almost "biblical" in the respect it recieves.
I'm betting the Kiwis will fill you in shortly.

[tropicalescape]

Nice looking boat...sure you will be ok with wood if you give her some love and attention...I like the style of the entry way to the forward cabin,ship shape looking design...good luck ,have fun...

[oldragbaggers]

She's lovely. I can see what it was that attracted you to her. Best of luck with your new life!!

[brentjmoore]

My girlfriend and I recently bought our first boat too! Exciting, fun, scary and invigorating all ay the same isn't it! Our boat is a bit more of a project boat however. Best of luck to you! cruisersforum.com/forums/f55/re-birth-of-a-boat-90334.html

[GaryMayo]

My fear is you love this boat, not a good thing if you want realistic eyes looking at a situation. Hopefully the surveyor was not also.in love so you know what you are getting into.

Nursing school will keep you busy. That and girlfriends, and now married to an older wooden boat, means your free time is zero, maybe even running into the red.

You are living a dream most people never realize. Have a good time and keep the grades up.

[Dexterbase]

Originally Posted by GaryMayo

My fear is you love this boat, not a good thing if you want realistic eyes looking at a situation. Hopefully the surveyor was not also.in love so you know what you are getting into.

Nursing school will keep you busy. That and girlfriends, and now married to an older wooden boat, means your free time is zero, maybe even running into the red.

You are living a dream most people never realize. Have a good time and keep the grades up.

I can't imagine a more powerful incentive to maintain her than to love her.

Nursing school certainly occupies a large chunk of my time. I love wrenching on stuff and I took woodshop for four years in highschool (but that was a lifetime ago) so woodworking is something I enjoy immensely. My grandfather is a life-long woodworker, my Dad is a metal fabricator, and my Uncle has a machine shop. I believe I have the resources and support network to keep up on the boat.

I know it'll be a lot of work, but working with my hands has always been a very therapeutic thing to me. I like being able to zone out and just work on a project into the late hours of the morning.

Thank you everyone for your words of caution as well as your words of encouragement.

I ordered Don Casey's wooden boat maintenance book. I'm pretty excited to give that a read. I already read the fiberglass boat version a couple evenings ago.

[Khagan1227]

Chad,

I do a bit of woodworking and cabinet making (though those across the pond call it coach making) and I couldn't agree more. I get a lot of pleasure seeing a block of wood turn into something useful. I'm just not too sure about a wooden boat. While I have built a nutshell pram and am in the process of finishing a Sea Kayak, both are covered with glass. I guess I'm passionate, but lazy!

On the other hand, you won't be able to say you don't have anything to do!

Anyway congrats on the boat!

Regards, Keith

[angelfish2]

Originally Posted by Dexterbase

...but when I spent the first night aboard her on the mooring, my soul felt completely at peace with my decision to buy her.

Originally Posted by Dexterbase

I can't imagine a more powerful incentive to maintain her than to love her.

*sigh* You will never fall short with this attitude, Chad. May you be blessed with continued happiness and dreams.

[Dexterbase]

"Love. You can learn all the math in the 'Verse, but you take a boat in the air that you don't love, she'll shake you off just as sure as the turning of the worlds. Love keeps her in the air when she oughta fall down, tells you she's hurtin' 'fore she keens. Makes her a home."
-Captain Malcom Reynolds, Serenity

[pjop]

Too cool. Don't know much about wooden boats, but I do know that if you love her she will love you back. It appears you already know that. Old Jersey also offers some sound practical advice. The nursing profession is well suited to the cruising life since all you have to do is pick your coast. Glad to have you aboard here. I can't wait to hear about your first cruise to Catalina.

[SkiprJohn]

Aloha and welcome aboard!
Congratulations on your choice. For living aboard and in non-tropical waters wood is good. It just requires attentiveness and good maintenance practices.
kind regards,

[Dexterbase]

A couple more pics.

One is the view from my mooring. Best view in the bay, in my opinion.