Looking For Ideas - May Give Up

[Chotu]

Hi Everyone,

I’ve been gone a while after some health issues to take a break from boats mentally.

I’ve realized a few things.

I’m in need of a break from working on boats. I’d sure love to go sailing and cruising again, but I have a lot of hours to go before that can happen. Also, RV travel has been pretty nice. I was able to have similar feelings out here to those boats provide. Cooler temperatures, fresh clean air, peace and quiet, safety and security.

So I’m contemplating the unthinkable. Selling my boat.

I will never, ever be able to afford a high performance catamaran at the level of the one I built. That’s the tricky part. I’m looking to work on some business ideas if I do sell, so there is a slim chance I could make enough to just buy one... BUT... the construction of production boats isn’t as high quality and most have double layers inside the hull. As in, the interior is made of layers you can’t get to that mold grows behind. I have a lot of problems with boat mold after decades of living aboard. So I’m not even sure I could buy a production boat in the future even if I could afford one as high quality as the one I built because of mold issues. Yes, all boats have mold. It’s the “boat smell”

The only other thing I can think of is just mothballing the boat and then hiring people to help build it. I suppose that could even be done starting now, but I ran into yet ANOTHER problem. The marina I asked to stay at to do heavy construction on the boat has changed. It’s not allowing you to even run tools outside on your boat anymore. Not even a buffer on a production gel coat boat.

They just came out with this new rental agreement that prohibits you from working on your boat, says it’s not their fault if the marina damages your boat, it is your fault if you damage anything at the marina, you need comprehensive insurance coverage and proof of it, that random strangers may wander onto the dock and board your boat, stealing things, , etc etc. it’s certifiably insane. There no way I can sign the agreement. The agreement also locks you in to the marina for a year at a time.

So on top of all this, I don’t have anywhere to work on my boat or store either at this time.

What should I do?

I just feel so utterly defeated on this topic.

[rslifkin]

How far is the boat from being capable of moving North for better weather and possibly better marina choices? And a new location would give access to a different set of people that could potentially help you finish the boat.

As far as your mold issues, do you have a sense of what it would take to kill any existing mold to a sufficient level? If so, it might be possible to find some production boats where you can get enough access to the hidden spaces with only minor disassembly and knock out the mold that may be in there.

[wolfgal]

Chotu,

oh dear...

i do not know what to do and cannot advise you, but i want you to know that i admire you to the moon and back.

as someone who has bumped up against all kinds of obstacles (and a few hardships) while trying to get her own dream to float, for me, you have really and truly given this project, this dream ALL you've got while walking along the edge of a very sharp sword...

whatever you decide Chotu, you have my utmost respect!



wolfie

[Chotu]

Originally Posted by rslifkin

How far is the boat from being capable of moving North for better weather and possibly better marina choices? And a new location would give access to a different set of people that could potentially help you finish the boat.

As far as your mold issues, do you have a sense of what it would take to kill any existing mold to a sufficient level? If so, it might be possible to find some production boats where you can get enough access to the hidden spaces with only minor disassembly and knock out the mold that may be in there.

I could move the boat any time.

It just needs new motor mounts. I had made temporary ones from wood/epoxy and like most of that sort of stuff, they rotted.

Have to shackle the new anchor on (old one was stolen off the bow).

Have to stow things a bit for the trip.

But, what sort of north are you thinking? Too far up and it gets very expensive/regulated as well as unworkable in the winter. I’d also hope for some hurricane protection, power at a dock, a place to park an RV next to the boat since the boat isn’t liveable. And not to break the bank. A tall order, I know.

[Chotu]

Originally Posted by wolfgal

Chotu,

oh dear...

i do not know what to do and cannot advise you, but i want you to know that i admire you to the moon and back.

as someone who has bumped up against all kinds of obstacles (and a few hardships) while trying to get her own dream to float, for me, you have really and truly given this project, this dream ALL you've got while walking along the edge of a very sharp sword...

whatever you decide Chotu, you have my utmost respect!



wolfie

Awwww thank you so much for the kind words and good vibes, Wolfie. I haven’t posted the half of it. LOL. I sometimes think I was cursed. Ha ha. All the external issues that most boatbuilders don’t have to overcome have been utterly exhausting and frankly have given me more stress than anything I’ve ever experienced in life.

But the heart attack has forced me to think of the future as finite. As a few decades I have left (on average) that I want to spend doing enjoyable things. Meaningful things. Things I can look back on and feel good about when I’m old and winding life down.

I have definitely given everything my all and have been beaten it feels like. I don’t have the energy to fight at the level I have been for much longer.

[double u]

"I have definitely given everything my all"
This is the thing for you to keep in mind! Bad luck or circumstances beyond your control - try to ban them from your thoughts.
Sometimes it is better to "cut & run" than to fight impossible odds.
Good luck! I always appreciated your perfectionism!
How said Michelangelo, the artist:
"It is better to aim too high & miss,
than to aim too low & hit."

[thinwater]

Originally Posted by Chotu

Hi Everyone,... because of mold issues. Yes, all boats have mold. It’s the “boat smell."...

Use a dehumidifier. There is nothing magical about boats attracting mold, it is just that the environment is humid. You can drive the humidity as low as you like. Perhaps not as convenient as ventilation-only, but it works.


I've certainly stayed in RVs and cabins with mold issues. They bother me too. So I run a dehumidifier. No problem.

[Chotu]

Rslifkin: you know, thinking about the northern thing a minute... it’s only about 4 months that are kind of unworkable up there. December through March. The rest are workable. I’d say all of rainy season in south Florida is unworkable. So it would be a matter of finding a lesser known spot that would accept my boat and let me work on it for a reasonable fee and of course I would need the RV there to be able to work on it.

[LittleWing77]

I have a feeling you and Tony need to speak with each other...

Lagoon Project
https://www.cruisersforum.com/forums...ct-253954.html

LW77

[Chotu]

Originally Posted by thinwater

Use a dehumidifier. There is nothing magical about boats attracting mold, it is just that the environment is humid. You can drive the humidity as low as you like. Perhaps not as convenient as ventilation-only, but it works.


I've certainly stayed in RVs and cabins with mold issues. They bother me too. So I run a dehumidifier. No problem.

It’s way too late. You can’t find a used boat that doesn’t already have mold. The previous owner didn’t use a dehumidifier from new.

I’m all for your approach, but I’ve never seen a used boat that didn’t have mold.

Mine can’t because of how I built it. You just wipe the mold off the only surface.

[wolfgal]

Originally Posted by Chotu

Awwww thank you so much for the kind words and good vibes, Wolfie. I haven’t posted the half of it. LOL. I sometimes think I was cursed. Ha ha. All the external issues that most boatbuilders don’t have to overcome have been utterly exhausting and frankly have given me more stress than anything I’ve ever experienced in life.

But the heart attack has forced me to think of the future as finite. As a few decades I have left (on average) that I want to spend doing enjoyable things. Meaningful things. Things I can look back on and feel good about when I’m old and winding life down.

I have definitely given everything my all and have been beaten it feels like. I don’t have the energy to fight at the level I have been for much longer.

yes, you've been gobsmacked a few times over! it is the raw deal. but please do not see yourself as "being defeated"

years ago, when i lost everything in one tragic event, i realised that life isn't fair, that people do not "get what they deserve", that what life dishes out can smell like roses or not, that there is such a thing as being in the right place at the right time, just as there is being in the wrong place at the wrong time. our earnest efforts do curve space and time but don't keep sh*t from flying.

and yes, your efforts have been in earnest, and you have accomplished so much crazy-courageous stuff.and as much as i'd like to cheer you on and give that vibe that helps you defeat the odds, i've often read in between the lines how your body has been telling you that the risk to your health (to you being alive or not) is growing, really, really growing...

so, i'd like to point to a couple things that i've also noted, things not to overlook: you mentioned that you have a good mate, a girl who is very supportive (and guessing), loving. if you've got a good relationship, then you are rich mate! you have also mentioned that RV trips are not all that bad...

having a good mate and having an enjoyable means for sharing adventures together does sound like a plan, a plan you get to enjoy longer than otherwise.

that's my feeling, Chotu.

wolfie

[Chotu]

Originally Posted by double u

"I have definitely given everything my all"
This is the thing for you to keep in mind! Bad luck or circumstances beyond your control - try to ban them from your thoughts.
Sometimes it is better to "cut & run" than to fight impossible odds.
Good luck! I always appreciated your perfectionism!
How said Michelangelo, the artist:
"It is better to aim too high & miss,
than to aim too low & hit."

Thank you!

Based on your info to the left of the thread it says you don’t have a boat anymore. Are you able to share with me what life is like on the “other side?” Are you still having good times and getting the same sort of experiences as boating brings? Are you finding more time for enjoyable things? Any regrets?

[BCCLover]

What about finding a place on land to store it while you work on it? Yes, the trucking fees are likely to be challenging but you may have more options for places to do that rather than relying on marinas or even boatyards.

Other thing to consider (and I'm sorry, I don't know what work you're currently doing on the boat) is to move it north and "just" get a cover for it, one that would allow for a heater inside and access to working on it. There are yards in central Virginia (we're currently in Deltaville) that may well fit your needs.

I'm sorry about your discouragement. You've worked so freaking hard on this boat.

[Chotu]

Originally Posted by BCCLover

What about finding a place on land to store it while you work on it? Yes, the trucking fees are likely to be challenging but you may have more options for places to do that rather than relying on marinas or even boatyards.

Other thing to consider (and I'm sorry, I don't know what work you're currently doing on the boat) is to move it north and "just" get a cover for it, one that would allow for a heater inside and access to working on it. There are yards in central Virginia (we're currently in Deltaville) that may well fit your needs.

I'm sorry about your discouragement. You've worked so freaking hard on this boat.

Ok, these are interesting ideas. Trucking is out. 50ft LOA x 25ft beam. It’s not possible to move it from the water, BUT.. it operates just fine in 3ft of water (24” draft) and I’m a risk taker. So, if there is a small barely navigable stream or canal to a spot that’s far away from the ocean that I could put it on land... I’m very happy with that.

Even if the land was undeveloped. It can be lifted out be crane.

Then there is also the fact it can be pulled out by a standard hydraulic boat trailer at a boat ramp.

You could even pull it out with a pickup truck at a ramp given you used a flatbed trailer under it with some supports.

So there are tons of options in that department. Kind of wish I could find a private land owner on some water that I could set up a deal with.

I’d also be happy to just leave it when the snow flies and return to it when the weather is good. It only has about a year or 2 of work left. Which is really the sad part.

I should finish it EVEN IF I’m selling it but these external circumstances are killing me. Well, the boat is killing me too, as Wolfie was mentioning, but the external circumstances are just demoralizing.

If I do move forward with it, I’d need to hire a little help from someone to go quickly as well as keep me away from all these materials I’ve become so sensitive to.

[Chotu]

Originally Posted by wolfgal

yes, you've been gobsmacked a few times over! it is the raw deal. but please do not see yourself as "being defeated"

years ago, when i lost everything in one tragic event, i realised that life isn't fair, that people do not "get what they deserve", that what life dishes out can smell like roses or not, that there is such a thing as being in the right place at the right time, just as there is being in the wrong place at the wrong time. our earnest efforts do curve space and time but don't keep sh*t from flying.

and yes, your efforts have been in earnest, and you have accomplished so much crazy-courageous stuff.and as much as i'd like to cheer you on and give that vibe that helps you defeat the odds, i've often read in between the lines how your body has been telling you that the risk to your health (to you being alive or not) is growing, really, really growing...

so, i'd like to point to a couple things that i've also noted, things not to overlook: you mentioned that you have a good mate, a girl who is very supportive (and guessing), loving. if you've got a good relationship, then you are rich mate! you have also mentioned that RV trips are not all that bad...

having a good mate and having an enjoyable means for sharing adventures together does sound like a plan, a plan you get to enjoy longer than otherwise.

that's my feeling, Chotu.

wolfie

These are good thoughts, Wolfie. I have always had sort of bad luck with things so luckily, I’ve learned to just press on. I’m just getting tired is all. I’m losing the will to fight. At least to fight this fight. Other fights are very easy in comparison.

Believe it or not, one of my aspirations that I’ve been putting off for all these boatbuilding years is to go over your way for a year or two. Maybe stay. I’m a dual citizen, but American born. I planned to sail back over there, but maybe a caravan or motorcycle tour or even just renting a place has its merits.

Asia is also high on the list since I’ve never been. I’d like to actually see all these places for an extended period of time and all my life thought boating was my key to it. Plus I rather enjoy traveling with my home and all belongings. Now, I’m questioning that original plan.

I really looked into the RV thing for world travel but there are these emissions stickers in the EU and the system is a mess for bringing a vehicle there. Basically all RVs that I’d bring are diesel. They cannot be driven in many places at all and you need to pay all these stickers for different areas to drive around the continent. Seems like my diesel based RV would be unwelcome in Europe even though the size of it wouldn’t be much of an issue. It’s quite small for USA standards

I’m going to just put it all out there too. My relationship is good, loving, but my girlfriend suffers from worsening depression. We were supposed to go see California for her this summer, but her depression is so bad (and hasn’t responded to any treatments) that she decided to cancel the California part since she cannot enjoy it. Opting instead for a restful summer in the mountains. We are spending this vacation time just relaxing and thinking. This thread is part of my thinking and process.

I have to say, accepting the financial loss of selling this boat (not to mention the time loss) is a heavy weight. Something not easy to get over.