Worth salvaging this on a limited budget

[TooCoys]

Originally Posted by Sunkenanchor

Just FYI I heard plenty of naysayers on this last project and most of my life....

You're gonna get pushback from most everyone on any project like this, mostly because people (in general) are afraid of too much manual labor. I'd say if the mechanical parts are in good order, and the decks/hull aren't delaminated and rotted, I'd run with it. Looks like a fairly salvageable boat.

[Cadence]

On a limited budget, sight unseen in Mexico. Run don't walk even if he offers you a good hunk of money.

[stormalong]

Have to agree with the run, don't walk away crowd.

A 40 footer is nothing like a Catalina 27. Materials costs will far exceed your expectations and your learning curve will be steep.

The boat is a mess as if it was rushed into the boatyard. A boat in such a mess says to me it has not been well maintained. The gelcoat is chalked - it will need to be painted to make it attractive. Taking the mast down, new standing rigging and mast step plus putting the mast back up will be in the 5 to 10 thousand dollar range.

Volvo engine parts are super expensive and often hard to find. An engine rebuild or replacement will probably cost more than the purchase price (unless you pay too much for the boat). Any 40 year old engine is suspect.

[SteveSadler]

I just helped a friend buy an 06 Beny 373. He posted the same question an was bombarded by the same negative answers. He bought it anyway, for half of similar listing prices. Sure it cost $3k for new rigging, parts and more $ will follow, but he will make money on it after sailing it for 10 years around the world. My best advice to him was to read Fatty Goodlanders books, Chasing the Horizon, and Buy, outfit and sail. An inspirational author, with sound advice on outfitting, and sailing round the world with little money. Consider the boat as a math problem. List the projects, costs and resale value. Unless some massive problem is uncovered, you will score a world cruiser for a fraction of it's worth when completed. Mexico is also a far cheaper place to outfit than the US where yard costs are 3x 3rd worlds prices, and parts can be shipped in from anywhere. Get a translate app and learn some spanish! Put the project on Youtube, I want to follow it!

[rwidman]

Originally Posted by TooCoys

You're gonna get pushback from most everyone on any project like this, mostly because people (in general) are afraid of too much manual labor. I...........

No, the "pushback" is from thoughtful people trying to give honest advice based on common sense and experience.

[Cadence]

I got a 48' boat that my parents had lived on for 17 yrs. After trucking it from NJ to SC an putting on the hill, I made the decision scrap her. She was not worth the time, money and effort to make right. That's not a I have a friend story. I was lucky the boat yard owner disposed of her for nada after I striped her. She was in better shape looking at those pics..

[Allied39]

Originally Posted by SteveSadler

I just helped a friend buy an 06 Beny 373. He posted the same question an was bombarded by the same negative answers. He bought it anyway, for half of similar listing prices. Sure it cost $3k for new rigging, parts and more $ will follow, but he will make money on it after sailing it for 10 years around the world. My best advice to him was to read Fatty Goodlanders books, Chasing the Horizon, and Buy, outfit and sail. An inspirational author, with sound advice on outfitting, and sailing round the world with little money. Consider the boat as a math problem. List the projects, costs and resale value. Unless some massive problem is uncovered, you will score a world cruiser for a fraction of it's worth when completed. Mexico is also a far cheaper place to outfit than the US where yard costs are 3x 3rd worlds prices, and parts can be shipped in from anywhere. Get a translate app and learn some spanish! Put the project on Youtube, I want to follow it!

Some interesting points. Now I am not going to agree with all those "naysayers", who obviously have little or no experience or knowledge of what this vessel needs....obviously just a lick o paint here and dab of grease there, but my experience of the costs down that neck of the woods was a little different.

I was in Ceiba (honduras) pricing yard costs for a bottom job and found them to be more, and not by just a little, than prices in the US. So I spent my greenbacks back home a few months later.

As for mexico, well, remember to factor in bribe costs.

I to be honest did exactly what the OP is proposing, actually about 10 times more. Down to a bare hull, no deck , no bulkheads, so not afraid of work. And the knowledge gained was a good base on which to expand into the marine field.

BUT....not in mexico. No bribes, no theft, no being seen as a gringo fool to be stolen from because obviously I cant count my own fingers.....thank (pick a god) I did not have to deal with any of that!

Ok, back to the positve vibe going on......yeah buddy, go get her!!!! What do I know.

PS: it is true the OP did not actually use a question mark, so perhaps he was not actuallly asking whether it is "worth it" , maybe just musing and only after feel good vibes?

[Sunkenanchor]

Originally Posted by Sailshabby

Understand. Everything else aside, price out the rigging (which it’ll need - our 40’ ran thousands) and an engine. Chain plates look like they should be relatively cheap, but they’re not. Smaller innocuous tasks have a tendency to morph into money eaters. If you’re planning to “commute” to the boat, add that cost. Yard space rental. Will the yard require insurance, and can you get it (an emerging problem for older boats).?

Etc., etc., etc.

Aluminum Bronze chain/ deck plates are available from McMaster-Carr for about $350 for all the main upper/ lower shrouds. 316L is far cheaper but I’m not a fan of crevice corrosion…

$5.90 dry storage

$16.50 Work area electricity and water supplied

Owner live aboard and no additional expense.

Hull to the water $260

No commute, no desire to come back to the US

Engine and vessel was said to be hulled out every year for maintenance (working on receipts) until his father couldn’t sail and it has remained on the hard since. Sails were tossed in cabin, I was told because the covers were bad and new ones were to be made. Materials cheap and I can sew..

I always forget forums are like this which is why I avoid them like the plague (not directed at you) and that I must be specific and should have just posted the mast step mount corrosion pic only anything else just seems to attract fly’s

[TooCoys]

Originally Posted by rwidman

No, the "pushback" is from thoughtful people trying to give honest advice OPINION based on common sense FEAR and INexperience.

Fixed it.

[Sunkenanchor]

Originally Posted by SteveSadler

I just helped a friend buy an 06 Beny 373. He posted the same question an was bombarded by the same negative answers. He bought it anyway, for half of similar listing prices. Sure it cost $3k for new rigging, parts and more $ will follow, but he will make money on it after sailing it for 10 years around the world. My best advice to him was to read Fatty Goodlanders books, Chasing the Horizon, and Buy, outfit and sail. An inspirational author, with sound advice on outfitting, and sailing round the world with little money. Consider the boat as a math problem. List the projects, costs and resale value. Unless some massive problem is uncovered, you will score a world cruiser for a fraction of it's worth when completed. Mexico is also a far cheaper place to outfit than the US where yard costs are 3x 3rd worlds prices, and parts can be shipped in from anywhere. Get a translate app and learn some spanish! Put the project on Youtube, I want to follow it!

Thanks for the sound advice, think that book was quoted the other day by a friend.

Your recommend cost list is what I just did and sent to the owner so as to not offend by a much lower offer and the value he had in his head of his father’s sailboat. Even he admitted the condition was not what was expected since he saw it last.

It has been on the hard just wasting since his father could no longer sail otherwise it was moored out front of his house. He strikes me as a genuine individual and offered up issues before even asked, not something a scammer does.

[Moontide]

Where the boat is in Mexico can make a huge difference on getting parts, finding english speakers, labor prices, etc.


From the pics certainly looks like more than I would take on, but it would be an adventure. Might also want to check and see what that model is going for in the market. Some are low value even if perfect, others have followers who will pay for a specific model.


Good luck whichever way you go.

[George_SD]

If you really like working on the boats instead of using them - sure go ahead.

I would recommend buying something in slightly better condition, doing cosmetic work and then selling for a profit (if you are trying to pay for an upgrade/bigger boat).

I've done my share of projects, but at some point you realize that doing the work and not enjoying the car/boat/whatever has it's own price that is not monetary.

[rwidman]

Originally Posted by TooCoys

Fixed it.

Feel better now?

[TooCoys]

Originally Posted by rwidman

Feel better now?

Sure do. I've already been banned from that other circus clown show, and since boaters have a tendency to dog pile, and I think it's important for the OP to know exactly what he's reading.

[Cadence]

Originally Posted by Sunkenanchor

1980’s 40’ Hughes ketch not sure of the price I can get it for yet.
I’m not afraid of the work and poses many skills electronics to metal fabrication, I just don’t have lots of money for materials and parts.
So far it need at least one chain plate, probably standing rigging and running, Bottom paint, mast step? (not sure what its called, see pic’s) This is the scariest issue to me so far.
Its in Mexico so I have not seen it personally, the owner is sending me photos, it was his father’s sailboat




pics

https://drive.google.com/drive/folde...cC?usp=sharing

I went back and looked at the pics. I would hazard a guess some are not of the current condition but were taken when she had seen better days.
Not trying to be a naysayer but it does sound like you have have done enough homework. Or maybe are just a dreamer?