32ft plastic vs 36ft steel

[2ofEverything]

Originally Posted by bcboomer

I know a little about that steel boat and it was properly primed before foaming so there shouldn't be any issue there.
If you've read his book then you know how capable a boat it is. Especially in the trades.
Since you are staying in the island for now you'll be sailing very little and motoring a lot no matter which one you choose. I know which one I'd rather motor in.
It's easy to think you will just get another boat for your off shore but that likely means another time consuming refit.

Decisions, decisions.

Ah thank you! I sent you a PM but I would love to know more about the boat if possible, I read the book front to back in a few days and love the history of the boat. If it's not too much work I would love to give her another life.

[jim King]

If you don't have a heap of sailing experience, the most ready to sail boat would be my suggestion even if it doesn't offer the stand up room you'd like. Sail it around Vancouver for a year or two and look into other larger boats that you'd like to buy when you get ready to cut ties with land and head off full time live aboard life. It sounds like, with a great price on the boats you are looking at, you may make a profit when you sell it and move on to the perfect boat for you.

[NorthCoastJoe]

We sailed on a Brent Swain design 36' sloop once in SF bay it was a real dog, a pig. Not much of a sailboat though motored well.

[Scorpius]

I live and sail on the BC coast on a steel boat and would NEVER give it up for plastic. There are just too many rocks around here. There are several other steel boats in the yard here (Jack's Boat Yard in Lund) and I'm quite sure all would agree with me.

I am fairly familiar with Brent's boats and have a lot of respect for him despite what many people say about him - and I like his boats: not for the aesthetics or performance (they're not particularly pretty or fast) but because they are tough. And I love the idea of bilge keels (hopefully yours is one of those). The thought of being able to sail through an anchorage right up to the head and drop the hook in five feet of water when you run aground , then walk ashore at low tide, is VERY attractive. I might even go into Desolation Sound in the summer with a boat like that! Also a pilothouse is very nice to have in this climate.

The one thing that I worry about a great deal with steel boats (particularly older "backyard built" ones) is rust from the inside. It can be EXTREMELY difficult to deal with, tearing out interiors, etc. However, I see further up the the thread that this boat was well prepped and painted inside and then spray foamed. That should make a HUGE difference. Scorpius was flamed-sprayed inside and out, then foamed inside and, after forty years, the steel behind the foam is pristine and I have very little trouble with rust.

If I didn't have Scorpius and could get a good Brent Swain bilge-keeler I'd take her in a heartbeat. In fact, Brent was involved in building Scorpius and she exhibits many of his features and ideas.

It seems to me that the fact you referred to one as "plastic" (rather than fibreglas) suggests to me that you have already made up your mind.

[rmlarson1098]

Originally Posted by 2ofEverything

Hey everyone,

So I'm in the process of boat shopping, have been for a little while now and as luck would have it a boat fell into my lap, or rather two boats. The gentleman I'm renting from and his brother own two boats, they're older guys and are looking to sell one or the other, and I'm interested in buying. The two boats are radically different, and while I understand this is entirely personal preference I was wondering if anyone can maybe highlight some pros and cons I may have missed here.

Now I'll add, the plan is to keep learning to sail, gain experience and over the next 4 years do a slow refit and get ready to liveaboard full time and sail the world.

So first boat is an early 70s Wauquiez Centurion 32. Seems they have a great reputation, the interior is very nice, and in general the boat needs work but it's mostly aesthetic and would need some liveaboard amenities added (this applies to any boat in this price range it seems). Biggest drawback is I'm 6'3 and there's about 2 inches less headroom than I'd need to stand... although the cabin entrance opens above the galley so I would be able to stand and cook... I checked everything I could check and it looks good, obviously a survey will be done regardless what bout I choose...

Next is a Brent Swain design 36' sloop, launched in 1997. It's a backyard build but the man who built it had a dream to sail around the world and did a 3 year circumnavigation with this boat, and wrote a book while doing so. I've read this book now and it is very interesting to say the least. This boat needs some TLC, I checked everywhere I could inside and it seems all the rust is light surface rust, but it does need a full haul out and sand blast or grind out and there's some major work... Again (assuming the survey doesn't indicate the hull is beyond repair) this is work I would be willing to do. However, she is a bit of a pig. Sailing around here would be more motoring than anything else. But there's a good amount of headroom, a holding tank, and the interior teak is in great condition.

Is steel really that much more time and money? I mean if I hauled her out and did all the major work how much more maintenance would it be than fiberglass? And I know people love their headroom but if you're living in the Caribbean how often are you standing inside anyways?

The Wauquiez is a proven blue water boat as well... and I'd be able to enjoy sailing her here while I build my savings for the big trip...

Also both of these boats are priced VERY reasonably, the Wauquiez would be a few thousand $ more but otherwise very similarly priced.

Hi. If you’re a welder, and comfortable working (fitting, grinding, and welding) steel, you might do well with the steel boat. If you are not handy with iron, the learning curve can be steep, and the hired-out maintenance and repair overwhelming. Best wishes either way!

[Celestialsailor]

If you're new to boating and especially new to getting an unfinished boat to water, I can tell you everything cost twice as much and takes 3 times longer than you thought. I've built 3 steel boats, 2 of my own. I am strictly fiberglass now. I have cruised on and off for a number of years and wintered in a lot of yards. It is always the steel guys cutting holes (BIG HOLES) in their boats replacing rusted out plates, always bragging how strong their boats are. Take the boat that is closest to launching.

Choose wisely.