Robert Perry 47 Taiwanese Built

[charliehows]

the main reason not to buy this boat; you are giving $30K to the idiot who vandalised it beyond redemption without having the wherewithall to ever return it to the water; these sort of people should never be encouraged. Of course, if you've put this up as a serious proposition, you wont be taking any advice to the contrary anyway, but, hey, this is the internet, WTF do I care whether our collective 5 minutes of input amount to anything?

[El Pinguino]

Originally Posted by charliehows

the main reason not to buy this boat; you are giving $30K to the idiot who vandalised it ....

I don't think anyone vandalised it.... I'm sure they had the very best intentions... and it just overwhelmed them... maybe they thought 'Hey I've just retired.... '

How many broken dreams are parked in paddocks across Australia...

For the OP... better to buy a boat in reasonable condition... she will keep you out of mischief and gainfully employed for years to come....

That boat is landfill... nada mas....

[GILow]

Originally Posted by grantmc

...But a suggestion. Why not acquire a beaten up little trailer sailor and restore it..

This may be some of the best advice I’ve ever read on CF.

I’ve been working on my boat since I bought her in 2012. In that time she has only been out of sailable state for, maybe, three months in total. But during those periods I really struggled to maintain the energy and enthusiasm needed to keep the project going, and my boat was no kind of “project boat”.

There was a thread a while back, titled “what happened to all the wannabes”. It discussed those who came here looking at the cruising boat lifestyle. It was an eye opener.

A complimentary thread might be titled something like “what happened to all the restorers?” I’ll happily bet over 90% never got the boat to the point where it could be sailed. After a bad day on my boat, I’d up that figure to 95%.

Bob Perry designs are great boats. But I’ll bet that one never sails another day in its life. Happy to be proven wrong but all I can see is a staggering amount of work for no return. I’m not talking financial return either. I am talking those moments when you take the boat out of the pen, hoist the sails and get the boat moving. THAT’S when the real enjoyment of all the blood, sweat and tears is returned.

Go with Grant’s advice. It’s gold.

[SV Sailfish]

Originally Posted by Suijin

It’s a truism that it takes more money to restore a neglected example of a given boat than it takes to buy a well maintained example of the same boat. Think about that long and hard before you jump in.

After 15 years on the hard there’s a good chance that you’ll have to replace every mechanical system on the boat, rewire the boat, including the mast, rebed everything on the deck. replace all the running rigging. And the list goes on.

Yes it WAS a great boat. Now it’s a money pit. If you have not owned and maintained and repaired a big boat then you don’t have the experience to evaluate what you’re looking at and calculate what it’s going to take in money and time to make her good again.

+1

I would heed this advice Metal Boat. (something tells me you will not as you have been infected with the starry eyed dreamer disease)

So... go ahead. Pay 30k for a boat worth zero. Then... spend 100k to 200k to get it to where it will be worth 80k.

Or... just put your hand on the counter and hit it hard with a hammer. When the pain subsides... hit your hand again. Then repeat every 30 minutes for the next 2 years. (About how long it will take to restore this boat). If even possible.

How do I know? Why do I give this advice?? Because, long ago, in a galaxy far, far away, I too was a stupid dreamer who bought one of "these". 100k later, I learned a hard lesson.

The boat I sail now is completely restored. (by the former owner) He spent over 110k and had all the work done by professionals. (new engine, sails, rigging, canvass, exterior/interior 2 part paint, etc., etc., etc.) When he was done, she was a beauty!

Then I bought her for 35k turn key because his wife did not want to go sailing. See a pattern here matey?

But you go right ahead.

[Aguabago]

If you buy a boat of that vintage in working condition and just maintain and do minor upgrades for few years then you will achieve your goal of knowing everything about the boat because everything will need to be touched in one way or another in that time period.

[Sailshabby]

Option 1 is you buy it cheap and spend the difference on replacing/restoring/rebuilding. Option 2 is you spend it on a ‘fit’ boat. The difference? One you get to actually use the boat sooner. Been there, done that...

[olaf hart]

There is a decent Perry 47 for sale in Qld at the moment, asking price is high but I know it was sold for a lot less a couple of years ago, so it may be open to low offers.

I recently picked up a Valiant 40 for not much more than that project boat, it needed work but has a newish Yanmar, a new gearbox, new tanks, a solid deck, useful sails and I just replaced the rig, so it is still a going concern, and we can use it as we sort it out.

$30k is not a bargain for that boat, I bet it needs a lot of deck work for a start

[gulfcoastsailor]

Please run do not walk away from this purchase.

[Gindalee]

I , bought a Perry 47 2 years ago. She will need the ports & windows removing and resealing. I also replaced the glass as it was delaminating. The deck core needed cutting out and replacing. Bulkheads, floor, plumbing, wiring and cock pit will all need replacing. I love the boat but the way they were built and if not maintained very well, you will be in for a big job and three times what you paid for it in materials. Get a survey and don't pay too much for it . It is good to see there are other out there that are willing to salvage these old girls.

[Kenomac]

What a mess. You’re making a BIG mistake, and will wind up learning an expensive, time consuming lesson.

Are you married? If so... you’ll most certainly be single before that boat goes anywhere.

[Metal Boat]

Ok stay calm people,


In my career I have owned and restored close to 20 aircraft. I am not going to blow my cash. I know how dangerous these projects can be. I wish say this with the greatest respect to all, I know how to piss money up against a wall and do it with style. The money risks with aeroplanes when you start paying 500 bucks for a landing gear bolt make boats a safer choice in many ways. I am listening very carefully as to what may be wrong with this boat and I am most certainly not going to rush in. But I think it will be well worth my while to go and look at this boat as an actual learning experience in finding fault.



I agree the add does sound suspect and a can assure you that I will be back with extensive pics and a description of what I have seen, and if I make an offer it will be after further discussion and a cursory survey of the hull, and it will be very low.


For those who have mentioned teak decks and bulkhead repairs could you please expend a little on what this entails. I thought the fake teak was just stuck on top of the gel coat.

Originally Posted by SV Sailfish

+1

I would heed this advice Metal Boat. (something tells me you will not as you have been infected with the starry eyed dreamer disease)

I am building a short list at the moment I got mixed up with too many bad women in my youth, I need to indentify bad boats.


I am here on this forum looking foolish for a reason and that is because I know there is tens of thousands of hours experience and knowledge guiding me away from foolish moves.

[GILow]

Originally Posted by Metal Boat

In my career I have owned and restored close to 20 aircraft.
.

I have friends who restore aircraft. I love what they do.

Currently they are doing up a 1950s Auster from the frame up and something around a, maybe, 80’s Motorfalke.

Lovely work, painstaking, detailed, every decision has implications for safety at, I suppose, a life and death level.

They have it easy.

The difference between aircraft restoration and boat restoration cannot be measured in light years.

And their multiple aircraft stored in their private hanger cost them a tiny fraction of what it costs to keep my 42 foot boat in a pen.

Their aircraft have one simple job.

To fly.

A boat has to:
Float, sail, motor, cook, wash, ablute, sleep, entertain and generally provide a fully functional home to its inhabitants. The level of complexity is incomparable and every time I take them for a sail Noel asks me how the heck I keep everything running.

I have no bloody idea.

[El Pinguino]

Comparing this boat to an aircraft restoration would be valid if the aircraft involved was a Liberator you had found in the jungles of New Guinea.....

The 'ask' on these boats in reasonable order seems to be about $A70,000.....

This boat does not have value... well yes it does.... negative value..... it will cost the present owners money to have it hauled away.....

[olaf hart]

If you don’t understand wet cores, I suggest you start with a smaller boat.

An old J24 will teach you all you need to know about wet cores...

The simple answer is don’t go there...

[Cpt Mark]

I think by now you seen the consensus on this idea. many of us have had it, we've all seen it, we all know how it will go. If you were restoring a 1920's Fife or the like I'd sat go for it.

I suggest you buy not one boat but 2 boats. Spend a good amount of money on a boat to for cruising on or whatever and spend very little money on a project boat and bring it back to Bristol.You'll still get the satisfaction of slaving on a boat and still have one to enjoy.