Steel Boats and Welding

[SaltyMonkey]

Here's the listing.

2003 Custom Roberts 38C Cutter Sail Boat For Sale - www.yachtworld.com

on the surface a great great deal.

I also like that the dish towel matches the engine

[Yachts66]

Miller, it looks like you did good. I've cruised those waters quite a bit in years gone by, it's a nice area, but HOT in the summer. You might want to contact SV Third Day (they post on the Lats and Atts board quite a bit) who has summered over in the Sea of Cortez. They are well connected in the area, (although perhaps not so much in Guaymas and may be able to give you some pointers. I know they deal with the heat via a window A/C unit powered by a gas Honda generator.

Your survey should be interesting. I haven't a clue if you can find competent folks in that area. I'm curious, are the fuel tanks integral?

In any case, there are some pristine cruising grounds down there and some decent hurricane holes if a blow does come your way, so have a GREAT time.

Regards,

Thomas

[SaltyMonkey]

You know, I'm afraid this is what it's going to come down to. You need to prepare to go world wide to get the ideal steel boat.

[Yachts66]

No, I don't agree. If you want an "ideal" steel boat, build it or have it built. It's about the only way to do it as far as I can tell.

Thomas

[SaltyMonkey]

Sure if you are fricken rich and have 100% of your time free and have oodles of room and don't mind waiting 5 years to put her in water, i guess its easy to make that kind of statement.

[Yachts66]

LOL the key word here is, "ideal" if you want "ideal" you best be rich (whatever that means) certainly have deep pockets at the minimum because the "ideal" boat will not be the least cost boat. As for time. You don't need five years, you just need lots of bodies to devote man hours, but then if you can't afford that accept the "ideal" boat is no more than a dream. Hard reality of life in the real world. Less than "ideal" boats are available. The good ones sell quickly, so you have to be ready to act quickly or you will miss them. The further from "ideal" they are the slower they are to sell. Another cruel reality of life.

Buying boats in foreign lands is risky. Sometimes very risky and always very expensive. If Yacht Brokers were honest reliable business persons perhaps it would not be quite so risky, but unfortunately many aren't, so things are what they are. When you buy a boat in a 3rd world country you assume huge risk. If things go sour, where do you turn? Most of the EU, Oz and New Zealand would be notable exceptions, but even so, the cost to get there, view the boat and close the deal could be significant. Been there, done that, I'll do my searching close to home.

Regards,

Thomas

[SaltyMonkey]

I knew you would do that. You put too much black and white on the word "ideal" - ideal meaning here ideal for someone to buy for their cruise not the ultimate cruising machine of all time.

Australian, EU, NZ, Carib, Tahiti - I'd feel AOK there. Guatemala, Mexico, etc I'll pass...I see a number of them in EU that are reasonably priced. Plus anything named after a Frenchie or a Netherlander has to be good

(as long as they don't put wooden decks on em!)

[Yachts66]

Well, there are countries in the EU where you are more than likely going to be fleeced. Gypsies love taking money from Americans. LOL Just heard there's a nice little glass boat in Tahiti for about $20k. Nice excuse for a vacation I guess. Take a detour to Bora Bora while you're in the area. Let us know how it goes.

Thomas

[SaltyMonkey]

Bora Bora is for fricken rich people who build their own steelies. There are a few steelies there in Tahitiland. Be like some. Start journey in a cruise area.

OK Y66, you need to get off the lard and get out there sailing instead of forum-ing. Only boatless people like SaltyMonkey can grumble online...

[Yachts66]

Work in progress little monkey. Work in progress.

Thomas

[Brent Swain]

Check out the discussion on skeg failures on metalboatsociety.org.
Other than that, the Roberts 38 is often described as the best design Roberts ever came up with.

[Yachts66]

Yep, that is a very good thread. Anyone with a Roberts designed boat should read that thread.

Regards,

Thomas

[millstb]

I knew about the skeg failures, I know it will be a bit slower than other production 38's et al ... but as all have said, there is no perfect boat; none that would fit everyone's qualifications. I took a path that led me to a boat that has about 90% of the minimal specs I looked for and in my price range. The rest I'll deal with on daily basis. I come from a family of travelers, great adventurers, and all of them would say "get what you need to get from A to B, do not let the small stuff get in the way, have fun and bring back stories for the rest of us"

Cheers mates, I'm off to San Carlos to get a boat,
miller

[spiritbaer]

Hello, maybe this is a different topic,I will try and fit it in this thread.
My concern is, if the bad thing were to happen like ending up on the beach and the tank being punctured. Could quite easily happen. The tanks are located above the keel and just below the cabin sole. A perfect resting spot for the surf to pound against the outside skin against whatever Creating another nightmare besides being on the beach.
I have a few thoughts on how I would beef this vulnerable area up. Besides being prudent and not allowing myself to get in this type of situation.
My thoughts on the fiberglass is to strip the gel coat from waterline down to the keel. Then covering all around in layer or two of Kevlar,blending it all in and replace the gel coat.
On the aluminum I would fit another plate of same thickness as hull slug, button weld to hull skin
On the steel my thoughts were the same as the aluminum but instead of using mild steel I would use 316 stainless steel. This would serve two purposes ,strength and eliminating the need to paint and epoxy. Expensive, not really, a little more labour intensive yes. Of course this double plate would be welded all around so that water and air cannot get at the hull skin the same for the aluminum.
On the balance scale the pros& cons come out pretty well even for all three of the above mentioned material. I lean more towards the steel because Iron working is my trade. However if I happen to come across a good deal on a 31 to 35 Southern Cross or Halsberg Rassy, I would not hesitate to jump on it. After all there have been many fiberglass boats that have been to the Arctic Antarctic with no issues.

[Brent Swain]

When you drop stainless tank in a steel hull, the area betwen the tank and hul is totally inaccessible . With a built in tak with a window in the inspection plate, you can see the bottom of the tank which is also the inside of the hull, any time, by simply lifting the floor board.