If you like to
work on boats especially
paint and
varnish, a wooden boat can be a good deal. Poor condition ones show, up though with decreasing regularity, at good prices or even free. Problem is the time, labor and cost to keep them in good shape and stay ahead of
rot and the worms. Still if you have good woodworking skills, you can keep a wooden boat going virtually forever with little
money though a lot of time. Personally like the look and feel of a wooden boat. Would I ever own another one, no way. Unlike an FRP boat, laziness and a little neglect can lead to major
repair issues and even loss of the boat. In the tropics where I live, a wooden boat is a nightmare. In less hospitable environments like the NE and NW, wooden boats are a better proposition. With the less intense sun, lower temperatures and short seasons, keeping a wooden boat isn't as onerous a task so you still see a lot of them.
In the
current state of the
boating market, there are a ton of FRP boats that can be had for
cheap and require little more than a soap,
water and
elbow grease to get back on the
water. Makes it real hard to justify going with a wooden boat in any condition.