What's the Worst Boat YOU Ever Had?

[Jim Cate]

Originally Posted by Reefmagnet

There was a guy in the boatyard once that had one of those things about 50' in length. When he investigated why his strip planking was coming apart on the amas below and just above the water line, he discovered it had been glued with sikaflex or something similar. Credit where credit is due; it held together for 20 years or so.

Strip planking? Piver? Never heard of that combo, for all the many Piver designs were for glass over plywood construction. Not that it matters, but I kinda doubt that it was a Piver design... on the other hand, he complained a lot about folks modifying his designs, so I guess it could be!

Jim

[smj]

Originally Posted by minaret

Sure did! Since quitting boatyard management and going solo, I'm making it my personal mission to provide restoration of older boats at costs people can actually afford. Yard rates are ridiculous. Far too many boats out there languishing in their slips in need of restoration, for lack of the massive amount of funds needed for yard restoration. This Cascade would have gone in the landfill without me, as the yard bill would have substantially exceeded the value of the boat. Average cost to landfill a boat approaches 10k, therefore for not much more money than it would have cost him to destroy it, I restored it. Feels good!


Currently rebuilding a broken Wauquiez Centurion 42, '91.

Kudos to you👍🏻

[Reefmagnet]

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

Strip planking? Piver? Never heard of that combo, for all the many Piver designs were for glass over plywood construction. Not that it matters, but I kinda doubt that it was a Piver design... on the other hand, he complained a lot about folks modifying his designs, so I guess it could be!

Jim

The owner was calling it that at the time but it is possible it was something else. He was a first time boat owner iirc.

[Capt Phil]

Cannot recall the make but it was a 20 foot twin keel built in Britain and brought back to Canada by a retiring serviceman. The twin keels bespoke of being able to leave it an estuary that dried out with the tide and it would stay upright (sort of).
Powered by an ancient seagull outboard that must have been about 5 HP, sails were waterproof cotton, I believe and totally blown out. Boat was filthy inside and out but only cost me $200 in 1961, which, now that I think of it was a lot of cash.
Because my prior boat was a sailing skiff, having a roof over my head was marvelous, even though the hatch was a bit leaky. Sailed her for about 3 years and only got the engine running a couple of times.
Sold her for about what I paid but the xperience was well worth all the troubles. Phil
,

[SkiprJohn]

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

Strip planking? Piver? Never heard of that combo, for all the many Piver designs were for glass over plywood construction. Not that it matters, but I kinda doubt that it was a Piver design... on the other hand, he complained a lot about folks modifying his designs, so I guess it could be!

Jim

My very bold acquaintance had a Piver 35 that he was very proud of and selling. It came out for survey and he wanted to show how tough the hull was so he fetched a 2x4 and whacked the side of main hull with it. Needless to say he had a large hole to repair before putting back in the water. Glass over ply construction.

[gjordan]

I could agree with comments about the Contessa 26 being wet, narrow and a bit tender, not not slow. I averaged 110 miles a day from Mexico to the Marquesas, and later 90 miles a day from the Tuamotus to Hawaii and that included 2 days of about 15 miles a day in the doldrums. One thing that was great about it was that it never leaked other than the non-selfbailing cockpit. I understand that Tanias Contessa was Canadian built, which I dont think was as good a build quality as the British built ones. I just bought a Catalina 22, so I may have a worst boat story by the end of summer. I will wait and see. _____Grant.

[thericksster]

Only have had two sailboats. a Prindle 16 catamaran that is so much fun and fast that there is nothing bad to say about them. now I own a Macgregor 25 which is much slower but a great boat. Plenty of living space and easy to sail and pretty fast for a monohull.

[Cherp]

The worst boat I ever had was a small dinghy I planned to use as a tender. It looked good. But it was remarkably unstable. Even if you shifted your weight a bit it nearly tipped. I don't know why it was so unstable compared to other dinghies and I didn't use it for long enough to find out.

[Juho]

Originally Posted by minaret

Sure did! Since quitting boatyard management and going solo, I'm making it my personal mission to provide restoration of older boats at costs people can actually afford. Yard rates are ridiculous. Far too many boats out there languishing in their slips in need of restoration, for lack of the massive amount of funds needed for yard restoration. This Cascade would have gone in the landfill without me, as the yard bill would have substantially exceeded the value of the boat. Average cost to landfill a boat approaches 10k, therefore for not much more money than it would have cost him to destroy it, I restored it. Feels good!


Currently rebuilding a broken Wauquiez Centurion 42, '91.

[SkiprJohn]

Originally Posted by gjordan

I could agree with comments about the Contessa 26 being wet, narrow and a bit tender, not not slow. I averaged 110 miles a day from Mexico to the Marquesas, and later 90 miles a day from the Tuamotus to Hawaii and that included 2 days of about 15 miles a day in the doldrums. One thing that was great about it was that it never leaked other than the non-selfbailing cockpit. I understand that Tanias Contessa was Canadian built, which I dont think was as good a build quality as the British built ones. I just bought a Catalina 22, so I may have a worst boat story by the end of summer. I will wait and see. _____Grant.

I was hoping to see someone come to the defense of the speed of the Folkboat/Contessa. They are not slow but are wet sailing.

You'll find the Catalina not as well constructed but lighter, more tender, more nimble and maneuverable and has less waterline so will be slower.

[jeepbluetj]

Worst I've ever sailed on? I managed to sink a (unsinkable) Lido 14 once. It was truly a submarine with a mast sticking out - I almost got it back to the dock.

I learned on a Columbia 5.5. Pretty pretty boat. Looked like it would be a rocket. It is not. Still, that was a fun boat.

[Juho]

Originally Posted by SkiprJohn

I was hoping to see someone come to the defense of the speed of the Folkboat/Contessa. They are not slow but are wet sailing.

Folkboats are classic boats (from 1942) that were planned for regular people, as the name (folkbåt) says. Those classics are typically "wet" because of the classic sleek wooden hull. They are still very respected boats with good reputation in the Nordic countries. Not luxury but practical.

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by Stu Jackson

Wasn't that Donald Crowhurst's boat of choice?

Explains a lot huh..!!
Re the Folkboats.. lovely boats if cramped internally... an Aussie I got to know in Spain owned one.. based in Agua Dulce for a few years.
In the Fall he'd head home to Oz for their summer and return in the Spring to go sailing..
Yup.. Mark was a pretty cool young guy..

[tommyh]

Hands down
Ericson 27
Slowest worse handeling sailboat i've owned or sailed.

[Capt Phil]

Originally Posted by tommyh

Hands down
Ericson 27
Slowest worse handeling sailboat i've owned or sailed.

Interesting, Tommy... I crewed on an Ericson 26 in the beer can races on Bellingham Bay back in the 80's and thought we did pretty well. Although my memory of those days is pretty shaky(thank goodness). Phil