Would I regret buying a Wood hull?

[motion30]

the horse and buggy has been used for hundreds of years as well and there are certain people that still use them but most people having embraced the modern technology of the automobile

[Group9]

Originally Posted by motion30

I have friend who keeps a very nice and well maintaned 50' wooden powerboat on the chesapeake He spends $15000 a year on upkeep

When I was in Miami, there was wooden 42 Grand Banks in the slip next to mine that was perfect.

How?

He paid a college kid who was there every single weekend, sanding, varnishing and painting, the whole time.

I love wooden boats. But, watching the actual maintainence being done on one for three years, cured me of ever actually buyng one.

[Liam Wald]

I owned a beautiful 35' wooden cutter from 1984-87. It was definitely a labor of love. My guess is that I spent a good 15-20 hours per week keeping her in pristine condition and 5 hours a week sailing. I was young then.
I was also lucky to find a buyer who, like me, fell in love at first sight and paid a decent price. Unfortunately the new owner lost his starry-eyed infatuation with her rather quickly and wasn't able to keep up the pace of maintenance required to keep her tip-top.
When he sold her two years later, for about 25% of what he had paid me, she was pretty much beyond hope of ever being pristine again.
Unless you plan to live aboard, have very good woodworking skills, and can devote most of your life to the boat I would strongly recommend against it.

[Rakuflames]

Originally Posted by RedHerring

It's quite simple really. Wooden boat will require noticeably more time to keep up than a fiberglass boat of similar size. And if you fail to maintain her for several months, a fiberglass boat will show it cosmetically, but tolerate it structurally. A wooden boat will simply die.

So, as a first boat, wooden hull a big mistake in my opinion. Unless it's a discardable plywood dinghy, like a Mirror or something.

I think you stated the details about the construction materials well. The second part is opinion ... and it's the choice I would make, because I got a boat to sail her and live on her, not to spend extra time on maintenance.

But some people really get off on taking care of wood, and feel as if they are looking at the Mona Lisa when they're done. Diff'rnt (brush) strokes for diff'rnt folks!

[ElGatoGordo]

Originally Posted by motion30

Gordo. I gave one example of the upkeep on a large wooden boat talk about silly statement U. Espouse the virtues o f wooden boats and then you state you cover yours with fiberglass and expoxy. Now.that.is.funny. the undeniable fact is I wood hull will take much much more updates on a fiberglass hull.

As usual, you take one person's choice (mine) and act as though it defines the persons opinion of the only way. Generalizations. Read for content my friend. As I sit on my boat in a remote bay in Texas, my 32' catamaran I built for <$8K, I could care less. But the POINT WAS all you people discount a valid choice with generalizations.

Among the wooden boat builders I know (hundreds) I don't know any who wouldn't sheathe a non-trailer boat. It's still wooden. It's another choice! All I've said is hull material is not the only, or even high on the list, factor in a boat choice.

Hell, if you like steel, it can be a great choice. I HATE steel....grinding, welding, smelly paint....all are horrible to me! But some people love it! Good for them...silly people like you will just repeat the generalizations you've heard and stick to plastic like it's the only choice.

[RedHerring]

Originally Posted by ElGatoGordo

silly people like you will just repeat the generalizations you've heard

Heard, huh? I owned a wooden boat for seven years, and I wish someone would have told me then to buy a simple plastic 27-footer instead. Fiberglass doesn't have dry rot.

[Adelie]

Originally Posted by Max Sail

I keep seeing beautiful wood boats in my price range. Even if I find a well kept 50s or 60's era wood hull, will I regret it?
Probably, unless you are more into having the boat than into the sailing and going places.

The Girlfriends dad teaches at a wood boatbuilding school, and of course thinks wood is far better. Has he agreed to maintain the boat for you?

I'd be afraid a seam would leak and sink it a the mooring, or a unseen cracked rib would make it come apart in the worst seas. Breakages aren't so much what I would worry about as rot and leaks.

How much more work and expense is it really? A lot of both, probably not double, but close.

Thinking something like this.. Am I crazy? Or could it be a great way o get cruising inexpensively and in style? If you want to find out if wood boats are for you buy a small daysailer and sail it for several years. That will give you an idea what you are getting into. If you want to buy and go now, get a glass boat, lots more tolerant of neglect in the short to medium term.

Collectible Swedish Mahogany Ohlson 36 Sloop (Sailboat)

There are plenty of older (60's glass boats that are going to be cheaply priced but not such project boats.

[Adelie]

Originally Posted by Max Sail

Would be mostly a Lake Mi boat...so no salt here to preserve the wood... But not sure how much difference that really makes.

Good point about the yearly. Haul outs.

Salt makes a big difference. There are 100yr old wooden work boats in various places around the UK that are still going strong.

In Seattle the 'Wawona', an 1897 timber schooner was moored on Lk Union as a museum ship while it was being restored. But the restoration effort slowly lost ground to the freshwater lake and rainwater an it was ultimately broken up .

The Cutty Sark in London had similar problems, but being in drydock and only having to combat rain induced rot she is now in condition to host visitors, though it is not sailable.

[perchance]

Originally Posted by motion30

I have friend who keeps a very nice and well maintaned 50' wooden powerboat on the chesapeake He spends $15000 a year on upkeep

In the wooden ship era the two most important crew were the Sailmaker and the Ships Carpenter. Nuff said.

[Bash]

Originally Posted by Pelagic

Oh…. come on Bash… Wood is more beautiful than plastic.

It is alive, it has character and identity, feels warm to the touch and each piece has a story hidden within.

No argument there, but the point is that there are varying degrees of build quality. Many were built by DIY carpenters, not all of whom knew what they were doing or what materials to use. Some, such as the Kettenburgs, were production boats where corners may have been cut. Others were built by old-school shipwrights to last a century.

My observation is that some folks (ahem) tend to romanticize wooden sailboats, forgetting the basic fact that some are well worth restoration, while others are not. Just because a boat is built of wood, it's not a great boat. (Nor is it intrinsically bad.)

[neilpride]

Beware !! in many boatyards dont haulout old wood hulls until there is a recent survey... see a old one broke in 2 in the travelift...

[sww914]

If you have to ask how much it costs...
Actually I really hate that, but it applies here.

[hellosailor]

Max, if it is a collectible boat that just needs routine maintenance, why would be sell it for 5-10 cents on the dollar? That's a hint.

Ask the dad, if you marry his daughter, will he spend every weekend working on the boat with you until the work is done? Then you just get that in writing, put it in the pre-nup <G> and make sure he personally inspects the boat and signs off on it with you.

Wood boats can quickly consume you. You can't buy spark plugs for a Lamborghini for $10 the set, no matter how much you admire the car. Can't insure it for the same price as an old Chevy, either.

There's a reason wood boats lost out to plastic.

[zeehag]

to answer op's question--yes and no.
i learned to sail wood boats built over 100 yrs ago ,now. beautiful and impressive beauties. gaff rigged. awesome-cool.
when i looked at the wood boas i have seen since leaving upstate ny, i see lots of dollars into maintenance or no boat. they do sink. teredo worms love the wood hulls...among other problems.
yes they are awesome to sail and the feeling of using the old stuff is not able to be equalled....BUT.....
we were fortunate not to have to pay the maintenance fees--my uncle and the state of ny did that. the boat is registered as a national historic place/treasure. all legal and written in the book for all to see.

i bought fiberglass because, as a wood lover, this fg alternative was only option for me, as i wanted something that wasnt going to have to be hauled out every single year and all the work involved with keeping a wood hull not merely sea worthy, but also something of pride.
fiberglass is a lot more prone to floating than wood when left to sit any length of time.
minaret restores boats--let him advise you---i went fg because i am sailing, even tho i have not had this boat hauled yet, i am still able to sail her. wood hulls pretty much act like felines--haul out every year or they act out--fasteners , caulk, planks, more caulk...even more caulk....new plank....another new plank..when done by owner is less pricey, as well as done faster..then is a work of love, as wood boats are almost alive--they do talk to you and tell you what is wrong--not in english, of course, but speak with any salty wooden boat sailor.....


btw--feathering in wood repairs is not a foul as fiberglassing repairs....

and takes the same length of time to effect. maintenance is straightforward.

refitting, however, is another thing--not gonna even start that--fg is way cheaper to refit from old and derelict.

[Geoduck]

I own both wood and fiberglass boats. I have had 8 wood boats -30' to 70'
Commercial boats and sailboats.
They all require alot of work and/or deep pockets to maintain.
You gotta love wood or dont get one.
Same story for any of them - I dont care what it's made of.
Most people who own boats dont build them. I have.
I built fiberglass boats at Weyfarer Yacht in th 60's - I hate fiberglass!!!!
I built steel and aluminum boats in the 70's - didnt enjoy that either!
I built and repaired wood boats in Calif, Florida and Washington.
I've worked with all kinds of different woods. I love working with wood, it doesnt make me itch, it isnt hot or cold or heavy or sharp and it smells good.
It all paid the same - work is work. I do ALL my own work. I dont hire anyone to do it for me. I do hire help when I need it.
The point to all this is 1st you need to find out if any of this is in your soul.
Owning a boat just to own a boat is insane.
I will tell you this - repairing a wood boat is much more rewarding than fiberglass, steel, cement, etc.
But that's just my word for it.
Figure it out by living it and doing it - make up your own mind.