Quote:
Originally Posted by drew23
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Drew you have a beautiful
Searunner 37, very impressive the work you have done and the results. We are on our first year of a
rebuild of a 41 trimaran, Corinthian 41, fully
fiberglass. We anticipated a long
rebuild mostly based on funds becoming available for each
project. This has worked as I thought it would and I am personally very pleased, we are doing all the work ourselves and like you it gives us confidence in knowing if we are stranded some where with a needed repair we will be able to do the repairs. Frankly this is why I wanted to learn the skills, more than for doing a rebuild/upgrade, I did not want to be out in a foreign land or a distant location vulnerable to others repair skills and
fees, really anywhere. I don't have blank checks to write.
Choosing a vessel to recover and bring back to seaworthiness is a tricky proposition and I would not have attempted it if I had already not been involved in
commercial boat building; as well as two build projects of large boats over 30' and involved in yet a third boat, bringing an older trimaran back to
seaworthy condition.
Our vessel when surveyed had a rebuild value 400K, not the value at time of
purchase. We would never be able to
purchase such a boat new or even building it on our own. The ability to choose which boat and how much work is involved becomes a reasonable expectation of your own judgement with experience. You will learn when the bones are there and when they aren't. Depending on the boat, this to me is a short cut to a build from scratch.
Experience was my dilemma. I started my website as a result of searching for information,
Multihull Dynamics, Inc. If I were anyone longing to do something like the projects mentioned in this thread, to get experience I would search for anyone building a boat within a couple hours drive from my home; go and beg them to let you help them. Or I would find a
fiberglass shop, preferably boat building shop and volunteer your time. Who knows you may get good enough and they start paying you, even if you just get a couple hours a week experience it will quickly pay huge dividends. I say all this for the guys who were like me, who don't even have basic construction skills background.
For years I was unsure when to run away and when to take the leap and purchase. Looking back I passed on some boats I should have and passed on some I realize would have been great boats. The biggest lesson I learned is
not to purchase until you know yourself you are ready or you have to resources to pay someone with real building skills to work with you to complete the task.
To me clearly there are several good multihulls on the market that are worth more than what it would take to build new and I personally would not buy smaller to avoid a rebuild - upgrade boat, IF I KNEW I HAD THE SKILLS or the resources to hire skilled labor to work with me. Here in
Florida you could get a very skilled and experienced worker for about $25/hr give or take a few bucks.
Here is the deal, there is no quick way to the skills you have to get dirty a lot and eventually you will develop them, and frankly if you are reading this thread and are not willing to search out a place to work on at least one boat and get dirty, learn how to avoid the fiberglass itch, all the aspects of
rigging,
plumbing,
electronics,
paint, etc... you should not be reading this thread. After you have learned all this - then you search and purchase and do your own boat. My 2 cents, Good Luck
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