My Costs Of Refurbishing An Old Boat

[TheThunderbird]

Let me be blunt... a brand new boat, whatever the yard, is a S....produce
Only use, test&drive, adaptation, upgrade, changes, will make her personal, custom, maybe superb.

Buying new and pretending it be a boat, is like buying a van and believing it is a camper

[TheThunderbird]

Originally Posted by bradpb

One of the reasons I use for the justification on spending buckets of cash on an old boat is safety and reliability . This is not Motor Home that is just a phone call away from help and a tow truck, this is a vehicle that could potentially be lost on the rocks before help arrives. As a boat owner I believe that you are entrusted with your passengers safety and comfort.

Having an old boat has forced me into looking at all systems and coming up with contingency plans for their eventual failure. It certainly has given me intimate knowledge of the boat and has forced me to learn a boat load of new things.

I would like to have been able to afford spending $200,000 on a newer boat , but I can't take that money away from my retirement savings, so fixing up an older boat piecemeal is the option I am faced with if I would like to participate in the boating world.

Furthermore, and quite truly so, for those very reasons, the owner of an old and refitted boat happens to be a better boatmaster...more knowledgeable, resourceful, aware, informed, apter.

How can you develop such a multi-year on-site expertise any differently!? Impossible!

[Don C L]

Originally Posted by TheThunderbird

Furthermore, and quite truly so, for those very reasons, the owner of an old and refitted boat happens to be a better boatmaster...more knowledgeable, resourceful, aware, informed, apter.

How can you develop such a multi-year on-site expertise any differently!? Impossible!

Lot of truth in that. I have a friend who bought an older boat that was in very good shape, but still a few things popped up. He is the type to just pay someone to fix anything and has very little confidence in his own abilities. But as it turned out he has ended up having to start doing some things on his own or wait for a professional to find the time and then the expenses add up. He is starting to get his hands dirty and his confidence level in himself is up, his confidence in his boat is up, he just seems less apprehensive about sailing in general as a result!

[Island Time O25]

Speaking of costs. My 36 footer came with a bar stool round wooden top for a nav station seat with sviwel sitting on your regular boat pedestal. It was very uncomfortable and practically useless in a seaway with no arm rests and no back support. But the potential cost of a nice seat was scaring me into inaction, especially each time I visited WM looking for a unlikely bargain sale.

Well few days ago I'm surfing craigslist searching for the "boat seat" when up pops an ad in the freebie section. 30 minutes later I'm carrying a nice heavy duty plastic (real heavy duty, more like fiberglass) seat to the boat. Another 20 minutes and a good wash down later I'm throwing away very corroded aluminum part in the bottom and bolting it to the aluminum part of my original stool (having taken the wooden top off).

Sitting in that chair for the first time was a very blissful moment as I can now use the nav station for more than a few uncomfortable minutes. And the best thing about my new to me nav chair - it's cost - nada, zilch, zero.

PS Now, if I can find another 13" diameter bar stool top I can install 2 stern corner railing seats...