Refurbing / Refitting an Older boat - Advice and Ideas

[David_Old_Jersey]

Originally Posted by madgunny

so of all the sailors and other armchair wannabes( myself included) there has got to be a large collection of boats out there that fall into the: if I only had the time to fix it" category. you know, all those boats the members run across for free or cheap that need lots of work, but can be safely restored by the DIYers. so lets hear about them. share the wealth guys( and gals), tell everyone about the boats you know about and would like to have but just don't have the time/cash to take it on

I think that might be an interesting idea for a seperate thread (boats posted here would quickly get "lost").........a similar one for Cheap Multis and Projects seems to have life in it .

I have set one up here:-

http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...ml#post1196509


The idea being that as folks stumble accross stuff (not simply Vendors - although welcome) they post up the details / a link (and ideally a funny picture or 2 ).

[axle]

an Endeavour 24 has chosen me. It looks very sad but is complete with a good set of sails and is VERY dry (fibreglass!)! It is very simple with outboard in a well so I think maintenance won't be major. My intention is mainly to day-sail and possible overnight in harbour.

I've had her antifouled and now having rig replaced to be sure (ensuring mast stays up is cheap insurance?). My intention is to keep it simple, no extended trips yet and possible racing (if I can source a cheap spinn pole). I basically picked her up for the price of the outboard, which is in good condition.

Instead of proper lazy jack system I'm thinking to rig lines from the existing topping lift (from front of mast) to hold the mast up and guide and contain the mainsail down along the boom while at anchor rather than unrigging the main each time. I'm happy to use the reefing points to contain the bulk of the mainsail along the boom. Do you think this is OK or are the angles too extreme?

I'll be mostly single/short handed and instead of a jib furler I intend to drop it and secure it with straps along foredeck. Would that be OK do you think? Mostly I will probably use #3 storm sail rather than racing genoa for ease of use.

Other maintenance is needed, for one the starboard forward toerail has partly popped off and will be somewhat difficult to reset. Otherwise all will be fine for my very modest cruising plans.

I think my plans are in the spirit of cheap old-boat cruising, would appreciate feedback.

[carstenb]

Originally Posted by axle

an Endeavour 24 has chosen me. It looks very sad but is complete with a good set of sails and is VERY dry (fibreglass!)! It is very simple with outboard in a well so I think maintenance won't be major. My intention is mainly to day-sail and possible overnight in harbour.

I've had her antifouled and now having rig replaced to be sure (ensuring mast stays up is cheap insurance?). My intention is to keep it simple, no extended trips yet and possible racing (if I can source a cheap spinn pole). I basically picked her up for the price of the outboard, which is in good condition.

Instead of proper lazy jack system I'm thinking to rig lines from the existing topping lift (from front of mast) to hold the mast up and guide and contain the mainsail down along the boom while at anchor rather than unrigging the main each time. I'm happy to use the reefing points to contain the bulk of the mainsail along the boom. Do you think this is OK or are the angles too extreme?

I'll be mostly single/short handed and instead of a jib furler I intend to drop it and secure it with straps along foredeck. Would that be OK do you think? Mostly I will probably use #3 storm sail rather than racing genoa for ease of use.

Other maintenance is needed, for one the starboard forward toerail has partly popped off and will be somewhat difficult to reset. Otherwise all will be fine for my very modest cruising plans.

I think my plans are in the spirit of cheap old-boat cruising, would appreciate feedback.

I had a 22 footer, not an endeavour. You don't need lazy-jacks on a boat that size unless you are planning to sail in very heavy weather. I just dropped the main, went topside and threw a strap or two around it until I was at the dock where I then flaked and stowed it properly. Same for the Jib or genny. Leave it strapped to the rail until you're safely at the dock.

On boats this size you can manhandle everything without having to be a Schwartznegger type.

Generally these boats are just a helluva lot of fun to sail

[Reefmagnet]

^x2 my 27 footer doesn't have lazy jacks either. The sail will flake onto the boom with a little help. If you have battens you can tie the sail off temporarily with a single tie if you are in a hurry. You can also make a cover on the cheap out of a silver tarp. A topping lift, if you haven't got one is a wise addition.

[Nia]

It has been a while since I posted about my little boat. True, I don't have my cruiser yet but I am having fun racing in my thistle. With her I don't have to worry about where I put my tools yet. Nia

[carstenb]

Originally Posted by Nia

It has been a while since I posted about my little boat. True, I don't have my cruiser yet but I am having fun racing in my thistle. With her I don't have to worry about where I put my tools yet. Nia

Welcome back Nia.

Looks like sunshine wherever it is you were sailing (spring is just barely beginning over her

[Nia]

Originally Posted by carstenb

Welcome back Nia.

Looks like sunshine wherever it is you were sailing (spring is just barely beginning over her

Thanks Carsten. It goes back and forth on whether it wants to be spring or winter here. Yesterday I was wearing my winter coat, this weekend it is supposed to get in the 80's.

[axle]

thanks for responses! We're going into winter now so I plan on choosing the better weekend days to go out. Come summer and it's likely I'll be facing 20-30kts occasionally and it's for those that I want to be prepared. No point staying at home on nice days because of lack of planning. I think I'll try my idea out, won't cost anything much and will let you know. Thanks also for the idea for boom-bag out of tarp, I'll look into that! I want to do everything I can to make it easy for me to just get out there.

I've been racing Heron's forever so I'm obviously not worried about speed!

[lifeofreilly57]

A real simple word of advice, many people are good at starting things, few are good at finishing. Look at what your behavior has been in the past and then decide if you want to take on probably the largest project you've ever done, with finishing it being the key. I started building boats in my early teens, then motorcycles, then into custom cars and then back into project/insurance boats. All require a realistic view of the work ahead and a well thought out plan, with plenty of room left in for surprises.
In all those endeavors I was able to pick up cheap, 85% done projects that someone never finished, usually with all the extra/brand new parts to finish it. Paid my daughters college tuition with two boats!
I wouldn't suggest it to everyone, I don't find that passing my time watching TV is much fun, I need to be moving and doing all the time, I find rewiring a boat to be relaxing, it's how I blow off steam. In other words, I'm not all there, if that description fits you, then you might have a chance at finishing a project in a fair amount of time.
Remember, finishing is the key word here.

[sailvayu]

Hold On! you mean you can FINISH a boat project? This is something completely new to me. I thought you were were only finished when you sold the boat and got another, then you just start over, that or just die while working on the boat. I never knew you could actually FINISH! I'm not really sure that is possible myself! Ok back to work

[delmarrey]

Originally Posted by sailvayu

Hold On! you mean you can FINISH a boat project? This is something completely new to me. I thought you were were only finished when you sold the boat and got another, then you just start over, that or just die while working on the boat. I never knew you could actually FINISH! I'm not really sure that is possible myself! Ok back to work

Originally Posted by lifeofreilly57

Paid my daughters college tuition with two boats!

He did suggest that he sold the boats!

[lifeofreilly57]

Thanks for the laugh, I needed one this morning.
I truly realize that no boat you own is ever really finished, whether in reality or not, we just can't seem to leave it alone, it would be perfect if I could just modify this.....
I won't even mention varnish!

[starmix999]

Im in the process of renovating a mk2 falmouth gypsy, its a fairly new project and my first. I can confirm breaking the rule of looking under stuff will only lead to sadness...... however i love it and it will be an amazing journey. I will be posting pics along the way ... any advice and other owners pics of these gratefully recieved.

[captain58sailin]

I confess, I have not read all 30 pages, just skimmed. I went into my current vessel knowing it was going to be a refit, and a pretty big one. I had a very specific idea of what vessel and what configuration I wanted, and I wanted a late 70's vintage vessel, due to the amount of fiberglass used in the hand laid up hull. The biggest problem seems to be getting the time and the money in the same place at the same time. The other challenge is finding people to help you that will not run away when the project turns challenging even if you are paying good wages. I got lucky on the rewiring and caught a retired ET off guard and hired him to rewire the boat, which will save me time and money. I also plan to retire to this vessel and I am willing to put the time and energy into bringing her up to Bristol fashion in good time. I should have her to the stage of setting off for far shores come spring of 2014, which is only a year off schedule. It won't be perfect, but she will be sound and the rest I can do underway. There is nothing about the project that makes fiscal sense, it is purely emotional. There is nothing logical about going to sea in a sail boat. You have to be a dreamer just to attempt the act.

[sneuman]

Rewiring is something I sort of feel qualified to do, but then again, not really. Does anyone know what the going rate would be to rewire, stem to stern, a 37ish boat?