Re: What do you all think?
Rick, a 40' boat for 25k, even 60 years old is a steal of a deal - IF - you get her inspected and repairs and upgrades are an acceptable few thousand - still a steal of a deal. If she's 90% rock solid and you put another 10-20k into her, she's still a 100k+ cheaper than a new fiberglass that has a LOT less character, personality, and soul.
Get her professionally inspected, weight the positives and negatives, if you choose to move forward invest in the repairs and upgrades to make her enjoyable. I'm 44. I have a good 36 years messing around in boats, lakes and ocean. "Boats are holes in the water you dump money into." Yea. Ok. That's true. It's worth it.
Re: What do you all think?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
MinutemanCO
Man, what a sweet boat. Sorry not much of a sailor either, but as far as pure aesthetics go, she's a beauty. When I think of living on a boat, that's what I think of.
What he said! And agree with what Toad said about character. A very classy looking boat for sure.
Re: What do you all think?
Toad thanks!
I tend to look at it a little differently that most people. I'm not rich, not wealthy and I don't have a million bucks in the bank (If I did, I sure as hell wouldn't be here NOW).
I have to do things a bit more frugally than most simply because I CAN do things myself.
Most work that will be accomplished will be done by me. I've not been putting my self through sailing college for nothing you know haha. (I have books, and have studied them, on everything from diesel engines to rigging....)
Of course, I will NOT buy the boat of my life without a survey. I won't buy it without my own inspection first - I trust my own eyes better than those of another - and I can make an initial inspection that will be nearly as good as a surveyor (the boat is on the hard right now). I can't check for leaks, but I can certainly determine if there have been some before.
why the hell aren't you on the East Coast, anyway, Toad instead of ND? LOL
I wish I could find someone I know that lives closer to the ocean to help me look things over! lol
Re: What do you all think?
Well, if I end up getting this boat, I'm going to get you guys to come out and help me swab the decks or something for a couple of days, and then take you sailing haha
Re: What do you all think?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Rick Donaldson
....
why the hell aren't you on the East Coast, anyway, Toad instead of ND? LOL
I blame a woman myself.:rolleyes:
Re: What do you all think?
Just a wee bit o' research here. This is the guy that designed the boat in the picture at the beginning of this thread. I don't think it was BUILT by him or his company, but the design was his.
Philip L. Rhodes Analytical Biography Philip L. Rhodes, born in 1895, was a prolific and versatile boat designer, whose career spanned more than five decades from 1919 until his death in 1974. His range of design was amazing, from 123' motorsailers to 7' dinghies, from hydrofoil racers to giant motor yachts. His clients ranged from Rockefellers to Sears and Roebuck. His 12 Meter Weatherly won the America's Cup in 1962. And, in addition, he designed a wide range of commercial craft.
His biographer Richard Henderson emphasizes that Rhodes was not only an excellent engineer but also a true artist. "Whatever kind of vessel he produced, it invariably had the look of rightness about it. His sailing yachts in particular, with their beautifully proportioned hulls and graceful sheerlines, are works of true design harmony. Not only are Rhodes yachts handsome; they somehow appear to be uniquely suited to their purpose… Phil will be remembered best for this distinguished thoroughbred yachts. They are not only superbly functional, but they also have an elegance and ageless beauty that is all to rare in yacht design today."
Henderson concludes his book with this generalization: "It is difficult to pigeonhole Rhodes, because his designs are so varied, but in general his work in the field of seagoing sailing yachts seems to fall somewhere between Alden and Stephens. A Rhodes boat might be described as being a bit heavier, more comfortable, often more graceful, and not quite as racy as one by Stephens. On the other hand, a Rhodes boat may be thought of as being lighter, yachtier, more expensively built, and a better all-round performer than the kind of boat one associates with Alden. Of course, these are gross generalizations, and there are many individual exceptions." (Richard Henderson, Philip L. Rhodes and his Yacht Designs. Camden: International Marine, 1981.)
Re: What do you all think?
What Toad and Ryan said,
The ship looks great Captain!!!!
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Rick Donaldson
Well, if I end up getting this boat, I'm going to get you guys to come out and help me swab the decks or something for a couple of days, and then take you sailing haha
That was my next question, when the SHTF where's the rest of the TAA members going to fit on that boat Skipper?
Hot beds will be a forgone conclusion. :)
Re: What do you all think?
Besides the First Mate and me, I'm betting I can sleep four more, perhaps five without hot-cotting. LOL
Re: What do you all think?
Everyone remember, I haven't made the decision to fly to MD yet.
I will likely make that decision by next Wednesday.
The owner, if being honest and of course right now I have no reason to believe otherwise, says he lived on the boat 11 years, bought a bigger, more modern boat for his bigger family and hauled this one out of the water in the spring this year. So she has been sitting on the hard for a few months.
This is not a GOOD thing for a wooden boat, but the boat has been "cold molded" meaning it's probably a bit more sturdy than a "regular wooden boat".
I'm not as well read on boat designs as I ought to be in this case (but am quickly reading for the last few days, and today) - so I can't say any of this is accurate at all.
At this point, I'm trusting that the guy is being honest. If he is, we found a decent deal on a boat.
if he isn't, I'm about to waste 1100 bucks on hotel, flight and car rental. I can't afford to do this more than twice unless the boat is going to be THE boat.
Personally, I'd rather spend the 1100 on a trip to Jamaica or the Caribbean instead of going to look at a pig in a poke.
Oh well....
Re: What do you all think?
Wow, I envy your situation, but I wouldn't want to have to make that big of a descion.
As for the boat, the hillbilly term is "man that is one purdy boat"! The wood reminds me of the old Chris Craft boats. She appears to be a handsome vessel.
I don't know anything about boats, but that one sure looks good. I would think used boats are like used cars, regular maintence= longer life.
Here's hoping you can have good weather for an honest sea trial.
Re: What do you all think?
The hull is a composite, though the main craft and upper is wood. As a wood boat, it does require more meticulous upkeep, esp on the hull for barnacles.
Re: What do you all think?
Composite as I found out talking to the owner in this case means the boat is wood. The hull has been "cold molded". I've spoken to some experts on this and discovered that basically the outer hull was covered over by thin planks that have been soaked in epoxy.
Essentially, the original planks are in place as well as the original framework, but the outer shell is a thin layer of wood and glue.
Re: What do you all think?
Ok... we've contacted a person who lives in the area (who shall remain nameless unless he chimes in here himself) to go look the boat over.
In the mean time - there is one other vessel we are interested in, located in Florida. So, submitted for your viewing pleasure and comments - in the next message I will give you pictures.
Re: What do you all think?
Re: What do you all think?
It looks pretty nice but I don't think that I like it more than the first. I'd need interior pictures and more technical information to say for sure though.
Re: What do you all think?
I spoke to the owner last night. The inside is "bare bones" finished. Was built by his dad and launched in 1999. So it sounds very sturdy, made of steel instead of wood.
So - the inside needs some work to make it 100% functional - which is fine by me.
It's beamier (wider) and it's a ketch not a yawl. (Slight difference on the mast positions and what you do with the sails...)
The engine is an 85 HP - much more powerful.
The other one was built in 1941-43. This one was built in the 1990s...
Re: What do you all think?
Generally speaking, seems this is a case where newer might be better, and the ability to lay out the interior as you wish, rather than remodding, might be attractive.
Re: What do you all think?
I'm thinking that too. About to start laying out a pro/con sheet, and figure out what I know and don't know.
Re: What do you all think?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Rick Donaldson
I spoke to the owner last night. The inside is "bare bones" finished. Was built by his dad and launched in 1999. So it sounds very sturdy, made of steel instead of wood.
That's what I suspected.
That's a hard decision to make for sure. It's probably got plenty of welded steel, I'd want to know how good the welder is that put the welds in. You can have welds that look clean but are very shallow and weak if the person doesn't know what they are doing.
Do you go with the older, proven boat? Or do you go with the newer, more powerful, blank slate boat?
I would say price would figure heavily into the decision since it will cost money to finish the inside of the newer one.
Re: What do you all think?