How Old is Too Old?

[comesatime]

I know "It depends" but anyone want to opine at what age a sailboat with normal wear and tear is no longer economic to refit?

The ballpark number I often hear is 30 years old is the past due date...

[model 10]

Oh boy, you will get a bunch of opinions on this. I couldn't afford a newer boat so I had to re-fit an old boat, money looser for sure.

[SecondBase]

They say the fiberglass is good for 100 years. If you're over 20 with no blisters you're probably good on glass. It's everything else that is the issue.

Anything over 20 years be looking for a serious refit by you, or better yet the PO.

But really you need to assess system by system to determine remaining useful life. Build quality & owner care are the two ever present variables.

[Mirage35]

I like SecondBase's answer. I bought a boat this spring that's almost 30 years old (built 1989). Structurally it's in fine shape, the PO replaced or upgraded pretty much everything on it, it has been very well maintained and it shows.

So, age is just a number (I keep telling myself that). Stop worrying about it and look at the fundamentals.

[Dangen]

I am currently refitting a 1979 boat. It's a CS 36t . When we bought the boat the engine had 358 hours, the p.o. bought it new and used it only for club racing on a few wednesday evenings each summer. It passed the survey with flying colours. We are about 70% done and if we were to sell it, we would never recuperate the cash we dumped into it. But we have a boat that was built with very high quality standards. I doubt that you can ever get your money back when you refit and older boat so better make sure you do it on a boat you will keep for a while. Although Im happy with the turnout, If I had to do it again, I would do it on a 40´ of the same brand, but too late now...

[Don C L]

Boats from the 70s are too old. Boats from the 60s are still young.

Seriously there is some truth in that. Not all 70s boats should be avoided, but poor resin and practices began to show up in the 70s. By the 80s most of the worst offenders were sorted out I think. My '62 desperately needs a paint job, but the rest of her has just had the usual maintenance, and she still is an ice-breaker.

Tell us which boat you are thinking of and we can probably help you out.

[Don C L]

BTW welcome aboard here!

[Pegu Club]

Well,
We have a 1977 Bristol 29.9, yup, old. She sails well with beat sails.
We have done all the normal stuff that gets done to an old boat, all new thru hulls & seacocks, rebed all the stations, cleats, pulpit and push pit, new standing rigging, getting new sails and engine this winter, replacing life lines, bottom job, all the normal stuff that you do on an old boat.
Total cost will be less than half of the cost of a new thirty footer, to include purchase price. if you are willing to do a lot of the work yourself.....
As said above, if the boats is cared for it can be worth your sweat equity.

Adventuresontheclub.com , if you want to you can check out what we have done to include costs and time.

Wishing a beam reach for everyone every day😎✌

[Adelie]

My 1968 is doing fine.

[SV Siren]

The initial build quality, and current condition mean more to me than age. I have a fiberglass '68, and the glass is in great condition, very little crazing anywhere. You cannot see light through the glass anywhere on my boat.

The rest of the systems need some attention, and a thorough going over, as I am doing a full restoration of all systems, and updating the old interior.

[zeehag]

my 1976 is awesome.
it all depends on the boat. cannot put a definitive date on them a s once you do, you find a boat in the "forbidden zone" and must buy it.
there is no forbidden zone.
yeah in usa they changed manufacturing techniques in 1970s, but not all boats fall into epa standards as not all boats are made in usa. go figger.

[newhaul]

Originally Posted by Don C L

Boats from the 70s are too old. Boats from the 60s are still young.

Seriously there is some truth in that. Not all 70s boats should be avoided, but poor resin and practices began to show up in the 70s. By the 80s most of the worst offenders were sorted out I think. My '62 desperately needs a paint job, but the rest of her has just had the usual maintenance, and she still is an ice-breaker.

Tell us which boat you are thinking of and we can probably help you out.

Are you volunteering to break ice in the artic for me? (Dont want to scratch my paint job )

[Snore]

It depends.

• A 30 year old low-end production boat would have to be free to be worth it.
  A 30 year old high-end production boat has plenty of life in it and IMHO is well worth it.
  A 30 year old Hinckley Bermuda Yawl will still cost you around $80-100k. If I was so inclined, I would gladly own one. Just hate doing bright work!

[thomm225]

My boat, a 1974 Bristol 27, just turned 43 years old.

I've owned and sailed it for 6 years and have yet to do a refit. ( I did replace the diesel with an outboard though)

No long ocean cruises but I do regularly cross 17 miles of open water which is part Atlantic Ocean, part Chesapeake Bay depending on which way I tack after leaving my home creek

[roverhi]

It is probably never economical to refit a boat. Boat's are a wasting asset that almost always go down in value. Some 'Classic Yachts' like Hinckley's etc may be worthwhile to rehab as an investment if you buy it real cheap and do the rehab. yourself. Not a worthwhile investment if you have to hire the work done. The age has little effect on the boat's sea keeping ability. The quality of the original design not necessarily build, reputation, and limited production are more an indication of the worth of a boat.