Out of My Mind?

[shibbershabber]

Here's the condensed version of our plan.

Selling the house before we lose it
Sell most of our things, and buy a boat to liveaboard/cruise...

I figure in the worst case I will have about $60k when all is said and done.

I know I am losing it, but I have fallen in love with an older wooden boat...
I've read many threads on here about the pros and cons. From what I've read, no one seems to put up what repair costs were for various projects. Its tough to jump off the deep end when you dont know how deep it really is.

Here is the boat in question: Angleman Sea Spirit Ketch

1966 Angleman Sea Spirit. These ships seem to have a solid reputation, but the boat is 40+ years old.

So with a few soft spots on the deck, a patch of dry rot or two, two cracked frames, probably new sails...

If I bought it, I will have roughly $45k left to put into the boat. I would rather have an old classic like this and put everything into it, as opposed to just dropping the $60k on a 'modern' boat that is ready to go.

The question is, would $40k cover the costs associated with soft spots some dry rot & frame cracks?


Thanks!

[imagine2frolic]

The question is are you out of your mind? A boat like that IMHO is for someone who has unlimited time, and funds to bring her back to life. You might get off with the few repairs you listed, but you may find yourself digging an ever deeper hole once you prick the skin. I would keep my options open......i2f

[theonecalledtom]

run away.

[TaoJones]

Originally Posted by shibbershabber

<snip>

Here is the boat in question: Angleman Sea Spirit Ketch

1966 Angleman Sea Spirit. These ships seem to have a solid reputation, but the boat is 40+ years old. <snip>

If it's the one I'm familiar with, you couldn't ask for a better-maintained vessel, owned by a well-respected, salty couple. Of course, if it's that one, you'll be traveling to New Zealand to move aboard.

Even if that isn't the one (and I know it isn't - the one I'm thinking of is a Sea Witch and they already have a pending offer) you might enjoy crawling around their http://www.alohacouple.com/ website.

As to your question of whether $40,000 is enough to cover the vessel's re-fitting - it's impossible to say. The extent of the necessary repairs will have a lot to do with it, as will hiring others to do the work if you can't do it yourself.

James Baldwin, of Atom Voyages | Voyaging Around the World on the Sailboat Atom with James and Mei likes to say, in answer to the question "How much does cruising cost?"

"As much as you've got!"

You might want to keep that in mind.

Good luck.

TaoJones

[Hud3]

You might want to consult with Charlie Cobra on this. He has a lovely wooden Knutson yawl, and is beginning a refit.

http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...joy-25201.html

http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...joy-26114.html

http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...air-26357.html

[shibbershabber]

Thanks for the responses...

I might have to look as something else.

$40k is a lot of money... but if it doesnt get it done, there isnt anymore money.

I can still dream though.

[imagine2frolic]

DREAMS are what push man forward. Living them are the fruits of DREAMING!.Having something appealling to your inner eye, and having something to bring you happiness may not be the same thing. Look at older Tartans, Columbias, Tayana, and many more, and I am sure you can find something that will serve you well.......i2f

[BlueSovereign]

Yep, you are certifiably insane, and based on that alone I'd say "go for it".

However, I might suggest you also take a deep breath, explore some of the wisdom others above have suggested you consider .... and then figure out a way you can "go for it"

William

[skipmac]

All boats have a never ending, ongoing cost to keep. Any boat will cost twice what you estimate to repair and maintain. A wooden boat is twice that.

If you are extremely handy, good boat carpenter, have a full set of tools and access to a shop, will liveaboard and keep on top of each new little patch of rot as it appears, do ALL the work yourself, repaint the entire boat every few years, then you might be able to keep a wooden boat going on a limited budget.

From someone that owned one wooden boat.

On the other hand, in my opinion owning any kind of boat is pretty insane.

[San Juan Sailor]

Angleman Ketches are at the top of my favorite boats list. I have pictures of them on my shop wall. I looked at one for sale a couple of years ago but it was full of rot. Unfortunately, they were only built in wood. I’m a woodworker by profession and I’ve always wanted to build a wooden boat but I’ve always struggled with the glass vs. wood argument. If after having this boat surveyed by someone who knows wooden boats and if it doesn’t have any big problems should you consider it. Of course it would help if you could do the work yourself. If it needs very much work and you have to pay someone to work on it, you’ll be out of your price range in short order. I ended up buying a Mariner ketch with a glass hull and in need of a lot of work. I’m sure a lot of people think I’m nuts but I love the process and I seem to do everything the hard way. My project only makes sense because I am doing all the work. Here’s a link to the project;
http://www.sailblogs.com/member/rebuildingmariner32/
Also, here’s the link to the Angleman Sea Witch site if you haven’t seen it;
http://www.heritech.com/seawitch/seawitch.htm
Follow your dreams; just try to be practical about it.
Good luck,
Dan

[BlueSovereign]

Originally Posted by skipmac

All boats have a never ending, ongoing cost to keep. Any boat will cost twice what you estimate to repair and maintain. A wooden boat is twice that.

If you are extremely handy, good boat carpenter, have a full set of tools and access to a shop, will liveaboard and keep on top of each new little patch of rot as it appears, do ALL the work yourself, repaint the entire boat every few years, then you might be able to keep a wooden boat going on a limited budget.

From someone that owned one wooden boat.

On the other hand, in my opinion owning any kind of boat is pretty insane.

In other words, the expression every yacht owner knows too well:

"A boat is a hole in the water you pour money into"

When it comes to sailboats (we call them 'yachts' down under), the hole is a bigger one, thus requiring even more money .... yet it never fills the hole up!

[shibbershabber]

I have looked at a lot of the fiberglass boats in my price range, and they seem to be well enough, and thats where I will end up.

But that Sea Spirit is what I picture myself in. But alas, I am more a mechanic than a carpenter.

My dad always said that the two greatest days a boat owner has are the day he buys it, and the day he sells it.


I think Im nuts for considering that old ketch. But I cant wait until the rest of the family hears that we are selling off everything we own and moving onto a sailboat. They'll probably try to have me committed or have my kids taken away!

[roverhi]

Look at a Pearson 365. They were stoutly built, will sail better than the Angleman, have more interior volume and can be had for a lot less than the Angleman will eventually cost you.

If you want to read more about life with an Anglemen. Read Herb Payson's books. He and his family cruised in a Sea Witch for a number of years. The books are a good read, in any case.

Aloha
Peter O.
Pearson 35

[San Juan Sailor]

The first time I saw an Angleman ketch was at the Wooden Boat Festival at Port Townsend, WA. about ten years ago. From the moment I went below I was awe struck. Of course I've lusted after many boats over the years but this was like no other boat I'd ever seen. It was a Sea Witch, the bigger sister of the one you're looking at. The feeling of space below was of a 45' boat but it was actually about 36'. They are beamy but as I recall one won the Trans Pac over all in 1963.

Sorry, I'm probably not helping you to be practical about this. Just spend the money on a survey, then you'll know where you stand.

[redcobra]

There is a guy in my Marina who has a 40+ wooden gaff rigged ketch. He lives on the boat. He is always working on it. He has power tools out on the deck nearly every time I see him. He pulls it once a year and recaulks the seams and then paints the hull. We figure he is barely keeping ahead of the problems. He hardly ever sails it.

If you want an older boat (1966 or so) there are some glass boats that are built like tanks. ie Rhodes 41, Alberg 37, Whitby 42, etc. I had an 1966 Alberg 30 that was a fabulous boat but just too small for me.

As someone said, the pearson 365 is a great boat as is the older (70-77) 39. I would consider a wooden boat more as a hobby than a home.