What's the Worst Boat YOU Ever Had?

[zeehag]

toss up between the cheap mastless clipper marine pos and a cal 25 with no poptop....... in winter in rainy season... oops.....

[Island Time O25]

Funny how everything is relative. Had I only owned that one boat, O'day 25, it would've been a good enough boat for its intended use - day, short coastal and gunkhole sailing, etc. But without the diesel, with 5'6" head room below, the flimsy rigging and spars it was the worst of the five boats I owned. Other than the negatives mentioned it was a great boat for its size, not to mention the price of acquisition - the cost of a 60 mile haul and one winter storage. And considering that it was about 35 years old when I got her it was actually in the best of shape of all the boats I owned, very close to Bristol. Go figure.

PS Getting that boat has taught me a good lesson. That condition is not always everything. The boat which replaced her was in much worse shape with lots of required TLC. But I don't mind precisely because in the end I will have a boat I can use while in the case of O25 I had a boat in a great shape which did not address most of my needs, except one - a mooring place holder.

[astokel]

The worst boat ever? This is an opinion piece, yes?

I emailed a friend he wrote;
"It's a Buccaneer They were an abortion - an attempt to cash in on the late 1970s surge of popularity for sailing/cruising. By combining a raised deck with a domed cabin and wide beam they offered more living space than most competitors, and by cutting back on quality - from thin GRP to weak rigging to everything else, they sold new for substantially less than most competitors. They were, however, a market disaster. they looked ugly, sailed badly and depreciated quickly. I think that Buccaneer went out of business in a couple of years, but there are still a few around - usually functioning as a floating cottage or low-end live aboard for some poor desperate fanatic."

[DocRox]

Never owned one but in my used boat quest the Bucanneer boats have not stood the test of time well.

[blueazimuth]

Tania Albe sailed a Contessa 26, singlehanded, around the world in the 80s

[Celestialsailor]

My first boat was a MacGreger Venture 21. I believe it had a pop-rivet hull to deck joint. Anything over 4kts., the hull began to oil can. Fine for a lake or bay but thats it.

[Cheechako]

Originally Posted by Cheechako

For me I suppose it was the Contessa 26. Pretty little thing but slow, wet and always well heeled.

Let me clarify; yes the Contessa is essentially a Folkboat. and Yes, the Folkboat would be just as slow, wet and heeled.
Also, I didn't say it was a poorly built boat. it was nice. Beautiful on the water.
My point was it was the worst boat FOR ME. For the reasons stated. ; Wet, slow and narrow/heeled.

[Sailor Jer]

Baylner Buccaneer

Never heard or read anything good about them...

[SteveSails]

Not the Hunter I owned, never owned a Buccaneer. It would have to be a wood 195? 22' AR True Rocket. Lost the rig (wood mast) when the stem fitting pulled out of the stem, just wood screws, no thru bolts. Lost the rudder when the galvanized steel rod holding it together rusted out. A four cylinder Palmer gas engine that blew oil all over the bilge. No self bailing cockpit, a forward hatch with nothing to hold it closed. Good thing I was young and dumb, but I did go sailing, had adventures, didn't die, didn't sink. Learned a lot when I repaired the mast, rudder, built a new hatch, rebuilt the engine, replaced the cabin top and so on. So if you go by what you learned maybe the worst boat was the best boat?

[seasick]

@CSY Man, got a second chance to chew my pancake when I threw up in my mouth laughing. There's some virtue in all things, boats and women alike.

In my mind the worst boats I've ever owned were all the skiffs I had to swim to shore after swamping them for lack of adequate, internal flotation.

[seasick]

The worst boat I ever sailed (my brother owned it) was the original Tally Ho Major designed by Atkins. The African Star built by/for Rupert Broom the famous Seattle sail maker.

This boat could scoop over a ton of seawater per dive and deliver it directly to the cockpit going to windward.

[tdoster]

Originally Posted by blueazimuth

Tania Albe sailed a Contessa 26, singlehanded, around the world in the 80s

Albeit very green at the start. She had major issues from the start and never did get her engine issues sorted out.

My worst boat was a Cheoy Lee Offshore. Could never get the smell out of the boat or anything owned, wood everywhere and was a wet boat in all regards.

[Tbrad]

Havin' a boat is a lot like sex; the worst I ever had was wunnerful!

[akprb]

It all is what it is. Go.

Mine was, I guess, a Hughes Northstar 40 BUT

That boat taught us much. We took it back and forth to Grenada twice. Would not trade those experiences for anything.

If you don't own a boat now.....buy one.

It will be the WORST financial decision of your life but.......you'll never forget it.

[Auzzee]

I was once convinced to buy a Piver 30 trimaran. By far and away the worst boat I ever owned and close to being the worst thing I ever sailed.
Why?
Sailing ability; Bloody awful.
Accommodations: bloody awful.
Appearance; bloody awful.
Design; bloody awful.
Construction; bloody awful.
Resale value; bloody awful with a capital 'F'.
If it had been a motor bike, it would have been a Moto Guzzi.