Are wooden hull boats a viable option or should I steer clear?

[avnbuff]

Yes, you should consider a wooden hull boat as a viable option...
BUT-- consider, the wooden boat requires (by its age and material) MORE from you in the way of care and repairs. All boats require work, LOTS OF WORK, to keep them up and acceptable to your family.

Not every owner remembers that fiberglass is not easier than wood it is however a cheaper-quicker means of forming a hull and interior. If you can't work on your boat you will need to 'farm out' jobs and learn by attending/helping the professional do the job. All this requires your time and DEDICATION.

The question you (and anyone else) should ask themselves:

"HOW HANDY AM I WITH THIS OPTION"

Here's the elements of that question I use.
Do I have the TOOLS to do this work.
Do I have the TALENT to do this work.
Do I have the TIME to do this work.
Do I have the TRAINING to do this work.

Any 'NO' answer should bring up a reason to reconsider.

[Perfect Ride]

Originally Posted by Surfdoc23

The hull was cold molded with 3 wood layers.

I have owned both cold molded and fiberglass hulled boats. They both need good surveys and I suggest learning the basics of repair and maintenance on both. I have had problems and trouble free experiences on both types. The decks are another mater. Wooden decks may not be cold molded (perhaps few are?) and can be much more trouble than plastic decks. Key point is that quality cold molded construction is very different than "wooden" and just because the hull is cold molded does not mean the whole boat is. Pay particular attention to the deck construction and have a very good surveyor or two give you their thoughts on risks and potential costs.

[CaptJPMcGuire]

Originally Posted by valhalla360

Not that wood boats can't last a long time...

but as a newbie do yourself a favor and don't take on a project boat...particularly a wood boat where you will need a specialized surveyor who knows what to look for. While you will read stories of people who have done it successfully, 99% wind up as money pits that never actually wind up cruising.

Do you want to sai on a boat or work on the boat. Plastic will afford much more sailing and less maintenance and cost.
A wooden boat is a hobby boat to spend your time maintaining and lovingly caring for her. With a little sailing thrown in.
Buy plastic and go sailing with your family.
Buy wood and enjoy your own space and free time with your hobby woodwork project.

[sailorladd]

Planked wooden hulls do require professional maintenance and know how, and if you A) live in Hawaii, and B) you are a novice, I would steer clear my friend.

However if it is an epoxy laminated veneer hull, you can virtually treat that as a modern fiberglass hull, and indeed are very strong robust and relatively maintenance free like their glass counterparts.

Plywood hard chine boats are also good strong boats especially if they are sheathed in fiberglass and epoxy and have been well maintained ...As a novice, you should consider a boat with a great reputation for ease of handling and low maintenance..

Old wooden boats are gorgeous, and I dont blame you for wanting to own one, but you must be realistic too

[captainblue]

I have a cold moulded Alden 44 (1968) which I found sinking in the DR (the decks had rotted through). We're now up in Nova Scotia. The hull was probably overbuilt, but she's no slouch and she's very comfortable to sail. What I like about this type of hull is the fact that, although you certainly need to keep an eye on all those hidden zones, repairs are straight forward if you know how to use epoxy. For me, that's a big plus.
If you go for wooden cores, you need to be unafraid and brutal when it comes to chopping out, and you need to know how to make good!

[Oceanconcepts]

It’s clear most of the posters here did not read your post describing the actual boat you are considering.

A cold molded boat does not have significant differences in hull maintenance compared to fiberglass, and some advantages, like better insulation. It’s a form of composite construction, and a Farr design like that is almost certainly sealed with epoxy/ glass. The comments about wood boat maintenance are not necessarily all wrong, but have no relevance to the boat you are considering. On the plus side, you don’t need to worry about blisters with cold molded wood.

Of greater relevance is the design of the boat, it’s appropriateness to your desired use (particularly as a new sailor), and the condition of the systems and equipment. Old race boats often need a lot of work- glass or cold molded. They could be gems or nightmares. Carpentry is unlikely to be the big issue.

Having dealt with deck water intrusion in both wood and balsa cored glass, I’ll take working on the wood deck problems by a mile.

FWIW, I’ve owned both glass and wood, and currently have a 39’ cold molded kauri S&S design (ex IOR, former Sydney-Hobart winner) that will be 50 years old next year, and is still going strong.

[Cadence]

Originally Posted by CaptJPMcGuire

Do you want to sai on a boat or work on the boat. Plastic will afford much more sailing and less maintenance and cost.
A wooden boat is a hobby boat to spend your time maintaining and lovingly caring for her. With a little sailing thrown in.
Buy plastic and go sailing with your family.
Buy wood and enjoy your own space and free time with your hobby woodwork project.

[rvich]

I got curious and went to Craigslist to see what boats are for sale in the Hawaiian Islands. The boat you are asking about is a very cool boat, but hardly a beginners boat. It is a racing yacht. Intended to be fast more than forgiving. How many crew does it take to actually sail it effectively? I see a lot of vintage fiberglass boats in the 35-foot range selling for around 10-grand. Find one that is easy to sail short handed, that may not be the fastest boat in the fleet but has good ole dacron sails that can handle some abuse and has an interior that is intended to provide some creature comfort.

I have a 70-year old kauri boat. I love the idea of a cold-molded kauri hull. This has got nothing to do with the advice given above. Take a look at the photo of the boat under sail with a crew of at least nine on board. This boat was built for racing. It's why the interior is so spartan. I'd want to know whether a couple could actually handle the boat and what it was like to sail without a lot of meat on the rail. Then, what happens to the characteristics of this boat when I add a few tons of creature comfort below.

[Oceanconcepts]

Wow, yes I searched for Farr designs on Craigslist Hawaii and if it's the Farr 42' I found it looks very interesting for the price and possibly has great potential for the right person, but this is NOT for a new sailor.

Depending on what on the boat needs work- I'm betting plenty- it's not for anyone with significant financial or time limitations. This has absolutely nothing to do with the hull material- that's the part I would be most confident of. It's the design and the systems and the overall size- the poster says the primary winches cost $8K each- extrapolate that to anything that is broken or needs maintenance.

Farr design shop says this was conceived as a fast cruiser able to be handled by a couple, with a nod towards racing potential- that may be true if the couple is highly experienced. But this is not a beginner's boat.

Again, this has nothing to do with it being wood.

[IslandHopper]

Thought i would just put this here for interests sake

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5TPAWwMrCks

[KP44]

Originally Posted by avnbuff

All boats require work, LOTS OF WORK, to keep them up and acceptable to your family.
Not every owner remembers that fiberglass is not easier than wood it is however a cheaper-quicker means of forming a hull and interior.

My 45' fiberglass cutter requires considerably less work, in hours, than my 26' wood sloop did.
I have what is called the "Teak Reduction Act" in progress. Our first year, we removed the teak decks and put a few layers of epoxy and fiberglass over the underlying deck. Every year, I remove more teak from the topsides.

In warm water I have bottom paint every years and some minimal upkeep for the topsides and brightsides. But no big sanding, varnishing, teak work.
All in all, maybe two or three days' work for this 70 year-old and his spouse. The wooden boat, half as long and a tenth as large, needed 2 or 3 weeks for a 30 year-old.

[picklesandjesse]

Originally Posted by Oceanconcepts

It’s clear most of the posters here did not read your post describing the actual boat you are considering.



FWIW, I’ve owned both glass and wood, and currently have a 39’ cold molded kauri S&S design (ex IOR, former Sydney-Hobart winner) that will be 50 years old next year, and is still going strong.

I see Brin Wilson.... I'm jealous !! There was one of his boats for sale a couple of years ago in NZ but I could not get it at the right price. I regret not buying her now. You have a NZ legend !!

[Scout 30]

Just looked at the listing & to say that's a lot of boat for the money would be a huge understatement. I'd get a survey & if it's all good, go for it. Should be a blast to sail.

[GrowleyMonster]

That type of construction is good and will last a long time. However as a general rule a beginner should stay well clear of wood or steel boats. Ferrocement too, for that matter. Fiberglass is about as newbie proof as it gets. Buying a cruiser for cruising is a much better recipe for success than buying a racer for cruising. Just general rules and of course there can be some sorta exceptions. Don't worry, lots of solid old fiberglass boats out there selling pretty cheap and good for another 30 years.



Finally, perhaps the most valuable advice I can give here is never fall in love with a boat until it is yours. Boat lust has been responsible for a lot of really bad buy decisions.

[Chenega]

Originally Posted by IslandHopper

Thought i would just put this here for interests sake

[emoji106][emoji106][emoji106]
Great video!