I'm Walking Away from my Boat

[virginia boy]

Originally Posted by Tony B

Thanks for the input Bill. I was not around when the OP was making his decision as whether to buy or not. But I have noticed that when a thread is started about refurbishing/rebuilding/salvaging/restoring or anything along those lines, on this forum and many others, the "go for it" crowd usually way out numbers the 'nay sayers'. After having gone through 2 project boats in my lifetime, I am definitely a 'nay sayer'.
According to you, this guy did do his homework and I'm sure his replys were filled with encouragement.
I'm also convinced that most of the encouraging replys were not from people coming from the been there-done that culture. Rebuilding an 18 footer is now where as expensive as a 32 footer. As the boat size increases, the costs increase at a disproportionate rate.
I know what it is like to pour tons of money and time into a boat over a period of only a few years and still feel like you are nowhere near completion and have not been boating in a very long time. Especially considering that boating is why you bought the boat in the first place.

I'm the OP and I feel a little silly now that a little time has gone by and my frustration has lessened.

I'm really touched by all the encouraging posts. It was quite unexpected and very much appreciated and while I won't be going back to do any serious work on the boat for a while, I think you guys (and gals) are something pretty special.

As far as doing "due diligence" before I bought the boat, I spent a year obsessively studying and asking questions of the people here on CF and on the Westsail Owners Assoc before I bought the boat. I was very aware of the potential pitfalls of buying a boat in need of a refit so I bought a boat that was ready to sail to,the Caribbean. Well, that's what the surveyor said when I asked him anyway. Without minimizing my own culpability in the boat purchase fiasco, I will say that I was grossly misled as to the actual condition of my boat. Honestly, the surveyor said it was in great shape but on the survey marked everything as "serviceable". My ignorance cost me a crap load of money and of course negatively affected my future for several years. I have enjoyed much of the work on my boat though. It just seemed for a minute there that I would never get her back in the water.

Long story short, it's been a year on the hard and besides being royally cheated by the on site contractors, and totally frustrated at my own lack of aptitude and then having another fairly major project and expense crop up on top of the several projects I had yet to complete, having to deal with some health issues, I just got overwhelmed. I'll save some more money this winter and when Nigel Calder's book arrives I'll start studying electricity in ernest.

My apologies for behaving like a drama queen.

[propellanttech]

Originally Posted by virginia boy

I'm the OP and I feel a little silly now that a little time has gone by and my frustration has lessened.

I'm really touched by all the encouraging posts. It was quite unexpected and very much appreciated and while I won't be going back to do any serious work on the boat for a while, I think you guys (and gals) are something pretty special.

As far as doing "due diligence" before I bought the boat, I spent a year obsessively studying and asking questions of the people here on CF and on the Westsail Owners Assoc before I bought the boat. I was very aware of the potential pitfalls of buying a boat in need of a refit so I bought a boat that was ready to sail to,the Caribbean. Well, that's what the surveyor said when I asked him anyway. Without minimizing my own culpability in the boat purchase fiasco, I will say that I was grossly misled as to the actual condition of my boat. Honestly, the surveyor said it was in great shape but on the survey marked everything as "serviceable". My ignorance cost me a crap load of money and of course negatively affected my future for several years.

Long story short, besides being royally cheated by the on site contractors, and totally frustrated at my own lack of aptitude and then having another fairly major project and expense crop up on top of the several projects I had yet to complete, having to deal with some health issues, I just got overwhelmed. I'll save some more money this winter and study when Nigel Calder's book arrives I'll start studying electricity in ernest.

My apologies for behaving like a drama queen.

Don't beat yourself up so much. Everyone here has made a mistake at least once. We have all been overwhelmed at some point as well.

You did the right thing in taking a break. You are human, and need time to sort through your feelings.

I wish I were closer, I could help out, but that isn't possible. I can' only answer questions, and give encouragement.

Keep moving forward,

James L

[mdvick]

No worrries my friend. We have ALL felt like sinking the Bitch at some point. I llok at my as a complete restoration and nothing else. It is comming along and I feel really good when I finish ANYTHING. Keep working on her and you will be amazed at the progess that occurs!!!

[mdvick]

look at and coming along. Long day...

[captain58sailin]

Thanks for coming back to the forum and responding. Some of us know exactly where you are coming from. It is a good thing to take a break and catch your breath. Not to worry, you will come out on top eventually if you can hang on to your patience. And kill your surveyor.

[Travelnik]

Originally Posted by propellanttech

Don't beat yourself up so much. Everyone here has made a mistake at least once.

Yep. I trusted the marina that I was paying to look after my boat to do just that...look after it.

I just got it back (stripped down) after 5 years of searching for it, so I'm in the 'major refit' department too.

I wish you the best on it!

[osirissail]

Consider donating your boat to a charity if you want to just be rid of it. Then you can at least get a little bit of a tax deduction out of the mess. Lots of schools and such take boats to use as teaching projects for their students and maybe it sounds like yours might have a good amount of "educational value."

[Celestialsailor]

Originally Posted by virginia boy

I'm the OP and I feel a little silly now that a little time has gone by and my frustration has lessened.

I'm really touched by all the encouraging posts. It was quite unexpected and very much appreciated and while I won't be going back to do any serious work on the boat for a while, I think you guys (and gals) are something pretty special.

As far as doing "due diligence" before I bought the boat, I spent a year obsessively studying and asking questions of the people here on CF and on the Westsail Owners Assoc before I bought the boat. I was very aware of the potential pitfalls of buying a boat in need of a refit so I bought a boat that was ready to sail to,the Caribbean. Well, that's what the surveyor said when I asked him anyway. Without minimizing my own culpability in the boat purchase fiasco, I will say that I was grossly misled as to the actual condition of my boat. Honestly, the surveyor said it was in great shape but on the survey marked everything as "serviceable". My ignorance cost me a crap load of money and of course negatively affected my future for several years. I have enjoyed much of the work on my boat though. It just seemed for a minute there that I would never get her back in the water.

Long story short, it's been a year on the hard and besides being royally cheated by the on site contractors, and totally frustrated at my own lack of aptitude and then having another fairly major project and expense crop up on top of the several projects I had yet to complete, having to deal with some health issues, I just got overwhelmed. I'll save some more money this winter and when Nigel Calder's book arrives I'll start studying electricity in ernest.

My apologies for behaving like a drama queen.

I'm glad you're back...I thought about your experience earlier this week. My usual friend was not around to hoist me up my mast to replace the back-stay and ream out an upper toggle from metric to inch. So I hired the yard at the docks here to do it...BIG MISTAKE! They claimed it required 2 guys. They have a independent crane on the dock that a guy goes up in a bosons chair. The other guy pushes the button, up/down...and that's it. They charge $107 an hour, times 2 guys. The total with the back stay and new turnbuckle...$700. That's the last time that is going to happen. Cripes...I charge 1/2 that to do Machining for people...and that is a much more skilled profession than some monkey going up a lift with a hand drill.
Plus he became indignant when I was trying to explain to him what I needed. Like he was doing me a favor...

[Capn Morgan]

Mate, I just literally arrived from listening to a friend who's boat is in the middle of the Pacific. He spent lots of blood and treasure on it and got it there. Left it for two weeks to go earn some bucks and when he got back all the electrics were down. He was ready to cut the hoses and open the seacocks but what he needed was someone to listen and hopefully explain a few things that were obscure to him.

I find this on Cruisers Forum, you will find support and realistic views. If you want my 2 cents, forget about hiring others to do jobs. Learn from Calder and do them yourself. The satisfaction alone makes it worth it, the savings make it even better. Wish you the best of luck too.

[David_Old_Jersey]

Originally Posted by virginia boy

I'm the OP and I feel a little silly now that a little time has gone by and my frustration has lessened.

Boat refurbing is the male equivalent of childbirth.........as time passes the pain fades..........and then some do it again .

This a really good thread - it all goes into the pot for the benefit of others (probably mostly will ignore, but........... ).

[atoll]

even doing stuff your self you still get stung from time to time.

i made the mistake of buying from a "marine hydralic supplier" near me who sell mainly to the trade.

12 x 3/4 hose clamps
2meters of clear braided hose
1x 1'1/4 stainless elbow

after a 10% discount the price was £71 or $115 !!!!!

i knew the elbow was going to be expensive,but ss hose clips at $4.80 each!
and 2m of bog standard tube at $16 was really taking the piss!

[Me-and-Boo]

Originally Posted by charliehows

. . . Put in a lot of work, all with one proviso - she has to be kept sailable - or at least as close thereto as possible. No hardstands etc.
Now shes clean, sails good, everything that needs to work does, and all for a song really, moneywise. So it can be a great experience, but its always a sh#tload of work.
As far as 'professionals' go - well you meet some great people who give you more than you pay for and some who arent really very good at their job - ive had more of the former and the latter didnt take much off me.

Once my boat was seaworthy enough to splash, that is where she went. Her hull was waxed to a foot above waterline, the rest will get done. Her engine needed an oil change, that would happen when her engine could run long enough to warm up. Jib and main halyards needed to be added, once again on the water.

The list was long, but the importance of her living once again on water over rode the perfection many seek on the hard. Several of the boats that were with her on the stands are still there. Owners showing up occasionally to do something, but never calling the travel lift over to get them back on the water. Two boats get loving coats of wax, for what reason only their owners know. I like to have mine washed with salt water, then rinsed with dock water. That is what she was born for.

[Greatketch33]

OP demonstrated many healthy qualities about himself:

1) He recognized his limit
2) He demonstrated control by not punching riggers.
3) He demonstrated logic knowing that a dream as itself is something he can not live on alone.
4) He reflected upon his experience and learned from it.
5) He inquired if others have done the same.

Walking away from a boat is a personal decision.

I enjoy reading the this thread because if all the perspectives it contains. The advice, support, the sharing, are here. I wish none of us get to a point of frustration as the OP had, yet, I am sure there will be others that will choose the same path as the OP. It happens.

[boatsail]

Originally Posted by atoll

even doing stuff your self you still get stung from time to time.

i made the mistake of buying from a "marine hydralic supplier" near me who sell mainly to the trade.

12 x 3/4 hose clamps
2meters of clear braided hose
1x 1'1/4 stainless elbow

after a 10% discount the price was £71 or $115 !!!!!

i knew the elbow was going to be expensive,but ss hose clips at $4.80 each!
and 2m of bog standard tube at $16 was really taking the piss!

Sounds like west marine

[ctl411]

Originally Posted by Celestialsailor

I'm glad you're back...I thought about your experience earlier this week. My usual friend was not around to hoist me up my mast to replace the back-stay and ream out an upper toggle from metric to inch. So I hired the yard at the docks here to do it...BIG MISTAKE! They claimed it required 2 guys. They have a independent crane on the dock that a guy goes up in a bosons chair. The other guy pushes the button, up/down...and that's it. They charge $107 an hour, times 2 guys. The total with the back stay and new turnbuckle...$700. That's the last time that is going to happen. Cripes...I charge 1/2 that to do Machining for people...and that is a much more skilled profession than some monkey going up a lift with a hand drill.
Plus he became indignant when I was trying to explain to him what I needed. Like he was doing me a favor...

And I'm sure these high paid "professionals" chamfered the holes after they drilled. That is worse then the $100 they charge the unknowing or lazy for winterizing engines around here.