A Realization

[Chotu]

if I can’t get the rig up on this boat this fall and have it ready to move around under wind power in the winter, I’m selling it.

Since I can do so little of the work myself, and nobody else really does any work, what more can I do at this point?

If anybody is looking for a catamaran like mine, you can start approaching me. I won’t know the answer about the sale until about October. That’s when I’ll know if I’m selling the boat.

but I can’t do this year after year after year. With nothing getting done. If I were working on it full-time, it would already be done. But I can’t. It’s incredibly frustrating.

been sitting on the composite chain plates for half a year now. Thanks to the daily rain. Everything is there and ready to go, but can’t open up the boat. Can’t build the chain plates.

please feel free to drop in any comments or hate or anything. I am really at my wits end here. Tell me why I should sell it or why I shouldn’t.

I just can’t get this boat completed. No matter how hard I try.

[Knotical]

Chotu, I am in the camp that would say “sell it” and get on with your life - it is not an uninformed opinion. I have read your various threads, before and after your hospitalization, and can imagine the amount of time, money and effort you have put in it, you are close yet too far from the day you start sailing and I don’t think it’s worth it IMO. There will be people who will say “keep going” or “you got this” but they are not in your shoes, not being able to finish the work yourself and having to rely on people that may or may not be helpful will take a toll on anyone, I certainly wouldn’t wanna continue. If you cannot buy a ready to sail boat (that is proper for you), there are other recreational activities I would look into. Good luck with whatever you decide.

[Copacabana]

Chotu, I agree with Knotical. I am aware of the difficult times you've been going through and perhaps it's time to just sell the boat and buy something smaller and ready to enjoy on the water today. It must be hard to even consider selling your cat after so much work and love, but if it's just going to sit there unfinished, it isn't giving you much pleasure. Get something you can enjoy with your wife today. Tomorrow may not come.

[Chotu]

thank you for the responses. I am reading every word and taking them to heart. I welcome any responses in this thread. I would love people to just chime in and just let out their personal opinion without worrying about me and how I feel about it.

what would you do? Feel free to just have at it.

i’m just not having very much fun here. As was mentioned above in these other posts, there has been so much that has gone into this boat. My health, my time, my financial resources. It’s a hell of a boat. But I can’t seem to get the project together to get finished now that I am required to stay away from the chemicals.

add to that I can’t even get metal work done. It’s been more than half a year now trying to get anyone to do the little bit of machine shop work. Only I had my health back, I could wrap this thing up in no time by myself. With one unskilled helper as a laborer. I could have this thing done in a year no problem.

But I’m so limited now.

wouldn’t mind hearing from some people that say keep it as well. but it doesn’t look like it’s going that way.

[SCWentz]

I'm still very new here compared to a lot of the other commenters, but I have read through many of your other posts, and can only echo what others told me when I made my first posts here... Do what you have to do to get yourself out on the water.

The philosophy my wife and I developed fairly quickly on is: Any day we make it past the end of the dock is a good day. Any day we make it back to the dock with no injuries, no damage, and not too many **** shows is a great day. We will keep progressing along our current path as long as we are having more good days than bad ones. When the bad days start adding up, it's time to reassess and redirect.

How about dropping everything for a week or two, and doing a charter... remind yourself why you've been putting in all the work. On the last night aboard, discuss whether it's worth it to continue putting in the work on the dream boat, or downsizing the dream a bit and get busy living it.

Whatever version of the dream you choose to follow, you've definitely put in the work to have earned it!
--Steve

[Tupaia]

Only you can make this decision. But if you are feeling it should be sold then stop all work and go on holiday. Time away will allow you to resolve your issues and either come to terms with selling it or give some renewed vigour to continuing the build.
In you current state of mind I would not do any more work, I wouldn't try to get the rig up or mess with chain plates or metal work. Everything you have done up to now has been done with passion don't spoil it now with work that is done without true commitment as it will show and may well put a buyer off.

[MicHughV]

No easy answer here for you, Chotu, no easy answer at all.

You have chosen to tackle a very large and quite unique project, and have been going at it hammer and tongs for quite some time.

As someone that has built his own boat, I'm quite aware of how a project like this can drain your heart, body and soul. I've posted here before about a home builder I know, that has been at it for the better part of 40 years. He keeps at it, as it gives him "something to do" but is unlikely to ever sail it anywhere.

Selling your unfinished boat will be no easy task either. It's a one-off custom job that will have to be finished by an enterprising individual or a deep pocked individual and a yard.

In essence you are between a rock and a hard place.

Having said all that, there is no shame in throwing in the towel. Tomorrow will bring another day. New challenges, new bridges to cross, new waters to explore.

At the end of the day, you must ask yourself....do I want to build or do I want to sailing?? While you may have completed the bulk of the structural work, "finishing" it off will also require a substantial investment of time and money.

I would "advise" to list it now as it will likely take some time to find the right buyer. This may give you some time to reflect on your future goals

And even were you to finish it, then what ? To sail a big cat like yours, requires crew, nimble feet and strong arms.

At the end of the day, only you can answer your own question, but the fact that you have posted it here seems to indicated that you have already arrived at an answer, but are seeking to validate it.

[rslifkin]

In my mind, you've got 3 choices:

• Sell it and give up boating.
• Sell it and find a complete boat that can be easily enough adapted to your needs and limitations.
• See what can get done. Just store it over the winter if needed, and then in the spring, load up all of the unfinished parts aboard and start motoring north in search of a place where it's easier to get the work completed. Plus, even with the boat un-finished, you'll still get a nice boat trip out of the deal.

[Mike OReilly]

Such a hard place to be in; physically, financially and most importantly emotionally. I hesitate to offer simple advice. I’ve not been in your exact shoes, although I suspect everyone hits some walls in life.

Being the analytical type I’d ask you: what is it you are try to achieve with this project? Really? Truly? Are you building a boat so you can go cruising? Or are you building a boat so you can have your perfect craft? Or are you building a boat because you like to build things? Or…

There are probably a lot more options to consider, but the point is to get to the real reason you’re building a boat. If it’s to go cruising, then I think the answer is clear: sell now. If it’s because you want your perfect boat, or you just like to build boats, then keep going.

Of course the other way to look at it is to ask: Does this bring me more joy than pain? On balance, is the project making you happier or sadder. If the former, then keep going. If the latter, well… Life is too short waste being sad. Sell, take the loss (all of them), and find new joy.

Lin/Larry Pardey’s saying rings true here: Keep going as long as it’s fun.

[Chotu]

Originally Posted by SCWentz

I'm still very new here compared to a lot of the other commenters, but I have read through many of your other posts, and can only echo what others told me when I made my first posts here... Do what you have to do to get yourself out on the water.

The philosophy my wife and I developed fairly quickly on is: Any day we make it past the end of the dock is a good day. Any day we make it back to the dock with no injuries, no damage, and not too many **** shows is a great day. We will keep progressing along our current path as long as we are having more good days than bad ones. When the bad days start adding up, it's time to reassess and redirect.

How about dropping everything for a week or two, and doing a charter... remind yourself why you've been putting in all the work. On the last night aboard, discuss whether it's worth it to continue putting in the work on the dream boat, or downsizing the dream a bit and get busy living it.

Whatever version of the dream you choose to follow, you've definitely put in the work to have earned it!
--Steve

Actually, I already did this. I bought a 50 foot monohull and then I sold it a couple years later. that was a year or two ago.

So I got much more sailing in than just some chartering.

it was great. It was fun. Very comfortable. It was nice. Had a pretty good time.

The big problem is I can’t get this boat completed. I don’t know what to do anymore. In the last few months there has been just about zero progress. As a matter of fact, remember when I showed you guys the core of the composite chainplates in that thread? With the stainless? That’s the only thing that’s been done since spring. And summer is ending. An entire season gone without any progress.

And I’m still up against the never-ending metal guys doing nothing at all. They know there is a September deadline, and they don’t appear to be making anything. They just have the Mast and the forward Crossbeam at their shop and are sitting on it.

it doesn’t matter how many times I ask or call or whatever. Always plenty of positive vibes, but literally nothing gets done.

I feel like I’m just wasting my time here.

The goal is to have the rig on by October. That involves the composite chainplates being done, and the metal guys doing their thing. And a whole lot of bolting crap through the deck and making a sail control table. and just finishing hooking up the steering plumbing. I replaced the steering system with hydraulic.

It’s really not that tall of an order. But the fact that I can’t get this rig stuff done that I can’t do myself is driving me out of my mind right now.

[Chotu]

Originally Posted by Mike OReilly

Such a hard place to be in; physically, financially and most importantly emotionally. I hesitate to offer simple advice. I’ve not been in your exact shoes, although I suspect everyone hits some walls in life.

Being the analytical type I’d ask you: what is it you are try to achieve with this project? Really? Truly? Are you building a boat so you can go cruising? Or are you building a boat so you can have your perfect craft? Or are you building a boat because you like to build things? Or…

There are probably a lot more options to consider, but the point is to get to the real reason you’re building a boat. If it’s to go cruising, then I think the answer is clear: sell now. If it’s because you want your perfect boat, or you just like to build boats, then keep going.

Of course the other way to look at it is to ask: Does this bring me more joy than pain? On balance, is the project making you happier or sadder. If the former, then keep going. If the latter, well… Life is too short waste being sad. Sell, take the loss (all of them), and find new joy.

Lin/Larry Pardey’s saying rings true here: Keep going as long as it’s fun.

I can answer this very clearly. Thank God. At least I know something. Ha ha

I am building the boat to have the perfect craft. I am also building the boat to use it. To cruise. To maybe live aboard full-time like I used to, maybe just part-time. But I need to take the damn thing out sailing so I can figure that out for myself. And I can’t.

I am most definitely not a building this boat because I like building things. I have built a few RVs, I have built a loft apartment, I built this boat, I am done building. I hate building things. I despise and lothe building it. The only reason I am building it is so that I can have the perfect craft and a good platform to cruise on. That’s it. There is no other reason at all.

so the idea with it has always been to endure the pain in order to get a good boat. But, my pain in this build has been significantly higher than the average person's. I don’t know why, but it has. It has taken more from me than most boat builds take from people.

I have never been having a good time building it. I have just been gritting my teeth and going. I think the only people that have a good time building are the ones that do it out of wood. Maybe the metal boat guys too. Ha ha.

But this has been pain in order to achieve a goal. That’s all. If I had $1.2 million I would have just bought this type of boat. I would not have built it.

[Chotu]

Originally Posted by MicHughV

No easy answer here for you, Chotu, no easy answer at all.

You have chosen to tackle a very large and quite unique project, and have been going at it hammer and tongs for quite some time.

As someone that has built his own boat, I'm quite aware of how a project like this can drain your heart, body and soul. I've posted here before about a home builder I know, that has been at it for the better part of 40 years. He keeps at it, as it gives him "something to do" but is unlikely to ever sail it anywhere.

Selling your unfinished boat will be no easy task either. It's a one-off custom job that will have to be finished by an enterprising individual or a deep pocked individual and a yard.

In essence you are between a rock and a hard place.

Having said all that, there is no shame in throwing in the towel. Tomorrow will bring another day. New challenges, new bridges to cross, new waters to explore.

At the end of the day, you must ask yourself....do I want to build or do I want to sailing?? While you may have completed the bulk of the structural work, "finishing" it off will also require a substantial investment of time and money.

I would "advise" to list it now as it will likely take some time to find the right buyer. This may give you some time to reflect on your future goals

And even were you to finish it, then what ? To sail a big cat like yours, requires crew, nimble feet and strong arms.

At the end of the day, only you can answer your own question, but the fact that you have posted it here seems to indicated that you have already arrived at an answer, but are seeking to validate it.

Just a note, this is not like a piece of crap boat. Did you notice Grit? That’s the same boat. Pretty much. Of course we both went in somewhat different directions building, but they are very similar. I’ve already had offers in the past and almost sold it for $140,000 several years of work back. It's way more complete now. I turned them down because I was continuing to build. That was somebody’s starting offer. So, I’m pretty sure I can sell it if I want to. The question is if I want to or not.

to answer that question. Do I want to be building or sailing? I have never wanted to build. I have only wanted to sail. I do not like building. It’s a pain to endure to try to get a good boat. That’s it. I think I mentioned that in the last post also. But it’s important to answer the question that you are asking. I want to sail. Not to build. But I built so I could sail something good. I’ve already sailed everything else. This is the only boat I really want. That’s the problem.

just about the only thing that could really replace it would be a trimaran. And a good sized one.

I agree that certainly it takes a while to find the right buyer for a project. Definitely. But I don’t want to create a false listing if I’m not selling it. I don’t like to waste peoples time like that. I will hold off until I am looking to sell it.

i’m just so dejected that an entire season has just gone by and there was no progress. And I need to get this thing under wind power this fall and into the winter and move it around and try it out and stuff to see if I can continue this. But it doesn’t look like I’m able to make this goal because nothing is happening with the boat. there’s no progress.

that’s the real killer. That’s what’s driving me insane right now. Nothing is happening at all. No matter how much I try to make it happen, there is nothing happening.

Maybe the best course of action is to simply keep trying and then if it is not sailing this fall, just go through with selling it.

It just can’t sit there in limbo like this.

Oh yeah. That’s right. I forgot to mention sailing it is not an issue. I can sail anything. of course there are a few high-performance multihull tricks that I still have to practice so I don’t flip it over, but, it’s not an issue. If you can make the sheets go in and out and the halyards go up and down, you are in good shape. That’s all you really have to do.

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by Chotu

I can answer this very clearly. Thank God. At least I know something. Ha ha

I am building the boat to have the perfect craft. I am also building the boat to use it. To cruise. To maybe live aboard full-time like I used to, maybe just part-time. But I need to take the damn thing out sailing so I can figure that out for myself. And I can’t.

Yes... I knew you'd know. So then the question becomes, which of these desires is greater, or more important? Right now, they are causing the conflict.

If cruising is the most important thing, then the answer is sell (and buy something to go now). There are tons of great boats out there. If having the perfect craft is critical, then keep going.

It certainly doesn't sound like what you're doing now passes the Pardey test. So something needs to change.

[Chotu]

Originally Posted by Mike OReilly

Yes... I knew you'd know. So then the question becomes, which of these desires is greater, or more important? Right now, they are causing the conflict.

If cruising is the most important thing, then the answer is sell (and buy something to go now). There are tons of great boats out there. If having the perfect craft is critical, then keep going.

It certainly doesn't sound like what you're doing now passes the Pardey test. So something needs to change.

that’s actually an excellent simplification of the swirling emotions going on right now. Thank you very much.

going cruising now is actually not the most important thing. It’s been so long since I have had a boat to myself to travel on that I don’t even know if I like it anymore. I forget.

with that monohull, I had my girlfriend out there and we hid out from Covid and had a pretty good time. Standard Northeast cruising that I’m used to. From New York City up to Maine. That type of thing. it was nice. It was pleasant. It was really enjoyable. But I wasn’t alone on the boat.

she is figuring some stuff out because she was really young when we started dating. So I can’t really rely on having someone around like that. I need to see if I still like traveling by boat on my own. That’s really the foundation of why I need to get that rig on and take this thing out for a spin this winter.

after I built it, I did just that with the motors alone. And it got a little bit bleak. I wasn’t liking it. I have changed, the boat has changed, the world around me has changed, girl situations change. so I really want to get the boat out there and use it this winter. To work from it. To have a social life from it. To see if I even like it.

when I ran away from it after the experience with the motors and traveling in that fashion, I grabbed an RV. I drove that thing out to California. And a bunch of other places. I was out in California and saw on the news in a bar or some thing about this hurricane about to hit Florida. The airports were already closed. All I could do is drive my best route 10. All the way from LA to Florida. And I did. And when I got there the boat was wrecked. I mean, not that bad. It’s all cosmetic stuff, but still. I built a piece of perfection and to see it get damaged really hurt.

From there I have not taken it out since. Just for a couple months once with my girlfriend that went on the monohull with me.

so if I am putting all of this time and effort into something and I don’t even end up liking it, that could be a big problem. I need to do a little litmus test.

That’s like the root of it all. and I don’t feel like I can wait years and years to do the litmus test while nothing is getting done with the boat. If I can’t even do the litmus test, it’s kind of crazy to keep continuing.

that’s exactly where my head is at and a complete opening of all factors and emotions. That’s what’s driving this.

And I was definitely OK with things when I could get stuff done on the boat. But now that everything has come to a screeching halt, I’m having a hard time sticking with it.

[bensolomon]

Chotu,

I have been following all of your posts with great interest and spirit. Haven't commented much as I had nothing to contribute to boat building. Time is an ever fleeting resource, whose loss accelerates with age. You've had some close calls health-wise, and now relationship issues and to a lesser degree financial drain stemming from the boat building. Add to this the frustration and stress now mounting. As an observer, and not emotionally tied to the project, and looking at the data, the evidence is overwhelming that it is time to stop. I'm sorry to say that, and I know it hurts. If I can do anything to help you, medically, please let me know. I have always sent good vibes your way.

Wish you the best,
Ben