advice: can I do this?

[Campylobacter]

Hi, I have an opportunity to get a "free" old wood boat for CL. The guy running the add is very negative about the prospects of getting the boat seaworthy again, but I'd like to give it a try.

I have no experience with boat restoration but I am a fairly decent woodworker (mostly furniture, not professional, but I think it looks good). I am also pretty confident with wiring and mechanicals. I am an avid boater but the boat I own now is a fairly new fiberglass one, and doesn't need much work.

Here are some pics:

I asked the guy about damage (rot or holes) not seen in the pics, and all he could remember was a fist sized hole in the hull.

What do you think? Would it be worth the effort?

 

[jonesg]

Re: advice: can I do this?

sounds like he doesn't want to give it up,

if he wanted it gone he'd be saying "easy fix, just needs TLC".

personally if I wanted an older boat in that design I'd be looking for a tinny.
But thats me.

 

[tmcalavy]

Re: advice: can I do this?

Keep looking...there are better prospects out there in the wooden boat vein.

 

[CheapboatKev]

Re: advice: can I do this?

Keep looking...there are better prospects out there in the wooden boat vein.

But for free?
This guy is an amuetar wood worker....Its a free wood boat..It small enough to tackle...If I had the skills..I'd pick it up for the helluvit

 

[Lion hunter]

Re: advice: can I do this?

If you aren't worried about the cost and would like to have the experience of it I would go for it. I would look and see why there is a hole in the hull. If the hull is rotten you might as well google glen-l and build a whole new boat. If it's just the hole it could be glassed and painted over. If you even consider building a wood boat from scratch I would go grab this one. There are alot of vintage parts on it and a trailer you could put to use and take the rest to the dump and it's free.

 

[Rickairmedic]

Re: advice: can I do this?

Campy you find us Tin Can guys are nuts but I agree with the others worst case you end up with a trailer and some decent OLD hardware best case you end up with sweet old wooden craft .


Rick

 

[Numlaar]

Re: advice: can I do this?

If its free, and you're willing to try, and have the finances, I too say go for it. There's not a whole lot to lose..

If you find out the wood is too far rotten to salvage, have a nice cutting up/bonfire night, and you dont even have disposal fees... save all the hardware you can salvage.

If it is in good enough condition to be saved, its a pretty sharp looking old boat.

The fist sized hole he could be talking about is the one in the upper deck, and that looks like something dropped on it, so you may be ok...

Let us know what you decide and how it goes!

 

[CheapboatKev]

Re: advice: can I do this?

Patch the hull...sand her, varnish & stain her and sell her to a seafood joint..if she's too far gone to be actually sea worthy

 

[Lion hunter]

Re: advice: can I do this?

I'm thinking I see a hole in the hull right behind the rear shed post, 3rd pic. The more I think about it the more I say go get it!
The good news is , look where it's kept. The wood is dry, it's under an awning, and there was actually a cover he pulled back to take the pic. You don't even have to mow the weeds or dig it out out of the dirt.

 

[CheapboatKev]

Re: advice: can I do this?

if i had the bux..i wood have grabbed this beauty!
it was 2,500

 

[Campylobacter]

Re: advice: can I do this?

Thanks for the replies, I can't go look for myself until Saturday.

Lion- I think you are right about the hole, here is a close up:

I'll keep you updated. Unless there is significant rot, I am going to go for it.

 

[wca_tim]

Re: advice: can I do this?

Free boats are usually far from free... I would pass on this one unless you really like the way it would look in the yard with flowers growing out of it...

 

[bigredinohio]

Re: advice: can I do this?

I'd take it! That hole, I would think, could be fixed. You will spend some $$$ on the boat to fix it but will look sharp when done.

 

[tmcalavy]

Re: advice: can I do this?

A fist-sized hole in the HULL of a wooden boat is never fixed, only temporarily patched. Now if you want the boat hardware and trailer, go get it...after all it's free...then strip the boat and plant it in the yard as a mailbox base, garden planter, etc. Lots of headaches are free, too.
If you want to put your skills to work on a wooden boat, consider building one...lots of kits and building resources available out there online.

 

[Lion hunter]

Re: advice: can I do this?

I would gaurantee that hole is rot. But There's still alot of free parts there. Strip it, take the sawzall to it and make a trip to the dump. Then if you decide to take on building one or just buy one you have alot of parts.

 

[Knotty1]

Re: advice: can I do this?

GO FOR IT. You're an avid wood-worker hobbiest... if you don't already have a project on the go, grab it and play. For FREE! Why not?
Again,
1. If you have the room for it
2. If you have some time for it
3. If you're "other half" is ok with it!