New Boat (to me), and looking for advice

Fullabeer

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Hi All,

I've recently purchased a Princess 33 Mk2 in much need of TLC.....in fact, it's fair to say that my garden shed is generally a nicer place to be. However, she has good bones, seems mechanically sound (my uncle, a marine diesel engineer tells me so), and is about as long as I can handle as I'm coming from a 6.8m Rib.

She's based in Essex (I'll move her over the summer to scotland - By road transporter) and I thought I'd have better luck with trades down there as my theory is that there are more suppliers.

So here's a list of things that I want to do, which I'd appreciate recommendations of suppliers/fitters, and if you have any price guidance it would be appreciated:

  • Boat canopies - She has none, therefore no templates to use
  • Canopy framework (bimini steel??)
  • Reupholstery of the flybridge, cockpit and driver seats (leather/vinyl)
  • Reupholstery of the internal seating (main saloon and dinette)
  • Synthetic teak to side decks, flybridge and rear cockpit
  • Bow Thruster retrofit
  • Good anti-fouling (what's a good option that isnt copper coat?)
  • New V-Berth matresses
Additionally I'm going to take on a few jobs myself:
  • Re-face all of the kitchen cabinets
  • Modernise the interior by applying marine vinyl (nautolex is most likely) to wooden walls and doors
  • Fix the front hatch - small leak
  • Upgrade the marine instrumentation - Ideally I'd like to lose the analogue guages and have NMEA throughout, but not sure it's possible - Requires a lot of research I think
  • Install a waste tank - The heads pump out to the sea currently
  • Upgrade the heads - Update the horrible orange vinyl

I've been inspired by Ross (maybe Russ) Barretts video on MBY, where he made a Corniche 31 look almost new. Any lessons, advice, or tales or woe are most appreciated.

Will post pics as i can, but I'll only be travelling to the boat once a month for a few days until I get her up to scotland

Thanks in advance,

Steve
 

Tranona

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Welcome to the forum

Your first section is a serious amount of money to have done professionally - and at a distance very challenging. Did you do a costing before you bought the boat? A quick bit of mental arithmetic got me well towards the asking price for similar boats in good condition! East Coast is a big place and the things you want done require good access to the boat so best done by people based in or close to the yard where she is located. Do not underestimate the cost and amount of work involved in your second list.

The challenging bit will be actually getting such work done at all as trades are in great demand. I am doing similar things and for example I booked my upholstery in November for mid Feb. Canvas work of any complication like a canopy from scratch is typically 3 months lead time. Like you I bought my project a long way away and all the advice was don't try and do it at a distance, so trucked the boat home as quickly as I could. Still a lot of organising to get work done even in a major boating centre where I live..

There is nothing realistically for antifouling between regular application either annually or for some bi-annually and Coppercoat.
 

Bigplumbs

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Bailey and Stone in Norfolk for canopy work but I know they are generally very busy.

I second the difficulty of doing stuff remotely You always forget to bring something and you never have as much time as you think you have when on site
 
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bowler

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Greetings and congratulations.

Yes. Ross did a great job on his Corniche. He is also super nice guy. If you reach out to him via the Fairline Corniche owners group on FB he will offer plenty of advice if you need it.

D
 

Fullabeer

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Welcome to the forum

Your first section is a serious amount of money to have done professionally - and at a distance very challenging. Did you do a costing before you bought the boat? A quick bit of mental arithmetic got me well towards the asking price for similar boats in good condition! East Coast is a big place and the things you want done require good access to the boat so best done by people based in or close to the yard where she is located. Do not underestimate the cost and amount of work involved in your second list.

The challenging bit will be actually getting such work done at all as trades are in great demand. I am doing similar things and for example I booked my upholstery in November for mid Feb. Canvas work of any complication like a canopy from scratch is typically 3 months lead time. Like you I bought my project a long way away and all the advice was don't try and do it at a distance, so trucked the boat home as quickly as I could. Still a lot of organising to get work done even in a major boating centre where I live..

There is nothing realistically for antifouling between regular application either annually or for some bi-annually and Coppercoat.
Thanks Tranona.

My uncle lives local to the boat (he's the marine diesel specialist) and as he's had boats forever, I know he'll be a better judge of work than I am.

As you mentioned, you can buy nicer examples, but they are all dated. I want to fully update the boat and appreciate that costs money. I even looked at 2003 Sealine F33's, but even though they are more modern, I'd still be reupholstering and putting in new flexi-teak etc, so I guess it's all money depending on taste.
 

Fullabeer

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Greetings and congratulations.

Yes. Ross did a great job on his Corniche. He is also super nice guy. If you reach out to him via the Fairline Corniche owners group on FB he will offer plenty of advice if you need it.

D
That's a great suggestion!
 

Fullabeer

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Go to guy especially if you are in Essex for upholstery is Martin Deuce at MJM boats, but beware, he is very busy at the moment and may take a while
Thanks for the suggestion. I'm not in a crazy hurry. If it takes a year, that's OK as I still have the Rib to have fun on
 

Hot Property

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Welcome to the forum

Your first section is a serious amount of money to have done professionally - and at a distance very challenging. Did you do a costing before you bought the boat? A quick bit of mental arithmetic got me well towards the asking price for similar boats in good condition! East Coast is a big place and the things you want done require good access to the boat so best done by people based in or close to the yard where she is located. Do not underestimate the cost and amount of work involved in your second list.

The challenging bit will be actually getting such work done at all as trades are in great demand. I am doing similar things and for example I booked my upholstery in November for mid Feb. Canvas work of any complication like a canopy from scratch is typically 3 months lead time. Like you I bought my project a long way away and all the advice was don't try and do it at a distance, so trucked the boat home as quickly as I could. Still a lot of organising to get work done even in a major boating centre where I live..

There is nothing realistically for antifouling between regular application either annually or for some bi-annually and Coppercoat.

Actually there is a middle ground for your "anti fouling"- Silic One from hempel. It's a slippery fouling release paint and I applied it 3 seasons ago. I gained 1.5 knots in top speed and any weed that does attach itself is either removed at high speed or wiped off with a cloth.

Superheat6k of this parish was suitably impressed with its performance to use it on his previous boat.

Additionally, unlike antifouling OR coppercoat I'm not poisoning the marine environment!
 

Bigplumbs

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Actually there is a middle ground for your "anti fouling"- Silic One from hempel. It's a slippery fouling release paint and I applied it 3 seasons ago. I gained 1.5 knots in top speed and any weed that does attach itself is either removed at high speed or wiped off with a cloth.

Superheat6k of this parish was suitably impressed with its performance to use it on his previous boat.

Additionally, unlike antifouling OR coppercoat I'm not poisoning the marine environment!

Hello Nick

I suspect you cannot apply that Silic if your boat has previously been antifouled. As for the Marine Enviroment the things in it seem to eat my Antifoul No Problem.... Especially the stuff you put on the leg ;)
 

Hot Property

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Hello Nick

I suspect you cannot apply that Silic if your boat has previously been antifouled. As for the Marine Enviroment the things in it seem to eat my Antifoul No Problem.... Especially the stuff you put on the leg ;)

Hi Dennis,

Yes you can apply to old antifoul - the only requirement is that is it sound and not flaking off.

The initial application is 4 coats - a 2 part primer to seal the old AF, a tie coat and then 2 top coats.

After that its just one top coat every (4 years) or so. I've found it a brilliant solution. You do need a boat that can do 20 knots plus to remove the fouling but fortunately Zoom can do that...
 

Aardee

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It looks like you can use Silic One over old antifoul providing the old a/f is a good base and you use the Silic One tie coat. I'm planning to use it this year over the old antifoul.
 

Hot Property

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It looks like you can use Silic One over old antifoul providing the old a/f is a good base and you use the Silic One tie coat. I'm planning to use it this year over the old antifoul.

What boat are you applying it to out of interest?
 

Hot Property

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It's a Viking Marin Viki 34 Aft Cabin - Deep v planing hull. We usually cruise at 18-20kts so it should self-clean effectively.

Regular use is essential, the best bit is when I bring my boat out for the annual service, any slime just wipes off. If you ( or the boatyard) use a pressure washer then take it easy as it's a soft coating..... I have no regrets using it and I have saved a bit by only requiring a lift and hold rather than being brought ashore for painting.
 

Fullabeer

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Actually there is a middle ground for your "anti fouling"- Silic One from hempel. It's a slippery fouling release paint and I applied it 3 seasons ago. I gained 1.5 knots in top speed and any weed that does attach itself is either removed at high speed or wiped off with a cloth.

Superheat6k of this parish was suitably impressed with its performance to use it on his previous boat.

Additionally, unlike antifouling OR coppercoat I'm not poisoning the marine environment!
Thanks, Im off to google it
 

oldgit

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Always bear in mind what this boat will be worth when you sell it, around £35.000 for a top notch example.
Worth remembering that your "improvements" ie. plastic fake teak decking might not be regarded as an improvement by some, over the original white decking.
Couple of examples on the market at the moment that appear difficult to shift, both have some pretty grim owner "improvements" done.
 

Minerva

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Always bear in mind what this boat will be worth when you sell it, around £35.000 for a top notch example.
Worth remembering that your "improvements" ie. plastic fake teak decking might not be regarded as an improvement by some, over the original white decking.
Couple of examples on the market at the moment that appear difficult to shift, both have some pretty grim owner "improvements" done.

Reminds me of an event a few years back. Chatting to a young guy at work who was really into his cars. He was proudly talking about the modifications he'd made to his 15 year old Toyota spending tens of thousands "improving".

My response of "You could be driving around in a Porsche for that sort of money" in retrospect wasn't too kind as you saw the dawning realisation in his head and his smile evaporate.
 

Fullabeer

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Always bear in mind what this boat will be worth when you sell it, around £35.000 for a top notch example.
Worth remembering that your "improvements" ie. plastic fake teak decking might not be regarded as an improvement by some, over the original white decking.
Couple of examples on the market at the moment that appear difficult to shift, both have some pretty grim owner "improvements" done.
Thanks for the input. Yes, I think the better examples I've seen are between £35k-£40k....and even those are dated.

I've never bought a boat thinking I'll make money, with this being my fourth. My view is maybe a little different from many in that my approach is 'What can I buy for £50k?' In 33ft flybridge terms, not a lot from what I've seen....or at least not a lot that's to my taste. £100k seems to be what I'd need to spend to get something I wouldnt feel a need to re-cover or tinker with.

If I spend £20k fixing this up to my taste (and you're right, it may not be everyone's taste), I dont expect to get £20k more than I spent. If you see what the boat looks like now, I doubt I can make it worse, but the 'value-add' is only for my benefit. However, if the boat ends up costing me £45k all-in, and I use it for 5 years and sell it for £15k, I dont see that is a terrible thing. I could buy a new Sealine and lose more than that in the first year I guess.

As mentioned, there are only so many things I will DIY, the rest I'll leave to professionals. I've built a house and that turned out OK, so hopefully this isnt much harder. Just like the house, I know what I can't do and therefore I'm budgeting for professionals also.

Lastly, a big part of this project is the fun of doing it. Just like the car example, if the young chap got enjoyment from it all, it's better than having the money in the bank not bringing you enjoyment. :)
 

Tranona

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I could have written that myself as I have just started doing exactly the same thing, selling an immaculate boat I bought new 6 years ago and starting on restoring a 40 year old boat. 5 year project and the time spent doing the work this year will be as much, if not more pleasure than the subsequent 4 or 5 years use.

That is why I responded as I did to your original post. You have to go in with your eyes open and a realistic idea of what it is going to cost (knowing your best estimate will still understate the eventual cost). My reservation about your plan is doing it remotely, even with somebody keeping an eye on it. Of course the available trades may be better or more choice where the boat is now, but I find being just 15 minutes drive away a boon to keep control over the project.

Good luck with it.
 
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