Thinking of buying a wooden boat...

Travellingwithtoby

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Hi guys and gals, me again! ??

So I keep on coming back to this boat, its simplicity in design and spaciousness internally make it a tempting buy....

It's a waterwitch mk2 with lee boards, meticulously looked after, and looking at the spec pretty sea worthy but also able to take to very shallow ground.....

My questions are things like do I need to "dry" out the hull every winter? ( I would be living aboard her)

What would differ from owning a grp boat in terms of maintenance?

Any advice on insurance?

And does anyone know of an experienced surveyor near Essex that knows wooden boats?

Thanks :)

Toby
 

DownWest

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Wansworth

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Drying out a wooden boat over a winter is not a good Leda as it causes stresses best left in the water or mud berth,but no harm in getting her on some grid now an d then and checking all ok and getting rid of the weeds.Mainenence would mean keeping on top of painting etc but much pleasanter than polishing!Nothing wrong with plywood if it is used but the edges area souce of water ingress but your surveyorwill inform you,looks an interesting boat to give you hours of pleasant Labour unless it’s fixing the bottom of the hull!
 
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Travellingwithtoby

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Just curious about the 'lee boards' are they bilge keels? Waterwitch archive details - at Yachtsnet Ltd. online UK yacht brokers - yacht brokerage and boat sales
If built in plywood, the only reason to take her out would be to scrub the hull and re-paint the anti-foul. Wooden boats do not need to be 'dried out' yearly. Quite the opposite.
John Lilley, who posts on here, understands wooden boats and would do the survey.
Close but this is the mk2 from what I understand that link is the mk1

These are steel plates on a swivel pin either side, controlled by a pair of Winches I suppose like a pair of swinging keels, the common joke being that they might be great for handbrake turns ????


That reassures me greatly, there is a 2015 survey I have read through and it appears to be a very clean boat then, the current owner is renowned for meticulous upkeep that makes me feel very assured!

I will find @johnlilley and ask him the question then thank you!

I think she looks amazing, and basic. Heating and cooking fueled by parafin Taylor's heater/hob
 

Travellingwithtoby

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Drying out a wooden boat over a winter is not a good Leda as it causes stresses best left in the water or mud berth,but no harm in getting her on some grid now an d then and checking all ok and getting rid of the weeds.Mainenence would mean keeping on top of painting etc but much pleasanter than polishing!Nothing wrong with plywood if it is used but the edges area souce of water ingress but your surveyorwill inform you,looks an interesting boat to give you hours of pleasant Labour unless it’s fixing the bottom of the hull!
Aha brilliant, yes I own a Das 6 pro, no better way to build your shoulder muscles than spend a month polishing gel coat!

I dont mind a routine maintenance, being a vet I like to have something to do!

Yes from what I gather I will be asking lots of questions on keeping the wood well preserved and possibly adding a pilot house of some kind later on, that's to be decided, I dont mind getting wet when its warm! Haha

It does appear that some of these have crossed oceans! That makes me very happy indeed!

Hard to find much info in them though.....
 

Wansworth

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Aha brilliant, yes I own a Das 6 pro, no better way to build your shoulder muscles than spend a month polishing gel coat!

I dont mind a routine maintenance, being a vet I like to have something to do!

Yes from what I gather I will be asking lots of questions on keeping the wood well preserved and possibly adding a pilot house of some kind later on, that's to be decided, I dont mind getting wet when its warm! Haha

It does appear that some of these have crossed oceans! That makes me very happy indeed!

Hard to find much info in them though.....
Certainly easy to ship for ocean voyages!.....but beware of torredo worm in warm water!
 

jamie N

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I've a wooden Folkboat, and can confirm that they're much better off in the water, as others have stated. If youre living aboard, they're (wooden boats) easy to keep on top of maintenance wise, as you're there; it's there and so begins the constant bit of ongoing 'stuff', a little bit here and there, but fairly constant.....!
It's both the pain and the panacea of life with a wooden boat.
Is it this one ? Looks good to me if it is!
 

Kukri

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If she is that one, then yes, a nice boat. The Cascover sheathed ply construction is good - used on a great many Golden Hinds and you need not worry about teredo worms or gribble.

Some Waterwitches have leeboards and are barge yachts and some have bilge keels. I like the leeboard ones.

Sailing performance is stately rather than rapid, but she is the perfect East Coast ditch crawler and will ‘get into places that other boats cannot reach’.

I lived on board my wooden boat for a couple of years and owned her for many more and there is nothing to be scared of with a boat like this so long as you do keep on top of the maintenance - little and often is the key. Keep her painted and varnished and well ventilated and above all prevent any deck leaks and you will be fine.

Insurance - I’ve been happy with Yacht Master in Woodbridge. Old style insurance brokers who know their stuff.
 
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Travellingwithtoby

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Certainly easy to ship for ocean voyages!.....but beware of torredo worm in warm water!
Torredo worm, ok is there a trick to avoiding them? Copper coating the hull perhaps? Haha if only I had the time ??

One other question, how hard do you guys find insurance for the wooden boats?


I've a wooden Folkboat, and can confirm that they're much better off in the water, as others have stated. If youre living aboard, they're (wooden boats) easy to keep on top of maintenance wise, as you're there; it's there and so begins the constant bit of ongoing 'stuff', a little bit here and there, but fairly constant.....!
It's both the pain and the panacea of life with a wooden boat.
Is it this one ? Looks good to me if it is!

That sounds almost idyllic Haha!

That's the one!
If she is that one, then yes, a nice boat. The Cascover sheathed ply construction is good - used on a great many Golden Hinds and you need not worry about teredo worms or gribble.

Some Waterwitches have leeboards and are barge yachts and some have bilge keels. I like the leeboard ones.

Sailing performance is stately rather than rapid, but she is the perfect East Coast ditch crawler and will ‘get into places that other boats cannot reach’.

I lived on board my wooden boat for a couple of years and owned her for many more and there is nothing to be scared of with a boat like this so long as you do keep on top of the maintenance - little and often is the key. Keep her painted and varnished and well ventilated and above all prevent any deck leaks and you will be fine.

Insurance - I’ve been happy with Yacht Master in Woodbridge. Old style insurance brokers who know their stuff.

Stately suits me, I drive an old S class Merc so a boat to suit!

So after having a great chat with john lilly and learning a few things, I'm feeling a bit dis heartened at the fact that she may well be able to cross oceans, but not exactly the kind of boat that would do it comfortably..... and at a very reduced rate..... not that I would be in a rush!

I'm still stuck between staying around local waters where the waterwitch will be very useful

Or getting a boat with a pedigree of ocean going behind it?

I am struggling to find much info about the waterwitch so i would be really appreciative of any links or such :)

Yes that wont be an issue I much enjoy a regular routine!

Thank you I will see what they say about insuring me :)

Good to hear about the sheathing!
 

Wansworth

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Toredo worm, ok is there a trick to avoiding them? Copper coating the hull perhaps? Haha if only I had the time ??

One other question, how hard do you guys find insurance for the wooden boats?




That sounds almost idyllic Haha!

That's the one!


Stately suits me, I drive an old S class Merc so a boat to suit!

So after having a great chat with john lilly and learning a few things, I'm feeling a bit dis heartened at the fact that she may well be able to cross oceans, but not exactly the kind of boat that would do it comfortably..... and at a very reduced rate..... not that I would be in a rush!

I'm still stuck between staying around local waters where the waterwitch will be very useful

Or getting a boat with a pedigree of ocean going behind it?

I am struggling to find much info about the waterwitch so i would be really appreciative of any links or such :)

Yes that wont be an issue I much enjoy a regular routine!

Thank you I will see what they say about insuring me :)

Good to hear about the sheathing!
sometime probably in the 1930s one or two Thames barges did get as far as South America.......the water witch is a sheltered water boat ,could be good in European canals and coasting,you can get along way coasting!
 
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banger

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The Waterwitch is essentially an East Coast ditch crawler and not really intended by the designer to cross oceans, as has been said, maybe shipping it to a destination would be the answer, having said that the decision is yours. There are a huge amount of more suitable boats out there but not for the money this is.
An article in Classic Boat this month features them, maybe this one is the one in the article.
Looking at the details brought back an old urge I had many years ago to own one, I am a seasoned mud plugger and that model was my dream, sadly not now.
Lastly, Jane and her husband are good honest brokers, they sold my last boat with efficiency and honestly, couldn't recommend them more.
 

DownWest

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I dont suppose anyone wants to scan that article for me? Trying to decide if I want to buy the mag, but I'm supposed to be selling everything haha
The mag would be a small investment compared with the boat:)and a nice addition to the ships papers if you do buy her. As for seaworthyness, you could do the French canals to the Med, no problem with draft in the Midi. If you want to get somewhere fast, fly.. (perhaps not right now..)
 

Travellingwithtoby

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She’s a nice sensible boat. She will get you anywhere in Europe, including places that you have never thought of, such as inland to the Black Sea.

You might want to buy this book:

View attachment 86290
I will look for that now! Thank you very much!

I was looking for a copy of the lola story

£2000 on amazon for a paperback copy!

The mag would be a small investment compared with the boat:)and a nice addition to the ships papers if you do buy her. As for seaworthyness, you could do the French canals to the Med, no problem with draft in the Midi. If you want to get somewhere fast, fly.. (perhaps not right now..)

Yes this is true!

Read an article on the web that listed it as a classic but wasn't really much more that a mention, I didn't want to buy a magazine unless it was going to have an article on just the waterwitch hahaha

I will go to the shop and see what it's all about!

Feeling more and more excited about this!

If I was younger and lived in the Uk I would buy from under your nose!
Haha I have always been cautious of posting on the web incase someone did just that!

Had a nice chat with john lilly again, what a knowledgeable chap!

And then had a call from Tim the owner of the boat!

I think I'm going to see it to do a diy survey!
 

jamie N

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My very first 'big' boat … have you got the requisite pointed head and pointed feet?
Very nearly, but (imagine this) I've been working in the wide open space of the 'Engine Room' today, putting in the 'New 1977' engine.
I dream of the wide open space of the agoraphobia inducing cabin!!
 

Travellingwithtoby

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Good luck, I am envious, get a good surveyor, I used Lawrence Weldon of Ark Surveys a while back, top class man, I thought I knew boats but he spotted something I would never have noticed, saved me buying trouble, he is in Maldon.
Thank you very much, I will give him a call and see what's what ?
 
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