AntarcticPilot
Well-known member
I should declare a tiny interest - the son of a friend used to work for Spirit! He's moved to another yard at Woodbridge. But the build quality is amazing.
A wooden dream boat
- Thread starter Zing
- Start date
boomerangben
Well-known member
I didn’t intend to drift the thread down the lines of economic ideology, merely a smaller Spirit would suit me fine and leave money for other more altruistic things. As for reality, my current boat will do just fine!
But I do like the idea of green boat building and electric auxiliary propulsion
But I do like the idea of green boat building and electric auxiliary propulsion
Chiara’s slave
Well-known member
We’ll go electric when our petrol outboard is past it's best. We have used 18 litres of fuel this year, so it should be perfectly practical. A spirit is highly unlikely though. I do not posess the necessary trousers, nor the necessary attitude.
winch2
Active member
Gulp.. and there Iam succumbing to the other halfs insistance that our next boat on pain of death is a classic wooden Vertue....Mind you they are lovely.
Wansworth
Well-known member
I had a wooden Mashford four toner,23 long after initial sorting out like new keel bolts maintenance was simple without fancy chemicals and epoxy stuff and none of that polishing grip every Spring
14K478
Well-known member
I knew a chap who had owned in succession a plastic Twister, a wooden one, a wooden Vertue and a Harrison Butler Englyn. He liked the HB best, then the wooden Twister, then the Vertue, then the GRP Twister. Fwiw…
SaltyC
Well-known member
I just wish I could afford the fenders holders
Took this when visiting Ipswich outside side Spirit Yachts.
First time I've seen a cover for a toe rail
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Chiara’s slave
Well-known member
They are indeed lovely, and a fine sailing boat. The issues that can cost money are things like broken ribs, or a bit of rot in a dark corner. The XOD gets a fair few rib failures, probably all that barging at the mark. Just cos they’re a classic doesn’t mean people treat them with kid gloves, it gets quite aggressive. But we winter them indoors. Pluses and minuses. My skipper is a guybwho restores them. A boat can be had for say, 6k on a trailer. The restoration to near new is going to be 50k. New fasteners, a few new ribs, new decks, interior (seats, coamings and floorboards) and the latest deck layout. It takes 2 guys 3-4 months. A Vertue experienced surveyor is the way forward. If it needs work it’s not an automatic no, but clearly you need to contain costs. Guessing here that if youkre after a Vertue, you’re not a potential Spirit owner of philanthropic ‘I’ll have a perfect bit of history’ squilliionaire. I’m not, either. I’d love to have a 50k rebuild on my XOD. It’s not happenning.
Poignard
Well-known member
There's a man on the Twister Class Association forum trying to give away a wooden Twister (well, he wants £1 for her).
He admits she needs a lot of work but she could be a nice project for someone with time and the apprpriate skills.
Chiara’s slave
Well-known member
My mate would be ideal there, but, in spite of being a X class devotee, and a brilliant helm, he has been seduced by the Dark Side for cruisers. I think it happened when the log hit 20 after a particularly well timed pump of the spinnaker sheet.
14K478
Well-known member
My friend said that the shape was altered to get the GRP hull out of the mould so the wooden boats are faster.
Much depends on who built her. If she was built by Tucker Brown in Burnham, snap her up!
Poignard
Well-known member
14K478
Well-known member
There is a solitary Twister that was cold moulded by Souters. I was once tempted but the teak gaff cutter sans merci held me in thrall.
Chiara’s slave
Well-known member
The 3 slowest boats in the XOD fleet were built by Souters.
Stemar
Well-known member
Just tell her, "Of course, Dear. I'll take care of the mechanical bits if you take care of the woodwork. Deal?"
Wansworth
Well-known member
Go for the Virtue…….youre feel virtuous
Buck Turgidson
Well-known member
I have a real soft spot for Vertues having sails one to the Azores with a mate.
It did however sink on the next leg.
I bought a GRP Twister.
very unlikely to spring a plank.
It did however sink on the next leg.
I bought a GRP Twister.
very unlikely to spring a plank.
Chiara’s slave
Well-known member
Such extreme events shouldn’t put people off. Wooden boats sink due to lack of attention, or the not so soft embrace of rocks, or coral. That’s why maintenance is expensive of course, it must be thorough. On a cruiser it’s much harder to check all your fasteners, and for other initially minor structure problems, and itks harder and more expensive to put them right. Replacing ribs with an XOD, get the cover boards off, drill out the fasteners and remove rib. Steam the new one, tap it in, refasten, new cover boards, refinish the bottom and topsides. All for about £25 worth of oak frame. That’s why people put it off.I have a real soft spot for Vertues having sails one to the Azores with a mate.
It did however sink on the next leg.
I bought a GRP Twister.
Sumara of Weymouth
Member
I've had my wooden Vertue for 32 years and wouldn't dream of changing boats. They can't be that bad!
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Fr J Hackett
Well-known member
Good Lord that looks like a lot of work, beautiful though.
