Bought a Never splashed Colvic Countess 33 on eBay, Looking for infos

[pvb]

However - I don't understand that companion way access. Mine has a coaming and a garage over the hatch.

Isn't the OP's boat the relatively rare deck saloon version?

 

[Norman_E]

I agree with Solent Clown. Marine-ise a diesel from a car or van and mate it with a marine gearbox. For the mast and boom look for second hand parts. A longer mast and boom can always be cut down. The only bits that it really pays to get new are the sails. Look out for any yacht that is being scrapped, and see what parts can be scrounged.

 

[pvb]

This is poor.

This is poor because it is possible to question the new member's figures without working yourself up into a fug of moral outrage, calling him clueless, suggesting he has nothing in his life or withholding your fraternal good wishes.

Your equations of worth are missing some serious variables, to boot.

I wished him luck in post 4, I even welcomed him to the forums, something which I don't think anyone else has done. But then he posted the comment "... if I had to spend anywhere over 20k, it would render this exercise completely pointless", which made me realise that he doesn't know what he's doing. And lots of other posters have expressed similar concerns. Sometimes it needs harsh words to make people realise the risks they're taking. This is supposed to be a forum where people can give good advice, not pious criticisms of others' remarks.

 

[Flynnbarr]

The very best of luck with it op....I hope you keep posting.
And as someone said earlier long live British eccentricity.....these forums would be a lot duller without threads like these..and I’d personally much rather be in a yard full of dreamers and doers than a sterile boat park

 

[steveeasy]

I have a suggestion. Buy yourself a chain saw and hire a skip. When you have got rid of the boat take half of what you were going to spend on it and buy a boat in decent condition and go sailing!

Now you might not like that above, but acting rationally its the logical thing to do. I dug myself a hole with a boat that still demands a relatively good resale value. .I stopped and it was the wisest thing ive ever done. that said if you want to rebuild a boat and have the funds needed go for it.

Steveeasy

 

[GregOddity]

I wished him luck in post 4, I even welcomed him to the forums, something which I don't think anyone else has done. But then he posted the comment "... if I had to spend anywhere over 20k, it would render this exercise completely pointless", which made me realise that he doesn't know what he's doing. And lots of other posters have expressed similar concerns. Sometimes it needs harsh words to make people realise the risks they're taking. This is supposed to be a forum where people can give good advice, not pious criticisms of others' remarks.

I did not take any offense. I've had to help a friend out of a LEMON that he bought without having a clue. I know where you coming from and sometimes some cold reality is the way to go. Were good.

 

[GregOddity]

Now you might not like that above, but acting rationally its the logical thing to do. I dug myself a hole with a boat that still demands a relatively good resale value. .I stopped and it was the wisest thing ive ever done. that said if you want to rebuild a boat and have the funds needed go for it.

Steveeasy

Hear hear, I wise thing to say. Knowing when to stop is one of the best qualities to aim for in life. I’m not rich, but I do have the experience and the tools that amateur builders lack. �� They just have more money... my wife keeps me on a tight leash..

 

[chrishscorp]

Welcome to the forum.

Watched both videos, I do think the 20K budget will be stretched.... Boat jumbles and scrapped boats could well supply you some of your deck hardware providing it is sized for a 33' boat.

There was a thread some months ago where a forumite said he knew of a source of marine engines/gearboxes from a company that scrapped ships lifeboats ? might be just the job for this.

 

[GregOddity]

Welcome to the forum.

Watched both videos, I do think the 20K budget will be stretched.... Boat jumbles and scrapped boats could well supply you some of your deck hardware providing it is sized for a 33' boat.

There was a thread some months ago where a forumite said he knew of a source of marine engines/gearboxes from a company that scrapped ships lifeboats ? might be just the job for this.

I'm still looking for an engine appreciate any such contacts. not sure if im gonna go with new or have a friend that works a volvo to recondition a used one.

 

[zoidberg]

I still endorse 'GregOddity's intention and determination. And if I haven't mentioned it elsewhere, very welcome! C'mon, guys! We all know there's nothing logical about sailing.....

There are lots of bargains around. One just needs a sharp eye and a swift decision. F'r example, I recently removed a marinised Kubota c/w gearbox and heat exchanger in working condition. It could have run on for years, but if it stopped I wouldn't have the nous to work on it/work out what was wrong. I advertised it for £500 and it sold same day. It's now re-installed in another boat....

I have a 1" ( I think ) prop shaft sitting here, an 'inherited bequest'. If G'O considers it likely to be useful to him, he can collect it FOC. Similarly, and from the same source, I have a CQR copy anchor. It's not the last word in UHHP hooks, and it is not as large and heavy as some here would insist upon, but it would be useful around the Solent until he acquired a 'best bower'..... and it, too, is FOC to G'O if collected by a friend passing.

There's also a large roll of 1 metre wide chop-strand mat here which I will never use, but may be helpful in building an interior. Same story as above para.

Yes, you can!

And Practical Boat Owner might pay a pittance for an article or two.

 

[PaulRainbow]

I'm still looking for an engine appreciate any such contacts. not sure if im gonna go with new or have a friend that works a volvo to recondition a used one.

I wish you luck with the project and hope you keep posting and actually get it finished.

I think you'll have a problem fulfilling the <£20k and finishing by the end of the Summer. An endless budget would get it finished super fast or hunting down cheap/used parts, making your own etc would save money but cost time. Can't see both happening, but best of luck.

 

[Caer Urfa]

DUDE ! thanks a bunch for that info. I've been trying to dig deeper into Colvic but have kinda been treading water on info. That is great info thanks. Im gonna do a search of the transom as I think she must have a hull number somewhere, Mike you are the man ! ! ! I will take you up on your offer. Thank you for making contact.

Hi Greg No problems mate, IF you find a hull/Hin number I can check it against my database and give you an idea of when the hull was manufactured.

There are two other items that can provide this info however from what you say I doubt you have any documentation,IF you have a Colvic Craft original invoice Colvic had the invoice number in the top R/H corner
that number was also used as the hull number.

There is also a document called a 'Colvic Mould Certificate', that also will show the HIN/mould number and date of maunfacture

Note: on the 8th November 2000 Colvic Craft went into liquidation with a job loss of over 50 people.

Mike

 

[solent clown]

As a fellow engineer, i shall have to disown you as you have clearly lost the plot

That's going to weigh 250-300kg. It had about 110bhp with the turbo, take the turbo off and it'll have a lot less.

Peugeot XUD9, normally aspirated, will tip the scales at half the weight and had 70 bhp.

More plentiful than the Disco lump and even cheaper to pick up. All marinisation parts should be available for it too.

That said, i can't see any way someone could build a boat for less than £20k. This isn't a restoration project, it's a new build, just has the hull so far.

My main motivation for using the land rover myself would have been my familiarity with it, the extremely cheap spares, the ease of repair even after a cambelt failure, the ease of making up adaptors for gearboxes due to the bellhousing pattern. Peugeot engine is a good shout as they are also very plentiful, but I would have gone land rover and lived with the weight just because I know them so well, and spares are so cheap.

As for other people talking about how much it costs to do this and that, in most cases they are talking about buying this and that, and bolting it in. If you can fabricate a quality alternative the saving is huge.
That is how some of us make a living. Having said that, if one was to properly cost the time involved in fabricating things, especially if you are taking time out of doing paid work, it adds up quickly. Doing it in hobby time is free.
Time is money.
Time is experience.
Time is your life ticking away. On our boatyard are expensive yachts that hardly ever move.
There are also yachts that dont move, but get worked on, owners building a dream, one they may never see through, but just having the dream, striving, and going for it has a value all it's own.
Some people restore, build, create. Some buy the bits and fit, or pay someone else to do the lot.
You either spend a lot of money and less time, or a lot of time and less money (if you have the skills)

Horses for courses. PBO, owners to owners.
Greg, you have made an unwise financial decision. Just the same as every other person on this forum and the wider yachting world. Enjoy the adventure. Everything ends in tears, so have fun now, tomorrow, and until you expire.
Some people just don't get the spark that happens when someone sees a project and has to breathe life into it. That is probably a good thing as there are enough unfinished cars and boats out there!
Every hour of learning, problem solving, and progress is not merely work, but an experience in itself that has a value of it's own.
But some people are like that and some are not. We all have our own ways of approaching this hobby and justifying it to ourselves and our wallets.
If you choose to buy a decent yacht, and sail it trouble free, or get a project and learn as you go, they are all valid.

 

[Ludd]

I seem to recall a long review in one of the magazines (Sailing Today?) very roughly 10 years ago of a Countess 33 which had been very nicely fitted out by the owner himself - a lawyer I think - over a period of many years. Although there are many other sources of information, it might be worth doing a search for it. Good luck anyway!

I'm still looking for an engine appreciate any such contacts. not sure if im gonna go with new or have a friend that works a volvo to recondition a used one.

Marine. Enterprises, based in Dorset.
You've got the skills, you seem to have the time and the energy(and the friends) to get the job done! Good luck, and bugger the pessimists. Most on here have onlh ever started with cash and are like me, over the hill! Good luck!

 

[GregOddity]

Isn't the OP's boat the relatively rare deck saloon version?

Yeah.. therefore the problem finding infos about it.

 

[GregOddity]

Marine. Enterprises, based in Dorset.
You've got the skills, you seem to have the time and the energy(and the friends) to get the job done! Good luck, and bugger the pessimists. Most on here have onlh ever started with cash and are like me, over the hill! Good luck!

Noted, Thanks, you aim for the stars and may reach the heavens or splatter down to earth, but if you never leave the ground... you will never live.

 

[GregOddity]

My main motivation for using the land rover myself would have been my familiarity with it, the extremely cheap spares, the ease of repair even after a cambelt failure, the ease of making up adaptors for gearboxes due to the bellhousing pattern. Peugeot engine is a good shout as they are also very plentiful, but I would have gone land rover and lived with the weight just because I know them so well, and spares are so cheap.

As for other people talking about how much it costs to do this and that, in most cases they are talking about buying this and that, and bolting it in. If you can fabricate a quality alternative the saving is huge.
That is how some of us make a living. Having said that, if one was to properly cost the time involved in fabricating things, especially if you are taking time out of doing paid work, it adds up quickly. Doing it in hobby time is free.
Time is money.
Time is experience.
Time is your life ticking away. On our boatyard are expensive yachts that hardly ever move.
There are also yachts that dont move, but get worked on, owners building a dream, one they may never see through, but just having the dream, striving, and going for it has a value all it's own.
Some people restore, build, create. Some buy the bits and fit, or pay someone else to do the lot.
You either spend a lot of money and less time, or a lot of time and less money (if you have the skills)

Horses for courses. PBO, owners to owners.
Greg, you have made an unwise financial decision. Just the same as every other person on this forum and the wider yachting world. Enjoy the adventure. Everything ends in tears, so have fun now, tomorrow, and until you expire.
Some people just don't get the spark that happens when someone sees a project and has to breathe life into it. That is probably a good thing as there are enough unfinished cars and boats out there!
Every hour of learning, problem solving, and progress is not merely work, but an experience in itself that has a value of it's own.
But some people are like that and some are not. We all have our own ways of approaching this hobby and justifying it to ourselves and our wallets.
If you choose to buy a decent yacht, and sail it trouble free, or get a project and learn as you go, they are all valid.

Hear hear. I'm 52 and this is NOT my first or even second build. But I listen out of politness. I accept any views, who knows they may even have a point.

 

[GregOddity]

Hi Greg No problems mate, IF you find a hull/Hin number I can check it against my database and give you an idea of when the hull was manufactured.

There are two other items that can provide this info however from what you say I doubt you have any documentation,IF you have a Colvic Craft original invoice Colvic had the invoice number in the top R/H corner
that number was also used as the hull number.

There is also a document called a 'Colvic Mould Certificate', that also will show the HIN/mould number and date of maunfacture

Note: on the 8th November 2000 Colvic Craft went into liquidation with a job loss of over 50 people.

Mike

thats my plan for tomorrow to go down and search the all transom top to bottom. I will let you know if I find something or not. I really apreciate the help on that.

 

[steveallan]

In 2002 we bought a ColvicVictor 34 for £18000 it was a empty hull with the bulkheads fitted. It came with a host of second hand fitting etc including engine masts and sails etc. We launched it 21/2 years later. It was going in the water or in the for sale adds. It probably cost use at least another 20k. We have lived on the boat in the Med for the last eleven years. Do we regret doing no. Would we do it again no. Do I think you are making mistake no. Good luck.

 

[Norman_E]

Ignore the nay-sayers. If you are anything like me you will enjoy the challenges of the build and have pride in the finished result. You will be pleased to find some bargain parts, but in the end the cost of the job will not be the main consideration. I wish you fun with the build as well as the sailing, and a belated welcome to the forum.