Ferro-cement Sail boat HELP

[pedroeguiguren]

Might be located in the wrong section but anyways...

I new to the forum I joined because I wanted help with an issue. My uncle who lives in Miami (and has been there for 28 years) Build 35 years ago a Ferro cement Sailboat here in Ecuador as a hobbie.

It was never completely finished and because he does not live here anymore he gave it to me. I dont know exactly what model is it. or the name. He said he will try to send the blueprints If he finds them, but for now I want to know if someone from the picttures I will attach can recognize the model or give me some hints about it Im transporting it from the highlands where it was build (far away from the coast) to where I live in the coatal area of Ecuador. I will love to finish his job and put it in the water for the first time.

Hopping somebody could help...

Best Regards,

Pedro

 

[TQA]

Looks like it might be a Hartley to me. Would help if we knew the overall length. The Hartley Fijian was 43 ft.

More info here http://www.ferroboats.com/

Re moving it I think it unlikely there are any specialist boat movers where you are so find a crane and a big low loader. It might pay you to build a cradle.

Anyway it looks pretty good in those pics.

 

[macd]

Looks like a Hartley to me, too. Lots of hits on Google, including plan packages here: http://www.hartley-boats.com/fijian43.html
They can be good, strong boats, but any ferro hull is only as good as the quality of build and many home-made ones weren't up to standard. Any water penetration into the armature is bad news. I'd suggest any significant rust-staining on the hull should be thoroughly investigated before you go to the expense of moving it to sea.

Lots of info on ferro boats in general, here: http://www.ferroboats.com/

Good luck.

 

[DownWest]

Also, when moving the boat, ask the crane driver how much it weighs. They often have measuring cells on their rigs. Then you could compare with the design weight. Many ferro boats were built heavier than planed.

By the way, Welcome to ther forum.

 

[William_H]

Much would depend on how much equiment is in the boat. A rule of thumb suggests a boat of this size costs in 3 equal parts for hull, enginegearbox prop, rigging and sails. This would suggest that if you only have a hull then the cost is only 1/3 met and the cost of the fitting out will be huge. That is not worth the cost for a ferro boat compared to buying an old GRP one. If on the other hand engine etc are in place and good then only 1/3 of cost remains ie sails and rigging. As these are to a degree items replaced periodically (except perhaps the mast) then buying that gear might be worth doing to give you a new boat.
It should not be too hard to design and build the rig especially if you go to a proffessional rigger fro mast etc. The size of the boat will dictate sail area etc and no great loss if rig is a bit small. Just better in strong winds. Or too big better in light winds but needs reefing early. good luck olewill

 

[Seajet]

A chum of mine had a 35' ferro boat, she was lovely and cruised extensively.

He did find that berthing in a dock with protruding bolts was a problem, the outer shell was easily punctured.

No great problem for him as he's a good engineer, but beware ferro boats are not trendy in blue water cruising nowadays, if one bounces the boat on a coral head etc the wire mesh armature makes it very difficult to stuff something in to block the hole !

Just get quotes - and maybe a surveyors' report - for everything required to get her operational.