Folkboat

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Novice21

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We're on the verge of buying a fibreglass Folkboat... this will be our first boat, and I was wondering how much we should be expecting to pay in maintenance as we go? Also what anyone thinks of these boats? Thanks in advance...
 
Is it a true folkboat or the slightly larger folksong ?? As to the running /maintenance costs it really depends on a lot more info than you've supplied ie is it fitted with an inboard diesel or outboard , kept on a swinging mooring , used all year round etc .

Cheers

Terry
 
It's 25ft3 so I think that means it is a true Folkboat, and has an inboard engine. Out of the water for the winter, swinging mooring on a tidal river the rest of the time, only been out once this year as the owner's not been well. We've sailed a minimal amount before but have no idea how to begin to look after a boat!
 
If it,s a Folksong, nice boat I think, first one I ever saw was on the Sein in Paris 34yrs ago, I admired it then. As clyst says, it,s not possible to estimate running costs from what you have told us, but I would think general boat maint costs would be minimal if you are able to do the basics yourself. Hope you enjoy her if you buy, Bill.
 
About the most fun you can legally get on water. If she is in good condition True maintainance is going to be very little as they are fairly small and simple. I would expect around £500 per year (mostly at start/end of season) for things like antifouling, replacing flares etc that are out of date, replacing chaffed running rig/dock lines etc, engine service and brakages. If you sail offshore double this for the likes of liferafts, epirb etc and the fact that its harder on the kit. Other main costs are going to be mooring, insurance and upgrades + charts etc if you go anywhere new. A lot of people talk about boats being expensive on maintainace but dont differenciate between upgrading and maintainance - when you start to thing about 'I would like a chartplotter/radar/new sails life gan get really expensive but this is not maintainance its improvement and its never essential to prevent the boat deteriorating so can always wait - unlike the real maintainace jobs.

Most people reckon that in the first season or two of owning a new boat they will have a list of stuff they want to change - either because it was warn out when they got the boat or because they want to do something different to what previous owners did. This can be anything from a few hundred to more than you paid for the boat! Make a careful list and pioritise whats urgent or can be left and avoid boat shows, chandlers & magazines, they will all supply you with an endless list of stuff you can't possibly do without untill the boats so full you cant get on board.

As this is your first boat you are also going to need personal kit to keep you warm and dry and deal with emergencies. You dont need to spend £500 on a top range gortex suit but don't be two mean, being uncomfortable is the quickest way to put people off sailing. Dont forget things like termals and furries, sailing UK waters especially at night can be cold even in summer.

Final advice - Book an RNLI sea check, its free and usually brilliant, you get an experienced sailor who looks at you and the boat + what you want to do with it and checks you have what you need to do it safely.
 
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Depends........

Have a look at Albin vegas as well, a well-known derivative of the genre with a great Owners Association

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he might want to go astern /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
 
That's great advice, especially the RNLI check, which I didn't know about, thank you. We'll get a survey done before handing over any money, but basically I think the decision's taken...
 
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We've sailed a minimal amount before but have no idea how to begin to look after a boat!

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The first year or so will be a steep learning curve but the folksong is a good boat for that, verry tough and not to easy to get things expensively/dangerously wrong. Buy a good maintainace manual and spend the winter going through all the boats systems till you understand how they work and what needs doing to them. Also try and get a good local survayor (ask at local boat yard or Yacht club for recomendations) they should advise not only on whether the boat is sound/value for money but what she is likely to need in the way of refittingover next few years. Generally however this does not include the condition of sails and engine! but you should be able to get a machanic to do a condition report on the engine and a sailmaker to look at the sails/rig. Expect to pay for there time but it will save on nasty suprises and give you some peice of mind till you get enough experience to make your own judgement.

Have lots of fun - my first bat was a folkboat type and I liked it so much my second boat is idetical but bigger!!
 
Despite the comments here, there were actually several fibreglass versions of the folkboat made.
A lovely boat to sail and to look at. And they still race well, much to the chagrin of the modern lads (but only if you keep them light).
A club member here has one - pm if you want his details.
Ken
 
Re: Folkboat; on the verge

If you haven't yet, get a survey done cos it will give you bargaining points - "Hmm, some chafe on main, engine looks neglected and no bills for services etc ".
Don't rush to hand over the money; it's the off season so fewer people want to buy and get out there.
Unless you're smitten it's worth looking around still - tyre ( or fender ) kicking is good fun.
As to the boat - a real thoroughbred. Slim, well balanced and handles beautifully, except astern. Cons : wet (ie from spray coming aboard ), cramped compared to more modern designs.
Get the engine well checked over if it looks doubtful - what is it BTW ? Even if it's had it, a F'boat will go well with an outboard bolted on back.
 
Maintenance costs are really a function of the age and condition of the boat. If nothing expensive needs replacing (like a sail or the standing rigging) you might expect to spend a few hundred pounds a year at most, on top of your mooring, insurance, craning in and out etc. It's good to plan ahead so that those bigger replacements that come along as things age and wear are not too much of a shock. You will also find all kinds of additional equipment you 'need' - if for example you are going any distance you may think a liferaft is important and if you haven't already got one that'll be 5 or 6 hundred. It's a great way to spend money.
 
I have amate with a GRP one. he loves it. And you meet a better class of person.

Tak.jpg
 
Don't think any one has mentioned antifouling yet. Every year, maybe £100 worth of magic gloop, plus lots of elbow grease. Costs of cleaning and polishing are probably pocket money, especially if you buy in Tesco, and not in the chandlers. What's the mooring situation? Are you financially responsible for checking the mooring? In any case, you might want to renew chains and strops for peace of mind. I guess you've costed insurance. Are you going to have to pay to keep your tender somewhere? It's a good idea to replace running rigging on a halyard-a-year basis. That way it goes more or less unnoticed.
 
My wife likes Folkboats 'cos they are one of the other pretty boats you see on the water (apart from ours). They a tad smaller than our boat, I reckon on £2k-£2.5k per year, all in; £1600 of which is mooring costs. The engine is the most expensive bit, lavish all the care you can on it, or it will cost you dear.
Otherwise have fun, it's nice to still see that not everyone feels the need for a 38-foot caravan as a starter boat.
 
Folkboat, great boat, many other successful boats are described as Folkboat derivatives, praise indeed.

Not very spacious by modern standards, but so what. (maybe not so good for family of five but fine for a couple)

Looks great, sails well, safe boat.

My girlfriend and I had a wonderful two weeks in one around the west coast of Scotland back in the seventies. Clinker built original FB, really basic but sailed through all sorts of weather.

Buy it, if the price is right.
 
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