Forget or consider?

scozzy

scozzy

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So.... A potentially long story short... I ve been offered a 19ft'r as a project. I know the boat BUT the other thing I know is its been sitting on the hard right through lockdown pretty much full of rainwater!! It will probably stay in the same condition throughout this coming year!
Consider or forget? I'm assuming grp can only withstand this neglect for so long?
Thanks in advance for any help, I've clearly got too much time on my hands!
 
Cheers Doug, I too like to refurbish and give things a new lease of life but your right on this one! I'm sailing my last project very happily and should keep it at that for a while longer ?
 
Any interior woodwork including bulkheads will have become saturated and possibly rotting - leave well alone. Plenty of similar free small boats around in far better condition. Just keep searching. Try local yacht club notice boards beside usual online selling places.
 
Most GRP boats have significant wooden bits, bulkheads, backing pads for things to bolt to etc etc.
These will rot.
Plus rainwater inside is probably worse for causing osmosis than seawater outside.

Sadly there's not much value in the bare hull of a small yacht at the best of times. The cost of all the bits to complete a project vastly exceeds the value of a complete boat that's good to go.
If it comes with lots of good stuff that's been kept indoors, it might be worth a look.
There are plenty of boat projects around for pocket change, some of them are best considered as sources of parts to ebay, then a small problem of disposing of the rest.

But any project, you need to understand the budget to finish it.
 
I can lend you a chainsaw. It might make decent firewood if you dry the resulting parts for about five years.
 
scozzy said:
So.... A potentially long story short... I ve been offered a 19ft'r as a project. I know the boat BUT the other thing I know is its been sitting on the hard right through lockdown pretty much full of rainwater!! It will probably stay in the same condition throughout this coming year!
Consider or forget? I'm assuming grp can only withstand this neglect for so long?
Thanks in advance for any help, I've clearly got too much time on my hands!
Click to expand...
Despite all the advice, if you do decide to go ahead at least get the rig off it and turn the hull upsidedown then supported on some old tyres to get rid of that rainwater, stop more accumulating and freezing. This will hopefully slow down any more deterioration until you can start work on it.

Www.solocoastalsailing.co.uk
 
Plum said:
Despite all the advice, if you do decide to go ahead at least get the rig off it and turn the hull upsidedown then supported on some old tyres to get rid of that rainwater, stop more accumulating and freezing. This will hopefully slow down any more deterioration until you can start work on it.

Www.solocoastalsailing.co.uk
Click to expand...
And it will be better shelter for the homeless upside down, which is all it is truly useful for
 
If you think it might be a runner, either take a hose off a seacock or drill a hole at a low point, you'd be surprised how letting the water out can save a boat..

My first boat was full of water the first time I saw it.. a few weeks later I bought it following a survey. (Ignorance being bliss I thought nothing of some water in a boat)
 
As said mmuch depnneds on the amount of rigging sails and other gear that is provided and useable. From there you need to assess the internal wood work for comndition. I don't think we can pass a judgement on your few descriptive words. A 19ft boat is pretty simple and will be an improvement over 17ft. ol'will
 
Much depends on what you would want to do with the boat.... and what you'd expect .

Why don't you pump it dry ( cheap ) then have a look...?

ISTR that osmosis isn't necessarily other than a cosmetic blemish, when it exists. Rotted plywood can be replaced. Wet plywood can be dried out.
Is the boat worth the effort?
 
Also depends what model the boat is. Something of interest or a sluggard?

Just doing something similar on a 20ft, neglected for at least four years. There was quite a lot of water in the aft lockers, so just syphoned it out with a hose. Water in the bilge has corroded the keel bolts badly so after some 'fun' I dropped the iron stub keel with plate in it yesterday. Next is to descale it, free the plate (might need a new one) and drill out the bolts to re-thread for new ones.
Mast and rigging all there, needs a new forstay as the roller furler jammed and the wire is splayed with at least one strand bust. Furler has been freed (bearings) and now OK,
Sails rough, but I have a spare genoa that I can recut. Main might need a new panel at the top, or find a spare one. Bit of woodwork around the companionway hatch, as rotted. But, no sign of damage from rain water inside.
Cost so far? Bit of time and effort in trailing it home with a borrowed trailer. The new bolts & nuts in SS €20, Already had the genoa, but €50 paid. New forestay €30? from S3i. All the running rigging is there, if some a bit worn. It has ground tackle and some dated, but functional electronics. Depth & speed/log.
Need to find a trailer now.

Friend bought a 27ft, left in a yard for 11 years. Asked me for some help, that turned into a marathon, partly because at some time a lot of rainwater had got in. Enough to fill the gearbox.... He has spent a lot on it, fresh s/h engine, new sails, radio, instruments etc, but he doesn't mind as it is his first boat.
 
Thank you one and all for the advice and opinions ? it's tempting I think purely because like a few here I suspect... I need a project! I'm pretty sure the owner will let it rot if no one is willing to do anything with it and I really should avoid it and make sure my own boat hits the water in the spring in tip top shape! Thanks again happy sailing
 
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