How do you know if a boat you're buying on a hard standing will float?

Blueboatman said:
Then this boat is not for you perhaps ?
End of
Go sail with a knowledgable friend and have some fun and experience, why not ? .
It’s a cart and horse situation being offered a bargin, quick quick hurry hurry don’t think ?
Buy in haste , and repent at leisure (£££)

Can’t think of any more ways to say No! really ??
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If the OP had a knowledgeable friend he would not be asking us. The basic questions he asks in this and his other threads would prompt me to suggest that he gets some actual hands-on experience in and around boats , such as a Competent Crew Course in a reputable sailing school, to start off with.
 
how can so many people on here say “don’t buy it “without even knowing what type or brand or size boat it is , not all abandoned boats are scrap , there might be a legitimate reason why the boats not been used ? It might also be a rare boat that could have a good valve and the owner doesn’t know what he’s got , also on the other hand it could be completely knackered and need cutting up for scrap , let’s at least see pictures of it so the forum members can get a better idea what there taking about rather than just saying “don’t buy it “ that’s not very helpful in my eyes and prob not much help to the OP
 
Restoration man said:
how can so many people on here say “don’t buy it “without even knowing what type or brand or size boat it is , not all abandoned boats are scrap , there might be a legitimate reason why the boats not been used ? It might also be a rare boat that could have a good valve and the owner doesn’t know what he’s got , also on the other hand it could be completely knackered and need cutting up for scrap , let’s at least see pictures of it so the forum members can get a better idea what there taking about rather than just saying “don’t buy it “ that’s not very helpful in my eyes and prob not much help to the OP
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As Tranona said, the OP is fishing around for a live aboard boat on a tight budget. Lives in a flat,so, he has no place to renovate a 'project', apparently no experience with sailing boats, even though there is a relative who tests RYA exams, but prob not in UK.
Wants to work from the boat in Internet stuff (or by net) concerned with banks, cards and living off grid. He has got some quite good advice in the various threads, but, is starting from a low rung on the ladder.
Not in the league of the 'What boat should I buy to sail around the world with my assorted animals and girlfriends, should it be 30 or 70 ft and ...........)
Prob his reticence in posting more details about the boat is that he will be gazumped. Equaly, advice is limited without the details.
 
I agree Resto and Downwest,
The tone of the first page was pretty downbeat, i didnt read all the thread.
With the worldwide housing crisis, many will be assessing the floating home solution.

So just to throw in my bit, I met one guy sailing a rough and ready rigged concrete yacht.

It had been up on the hard for a good few years and was full of rainwater. He decided that if the rainwater was not leaking out, seawater would not leak in.

He was right.

Of course, he had the skills to rebuild the engine.
 
"Don't do it" is my automatic response to anyone planning on taking on a project boat. Anyone who'll listen most probably doesn't have the dedication and downright bloody mindededness needed to see it through. If they don't listen, they might just be stubborn enough to make a go of it and the best of luck to them. Telling them what issues they're likely to meet does at least give them an idea of what they're letting themselves in for.

Is that being negative, or is it being realistic? So many projects start off full of hope and dreams of sunny anchorages, but reality strikes and they end up rotting in the corner of a boatyard somewhere or forgotten in a muddy creek. If we can help reality to strike before money changes hands, it may help a doer get it done or keep a dreamer from a broken dream.

It takes a particular kind of insanity to take on a major project, but the world needs that kind of nutter (Looking at you Leo :) ) and I'm full of admiration for them, but Leo had the knowledge to understand what he was getting into; most who ask here haven't, so a reality check is essential.
 
Trouble is we have no real idea of what boat and its actual condition ... just that new yard owner wants it off site.

If the boat is literally a give away and someone has a place it can move to - why not. If the boat proves too much - then sell it ... probably for more than paid to yard owner ... but of course the transport / lift fees may add and make it a loss.

But hang on a mo - IF the new yard owner is 'friend' of OP - once ownership passes to OP and he may agree a yard fee to stay there and fix it up ?? Yard moves it to a corner where it does not interfere with general yard affairs ...
 
From the OP's first post it doesn't sound like it is in a boatyard, or that the owner is a friend. Since it was came from a deceased previous owner, one wonders what state it is in.
 
BobPrell said:
I agree Resto and Downwest,
The tone of the first page was pretty downbeat, i didnt read all the thread.
With the worldwide housing crisis, many will be assessing the floating home solution.

So just to throw in my bit, I met one guy sailing a rough and ready rigged concrete yacht.

It had been up on the hard for a good few years and was full of rainwater. He decided that if the rainwater was not leaking out, seawater would not leak in.

He was right.

Of course, he had the skills to rebuild the engine.
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Perhaps you should read the whole lot and the context. Post#64 summarises what is known about the poster's plans. It is in that context that many of the replies are made. The way the poster wants to "live" is extremely difficult in the UK. While some see living on a boat a solution to their housing problem, this thread started by the same poster might give you a flavour of the difficulties he faces forums.ybw.com/index.php?threads/how-do-bank-accounts-and-bills-work-if-i-live-on-a-sailboat.591398/

There is a constant stream of threads of people asking for advice on buying old, often abandoned, boats sometimes with a view to liveaboard and the seemingly negative comments reflect the general view of the wisdom and practicality of doing this. The views are based on the reality of either doing it or more commonly watching others try with the result that our boatyards are littered with abandoned failed projects. Of course some do make a success of it and sometimes they publish the results either in magazine articles, blogs and of course youtubes. A common theme, however is that it takes far longer and costs far more than they ever imagined even if they have previous experience. Starting from absolute scratch like this poster (note the naivety of this and his other questions) is a real challenge!
 
Refueler said:
Again we are all assuming ..... without more info from OP - we are shooting in the dark.
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I suspect most are also thinking as much in terms of the person as the boat. All the posts from the OP have implied an extremely low level of existing boat knowledge. Nothing wrong with that, we all have to start somewhere - but without experience need to be extremely lucky beyond belief if the first boat happened upon turned out to be a huge bargain missed by all others. With luck that good better put it on the lottery and order an Oyster.
People are trying to be helpful and point out the huge risks associated with an unknown project boat, for which no details have been preferred.
 
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