In praise of older boats?

[Guest]

Yawn

What is with people that they seem to have something to prove. "My old boats better than your new boat - ner!"
"'Tisn't"
"'Tis"

Maybe that sentiment wasn't intended by Mirelle but that's what always seems to come across.

Some old boats can look beautiful - so can some new one's - let's leave it at that.

Geoff

 

[xcw]

Have you seen the post from phanakapan "first passage in my new yacht". The poor chap had real problems. I'm pleased I bought a new Bavaria rather than a "classic"

 

[ianwright]

Re: Yawn

I think it has little to do with age. More to do with quality of design and build.
A wise man once said that an Engineer was one who could make for five bob what any damn fool could produce for a quid.
Today we see the results of design and build down to a price, or, "any damn fool can make a boat cheaper and worse," and they do, because "that's what people want".

IanW.


Vertue 203, Patience

 

[david_e]

It is horses for courses but don't forget that quite a few 'old boats' are the early Bens and Jens, and still going strong.

Even though I have bought new there is still a fair bit of maintenance and tinkering required which I enjoy. We avoided very old on the basis that for us a week-ends sailing involves 5-6 hours of driving and when we get there we want to go sailing.

Plus a more important factor was that SWMBO just couldn't adapt to the idea of an old one. (and that my friend is an important vote!)

 

[Mirelle]

Very sensible

I bought an old boat because I lived reasonably near the sea, and she was what I could (almost) afford. Then I took a job overseas....and got the sort of yard bills that resemble telephone numbers! When I came back to Britain I bought a house even closer to the boat.

I can certainly see that after a few hours driving you want to go sailing, and perhaps the sort of happy tinkering that I do at this time of year, with the coal stove lit and a nice warm fug below decks, has limited appeal in such a case!

This was most certainly not intended as a "knocking" thread, just an explanation of how the other half sails, because it seems to me that we are in danger of forming two camps, to nobody's benefit.

 

[Mr Cassandra]

I think the chap is a woman cheers bob t

Bob T

 

[Guest]

Yet another yawn

You may just be trying to wind me up.

But that posting is crap - sorry.

Geoff

 

[Mirelle]

Indeed it was not

I was just trying to explain why some of us are happier with old boats. There are, let's face it, a huge number of modern average white boats about the place, and the yottimags spend a great deal of ink telling us what fine boats they are. I am not trying to cast nasturtiums on them, just suggesting that sailing is a broad church, that there should be room for people of different persuasions, and that there are reasons for choosing an old boat as well as reasons for choosing a new one.

 

[Guest]

Re: Very sensible

To be honest Mirelle I think your post probably has the opposite effect to the one you wanted.

I too like going to my boat - getting the gas heater on - developing a fug - and tinkering. Old has absolutely nothing to do with it.

(Being a devil, sometimes I just sit there with a coffee and a book!)

Geoff

 

[Mirelle]

Re: Very sensible

Well, that would be a pity, because there are an awful lot of misconceptions about.

Old boats are not necessarily owned by starry eyed impractical romantics and new boats are not necessarily owned by hard faced men with trophy wives (incidentally, was that column on trophy wives in MBY a spoof or for real?).

More mundanely, I was trying to show that the sort of sailing that people actually do has little to do with the sort of boat they have. For instance, I have a friend who sold his wooden boat and bought a new Beneteau; his cruising seems to be the same, and another friend went the other way; his cruising also seems to be about the same. Both of them think they are right, but most of us stick with what we know.

 

[ianwright]

Re: Yet another yawn

"You may just be trying to wind me up."

Not at all, I meant what I said most sincerely.

"But that posting is crap - sorry."

Would you care to expand that a little?

IanW.



Vertue 203, Patience

 

[tome]

Re: Somewhat sensible

There's hardly a day when I don't visit the boat to do a couple of hours of an evening, because that's when my wife teaches. I put the heater on, and the radio. I decide what to do in my 2 hours. Sometimes, when the wind is blowing I just enjoy the atmosphere in the warm companion way, perhaps with a hot drink or even a glass of scotch. Other times I'll beaver away below with mixed results. Occasionally I stay over and have the VHF on and the charts out, that's when I like to read my boating mags.

Right now I have the galley in pieces, replacing plumbing and making it all dry and good. Why? Because I love sailing with my wife and want it to be stress free and enjoyable. Don't mind ruffin it with the lads, but when she's onboard I want to luxuriate.

I could get more work done professionally, but I'm getting to know every turn of her bilges, every limber hole and seacock, how to service her engine, where to look for plumbing leaks. One day this knowledge might prove vital.

We're not so different, and I picture Mirelle with a mixture of varnish and enamell and the equal of any boat in a seaway. I know from experience how cozy they are below in a quiet anchorage. Sadly, my time is too constrained but my love of sailing unrequited so I, like you, have the boat that suits.

Happy sailing Mirelle

 

[Mirelle]

Thank you for that

Now that is the sort of posting that I was hoping for. Thank you, and happy sailing to you!

To be honest, I spend a lot of time thinking about what I should be doing, and to be even more honest, "sometimes I sits and thinks, and sometimes I just sits!" Occasionally something gets done. Frequency of visits has gone up since we went into the marina for the winter, but even in the summer I sometimes spend an hour in the evening on the mooring.

 

[jimi]

Mirelle, first of all lets all establish the common ground. We all love boats and the sea and we all love our own boats no matter what they are. There is a bond between an owner and a boat acquired by shared experiences and expectation of behaviour. I'm sure you too have cringed and shuddered as an inexperienced helm coerces our little darling rather than caressing her towards the objrective in the way that she is used to! Yes we argue and take the P but remeber we've got boats and the vast unfortunate majority do'nt.

Happy sailing and I'd love to see you'r boat and buy you a pint, even though I've got a Ben!

 

[Mirelle]

Thank you, and may I say the same.

May I just add that I have never yet speared another boat with the bowsprit, in or out of a marina, although plenty of people, who were maybe unfamilar with the very different handling of heavy boats, have thought that I was about to do just that!

 

[tome]

I\'ve speared a boat with my bowsprit...

... but that's another thread!

Night all

 

[rich]

Re: Very sensible

Don't worrey about us old boateys we enjoy it./forums/images/icons/wink.gif

rich )

 

[Guest]

Does the boat mould the sailor ?

I think you have to try all types if you can. Then you know's what's you like best.

A bit like choosing a wife as Charles Stock puts it.

I think that there are many 'factors' in looking at boats:-

The 'gawp' factor when you see something at a boat show that only 2jags could afford. Then theres the 'lust' factor - a boat you would love to have but not the dosh. Then theres the 'love' factor which is the one you have now. Anyway, I think that owners start to look like their boats if they hang onto to them for a few years. I am currently looking for a modern, sleek, lithe greyhound of a yacht that .....................

 

[zefender]

I think the spirit of what you are saying is dead right. Both 'camps' have more in common than differences.

Trouble is, without the characteristic banter and name calling, this board would lose half its posts!

 

[jimmie]

Camp

That's interesting. What other kind of camp is there? I can only think of Boy Scouts and bottled coffee!