need your thoughts...folkboat project...worth a grand?

Niander

Niander

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Hi i know where there is an east german folkboat project im thinking of getting very delapitated it has haches missing and is half full of rain water!!!??!!!but hull seems sound [i had the water pumped out]engine will be shot???
inc road trailer
not clinker built but carvel built[he says its worth more because of this...is that true]?...cheers
carvel built???..worth more than clinker built???
project worth a grand???
any thoughts ??cheers
 
I agree that the engine will be ruined by immersion. You would need to inspect it very carefully for signs of rot because of the rainwater being allowed in. Being in East Germany, where I belive it gets very cold, look for any damage from freezing. I can't be specific about what damage to look for, because we don't see a lot of freezing here, but I mention it as a potential hazard. Certainly I would not put carvel construction as more valuable than clinker, but the Germans may think it so. As to how much to pay, well, how badly do you want it? You are certainly staring down the barrel of several years' work. Just remember that TLC stands for Time, Labour and Cash.
Peter.
 
Well, how is she fastened? Is she through fastened with nails and roves, or is she screw fastened???

I was told by a Folk Boat owner, many years ago, that some of the East German built Folkboats where screw fastened, and sometimes with galvanised screws!!!!

There has been an East German Folkboat for sale at Falmouth, for ages now, and the poor woman that owns it has dropped her asking price from £4'500 initially, to now £2'970!.....nobody will go near it.......Why??

I cannot vouch for the accuracy of my statement re. fastenings, because I have never seen an East German Folboat. but if you can't see any fastenings on the inside of the boat, then she is certainly screw fastened.

If you are still really keen, I would see if you can pull a few, to have a look to see what they are?? My inclination though, would be to leave well alone.
 
You havent said anything about the trailor.They cost up to £1000 second hand and around 3500 euros new,i imagin if its under the boat and been treated as the boat its still worth £400 or so if its not rusty and goes???

As for the boat look for rot around the chain plates tops of the floors frames and for cracked broken frames.On many FBs the back stay "chain plates" are just eye screws screwed in!Ant the rudders held on with fittings that are screwed onto the tramsum with small wood screws!

Everything can be replaced on a FB hatches gally unit matrasses mast keel bolts even a keel can be bought from www.folkboat.dk !Or you can make then yourself?

The thing you will need is a sound hull that make the expense worthwhile.I think even with the trailor its expensive as it sounds for £500 if the hulls sound and isent held together with galvanised things then it would make a base for a club raceing boat if you want to weekend sail/cruise then buy a nice one thats been fitted out and kept in good condition

Ive seen several FBs with copper and the hulls OK bit black around the chain plates cockpit floor tops going soft with mast and rudder (dont forget to look at the rudder as theye often have galva spikes driven in for strength and they swel up!)And even Free are to expensive as you have to pay the place for them while renovateing then all the costs of the material

Something else(i just baked a lidel baggett now ive droped strawbery jam on my laptop the jams from Lidel as well not to bad) The deck is either ply or canvas canvas is almost as much work to replace as ply so if the deck needs doing AS WELL then walk away.

I should have said at first if its one with a cabin top that looks like a garden shed on the deck they look so ugly its worth almost nothing

Check all the fastenings as when they break or become loose they sometimes get drilled out and replaced with a small screw with a washer and nut then you cant rivit any more as the holes to big!!
 
Your orginal question was - is it worth a grand? That's a bit like 'how long is a piece of string?' I doubt that what you have described is 'worth' that much - as my old Dad used to tell me, something is only worth what someone is prepared to pay for it. Presumably the curent owner is not fighting off potential buyers and instead has a liability on his hands. A dilapidated old wooden boat has very little inherent value since it will cost many times the original purchase price to put into commission. The better questions is 'have I the time, energy and financial resources to commit to this project?' If the answer is yes, then go for it but don't pay as much as a grand (assuming there's little or no gear with the boat)

Only a personal opinion - I always think the clinker FBs look so much better than the carvel built ones. In any case, there's no way that the carvel ones are worth any more - that's just seller's hype.
 
well thanks for all the input and I've decided NOT to get it
he does want too much money[and will not budge ]
he has killed it and then expects a grand for letting in the rain and abusing it
???
he says he hasn't the time to do it
its not costing him money its only could float[just] on springs
the folksong would be better!

cheers...
 
Having been in your shoes many times over the years with craft little & large (ish) I can only add that the purchase price is really quite irrelevant - it may be worth a grand or 2 just to get a trailer and to get your project / firewood pile home. Otherwise shifting old creaky boats is a real hassle. If you really really want that particular type / craft then just get it. You will need a darned sight more loot to finish the job.

Tip 1 - make sure you have a shed to put the craft in. Otherwise you stand a strong chance of being overwhelmed just like the PO.

Tip 2 - be prepared to buy lots of stuff & have the cash (or lots & lots - I mean a real lot here) of enthusiasm.

Tip3 - Don't even think that your work will add value to the craft & that its sale value will repay you for your efforts. You do this for enjoyment (?) alone.

Now, weren't those east german jobs glued along the planks as well as screwed - the glue is renowned to be a bit suspect I recall & probably a complete liability now. Still, if the hulls ok strip off the old decks & re-lay - make an original 'nordic' type little coachroof - that will look a stunner. Just junk the engine.

Read that book by Bob Orrell - if that doesn't put you off you can cope with anything (thats the book where he 'restores' a folkboat(/ folksong ?) & sails around Scotland ..on a budget of, well, nowt.). The bit about the partially restored boat falling over after he accidentally walks into the only prop is particularly hilarious ...

Lastly - have a chat with the Fokboat assoc. - they have a wealth of experience & will be glad to welcome a restored craft back into the fold.
 
I reckon that a UK-built clinker job might make a better rescue project.

There are quite a few about. I'd be leery of the mahogany that the East German boats were built from.
 
Reckon you have done the right thing. We are having serious thoughts before making our decision and she is not full of water, there is an engine and new gearbox and the price is less than you are talking about. As everyone says on here, all yards have 'projects' wasting away that started out with high hopes and boats cost money unless you don't do anything to them
 
"Barge pole" springs to mind! I bought my FB for £2K+ and spent probably £900 in materials and £3K in sweat and blood. Point is.. the boat was solid with a great engine (Yanmar) to start with - just needed a lot of TLC. (see pics on website)
 
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