New Boat (to me), and looking for advice

[Fullabeer]

I could have written that myself as I have just started doing exactly the same thing, selling an immaculate boat I bought new 6 years ago and starting on restoring a 40 year old boat. 5 year project and the time spent doing the work this year will be as much, if not more pleasure than the subsequent 4 or 5 years use.

That is why I responded as I did to your original post. You have to go in with your eyes open and a realistic idea of what it is going to cost (knowing your best estimate will still understate the eventual cost). My reservation about your plan is doing it remotely, even with somebody keeping an eye on it. Of course the available trades may be better or more choice where the boat is now, but I find being just 15 minutes drive away a boon to keep control over the project.

Good luck with it.

Thanks.
to be honest, even if I shipped it up straight away, I’d still be 1-1.5 hours away. Where it is, my uncle (diesel mechanic, owner of 20+ boats) is available to do work and manage trades so we’ll see how I get on. Eventually I’ll ship it up to Largs, but no big hurry at this time.

 

[Bigplumbs]

Thanks for the input. Yes, I think the better examples I've seen are between £35k-£40k....and even those are dated.

I've never bought a boat thinking I'll make money, with this being my fourth. My view is maybe a little different from many in that my approach is 'What can I buy for £50k?' In 33ft flybridge terms, not a lot from what I've seen....or at least not a lot that's to my taste. £100k seems to be what I'd need to spend to get something I wouldnt feel a need to re-cover or tinker with.

If I spend £20k fixing this up to my taste (and you're right, it may not be everyone's taste), I dont expect to get £20k more than I spent. If you see what the boat looks like now, I doubt I can make it worse, but the 'value-add' is only for my benefit. However, if the boat ends up costing me £45k all-in, and I use it for 5 years and sell it for £15k, I dont see that is a terrible thing. I could buy a new Sealine and lose more than that in the first year I guess.

As mentioned, there are only so many things I will DIY, the rest I'll leave to professionals. I've built a house and that turned out OK, so hopefully this isnt much harder. Just like the house, I know what I can't do and therefore I'm budgeting for professionals also.

Lastly, a big part of this project is the fun of doing it. Just like the car example, if the young chap got enjoyment from it all, it's better than having the money in the bank not bringing you enjoyment.

Very true. Life is not all about money. So many people sadly don’t get that

 

[harvey38]

I could have written that myself as I have just started doing exactly the same thing, selling an immaculate boat I bought new 6 years ago and starting on restoring a 40 year old boat. 5 year project and the time spent doing the work this year will be as much, if not more pleasure than the subsequent 4 or 5 years use.

That is why I responded as I did to your original post. You have to go in with your eyes open and a realistic idea of what it is going to cost (knowing your best estimate will still understate the eventual cost). My reservation about your plan is doing it remotely, even with somebody keeping an eye on it. Of course the available trades may be better or more choice where the boat is now, but I find being just 15 minutes drive away a boon to keep control over the project.

Good luck with it.

We're also in the same position, bought a boat that is structurally and mechanically sound but being from the mid eighties needs some tidying up and improvements. Being 260 miles away doesn't help, some of the work such as new toilet system, holding tank, new hatches etc. meant we had to get the professionals in but other stuff like new side and ceiling linings, re-wiring, new electronics, rubbing down, varnishing is work we can easily manage, it just takes time.
Whilst the it is nice seeing the progress of the professionals, I get a real feeling of satisfaction when doing the work ourselves and that is part of the reason we bought a boat that needed work doing within our scope.

An interesting thread.

 

[Fullabeer]

Just spent 2 days on her, which is the first time trying it, and I’m still invested.

Having had 5 RIBs, and a maxum 2100sc, this is the first boat with diesel inboards. Noisier than I expected (my uncle who is the diesel engineer at the local boat repair centre tells me they are quiet) they worked a treat and had it at 18knots (80% revs) which was great, but prefer 8knots as much quieter.

expected to find a few more issues, but apart from a smelly toilet (no holding tank and is freshwater, so need to dig to find the issue) everything was good.

next job is sourcing 3M do-noc, which seems harder than it should be to buy online. Going to re-cover large swathes of 80’s wood.

 

[Fullabeer]

Just thought I'd post an update as it's been a year since the last one. Here's what's happened to the Princess since I started this thread:

1. Silica blasted the hull to take off the many years of antifoul. Hull was in very good condition!
2. Epoxied the hull to keep it good for the future and applied fresh anti-foul
3. Machine polished the boat....yet to apply protection
4. Removed the heads and ordered a replacement electric toilet
5. Replaced the worktops (Galley & Heads) with a water resistant composite
6. Refurbished one of the gearboxes
7. Overhauled both engines - Full deep clean of the heat exchangers, new impellers, new oil, new filters, new anodes
8. Replaced all of the inlet and outlet engine/exhaust hoses (they had signs of serious wear)
9. Reconditioned the stainless exhaust boxes
10. New sinks in both galley and heads, and new taps/shower
11. Carpets templated and will be stitched all round for easy lift/placement

Here's what's left:

• Paint new stripes on the boat (have a pro already booked, but is reliant on better weather)
• Replace the worn princess stickers on the hull - Anyone got any recommendations on where to get these?
• Reupholster the interior - Will replace the foam as well as i dont like the single cushion look
• Paint/Replace the wall vinyl covering - Again, if anyone has experience of painting vinyl, would love to hear as that would be an easier option
• Apply vinyl to the dash - was removed by prior owner
• Upgrade the nav equipment - Has an old Radar and old GPS with small screen. Would like an all-in-one. Thinking Garmin
• Fit a holding tank for the toilet. It currently pumps straight into the water....convenient but no good for my use.

So I'm getting there. It IS every bit as expensive as expected. The epoxy, anti-foul and 2 pack paint was over a grand alone, but reckon i'm £10k into it thus far with labour and parts.

Appreciate any insight on doing the boat interior vinyl. Hoping it's pretty straightforward between 2 people.

Looking forward to having it back in the water next month after a year and a bit on the hard.

 

[Corona Mia]

Thanks for the input. Yes, I think the better examples I've seen are between £35k-£40k....and even those are dated.

I've never bought a boat thinking I'll make money, with this being my fourth. My view is maybe a little different from many in that my approach is 'What can I buy for £50k?' In 33ft flybridge terms, not a lot from what I've seen....or at least not a lot that's to my taste. £100k seems to be what I'd need to spend to get something I wouldnt feel a need to re-cover or tinker with.

If I spend £20k fixing this up to my taste (and you're right, it may not be everyone's taste), I dont expect to get £20k more than I spent. If you see what the boat looks like now, I doubt I can make it worse, but the 'value-add' is only for my benefit. However, if the boat ends up costing me £45k all-in, and I use it for 5 years and sell it for £15k, I dont see that is a terrible thing. I could buy a new Sealine and lose more than that in the first year I guess.

As mentioned, there are only so many things I will DIY, the rest I'll leave to professionals. I've built a house and that turned out OK, so hopefully this isnt much harder. Just like the house, I know what I can't do and therefore I'm budgeting for professionals also.

Lastly, a big part of this project is the fun of doing it. Just like the car example, if the young chap got enjoyment from it all, it's better than having the money in the bank not bringing you enjoyment.

Hi Fullabeer.

Sounds like you understand what you’re getting into.

I started with an Enterprise sailing dingy as a 15 year old.
Spent £££ on Nitromors, sandpaper, and varnish.
Annoyed my Dad by ‘blocking’ his garage for 6 months.
Despite all my hard work and expense…..it didn’t sail any faster!
But I did get my money back.

Last try was a lovely old (but neglected) Broom Monarch we bought on the Thames.
New canopies to replace the old mouldy-green ones.
New upholstery to replace the ‘Draylon velour’ and those lace curtains!
New galley including Corian worktops…… bow thruster.
Generator and inverter (only for the kids video games).
New radar and nav. suite (for me!)
Then 2 new engines…….. after we’d played ‘tail-end-Charlie’ on a cruise to the Scillies!

We met and made lots of friends In the process.
The engineers in our local boatyards, the young guy that used to travel down from Norfolk with our canopies
and upholstery, a brilliant ‘chippie’ in Brighton who used to work for Marine Secol (when they were the agents for
Princess Boats), and another that was a Marine Nav.Tech genius.

We didn‘t make a profit when we sold the boat……..
But she sold very quickly, and we did have lots of fun along the way.

 

[harvey38]

Just thought I'd post an update as it's been a year since the last one. Here's what's happened to the Princess since I started this thread:

1. Silica blasted the hull to take off the many years of antifoul. Hull was in very good condition!
2. Epoxied the hull to keep it good for the future and applied fresh anti-foul
3. Machine polished the boat....yet to apply protection
4. Removed the heads and ordered a replacement electric toilet
5. Replaced the worktops (Galley & Heads) with a water resistant composite
6. Refurbished one of the gearboxes
7. Overhauled both engines - Full deep clean of the heat exchangers, new impellers, new oil, new filters, new anodes
8. Replaced all of the inlet and outlet engine/exhaust hoses (they had signs of serious wear)
9. Reconditioned the stainless exhaust boxes
10. New sinks in both galley and heads, and new taps/shower
11. Carpets templated and will be stitched all round for easy lift/placement

Here's what's left:

• Paint new stripes on the boat (have a pro already booked, but is reliant on better weather)
• Replace the worn princess stickers on the hull - Anyone got any recommendations on where to get these?
• Reupholster the interior - Will replace the foam as well as i dont like the single cushion look
• Paint/Replace the wall vinyl covering - Again, if anyone has experience of painting vinyl, would love to hear as that would be an easier option
• Apply vinyl to the dash - was removed by prior owner
• Upgrade the nav equipment - Has an old Radar and old GPS with small screen. Would like an all-in-one. Thinking Garmin
• Fit a holding tank for the toilet. It currently pumps straight into the water....convenient but no good for my use.

So I'm getting there. It IS every bit as expensive as expected. The epoxy, anti-foul and 2 pack paint was over a grand alone, but reckon i'm £10k into it thus far with labour and parts.

Appreciate any insight on doing the boat interior vinyl. Hoping it's pretty straightforward between 2 people.

Looking forward to having it back in the water next month after a year and a bit on the hard.

Pictures, pictures and more pictures please

 

[Fullabeer]

Hi Fullabeer.

Sounds like you understand what you’re getting into.

I started with an Enterprise sailing dingy as a 15 year old.
Spent £££ on Nitromors, sandpaper, and varnish.
Annoyed my Dad by ‘blocking’ his garage for 6 months.
Despite all my hard work and expense…..it didn’t sail any faster!
But I did get my money back.

Last try was a lovely old (but neglected) Broom Monarch we bought on the Thames.
New canopies to replace the old mouldy-green ones.
New upholstery to replace the ‘Draylon velour’ and those lace curtains!
New galley including Corian worktops…… bow thruster.
Generator and inverter (only for the kids video games).
New radar and nav. suite (for me!)
Then 2 new engines…….. after we’d played ‘tail-end-Charlie’ on a cruise to the Scillies!

We met and made lots of friends In the process.
The engineers in our local boatyards, the young guy that used to travel down from Norfolk with our canopies
and upholstery, a brilliant ‘chippie’ in Brighton who used to work for Marine Secol (when they were the agents for
Princess Boats), and another that was a Marine Nav.Tech genius.

We didn‘t make a profit when we sold the boat……..
But she sold very quickly, and we did have lots of fun along the way.

That sounded like a few adventures. To be honest, I have no issue with making a loss on the boat when I eventually sell her. The goal wasnt to make money, I have a job for that, but instead it was to have fun on the project and be left with a boat I'd like to spend time on. We're getting there, albeit a little slowly, but I feel the end is in sight.

 

[Fullabeer]

Pictures, pictures and more pictures please

I will. I just need to figure out how to get them off the phone and on here. 50 years old and working in IT for 30 of them, you'd think that would be easy!

 

[PCUK]

First section is all upholstery. Watch Sailrite vids in You Tube and learn to do it yourself. Satisfying and huge savings. All the rest is straightforward work which you can also pick up tips from You Tube For. You'll learn many new skills which will stand you in good stead for years to come. If you are the type of person who can't pick up a chisel without bleeding profusely then ignore the previous and get your wallet out! Either way it's an exciting prospect.

 

[Jim@sea]

If its got the twin 90hp Mermaid Diesels dont expect it to go too fast. I bough a new one in 1979 and it would only do 10 knots, They did 2 hull shapes and the faster hull had more powerful engines. Good Boats.

 

[Fullabeer]

First section is all upholstery. Watch Sailrite vids in You Tube and learn to do it yourself. Satisfying and huge savings. All the rest is straightforward work which you can also pick up tips from You Tube For. You'll learn many new skills which will stand you in good stead for years to come. If you are the type of person who can't pick up a chisel without bleeding profusely then ignore the previous and get your wallet out! Either way it's an exciting prospect.

Luckily I'm good at wood working, but never attempted upholstery. I did watch those sailrite videos FYI. What I'm after is a place I can buy 3M Di-noc without trying to forge a trade account.

 

[Fullabeer]

If its got the twin 90hp Mermaid Diesels dont expect it to go too fast. I bough a new one in 1979 and it would only do 10 knots, They did 2 hull shapes and the faster hull had more powerful engines. Good Boats.

It's the MkII. It has the TAMD40A engines (or might be TAMD40B...cant quite remember without looking at the paperwork) which are 150HP from memory. I've had her at 20 knots comfortably, but as the diesels are in the cabin, I prefer to go slower and have less noise.