New Build Option

[martynwhiteley]

My 'year off' boat ownership continues to get more frustrating, as I'm now on my second home improvement project since the boat sale (new dining kitchen complete and comissioned, now in the process of fitting a Saniflow macerator in an effort to turn the junk hole under the stairs into a downstairs loo). Sarah Beany would be very impressed, but despite being only a week away from my Med trip to SunCoast, I find myself trawling the net more and more often, in search of my next boaty project.

So now I'm thinking, "what about the ultimate boat project, and build one from a kit" !!

Anyone here ever done it from just the bare mouldings?

Anybody know of a supplier of suitable mouldings for say a 20-22ft towable, perhaps a bit peche promenade in style?

Any such info appreciated.


<hr width=100% size=1><font color=blue> <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.mboat.org>http://www.mboat.org</A></font color=blue>

 

[PaulF]

Questions Martin,

Do you prefer, 1 Building them? 2/ refurbishing them? 3/ Using them?
Sounds like 1 huh?
Each of us is different and has different needs, two guys in our yard spent 8 years doing up a boat, then when it was finished, decided they had started with the wrong boat. A lot of people do it.
Life is only so long so decide what you like best and DO IT! Let us know how you get on, and how long you intend to work on the project. Maybe some reader tonight will have just the hull you need. . . . .

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[burgundyben]

have you seen <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.glen-l.com>http://www.glen-l.com</A> ?

<hr width=100% size=1>I didn't knacker TCM's copper it was Trazie

 

[martynwhiteley]

A fair question Paul.

Although it might not seem like it, I do think answer 3 is the one.

My trouble is I always want more than I can afford (perhaps it's a failing of epidemic proportions at the moment!), so when I look for the best boat for say £20K, I see one that could be worth £30K for £20K, just so long as I spend a bit of time on it.

If I wasn't capable of doing all the diy stuff, then it wouldn't be an issue, but I am, so it always comes into the equation.

Make no mistake, if money was no object, I'd be ordering a new Elan 35, Azimut 55, or whatever was justified (ok, so I'd spend just as long 'snagging' the new one!).

I'm no tradesman, and would be more than happy to pay out for all the work I do, to be done by professionals. Trouble is, even if you can afford them these days, your still often better of doing it yourself, to ether get it done quick enough, so that it actually works, or just being true Yorkshire and resistant to paying out stupid money per hour.

Let's face it, you need to be reasonably technically competent to run any sizeable motor cruiser these days, and the best way to learn is to do lots of work on them.

The other side of the coin is that I've sold both my boats for more than I paid and spent on them, so I've had three years of 'capital free' boating. Can't be too bad.

<hr width=100% size=1><font color=blue> <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.mboat.org>http://www.mboat.org</A></font color=blue>

 

[martynwhiteley]

Interesting site Ben, but looks a bit too much 'from first principles' for me.

Do you happen to know where there might be a 23M hull going cheap somewhere?

I fancy a major project next, although not sure the CRV will tow one quite that big.


<hr width=100% size=1><font color=blue> <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.mboat.org>http://www.mboat.org</A></font color=blue>

 

[oldgit]

If memory serves me well,I can recall over the years front gardens,back gardens,fields,workshops not to mention boatyards full of unfinished built from scratch boats.
Friend of mine constructs PFA aircraft,(he spent 3 years on last project)and he has tales of builds taking 12 years or more.

<hr width=100% size=1>If it aint broke fix it till it is.

 

[PaulF]

I fully understand the situation now, and as you have the talent, it is very sensible to take advantage where others dont have it.

One of my friends has almost religiously changed his boat, until last one that is, every four years. Each one has been very carefully selected because of its cosmetic neglect, sound, serviced motors but the upholstery a mess, or the fibreglass never been polished up etc. He then goes to town on what he is good at, sells it on, and has ended up with a very smart 45 footer that would cost him loads more than he could afford to pay had he bought it 'as is'.

It never fails to amaze me how some people just allow things to get in such a state. Maybe they did not have to work hard for the capital in the first place? I know sometime hard times get most of us, and not living near a boat makes it very difficult. I used to live a couple of hours from my boat but now am 15 mins away, so it is a damn site easier to nip down after work and crack off a couple of jobs. Not so easy from a distance.

Good hunting, and I hope you find the right one for you.

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[iluvboats]

If you decide to go for a new build project, don't forget about the CE Certification position. Otherwise you will not be able to sell it on for 5 years after the launch.

<hr width=100% size=1>