Sailing v Maintenance time?

[david_e]

>>When buying a boat over 15 years old it is best to assume maintenance days will outnumber sailing days during the first 2 years.>>

This was on a previous post, is it generally true and if so what are the main things that will take up the time? Or at what age does major maintenance start to accrue?

 

[billskip]

Somebody made this statement a few days ago...I would say "no" but then i believe in use... many i think want to make everything look perfect..and i agree ...but not me..also its surprising how many of those little jobs can be done while out..My boat is 20yrs old ..some older ones look younger ..some younger ones look older

Bill
www.aegeansailing.co.uk

 

[stretch33]

I've just got my boat and its going in as soon as poss, agree with Bill - lots can be done afloat, making sure underwater bits are done before launch. It might not be pretty but its functional besides in my case once it sunk in the mud a few times it'll get grubby anyway.

 

[Mr Cassandra]

the hardest part is making sure that the wine celler is in order . don`t drink old wine on my boat. hic cheers bob t

Bob T

 

[LadyInBed]

Get a seasons use, jobs that you realise are urgent – do.
Things that niggle or need replacing make a note of and prioritise.

Maintenance on a 2nd hand boat will probably follow a bathtub curve
[high initial maint dropping off quickly (1-2 years?)
followed by a blissful period of little (routine) maint (maybe 6 years?)
followed by gradual increase in maint (4 years?) where things wear out / break down]
Sailing will probably follow the inverse of this curve!

 

[ccscott49]

My maintenace was horrendous at first on a 30 year old, making good years of neglect, now its dimishing as I catch up. I could never have caught upo and sailed in the UK, in sunnier climes, (Portugal) I ahve been able to catch up in tweo years. Its now sailing time, with the occasional vcoat of varnish and little jobs. I hope it stays this way, but I also enjoy the maintenace and find it theraputic!

 

[rogerroger]

well of course it depends on the condition of the boat when you buy her, but also on you, your priorities and how much of a perfectionist you are.

I bought my 21 yr old boat this time last year - once I saw that she floated after being launched by the boat yard I sailed her away - 4 weeks later took her across to Alderney.

I guess some might never have put her back in the water last year but I wanted to sail. I fixed problems as they occured and learned to live with the ones that would have to wait. Now she's out of the water and I'm getting stuff done that some people would have done before sailing.

I simply don't think that estimation of maintenance time is correct - well maybe it is for a wooden boat.

Roger Holden
www.first-magnitude.co.uk

 

[roger]

Last May we got our boat ready in 14 days - two of us working hard. Then got three and a half months sailing.
This winter I'm working on the boat - but - I'm not working very hard although I take all day. So - it all depends.
One problem is that a lot of the work has to be done whether you use the boat or not (engine maintenance, anti fouling etc.).
The cure for that is to sail more in the season - or decide to hire a boat when you need one instead.

 

[jonjo]

I was the author of the original provocation and speak from yacht ownership experience and more recent travels to inspect my potential next yacht over the past 2 months.

The simple truth is that many yacht fitments and electrical gadgets have a life expectancy of about 15 years. If a second hand yacht is not chosen with extreme caution then I believe my prediction about the maintenance/sailing ratio will hold true.

Someone with a lot more experience of yacht maintenance than I, once told me it is best to skip a whole season and really sort out an old boat.

Other contributors to this thread have raised a good counter-point however.

Once a boat is safe and sound it is best to go sailing rather than fret about perceived deficiencies while in a cradle ashore. That tiered interior varnish or those poorly colour coordinated curtains won't seem significant when sipping wine in the cockpit with those nice folks along-side on a balmy summer's evening in xxxx. Xxxx = substitute your favourite harbour/anchorage.

 

[Twister_Ken]

Boats that aren't used go bad. So by taking it out, you're helping cut down on maintenance - strange but true.

 

[Guest]

The amount of work that needs doing is largely fixed; it doesn't depend to any great extent on how much you sail (though the more you sail, the more improvements you will dream up).

So, the ratio of maintenance to sailing depends on how much you choose to sail. When I bought my Sigma 33 it was 15 years old and in reasonable nick. I did the jobs which were most urgent and went sailing, on a total of 60 days. I certainly didn't do more than 10 days maintenance.

Since then, I have gradually improved her year by year, with a similar level of work, and carried on sailing her a lot. So, the conclusion is that if you buy a reasonable boat and sail it a lot, the ratio is way out.

Cheers

Richard

 

[claymore]

Interesting little number this. Claymore is 23 years old and in the time that I've had her (5 years) I've re-wired her, replaced the drive train, the engine beds, running and standing rigging, depth and speed instruments, hydraulic steering system and added a few bits such as shore power and an inverter for my laptop.
Some of the things needed doing when she was bought - which helped me buy her at a reduction on the asking price, some became obvious as they began to fail. I don't think any of it has cut back on my sailing time as I do that from May till October and then do the "jobs" in winter. If I'd bought a new boat, I wouldn't have had to do the jobs, but then I would have been paying out more money. The jobs done have cost a fair bit but its not as painful on the pocket doing them as and when you can afford. One benefit that I think is worth a lot is that I know the boat really well now, understand all the systems, know where everything is and so should there be a problem I feel confident that I can trace and solve it fairly efficiently. I also know that everything has been done properly and that it all works. Thats a rash statement and bound to incur the wrath of the trolls!!
regards
John S

 

[david_e]

Sacked!!

One of the reasons for asking this question was that the day before this post I arrived home, dialed 1571, and to my horror there was a message from Gardner informing me that he was unable to do my garden anymore!

The trauma associated with this type of message is considerable; firstly, I was one of his early customers as he started his early retirement business, secondly I am unlikely to find another as cheap as him (self inflicted injury you might say, but they were his going rates), and third, I might have to do it myself. I am the worlds worst gardner, concrete to me is the most beautiful garden there is, not to mention the possible erosion of sailing time!

In mitigation I can understand where he is coming from; anyone who is familiar with West Yorkshire will know that there is no such thing as a flat piece of land, many house plots hewn from the hillside or as my case, old quarry. The hover mower doesnt hover and if you let go, it ends up in the next postcode, cramp ons needed for weeding. In the end I think it was his other half who culled the contract, never did like her anyway.

 

[DoctorD]

Depends who has owned the boat. A well looked after boat can give years of service with not too much maintenance. It also depends on how immaculate you want your boat to look. There is a difference between functiona maintenance and perfect topsides/deck for example. If the hull, rig, engine, sails, thru-hull fittings are sound then the boat can sail, which is what most of us want to do. There are some people who would rather polish than sail and I say good luck to them - it's their money.

Boats over ten years old may well need to e.g. have their standing rigging replaced (if it hasn't already), -but on the other hand if they have had knowledgable owner(s) they may well be in some respects, a better boat than brand new. Most owners add improvements.

Graham