Scrapping a yacht

[vyv_cox]

Disposal of grp by burning has to be one of the least efficient ways. The smoke created by burning the resin is horrendous, thick and black with a most unpleasant smell that lingers a long time.

When the resin has burnt off the glass is left, probably bedded in a sticky mess of unburnt stuff. It is difficult and extremely messy to collect together and still needs to be taken to the tip.

 

[Tranona]

I was thinking 1200-1500 each for the engine and trailer, then whatever i can get for the rest.

If my experience is anything to go by you should get £1500+ for the Yanmar. Make up a package with all the bits - shaft, prop, exhaust, tank, water inlet and filter, controls etc and put it on Appollo Duck for £2000 and your phone won't stop ringing.

 

[LP1]

Thanks Mr Cox.

This is another option.
http://www.boatbreakers.com/our-services/scrap-a-boat/

 

[LP1]

If my experience is anything to go by you should get £1500+ for the Yanmar. Make up a package with all the bits - shaft, prop, exhaust, tank, water inlet and filter, controls etc and put it on Appollo Duck for £2000 and your phone won't stop ringing.

Sounds good! It's got a stainless exhaust elbow and speed seal impeller cover too. I've got a spare stainless exhaust elbow if anyone is interested.

 

[vyv_cox]

Thanks Mr Cox.

This is another option.
http://www.boatbreakers.com/our-services/scrap-a-boat/

That has to be the easiest way. Any idea what they might charge?

 

[LP1]

That has to be the easiest way. Any idea what they might charge?

No mate, I'd have to email them for a quote. I could do the same myself, a bit at a time, but I wouldn't use a chainsaw. I've got a nice reciprocating saw that is much safer. I would be interested to know if anywhere actually recycles this stuff. I wish i was a bit more entrepreneurial as I'm sure there is an opportunity for professional boat breakers. There's a couple of boatyards around by me (and I'm sure I'm not the only one) with some real wrecks in there. People area at a loss as to what to do with them i suppose.

 

[ghostlymoron]

get the good bits off it then ask if your local land fill will take it, one of their dozers would soon crush it. while its on the trailor you have the option of taking it there. second hand parts are not worth much it may be a good idea to do a free to collector wave bye bye to it and not spend time effort and money getting rid

I don't agree with the last remark. I've sold junk on ebay for surprising amounts. Desperate owners of obsolete boats will pay a reasonable amount for good spares.

 

[LP1]

I just emailed them, I will let you all know.

 

[LP1]

I don't agree with the last remark. I've sold junk on ebay for surprising amounts. Desperate owners of obsolete boats will pay a reasonable amount for good spares.

Tha's what I thought. Great rudder, tiller, after market mainsheet traveller, I could go on.

 

[Rum Run]

Having had to trim GRP mouldings for a living in a previous life I can say that as long as you cut up a boat outdoors, wearing a disposable suit, marigolds taped on and a decent dust mask (as you would wear insulating a loft unless your a masochist) then a standard cheapo angle grinder with a diamond disc (as sold for cutting bricks, maybe a fiver!) will do the job. A useful addition is a vacuum cleaner for removing dust fron the grinder and yourself at intervals. Winter is the ideal time too since it's all a bit sweaty.
Mind the keel doesn't fall on you though

 

[LP1]

Having had to trim GRP mouldings for a living in a previous life I can say that as long as you cut up a boat outdoors, wearing a disposable suit, marigolds taped on and a decent dust mask (as you would wear insulating a loft unless your a masochist) then a standard cheapo angle grinder with a diamond disc (as sold for cutting bricks, maybe a fiver!) will do the job. A useful addition is a vacuum cleaner for removing dust fron the grinder and yourself at intervals. Winter is the ideal time too since it's all a bit sweaty.
Mind the keel doesn't fall on you though

I was thinking of taking the keel off early on and weighing it in. Shame it's not lead!

 

[mtb]

I don't agree with the last remark. I've sold junk on ebay for surprising amounts. Desperate owners of a reasonable amount for good spares.

but after you have sold any good parts your left with a hulk and by the time you either cut it up your self or pay to have it done then you may find it actually costs more
there are always yanmar single cylinders on ebay for not much money and that is the main goodie. selling bits is hard graft buyers dont turn up get lost or dont want it when they see it
hence my comments

 

[daviddb]

Is there a legal problem, once it's stripped bare of just half filling it with stones or something equally heavy and non-polluting and then one dark night towing it out somewhere suitability deep and pulling the plug. Instant-ish fish reef.

Just curious - there is all sorts of tut already a-lying around on the seabed out there. Anyone know and got some source to quote?

 

[William_H]

Is there a legal problem, once it's stripped bare of just half filling it with stones or something equally heavy and non-polluting and then one dark night towing it out somewhere suitability deep and pulling the plug. Instant-ish fish reef.

Just curious - there is all sorts of tut already a-lying around on the seabed out there. Anyone know and got some source to quote?

You may be right in terms of providing habitat for fish. At least 2 steel destroyer type ships have been sunk around our coast to make fish habitat and diving site. Obviously someone official thinks it is sound environmental policy. olewill

 

[dylanwinter]

Last Feb/March while I was working on Harmony there was a bloke breaking up a 22footer - it used to belong to a captain calamity who was shipped off to the funny farm.

The bloke doing job was about 65 - it looked like bloomin hard work and he said that he would never do it again. It was very dusty and noisy.

having seen it done I would rather do a few extra shifts inn tescos

D

 

[prv]

Is there a legal problem, once it's stripped bare of just half filling it with stones or something equally heavy and non-polluting and then one dark night towing it out somewhere suitability deep and pulling the plug.

Yes. It would count as a "deposit" on the seabed, for which you now need a license. Since the process is mostly driven by a land-based tree-hugging agenda, they would be absolutely horrified at the idea of "dumping waste in the sea", refuse a license, and probably try to send you for re-education for even thinking of it.

Pete

 

[doug748]

Hello LP1.

Good for you for having a go. Take lots of photos and Blog it, I am sure there would be a lot of interest. You say:


"It's off an Achilles 24 that's got too much water damage in the coachroof to fix"


.....does the Achilles have a balsa sandwich roof then? I am surprised in such a compact boat.

 

[Lakesailor]

You may well be able to get more for the useable parts if the yacht cannot be sold for anything much, but that leaves you with the problem of disposing of the rest. Do you have anywhere to cut up the hull, and anywhere to take the bits? Will your council tip accept cut up fibreglass assuming you use a chainsaw to reduce it to manageable sizes? As a first step I suggest you attempt to price the parts realistically and then divide the total by two to see if its worth the effort involved.

I saw the guys in our marina cutting up a small yacht(I would guess 23/24 ft) which had sunk and was beyond repair.They were using angle grinders and the bits went in the skip.

Having had to trim GRP mouldings for a living in a previous life I can say that as long as you cut up a boat outdoors, wearing a disposable suit, marigolds taped on and a decent dust mask (as you would wear insulating a loft unless your a masochist) then a standard cheapo angle grinder with a diamond disc (as sold for cutting bricks, maybe a fiver!) will do the job. A useful addition is a vacuum cleaner for removing dust fron the grinder and yourself at intervals. Winter is the ideal time too since it's all a bit sweaty.
Mind the keel doesn't fall on you though

but after you have sold any good parts your left with a hulk and by the time you either cut it up your self or pay to have it done then you may find it actually costs more

Yep. Not a pleasant job but easy enough. I sold the rigging and sails, blocks, rudder and trailer, weighed in the keel, used some other parts myself and cut up the 18ft hull. Made a modest profit above the value of the boat.
Chain saw was quick. Buggered the chain (£16). Check behind any panel you are cutting for metal bits bonded in.
Like Run Run says tape up your clothing and wear an extra layer. I did it in the snow on a still day.
I used an angle grinder for the detail bits. That created enormous amounts of dust.
Put the bits into a small trailer and took a couple of loads to the local Civic Amenity site. Check beforehand they accept it.

This was a micro cup racer built on balsa sandwich. I would have thought an Achilles 24 would produce possibly three times as much material. It took literally less than 2 hours without rushing at all. Loading the trailer and cutting the grp from the keel took a lot of that time.

 

[LP1]

Hello LP1.

Good for you for having a go. Take lots of photos and Blog it, I am sure there would be a lot of interest. You say:


"It's off an Achilles 24 that's got too much water damage in the coachroof to fix"


.....does the Achilles have a balsa sandwich roof then? I am surprised in such a compact boat.

Yes balsa sandwich coachroof and when they're not maintained, the water gets in everywhere. i must have had 6 or 7 leaks in mine and it had all gone black and delaminated. I started to strip of the glass and rotten balsa from underneath and then got a couple of boatbuilders to look at glassing either ply or balsa, but they didn't even get back to me with a price. They just sort of sat in the boat looking forlorn and bewildered. TBH, the list of things that need doing is horrendous and I'd just rather cut my losses now than throw thousands at it, be tinkering for years rather than sailing. I'm not sad, in fact now that I've made the decision, I'm relieved.

One had to be pragmatic about these things.

 

[Bergamot]

I heard of a GRP boat being donated to a diving club that uses a lake. They sank the stripped hull and use it as a dive site.