The art of Zen boat maintenance

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nickolanus

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Seems to me there is a pholosophy of life to be discovered when fixing up old wooden boats. Am on my first major refit after near total restoration 12 years ago and find myself agonising yet again about the best way to do something. Ask ten salty dogs, you get ten different answers. If I had kept a record of all the ways/ materials I have used I would still be none the wiser. What I have learnt is that it takes longer to think about a task than to do it! There is nothing like the tide lapping at your feet to get the job done! So squeeze out the goo, and keep her tight, there will always be another chance to do it again and if it did not take long first time around and it worked ok... no sweat to do again..

NICK
 
I think I agree.

When you find yourself re-doing things that you did years ago, you need a contemplative approach, which may be any and indeed all, of:

"Well, that wasn't such a good plan, after all!"

"That lasted quite well, really!"

"Did I really do that? Wasn't I hopeless!"

"Did I really do that? Wasn't I good, then! Bet I couldn't do that, now!"
 
Years ago I used to dread the time spent with my vessel up on the slips. All the pensioners seem to come out of the wood work and let you know how "we used to do it". They seemed to all have died now, local shipwrights are no more. Now I get the occassional stone kicker thats all. Kind of miss all that lost expert advice.
 
error in line 1

"ask 10 salty dogs" - therein lies the problem. One day in a boatyard i announced to my neighbour that i had devised a fab way of saving him 2 hours PER DAY. Yeah, by me not wandering over for a chat...
 
Well nothing last's forever except doing nothing! I originally put in a lot of galvanized steel screw hood end fastenings simply because of lack of funds. They got me afloat and sailing. They came out looking like needles and have replaced now with bronze. 'Twas a lot of trouble and bow looked very holey, a festering sore. Was wishing I hadn't done that 15 years ago but hey they did the job!
Keep that water lapping at yer toes!
 
Since my boat still lives in the town where she was built, 68 years ago, I used to get the benefit of advice (much of it excellent!) from:

1. - the builder himself
2. - her first rigger
3. - several of those who planked her up
4. - both the previous owners
5. - the local designer and surveyor, whose first job as an apprentice to (1) was to scrub her bottom.

All these are now sailing in Heaven, but I can still count on:

6. The shipwright who renewed the floors and frame ends in the 1960s - and who rebuilt the mast step in 2001.
7. The engineer who put in the "new" engine, in 1967
8. The man who acquired her last topmast, in 1956
9. Everyone who worked on the storm damage repairs in 1988-9.

Thinking about it, I am amazed at how polite all these (usually) elderly experts have always been.

On the other hand, I have had the benefit of comments of the "Don't think much of those topsides - you've got a run there!", "Are you ever going to get her in the water?" and "You want to do it this way..." from other amateurs, many of whose boats look rougher than mine.

The absolute winners have been remarks from local longshoremen and boatmen at places that we visit infrequently, after we have changed the topsides colour:

"That fellow who had her before you, when she was grey, he didn't know much..."
 
BTDTTGTTS

Been there, done that thing, got the T-shirt! as the Aussies say.

Galvanised floor bolts, in my case.

The main thing is to get sailing!
 
You are wrong about the experts

Ask ten salty seadogs for opinions you'll get at least eleven different opinions. Working in boatyards can quickly become an occupation, I'm extremely envious of your patience. On the other hand, my impatience means that I do get to go sailing!

Best of luck with the re-fit
 
Re: You are wrong about the experts

True enough. Boatyards are a place for making or breaking dreams. At least I have had the joy of 7 good sailing years and can still swell with pride ( all my own work) going out under the bridge or when I am tied up next to a jelly mould. Now planing for Atlantic and dont want a plank to spring out.
Discovered the humble treenail solved some of the messy screw holes. First few were an interesting learning curve...after about 30 the novelty wears off. THANKS
 
My experiences of remarks about our boat's past pale in comparison, as ours is a mere 38 year old GRP, however our craft was once a charter boat and we often get "Ah, Rival Spirit, didn't your boat used to be owned by xxx charters? We trashed the boat on a trip back from.... "

And we have had the immortal "Didn't your boat used to be called Rival Spirit?"
 
Re: error in line 1

Well I'm Nick's neighbour and as a novice trying to make the dream a reality, I'm extremely happy he wanders over for chats.... please continue to encourage his dedication..... I need to keep him in the boatyard as long as possible!

Promised pix coming soon. (planking and keelbolt drilling posts...)

Norman
 
Oh yes! Have done it once and that was when she was a wreck with no deck, no rigging, no sails, nothing inside,oh yes and no money which was the best bit of the achievment.
this time around though i have more going on in my life have a lot of plates to keep spinning. Only have another four floors to laminate up, garboard seam to caulk , a few thru bolts through keel etc etc da de da de da. !st of aug D day!!!!!
 
[ QUOTE ]
"Are you ever going to get her in the water?"

ARE YOU?

[/ QUOTE ]

SHE IS, AND I'M JUST OFF FOR THE WEEKEND! /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
 
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