Went on a lovely wooden boat yesterday

[MainlySteam]

After you have plodded on a while you will come to learn that materials other than wood have their problems too. Being familiar with boats constructed with wood, steel (my own boat is steel), frp, aluminium and ferrocement (heaven forbid) enlightens one about the range of problems to be faced regardless of the material.

John

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[LiamS]

Whilst I can accept that all materials used in hull construction have their own unique advantages and indeed disadvantages,I am of the opinion that wooden construction boats potentally require more man-hours of maintainance than some other materials.Wooden construction boats if neglected for any amount of time can spell disaster for the unsuspecting buyer.I recall taking part in a project to restore an historically important wooden vessel, by the time all the "poor" timber was removed we ended up with little more than a keel and about four strakes in place.Most of the ribs were removed also.This boat had not been abused but suffered from lack of use or maintainance.
I am as I have stated a fan of wooden boats but I would think long and hard about buying one.For the record I do not have a GRP boat nor have I one with outdrives however ccscott seems to think that he knows me and my boating history.He is obviously mistaken and will take an opportunity to withdraw his ill informed comments.

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[milltech]

Re: Ignition on - thread re-starting here!

She was a rather ugly, (that is pre-war shape with a high foredeck), Fred Parker designed, Moody built, teak on oak TSDY 45 feet long, and built in 1962-ish and was Moody's Boat Show boat that year. Brokers call her a Classic, which I don't think she is. Flush deck boats can become classic, (like "Bains" or "Francis Jones"), but this style just looks old fashioned.

I was on her about 10-12 years ago and she had two Gardners, they've been replaced by two Cummings. I cannot imagine why someone would do that instead of rebuilding the Gardners, but there's no accounting for taste.

Her old fashioned external shape, (even for the early sixties), is matched by the internal layout, although it works even better for modern living I think than modern boats do. She has a twin V double forward with the galley and a head immediately aft. This was so the other-ranks could sleep and pee and create food without disturbing the owners party.

Next aft is a modern style saloon/helm with doors P&S. Going further aft there's a single cabin to starboard, with separate heads and shower to port (good that), and then a full width double. Aft of the double are a set of doors that lead to a small well deck where the owners family could sun themselves and swim without having to come face to face with the staff.

A really nice live-aboard type boat for current use with some useful space and storage. My finances only recently having recovered from one of lifes' setbacks I didn't want to invest the asking price, (which is a little high anyway), but I couldn't find any seriously obvious faults with which to use as a lever to get more than the expected negotiated reduction. She needs a paint and a little filler but not more than a years deferred maintenance at a quick glance. Some might baulk at the green suite in the forward head, and more so at the pink one aft, have you ever seen a pink Baby Blake before? But it's hardly enough to get a third off the price.

Nice dry painted bilges, no smells. All neat, tidy, and "tickertyboo" however you spell that. At 12' beam rather narrow by current fashion, but then that's probably why as a heavy old boat she can do 9.5 knots cruising at 8 on a couple of 70 horses.

Lovely teak joinery and proper chromed door furniture, everything fits, slides, functions as the day she was built. Nice interior with little touches, like the tender oars strapped to the inside of the hull above the forward cabin berths, (wood of course). Good headroom right through.

How much you might pay for a 45 foot wooden boat which much to comend it but which would not deliver you much credability or enhance your status in the style department I do not know. Asking is £85k. Personally I think around £65k is the right price, but unfortunately I've decided my prudent current budget should be limited to the mid 50's and doubt that £65k would easily convince the vendor anyway.

<hr width=100% size=1>John
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