Who has actually owned a Wooden boat.

Have you owned a wood boat.

  • Total voters
    119
  • Poll closed .
I'm building a wooden dinghy at the moment! Slow going, but it is far enough along that I think it would float :)

Dad owned two different wooden boats; a clinker converted lifeboat and a plywood yacht whose breed I don't recall.
 
Lakesailor said:
Lovely Rampart. I've cleaned the colour cast out for you.
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That's brighter than the original. Ta, ever so. Last heard of being rebuilt in Boston. As a teenager, I loved her. Two bunks up forward and two in a traditional white roofed and varnished oak beamed saloon aft. 6 cylinder BMC petrol engine and a Stuart Turner wing engine (rarely worked!). I think that is a Mk 1 Riley 1.5 in the background. Might be a Wolseley 1500 though. Photo is near Torksey lock on the Fossdyck I think.
 
LittleShip said:
Ok when I posed the question, in my mind I was referring to something that you could cruise, sleep on. The reason being I keep reading people giving opinions on wood craft that is in no way my experience of owning a wood vessel.

It seems that many on here have had experience of owning and working with wood boats and smaller craft, and to a fair extent I would say they enjoyed owning them. The maintenance program in my opinion on wood is, if kept up, only as much as a GRP boat and that's after owning mine for some 11 years. We know that if left they will deteriorate very quickly which GRP won't.

On another thread here somebody is asking about wood boats and there are many criticising the material, it seems that perception is reality with most. Me..... Well I think my wood boat is great, strong comfortable and I have no problems with the material she is built with..... That said, I have a healthy winter maintenance regime, and that's all it takes to look after a wood boat. If you want to sit by the fire over winter and wait for the sun, stay with GRP.

There is nothing wrong with wood as a material for a boat, actually it has many benefits but it must be looked after.

I suggest that if anybody wants good information on owning one they should be looking through this thread and talking to wood boat owners not people that have a perception of what they are like to own. Sure there are some that have bought lame ducks and not really got to grips with owning wood, just look at the old boats in boat yards, but good wood boats are a joy to own. I'm always asked about my boat wherever I go, surprisingly by many sailors.

Great to see so many replied to this thread.

Tom.
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:encouragement:
Well said from a man with shares in Dulux
 
I started with a Clinker daysailer then on to a Mashford 4 tonner then a Commando class motor sailer designed by Angus Primrose........all took lotsof cash to get sailing and did not show a return on selling but neither have any of my boats!!
 
tillergirl said:
That's brighter than the original. Ta, ever so. Last heard of being rebuilt in Boston. As a teenager, I loved her. Two bunks up forward and two in a traditional white roofed and varnished oak beamed saloon aft. 6 cylinder BMC petrol engine and a Stuart Turner wing engine (rarely worked!). I think that is a Mk 1 Riley 1.5 in the background. Might be a Wolseley 1500 though. Photo is near Torksey lock on the Fossdyck I think.
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I had my eye on the two Morris 1000 pickups :D
 
I'm a complete numpty. I forgot that I've actually built a wooden boat.

OK so it was only an Optimist from plans supplied by the RYA. I built it twenty years ago and the children grew up sailing it. We carried it on the foredeck of our Sigma 33 upside down all over the channel and round S Brittany.

Lots of photos somewhere of them sailing it in the Gulf du Morbihan etc
 
mcalan said:
My 1903 wooden launch.
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And very pretty she is too...... Military is she... Flying the jack. :encouragement:

Tom
 
Yep, it was an Hungarian built 24footer, imported in Italy. BALATON the builder, Dauphin the model's name.
In my understanding it was conceived and built with two bilge keels but the previous owner removed them and inserted the fin of a Star Class.
Built quality was that of the times (1970's) and of lake fishermen: I could enjoy many sunrises "through" the gaps in the planking.......
Still we crossed many times the water between Italy and Corsica, eventually pushed by a 3,5 Hp Evinrude Lightwin (it had two cylinders!!!) at about 2 knots.
Also fought some F7 winds, it was a little dry and sturdy boat, not the fastest but surely sturdy.
Never heard of anyone having had a sister boat.

Since then I remove any wood I find in my boats.....
 
In Egypt wooden boats are still the dominant (carvel construction), they are much cheaper to build and because there are dry-docks almost every where, maintenance is not a major issue.
You can build a 14 meter boat with engines and everything for 15-20 K sterling (around 150,000 to 200,000 L.E).

My father in law had a lovely 18 meter boat which unfortunately hit a coral reef and sank 1 year ago (no injuries or loss of like thank God). She was a lovely boat though :( (pic attached)
 

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Not only do I own a wooden boat, I saw the trees that she was built from.

See: flic.kr/s/aHsjmtgt2k

The first photograph is my father designing her in 1960. He also built her.

The last photograph is my daughter sailing her in 2008.

Amulet was launched 1964.

My father died after a car accident in 1979. We sold Amulet.

We recovered her in 2001.

Irene and I spent our honeymoon on Amulet (first time round), and our thirtieth wedding anniversary (second time round).

Aaahh - violins please.
 
Several
1903 24' Gaff Cutter, given a decent breeze took some catching even to windward.
3/4 deck lifting keel day boat, deck replaced
Stella
Simpleton Too dinghy self built and used as tender to above
Financial circumstances dictated I sell Stella, sad day
After a while, another Stella, couldn't resist!
Then I joined the dark side and bought a CO32............
Still remember the Stellas with great affection, sweet predictable handling, the maintenance was just something you accepted and wasn't too bad if kept on top of.
 
Have a Mirror, used to have a 12 foot clinker Lug Dinghy, and I built my son a wee ply dinghy.

I have a 1947 Hillyard 2.5T.
My old man has a 1969 Stella.

Main sailer is an E-Boat though for lack of maintenence.....
 
Too late for the poll, but Yes.
Hillyard 8-ton.


http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q96/gordonmc_photos/Flap journeys/Image005.jpg

Sold three years ago on acquisition of a ferro project which is now a second home (see avatar).
The maintenance burden ascribed to wooden boats is over inflated in my view. I could sand and paint the topsides in the time it takes a to polish and FG hull.
Varnishing I found to be relaxing, especially when on a mooring with a bottle of something nice to hand.
Horses for courses, I guess.
 
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