Will Someone Please Talk Me Out Of This Expensive Refit Lunacy?

[JumbleDuck]

If you love the boat and you have no plans to change her then spend the money and enjoy it - you can't take it with you ...

 

[Aigle d'Or]

good point, Mike. They do love the boat and would be sad if a sold her. Im not sure they're quite as sold on the refit idea though.... can't imagine why

Though some would call it "spending my kids' inheritance"! Do the daughters (or even wife!) have a vote? If they love your yacht too, she is doubly precious!

Mike.

 

[John 32i]

Life's short - do what makes you happy...and this sounds great to me!

 

[Aigle d'Or]

Yes I have looked about - trouble is, there are so few other boats I would like to own. And the ones I really would swap her for are a lot more than 60k. For example a Rustler 36. A Bavaria, Beneteau, Hanse etc would be of no interest to me. I've sailed quite a few of them and they're not for me. I saw a very nice Bowman 36 for about 50k but, looking closer, she needed money spent on her and the heavy long keel would be difficult to handle in harbour when I'm shorthanded (a bit like a Rustler if I'm honest!) The Contessa offers the best compromise for me. I do look with envy at the wonderful accommodation and mod-cons that modern boats offer but I never envy them when at sea.

Given your vessel maybe you just need to have a look at what you might be able to acquire at say the £60k level less any sale costs and work you might be required to do. I have no idea of price comparables out there to your vessel but assuming you are happy with length and steering arrangements then I would have thought choices are quite limited unless you would like a change to a wide newer vessel but I would suggest you try some out before making any change. Book a few test sails with dealers before the weather changes and see if you prefer any more modern vessels however as has been said you wont be in new boat market at this length so any £50k vessel might just be reaching stage where it also needs new sails/rigging . For that money you could easily acquire a 34ft 2001 vessel so would you prefer to spend say £10k on new sails and rigging for a lightly used Bavaria or suchlike as you just want a change ? Its all down really to where you see your sailing going over next 20 years or so maybe?

 

[Daydream believer]

delete

 

[Aigle d'Or]

interesting idea. I'm not sure I could take the stress of TWO boats though

 

[Robert Wilson]

"He who would keep himself busy let him equip these two: a ship and a woman. For no two things involve more business once you start to fit them out, nor are these two ever sufficiently adorned, nor is any excess of adornment enough for them." - Titus Maccius Platus 254-184 BC

Ah, but a friend who enjoys his life to the full opines "If it flies, floats or f**ks - rent it" !!

To the OP: I am in almost the same position with my Javelin30, except that I have already spent on much of your list. Upcoming ought to be new engine and interior.
I know I'll never get my money back and I know what I might have left when I cross the bar can't be taken with me, but the joy, pride and confidence that my boat gives me is worth it all the way down the line.
But there again, I'm an "escaped prisoner" with a dog and a part-time girl who doesn't like sailing - lucky chap, eh?

 

[owen]

You will get a faster boat, a more spacious boat, a more comfortable boat but never a prettier one than the co32.

 

[Daydream believer]

- you can't take it with you .

I remember Eric Morcambe & Ernie Wise being interview by Parkinson. Eric was asked why he continued such a hard work schedule when he had already made so much money.
Parkinson said " After all , You cannot take it with you"

Eric replied, in a shocked manner-- " Really! well in that case I am not going !!"

Unfortunately he did, but i thought that it was a really positive reply to such a comment.

 

[npf1]

I've owned my Contessa 32 for 16 years and absolutely love her. She's taken us safely on many long cruises and my daughters grew up with her. To me, she is the perfect small yacht - fast, seaworthy, safe and beautiful. She's going to be 40 next year and I have found myself planning a major £40k birthday refit. I'm 54 and plan to keep her for as long as I am able to sail her. Re-wire, new rudder, new cabin sole, water tank, teak cockpit, re-spray decks and coachroof, solar power, shore power, partial new galley etc. Surely it's bonkers to spend this amount on a little yacht that's probably only worth £20k? Isn't it? So why am I even considering it? Help!

It'll cost more and take longer than you anticipate. That's always been the result for me. I always seem to find doubling my initial carefully research estimates is never enough!

 

[JumbleDuck]

Eric replied, in a shocked manner-- " Really! well in that case I am not going !!"

“I don't want to achieve immortality through my work; I want to achieve immortality through not dying. I don't want to live on in the hearts of my countrymen; I want to live on in my apartment.” - Woody Allen

 

[doug748]

Yes I have looked about - trouble is, there are so few other boats I would like to own. And the ones I really would swap her for are a lot more than 60k. .....

You could buy one of these:

http://www.red-ensign.com/boats/contessa-38/

But it would probably cost 20k to put in order and if 32ft suits your sailing, then you would be moving down, not up.

I am always baffled by the cry:

"you won't get your money back!"

We don't buy a new rug and walk about on it a bit and then expect the same price for it - Well yes, they do on E Bay but you get my point.

Then there is the shibboleth of "better" boats being available, this is daftness of the highest order. What could be better than the thing you like best? Spend the dosh, you will enjoy getting it, having it and using it. Like the man who cuts his own firewood you will be warmed three times.

 

[Deleted member 36384]

It'll cost more and take longer than you anticipate. That's always been the result for me. I always seem to find doubling my initial carefully research estimates is never enough!

This is so true. I am 4 years into a refit that was supposed to take a year. The boat is back in the water, all working, but the list of small things to complete is big.

There is a real risk that you will find stuff that you need to do, some stuff that you need to do because of other stuff that you did not know you needed to do and stuff that you think I had better do now. For example, LED cabin instalment ended up as significant partial rewire, new lining around the galley window ended up as galley rebuild, I also found some matters that needed remedial structural work, glad it was done, but more dismantling required and new for old replacement, I could go on.

Re-wire, new rudder, new cabin sole, water tank, teak cockpit, re-spray decks and coachroof, solar power, shore power, partial new galley

I do not think £40k will cover that based on my costs. LadyOldBoots will not even look at the receipts or bills, she just hands them to me and shakes her head, there is a cost associated with that and it's not cheap either.

The last thing, it almost broke me spiritually, I got sick to death of the work and not progressing. I bought a boat to sail, not to work on and the work started to get me down and I had the boat less than 1 mile from my house on a very low cost yard, £200/year. At the end of the day, the boat needed it, it is now done bar a few minor things but I have no modern instruments or new sails, 2 x things still on my wish list.

My advise: if your boat is in sound condition, maybe do the partial rewire if the wire is shit, replace the rudder if it is really ready to crap out on you. If everything is still serviceable a deep clean, strip off the old varnish and re-varnish plus a professional hull and cabin top polish job and she will feel like a new boat without the pain.

 

[Arcady]

I think the point has been well made already: if you like your boat and this makes you happy (and you can afford it) then spend the money! I have recently completed a major refit of a 45 year old production boat, in the full knowledge that this was not a sensible decision financially. However it was the right decision for me as a). there are no modern equivalent designs and b). best of all I still find myself standing for ages at a time just admiring the boat. The pride of ownership is difficult to put a price on, but feeling this good about something is priceless

 

[Wansworth]

Spend a lot of time planning which in it self is great fun and plan to do something every winter and keep sailing,Nothing worse in getting it all in bits and your initial joy of refitting gets tarnished

 

[Yealm]

Im just about to get a new engine for my Co32 - so you should definitely go for it !

I've owned my Contessa 32 for 16 years and absolutely love her. She's taken us safely on many long cruises and my daughters grew up with her. To me, she is the perfect small yacht - fast, seaworthy, safe and beautiful. She's going to be 40 next year and I have found myself planning a major £40k birthday refit. I'm 54 and plan to keep her for as long as I am able to sail her. Re-wire, new rudder, new cabin sole, water tank, teak cockpit, re-spray decks and coachroof, solar power, shore power, partial new galley etc. Surely it's bonkers to spend this amount on a little yacht that's probably only worth £20k? Isn't it? So why am I even considering it? Help!

 

[Yealm]

Totally agree. The best boat I've ever had

Yes I have looked about - trouble is, there are so few other boats I would like to own. And the ones I really would swap her for are a lot more than 60k. For example a Rustler 36. A Bavaria, Beneteau, Hanse etc would be of no interest to me. I've sailed quite a few of them and they're not for me. I saw a very nice Bowman 36 for about 50k but, looking closer, she needed money spent on her and the heavy long keel would be difficult to handle in harbour when I'm shorthanded (a bit like a Rustler if I'm honest!) The Contessa offers the best compromise for me. I do look with envy at the wonderful accommodation and mod-cons that modern boats offer but I never envy them when at sea.

 

[dunedin]

Worth a word with your insurance company to confirm they will work to an agreed value cover. Otherwise you risk them only paying the £20k (or less) if something goes badly wrong soon after investing in the refit.

 

[dragonvc]

A very interesting choice,at least the OP loves his boat in performance,aesthetics,just wants tidying to the tune of 40k.If it was my choice I would be looking at a She 33 or 36 probably both better performance and great aesthetics,an Oyster 37(not heritage).A more modern take and probably within budget just an X332,an Elan 333,a maxi, all would leave the contessa well behind even in filthy weather.Others to buy cheapish and do up why not a Sigma33or 36 or better still a Sigma 35.After 40k spent on the contessa you have a a competent any weather cruising boat but still minimal accommodation for size and a boat that rolls well downwind in a blow,would you upgrade genoa winches as from now your strength will decline.Good luck with the project whichever way you turn.

 

[wully1]

If you plan on keeping her for a long time then spread the refit over many winters...

Spread the joy ( and cost) over the winters to come letting you keep her in commission longer each season?