wooden boat the truth

[littlepati]

Hi folks
I am looking for advice and help. I have been looking at wooden boats with view to owning one. I have no real woodworking skills and only basic boat maintenance experience. I am not looking at a project of any kind. A nice well kept up to virtue or something similar. I do not know anyone with a wooden boat so have no real idea what is involved in the essential work. I would hate to buy anything that was just coming up to a major refit. There is I am sure vast experience here so would appreciate the truth about how to keep a nice wooden boat in good fettle not looking through rose tinted glasses. Regards Simon

 

[Wansworth]

Unless you have some capability with woodworking and preservation of a wooden boat it can be an expensive adventure.Things like checking keel bolts or making good caulking or doubling a bent frame are some jobs that you may come across.Having found a wooden boat that you fancy employ a first rate surveyor .General maintenance of a wooden25footer is possible and simple skills like painting and varnishing are easily learnt and is normally pleasant work so as you profess to be unhandy select a well looked after yacht and aim to lean how to keep it in good condition with the occasional help of a professional.

 

[jamie N]

I agree with Wansworth, the operative word being "Some". With my boat, I've found that I've had to 'buy into the boat', in that there's no major refit being done, but that there's always something to be done.
My wife compares my life with 'Stakkr' to the film 'Genevieve'; it's hard to argue against the thought.
EDIT: Oh, by the way, even if the boat's looking superb, you'll only notice the defects, no matter how small they are!

 

[martinaskey]

About 15 years ago I had very little sailing experience but had always had a hankering for a wooden boat so I bought a folkboat in good condition. I do have a practical nature and I very much agree with the previous post that if you are unable to do some of the work yourself then things could be very expensive. Likewise I agree that a good surveyor is essential (someone who know wooden boats not just boats). My general view is that annual maintenance on a wooden boat isn't much worse than a plastic equivalent (if the plastic boat owner kept it up to the standard I'd want). But that whereas while a plastic boat could be neglected for a while then be recovered, wooden boats are a bit more vulnerable and need to be kept on top of. I have found that learning about the structure of the boat and gradual acquiring some skills to do more complex tasks - keel bolts, a bit of woodwork etc. - is part of the pleasure of owning the boat and also means I'm familiar with every inch of the boat and all her systems. So much so that I traded up to a 36ft S&S from 1966 (varnished mahogany hull). But if you have no inclination / time for practical work it could be expensive to find skilled people to do it for you.

 

[pmagowan]

If you get a wooden boat get a good cover, it will be money well spent. The most of the maintainance is varnishing and painting. It is not difficult but is time consuming. Most of this could be saved by having a cover on. The good thing about wood is that it can essentially be easily repaired by any competent diyer. It will also be the most beautiful boat almost anywhere you go.

 

[Tranona]

Agree about the cover for the winter, and a cover for the cockpit all year round.

The key to successful ownership of a wooden boat is to buy one that is in near perfect condition and all timber suitably coated. The enemy is freshwater getting into the timber from the top down. once you have a boat in that condition, annual maintenance in time is little different from a GRP boat - you just spend the time on different things and need to learn some basic skills particularly for painting. You also need to consider the systems side of the boat. Because most wooden boats are older, electrics tend to be rubbish and engines need replacing plus owners have often messed with the interior over the years. Sorting this is what takes time and skill.

I have owned a wooden boat since 1980 and have carried out two major refits. It is now back in excellent shape and would give good service for another 15 years or so with only basic maintenance.

 

[littlepati]

Thank you all for your replies. There is a bit to think on and I suppose it could take a while to find the ideal boat. I look at some of the older boats and wonder how wood lasts that long in the water. There are some very old boats still in service. Is there a more long lived way that these boats are initially built or what they are built of or is just how there looked after.

 

[KINGFISHER 9]

A well fettled Vertue is a joy forever …. look for a teak Cheoy Lee build if you can.

 

[Wansworth]

Good ventilation especially in the winter months.

 

[DownWest]

There are different types of wooden boats. Classic plank on frame, cold (or hot ) moulded and strip planked with veneers and/or sheathing with glass & époxy. (OK, ply ones too)
The previous comments are aimed at plank on frame. One takes such a boat on as a caretaker. You look after it as best you can, then pass it onto another caretaker.

If you find a nice moulded or strip planked and sheathed one, the hull becomes much less of a worry.

The replacement Jester was cold moulded and carries on.

Friend bought a lovely cold moulded 36ft sloop. Built by an amateur, but very good, builder. We had a couple of trips to Gib and back. Delightful. He sailed her down to Rio on his own.
He did have a slight problem with rot, caused by a leaking fresh water tank. Cut it back and laminated fresh layers in. Not a big problem.

 

[burgundyben]

I have two things to add.

Firstly, there's a big difference between teak, bronze fastened with a lead keel and a soggy pile of iron fastened larch with an iron keel. So look for the quality of the materials used in the build.

Second, maintaining a wooden boat, means painting the structure and varnishing the trim. Everything else, sails, rigging, skin fittings, rudder bearings, electrics, electronics, safety kit, through to the pots and pans is the same on a GRP boat.

Thirdly, oh, there's three things. Maintaining a wooden boat is easy, if you can piss you can paint. But let one go and woe betide you, as a rebuild, or even medium size remedial work, is orders of magnitude more work and expense than maintenance.

So buy a top quality build and be fanatical about looking after it.

A wooden boat brings a great deal of joy and pride.

 

[littlepati]

Thanks again for your replies. So in short buy something built with quality materials teak, oak ,mahogany . that has been loved. Get a WOODEN boat surveyor. Be prepared to learn a few new skills and I should have a sound boat that will last for years.

 

[wombat88]

And...

Maintenance. (took me a while to work out how to spell it...shame) It is all about maintenance.

Nipping down to the wooden boat to do bits and pieces becomes part of life. If you intend to keep it far away from home think hard about the time/effort taken to get to it.

 

[Pump-Out]

Thanks again for your replies. So in short buy something built with quality materials teak, oak ,mahogany . that has been loved. Get a WOODEN boat surveyor. Be prepared to learn a few new skills and I should have a sound boat that will last for years.

If you don't live a huge distance away try to get to this show: https://www.tradboatfestival.com/
There will be wooden craft of every shape and size there (though not yachts, for evident reasons) a heap of boatbuilders and so forth. Whilst you might not find the boat you want there will be much to see and learn.