Working with wooden boats - is there a living in it?

The life expectancy of a wooden boat is pretty much dependent on the care given to it, both during the building stage and later during its operational life. My own ketch is the '1917 model' so that makes it 88 years old. There are quite a number which have celebrated their centenary.

Whether a boat becomes a collector's item or not depends on fashion. A boat which was a successful racer in its heyday will be sought after, as it has a rich history and lots of 'brag potential'. A boat which earned its living, say fishing, as mine was, is only attractive to people who like the boats for themselves, not for any social hierarchy position. This is an important aspect to consider when choosing a boat to restore for sale. The people who have the money to throw at projects like this will be looking for a boat previously owned by the Crown Prince of somewhere, or that Hollywood actor who did this and that with a certain actress in it. If you're boasting in Chambers about your new aquisition, a boat owned by Pedro the Fisherman doesn't quite cut it. Caiques are excellent sea-boats, as are most boats which have worked for a living. It is heart-rending to see these excellent boats being demolished or burnt. The number of people who appreciate them are few and far between. They have gained this knowledge around the harbours of the world, not the boardrooms. More often than not they aspire to being ragged-arsed one day, if fortune smiles.

Boats take a lot of TLC to restore. In this case 'TLC' refers to Time, Labour and Cash. I have spent the last 14 years, mostly part-time, restoring my ketch. I don't want to know how much I have spent in money. I can no longer afford to keep her, and have had her on the market for the past year. I'll never see my outlay returned, much less a profit. I have never heard of anyone restoring a boat and selling it at a profit.

It's a grim picture, isn't it?
Peter.
 
Forbsie - Thanks. Looks like I should put Eel Pie Island on my itinerary for my next visit to the UK (I live in Italy), just for an overview of the wooden boat scene. Is there anyone in particular I should see?

JaneS
 
Peterduck - It's just the kind of information we need, but it does sound grim. I can't bear to think of those beautiful hard-working caiques disappearing, along with the boatyards and the skills that produced them. I am so sorry also to hear about your own ketch: it sounds like a lovely boat.

I suppose clever marketing could create a market for little old restored Greek fishing boats, but no-one in my family has a clue about clever marketing!

Jane S
 
I am afraid you are noy alone;with the advent of RCD and other wonders of the EU many small boatyards have been put out of business here in Galicia as the boatyards ,normally a few old men and a boy could not justify the costs of a surveyor and plans to work out stability figures on their wooden fishing craft,and changing from commercial to leisure a paper nightmare,as usual they will wake up in about 10 years they will start bewailing the fact,by then what where shipyards on the bank of the ria will be holiday homes for the highest bidder.
 
No-one has mentioned a serious consideration.
Having great skill and enthusiasm may not be ebough to make a living. He would need to have a bit of a business brain as well.
It may be that he has that, but being very skilled alone is not a guarantee of a good income.
 
RECCREATIONAL CRAFT DIRECTIVE .Legislation about maritime stuff,stability and god knows what that affects members of the EEC....of which Greece is a member.
 
To answer the "is there a living in it?" question - Yes there is. I only work part time on wooden boats over the weekends Saturday/Sunday - for these two days I get quite a substantial wedge.

The work I do is menial compared to what the real craftsmen on board do. We are re-building a boat called Seven Kings at the moment, surprisingly built by the Seven Kings Sea Scouts in the 50's or 60's - I do all the varnishing and will have to re-lay the Teak deck whilst the other guys are joining and doing other carpentry stuff internally. But I think there is a living, but you have to be good at what you do - or else you may have to go over your own work all over again and not get paid for it!! (been there before)
 
DaCostaLot - That's very encouraging. Do you have your own boatyard? Do they come from far and wide for your services? Do you advertise? Do you really CostaLot?
My nephew is certainly good at the job - he has done a number of teak decks, engine replacements, hull and deck planking, interior woodwork etc., and he has the endorsement of one of the best ship's carpenters in Greece. He just has to find where the work is, because not much of it is floating round his island!

Jane
 
Hi Jane,

No I don't CostaLot - that is a joke between me andsome other forumites, my name is Nick DaCosta-Greene.

As I said I am a part-timer and only work on the weekends doing this type of job and the boats are normally just on the hard standings in a yard like Northney Marina on Hayling Island.

The guy that "employs" my services has been in this side of the industry for over 40 years, so he has a good record and a solid customer base - alot of which has come from word of mouth.

A good tool is the Wooden Boat Builders Trade Association, some work comes from there.

The work you have described above is pretty much what we do - I would have thought if you did advertise you would pick up work that way - the jobs we do are for real enthusiasts who don't mind shelling a bob or two out on their boats - which is good because then they get a good service and the best materials.

I'm sorry I cannot be of any further help.

Best regards and good luck.

Nick
 
Hello Jane,

I just posted a similar question about making a living as wooden boat builder/restorer in the forum and have just found yours. You mentioned that you live in Italy, which part? Do you know if there is a demand for such skills there? I have family in the south but there is very little indutry there. Perhaps similar to your nephew's situation in Greece.

Your nephew sounds very skilled and experienced and I doubt he needs to do a course but this link might be useful as this school does a short course which might help him make contacts via teachers/intructors. http://www.boatbuildingacademy.com/

I'm no way nearly as experienced as your nephew but I am intrested in entering the same industry via an indepth course, but only after I am aware of what sort of living I can expect to make regardless of how passionately I feel about the craft.
It would be good to know about the progress you make in your search. Keep us posted!

Thanks,

Jose.
 
Canaletto - I have been away for a while and lost touch with this forum. Just wanted to know how you were getting on career-wise. I've done quite a lot of research in the last 6 months - prospects in the UK are not at all bad - possibly better than in Greece, where the thrill of plastic and fibreglass modernity has not yet worn off.
Tell me what you are up to.
Jane Sherman
 
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