Random thoughts and rants on boat design, boat building, and other boat bits for those in the 99%...
Stolen raccoons, exploding whales, and in the "Milk with Dignity" department...
Atom Voyager has taken the whole outboard conversion process to a level approaching art and there is a lot to be learned by following along while an artist works his magic.
Color me impressed.
Listening to Arny Margret
So it goes...
What people make up, an excellent question, and on the subject of Twitter/social media...
Far Reach Voyages is a channel that you might want to bookmark.
While you're at it you might also want to check out the website which is a cornucopia of great info on how to do a sensible bespoke refit and the blog which is excellent..
Listening to some Aquarium Drunkard suggestions
So it goes...
Looks like somebody did their math, what you might learn in church, and in the "Sounds about right" department...
I really don't get it.
Folks often ask me simple questions about boats, rigs, and refits but, apparently, desire complicated answers instead of simple ones.
Seriously, what's that all about? Now, as far as my desires for answers to problems I'll go with what's simple 99% of the time. Simple also tends to be easier as well as less expensive which sits quite well with the fact that I'm a fairly lazy and cheap fellow.
As far as I'm concerned overly complicated solutions to simple problems are just stop signs on the roads I like to travel.
I rest my case.
Listening to Bite Me Bambi
So it goes...
A book on AI I think I need to read, why the word "concerning" makes me nervous, and in the "It's about time to nail these these jerks to the wall" department...
I just noticed that RAKA has a newish website with higher prices.
Yeah, prices on everything just keep going up and it's getting harder and harder to build a boat on a workingman's budget.
It's a depressing state of affairs.
Luckily, old classic and not so classic boats still abound while the cost of buying and refitting an elderly boat is still within the reach of someone on a very tight budget. Albeit, a task akin to swimming upstream against a strong current with your hands tied behind your back.
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| A $400 boat on CraigsList |
Things really do need to change.
Listening to an interesting cover
So it goes...
Book bans, something about speculative fiction, and a plethora of climatical bad news...
So, I saw this Columbia 26 MK2 selling for $500 OBO in New Orleans.
Obviously, the boat is in desperate need of a cleaning and I've an ominous feeling that the interior might be even more daunting,
Still, the Bill Tripp designed MK2 is a very cool boat and with a little work and talent, might make someone a great little boat. The advantage of a small cheap boat is that the labor and materials to bring it back to life are small as well.
Looking at the selling price of more turn key examples of the design, the average seems to be somewhere around $3500. So, the question is can one restore and outfit this boat for less than $3K?
I'm guessing that, providing there is a reasonable place to put the boat for a month to work on it, you do all the work yourself, and avoid buying anything marine, it's possible. If I were doing the boat I'd budget for $1500 with an extra $500 just in case. I'm pretty sure that's a doable project.
One proviso though: on any project like this it's vitally important to keep within that budget framework and only fix what needs fixing.
Listening to some Talking Heads coverage
So it goes...
Proof positive that it can be done, an unexpected event due to climate change/drought, and in the "About those rights" department...
Way back when I used to work in a boatyard for an hourly wage, I mainly did two jobs. Fixing leaky decks and sorting out mast step issues where deck stepped masts were concerned.
The leaking decks were hard on my knees and back, but fairly simple. Deck stepped mast problems were a whole other thing entirely.
The usual problem ran something like this: the compression post was not supporting the deck/mast. Compressive forces induced by the rigging would push the deck down at the mast step. Which would cause the rigging to go slack.
With me so far?
Then the owner or rigger would tighten the rig, which caused more damage to the deck, compression post and compression post step, which would then result in more rig tuning. This, of course, would induce more pressure on the mast, step, deck compression post and compression post step.
Which puts us pretty deep in FUBAR territory.
Now you have a deck reverse curvature, a compression post step failure, or a buckled compression post. In a worst-case scenario, the mast would simply pop a hole in the deck or hull. Other issues were various forces on interior structure that could cause many and varied construction failures as the mast/rigging matrix is now tearing your boat apart.
It’s actually pretty amazing just how much damage (spelled t-o-t-a-l — l-o-s-s) can occur by simply over-tightening the rig.
Actually, like most sailboat problems, the fix is fairly simple if caught early and addressed promptly. Of course, check all the parts of your rig regularly, including not just the rigging but the mast step, compression post, the compression post step and the deck in and around the mast.
Most classic plastics are old enough that parts of the compression post assembly are way past their sell-by date. For instance, on our CAL 34, the first repair/upgrade I made was to replace the compression post and the beam it stepped on. The downside was to remove the old I-beam and replace with a new one. I also had to drop the mast and remove and replace the adjacent bulkhead.
There is a pretty good video, on just such a problem that you might want to check out.
While I’m pretty sure I’d approach the repair somewhat differently than they do. I’ll just say they are on the right track, though they’d make their lives a lot simpler by dropping the mast to facilitate their fix.
Listening to something from the I need to listen to more Ska files
So it goes...
The problem with an oil-centric economy, a very good point, and in the "Now I'm really scared" department...
Yesterday, while perusing a book for interior structure ideas, I realized that my copy of Fred Bingham's "Practical Yacht Joinery" is over forty-years old and still being used on a regular basis. It's somewhat tattered but talk about a good investment.
George Buehler's "Backyard Boatbuilding" and Reuel Parker's "The New Cold-Molded Boatbuilding" are almost as old and still get used all the time. In fact, I just realized that I actually used Buehler's book so much I wore out a copy and had to replace it so it's not quite as old but you get the idea.
Another two books that get heavy use aboard is Dan Spurr's "Upgrading the Cruising Sailboat" and Bruce Bingham's "The Sailor's Sketchbook" which have solved any number of problems as well as improved my life afloat in many and varied ways.
I've a lot of other books as well but all of these are the ones I reach for whenever I have a problem or just need of an idea or inspiration.
I mention this as folks keep writing me and telling me to watch this or that YouTube video of some tyro with nary a clue where boat work is concerned commit boat butchery and mayhem in a bid for a Patreon payout. While, I'll admit, it's often entertaining to watch folks go all FUBAR spending copious money on projects that will just need to be redone later it's a piss poor way to learn how to fix up a boat.
Considering how much pain and suffering could be avoided by reading a couple of books you'd think some folks might just do the book ting.
Listening to a favorite Buffalo Springfield cover
So it goes...
The song you need on your playlist, a great ad, and in the "We're all for solar as long as we make a profit" department...
Ino Rope on rigging a Sangria in 2022...
Listening to Fairport Convention
So it goes...
About that new normal, somewhat worrisome, and in the "Heinous acts supporting profit" department...
There’s a CAL 34 for sale in Southern California on Craig’s List going for $2k that I find interesting. The pictures and description support a reasonable fixer upper.
Any 34-foot sailboat selling for $2K, it’s expected that the motor is not working and has things that need fixing. But, hey it’s $2K!
To be honest, I’d love to buy this boat and would even consider doing the deed sight unseen. I have a CAL 34 and know its little secrets and perversities. So I already know what needs to be fixed and improved on. A refit with the advantage of hindsight on a blank canvas would be a very pleasurable experience.
The cost of sorting out the boat from fixer-upper to excellent condition and ready to cruise would require the infusion of another five to eight thousand dollars. Not a terrible investment when you consider a cherry CAL 34 is going to cost somewhere between $13K and $20K.
The problem for me is that it’s in California. Resettling for two or three months is just too problematic to consider. Now if it was within five hundred miles of me, I’d have bought it already.
That said, anyone interested in the boat that would like some advice on the boat in question, drop me a line. I’m always happy to talk CAL 34s with folks of a like mind.
Listening to Gabriels
So it goes...
My kind of cat, regarding someone I admire, and in the "The importance of a reality based world" department...
It would appear that most folks these days, when confronted with a problem or issue with their boat, tend to go to their favorite forum or YouTube. Now, I've gone on record about my feelings for most forums and while advice freely given is, more often than not, worth exactly what you're paying for it.
That said I do, every so often, visit a particular forum from time to time simply because the advice is so entertaining in its silliness and general lack knowledge purveyed.
YouTube is actually a lot better and there are a lot of excellent bits of video telling you how to do or fix stuff on sailboats. On the other hand, it's best to realize that for every one good bit of video there are a dozen or so that are just clueless.
For me I tend to find my best avenue of problem solving or good ideas is to be in books.
Books work and happen to be an excellent investment. I've lost track of the number of times I've used Brion Toss's "The Riggers Apprentice", Fred Bingham's "Practical Yacht Joinery", Bruce Binghams "The Sailors Sketchbook", Dynamite Payson's "Build the New Instant Boats", and Dan Spurr's "Spurr's Guide to Upgrading Your Cruising Sailboat". I've never kept track of how much money those various books have saved me but it would be a substantial amount far exceeding the cost paid for them.
There are a bunch more books I could list but those are the ones that I still use on a regular basis and have had the most impact where fixing up an old boat are concerned.
Listening to Drinking Boys And Girls Choir
So it goes...
Somewhat uplifting, a very good cause that could use your support, and a cartoon too close of the mark for comfort....
A longish time ago, I had something of a burning bush moment while building a boat. It was not something someone said or a cunning plan. It was just a simple question I asked myself...
Is this actually essential to this boat?
Which, I’ll admit, is a fairly simple question. But it got me thinking about what defined essential and nonessential where building or refitting is concerned.
For instance, a couple of boats over from my boat was a cold-molded sloop that was only partially planked and still needed a couple of courses of veneer before being glassed. That being the case, I wondered just why the builder was working on an inlaid compass rose for the chart table before the interior fit-out was even a thing. Just for the record, I’ll go public and say that while I think inlaid woodwork is a very cool addition to a boat, it is never an essential part of a boat.
Most boat plans or production boats show or come with all the essential bits. My usual way of building a boat is that if it’s in the plans, you can consider it to be indispensable. The same goes for the design of a boat while doing a re-fit, as what’s designed in should mostly be essential.
Where it gets iffy is where the designer has left important bits to the whim of whoever is building or refitting the boat. Frankly, there is a special place in hell for designers who do not design in systems. Raceways for wiring, places to put the needed instruments, and stowage of propane bottles. Better yet, it would be no bad thing for designers to include provisions for dinghy stowage and sensible locations for solar panels in their plans.
I’ll be the first to admit that I don’t have a clue what you think is essential for your boat. I go with the idea that simpler is always better than complicated. Not that I’m against progress and realize that I should always build in space for potential additions to systems in the future. This includes things like building in extra space and large enough wiring races to add instruments when needful. Not having to resort to tearing the boat apart to run a couple of cables.
Sure, there are many non-essential bits that make a boat livable or a home. The trick is not to let them get in the way of actually building or re-fitting your boat. Consider it essential to plan for them in the overall scheme of things but avoid getting caught in the compass rose zone.
Listening to an albums worth of Neil Young coverage
So it goes...
Someone's acquired a new boat, transporting baby salmon, and in the "I hear Home Depot has some good deals on pitchforks" department...
I rarely ever look at boats on ebay. Partly because I find Craigslist a much better source for finding used boats and partly because the ebay environment seems to have become overly expensive as well as hostile. But, as it happens, I found myself looking for something and took a glance at sailboats for sale.
Where I found a 2005 Bendytoy 343 with a Buy It Now price of $24,997.00.
The reason it's so cheap is that it's a hurricane boat and being sold off by the insurance company which acquired it when they paid out to the insured party as a total loss.
So, at best, we're actually talking about someone selling a $5-10K boat for $24,997.00.
Let's get back to that phrase TOTAL LOSS for a moment and consider what that actually means.
I'll go on record that buying a storm damaged boat for cheap and rehabbing it is not a bad way to go for someone with some serious frugal boat building and repair experience can result in a great boat. I'll even go so far as say that depending on the boats total loss condition, a cheap enough selling price and availability of a place to move said boat for little rent I might even consider such a boat.
Of course, I'd never ever pay almost $25K for such a project because that would be stupid. Considering I can find the same model for around $70-$85K and I can't see spending less $35K in materials, another $5-10K in expenses, and the cost of three to six months of my full time labor to get it done.
Then again, if you were able to buy the total loss wreck for $5K, had a yard to put it in, a whole lot of free time, and some wizardly boat building skills it might actually be a viable project.
In general though the best advice I can give someone considering this sort of hurricane boat project is to avoid it with prejudice.
On the other hand if someone gets it and does a YouTube channel of the rehab it will be fun to watch in a dark comedy of errors vein.
Listening to a playlist from 1987
So it goes...
Regarding an American territory, Badtux on point, and in the "With Democrats like these who needs Republicans" department...
Being locked down for the pandemic, while allowing me to catch up on my reading, wasn't exactly all that good for maintenance and projects aboard "So It Goes". You might say that I've got a lot on my plate and playing catch up.
The thing with keeping up on the maintenance is that you do it now or do a whole lot more later. So, here I am paying the price for putting crap off because "Hey, there's a pandemic and we can't go anywhere anyway" mindset.
On the plus side, I'm mostly enjoying getting caught up on things and it's a good excuse to make some improvements in the process.
Listening to some covers of Roxanne
So it goes...
Badtux getting it right, some good reasons to hang on to that mask, and in the "It's all about profit" department...
The other day I noticed a boat for sale in the local Craigslist.
Recognize it?
For those who don't here's a couple of hints...
I'm pretty sure all of you know by now but for those who don't it is a Cal 24 which Jensen Marine built 184 boats of the design from 1957 through 1965.
As it happens, some years back I had a couple of Boat Bits readers ask me if I knew of the whereabouts of Robin Lee Graham's Dove as they had heard that it wound up in the USVI and they were trying to chase it down. I asked around at the time and I heard from several sources that it indeed had wound up in America's Paradise but as to its actual whereabouts no one seemed to know if it was still around, sailed on to some other place, or become part of St Thomas landfill as a casualty of a hurricane.
Which is not to say that this particular Cal 24 is "Dove" but it could be...
Now, if it were not "H" season (I noticed this morning we already have our first named storm Ana) and I was not busy getting the boat ready to get the hell out of Dodge ASAP I'd be all over this boat doing a proper refit because well what better project could there be?
Most folks my age got into sailing/cruising because of of Robin Lee Grahams exploits aboard Dove and, for me at least, the CAL 34 embodies a whole lot more than just a cool sailboat design.
Listening to a whole bunch of Dylan cover albums
So it goes...
Not really a thing I'd brag about, simply shameless, and something new from the "Doubling down on dumb" files...
An excellent comment on a thread over at a Sailing Anarchy forum on whether to refit an Ericson 32 or not.
"Get it functional and safe, get it on the water. Doesn’t need to be pretty."
Makes all the sense in the world.
Listening to a great 70s mixtape
So it goes...
About that application, on why infrastructure is important, and it would appear that GMC/Hummer have completely missed the point of sustainable vehicles...
A couple of weeks ago I came across a Herreshoff 31 Cat Ketch for sale up in St Paul Minnesota. For those unacquainted with the Halsey Herreshoff cat ketch design here's the plan.
Back in the early 80's I seriously lusted for this boat as it was as close to the picture I had in my head at the time in what would make a near perfect cruising boat. If the draft had been a foot or so less it would have been perfect.
The fact that the boat for sale up in St Paul had an asking price of only $1300, had me looking at airfares and wondering about the cost of yard space...
The other tempting factor is the idea of fixing up a boat and then getting it to the sea via the Mississippi river.
Listening to the Iron Leg Radio Show
So it goes...
A good point about common sense, some needful reading, and in the "Vile murderous idiots" department...
An excellent rehab of a CAL 40.
Listening to the Sons of Champlin
So it goes...
A failing infrastructure, something about that plague state, and in the "Not the right question" department...
Now, where I come from, the whole idea of taking something that has no or a negative value and recycling it into something that has a purpose and value is no bad thing and I truly admire those folk who take on such projects and are successful in their endeavors.
Offhand I'd really love to find a free boat without a mast so I could test some cunning plans I have regarding affordable rigs and rigging but every time I find such a beast they are in someplace far away. That said, If a free C&C 35 without a mast appeals you might want to check out Craig's List up in NYC...
Listening to Siouxsie and the Banshees
So it goes...
What passes for justice with wealthy drug dealers, somewhat depressing news from the Bahamas, and something for the last day of the official 2020 hurricane season...
Over the weekend I checked out a lot of the "Hey, we're buying a boat and thought you'd be interested in watching us spend lots of money turning it into the perfect cruising boat" YouTube fodder. Which was, for lack of a better term, depressing.
For starters, I always find folks throwing money at things generally off-putting. More so when they're throwing money around to fix or replace things that don't actually need fixing or replacing.
Of course, most of my thoughts on rehabbing a boat tend to focus on getting rid of most of the superfluous bits and pieces masquerading as indispensable requirements.
Anyway, it did get my thought process focused on the idea that anyone who's building, rehabbing, or outfitting a cruising boat really needs a plan and a firm budget going into such a project as well as the fortitude to stick to that plan and budget to avoid the dreaded mission creep.
More on the subject of mission creep soonish...
Listening to Tricky
So it goes...
A first for Scientific American, an apt punishment for anti-maskers, and in the "Would not surprise me at all" department...
Atom Voyager is the one YouTube channel I actually look forward to on the subject of making good boats better.
