Renovating an old wooden sports boat, am I mad?

Renovating an old wooden sports boat, am I mad?

Author
Discussion

Fishtigua

9,786 posts

194 months

Tuesday 24th June 2014
quotequote all
You can all relax now.

A mate of mine has contacted the owner of the boat and put a bid in.

Loopy, but he loves restoring these sort of things.

Bonefish Blues

26,452 posts

222 months

Tuesday 24th June 2014
quotequote all
mickrick said:
I´ve taken on some bloody stupid projects, but that makes even me shudder!
As I said very early on in this excellent thread. Cheaper and easier to do what you are doing, and build a new one from scratch.
I even did the same with a house, spent 8 years of my weekends renovating something which would have been easier to knock down and start again.rolleyes
You too?

Our Architect said we should do that. We didn't. Worth it now, just, but only just. So why am I drawn to that tired little boat?

RichB

51,435 posts

283 months

Tuesday 24th June 2014
quotequote all
Fishtigua said:
You can all relax now.
A mate of mine has contacted the owner of the boat and put a bid in.
Loopy, but he loves restoring these sort of things.
Tell him to join Pistonheads and start a "Renovating an old wooden boat" thread, it would be interesting to follow biglaugh

Simpo Two

85,150 posts

264 months

Tuesday 24th June 2014
quotequote all
Bonefish Blues said:
So why am I drawn to that tired little boat?
Character
History
Romance

With all due respect to Maser, a new build has none of these (yet!).

maser_spyder

Original Poster:

6,356 posts

181 months

Wednesday 25th June 2014
quotequote all
Simpo Two said:
Bonefish Blues said:
So why am I drawn to that tired little boat?
Character
History
Romance

With all due respect to Maser, a new build has none of these (yet!).
Totally agree! I'd still prefer an old one if I could find it, but there just isn't much about that's exactly what I like.

It's only my sensible head that made me start a new build, it will ultimately be more usable with a modern engine and construction, but I would have preferred something with a history.

Eleven

26,271 posts

221 months

Wednesday 25th June 2014
quotequote all
Simpo Two said:
Bonefish Blues said:
So why am I drawn to that tired little boat?
Character
History
Romance

With all due respect to Maser, a new build has none of these (yet!).
I don't agree with you.

If this was a commercially produced boat, knocked up in a faceless workshop somewhere, built for sale and profit it would need the patina of time to assume any of the qualities you mention.

On the other hand, Maser's boat already has a fascinating story and despite being unfinished has assumed a lot of character, history and romance already.

MOTORVATOR

6,993 posts

246 months

Wednesday 25th June 2014
quotequote all
Something like this?




https://www.facebook.com/groups/254216544641617/

Bill Shakespeare's original Avon Special. The guy has had the original motor restored to gleaming but his wife has refused to have it as a conversation piece in the lounge until he restores the boat. Something to do with the boat being on the backburner due to restoring a bubble car first.



Simpo Two

85,150 posts

264 months

Wednesday 25th June 2014
quotequote all
Eleven said:
On the other hand, Maser's boat already has a fascinating story and despite being unfinished has assumed a lot of character, history and romance already.
I think Maser's boat is a wonderful and facsinating project and if I lived nearer I'd be over there helping. I love wooden boats regardless of age - but one still on the stocks, like an unborn baby, cannot have the attributes of a veteran - yet!

maser_spyder

Original Poster:

6,356 posts

181 months

Wednesday 25th June 2014
quotequote all
Simpo Two said:
if I lived nearer I'd be over there helping.
ears

maser_spyder

Original Poster:

6,356 posts

181 months

Tuesday 8th July 2014
quotequote all
Another one, looks like an easier restoration job.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/331249835551

Not quite my cup of tea, but might be interesting to anybody else who's been inspired by my cack-handed attempts so far. hehe

Huntsman

8,028 posts

249 months

Tuesday 8th July 2014
quotequote all
maser_spyder said:
Another one, looks like an easier restoration job.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/331249835551

Not quite my cup of tea, but might be interesting to anybody else who's been inspired by my cack-handed attempts so far. hehe
Tut tut. Less time surfing the web and more time boat building.

PureSilver

32 posts

132 months

Wednesday 9th July 2014
quotequote all
Subscribing to this! Absolutely no interest in doing a restoration or build of a powerboat myself - sailor at heart - but fascinating nonetheless!

tr7v8

7,186 posts

227 months

Thursday 10th July 2014
quotequote all
This is rather nice, there are also some lovely aircraft for sale on this site as well
http://www.platinumfighters.com/#!disturber-iv/crs...

prand

5,910 posts

195 months

Thursday 10th July 2014
quotequote all
Huntsman said:
Tut tut. Less time surfing the web and more time boat building.
Ha ha smile I was wondering if OP was trying to distract us from lack of progress!

Huntsman

8,028 posts

249 months

Tuesday 16th September 2014
quotequote all
Are we waiting for a specific mahogany tree to get big enough?

maser_spyder

Original Poster:

6,356 posts

181 months

Tuesday 16th September 2014
quotequote all
Huntsman said:
Are we waiting for a specific mahogany tree to get big enough?
Totally hectic at the moment, but workshop cleared out ready to make a fresh start over the winter again....

Bottom on by Christmas!

maser_spyder

Original Poster:

6,356 posts

181 months

Saturday 25th October 2014
quotequote all
Holy smokes, thread resurrection.

Sadly not much done for the past four months, out of the country and then hectic with work, but hoping to get back in to this over the next few weeks.

As such, plastic nail gun (never thought I'd be typing that phrase) ordered from the USA so I need to get cracking with the fairing so the bottom can start going on.

I'm not expecting too many major issues with the next bit, I already have a good idea of how it's going to go together and there's nothing that stands out as being particularly difficult, just a bit of a long slog to get it all flat and ready to lay up.

A couple of wooden boats have come up on eBay over the past few weeks, one in particular was luvverly but still not quite what I originally wanted. Unless the perfect boat comes up, I'll keep plodding away at this one. smile

Steve_D

13,737 posts

257 months

Saturday 25th October 2014
quotequote all
Been waiting for the sawdust to start flying again.

Steve

Huntsman

8,028 posts

249 months

Saturday 25th October 2014
quotequote all
About time....

paintman

7,669 posts

189 months

Saturday 25th October 2014
quotequote all
November 5 is getting very close....