Winding Down Another Season

Having not contributed a post in sometime, I feel compelled to continue sharing my boating experiences of late. Autumn is a very busy season for boat owners particularly for the sailor. The winds are brisk and skies are clear as the northerly winds fill in more frequently making for ideal fall sailing.

However, arrangements will eventually need to be made for winter storage as well as plans for decommissioning the boat. Surplus gear, spars, sails, batteries, charts, removable electronics, cushions, food and drinks, etc. should be stored in a safe, dry area under lock and key. If the boat is to be hauled, the engine should be winterized before the boat comes out of the water eliminating the need for a fresh water source, hoses and fittings. The boat must be stored level when hauled so water cannot collect and pool on deck and in the bilge.

If stored outside, a framed cover will need to be erected. Yes, many rationales can be made for overlooking this critical detail. However, the boat will indeed suffer if exposed to the winter elements of frost, ice, snow and fluctuating temperatures. Leaks will develop under fittings where moisture is trapped and frozen. Constant changes in temperature coupled with heavy dews and frosts challenges even the tightest of joints resulting in sheets of brightwork being thrown. Without a cover, below decks will require an inordinate amount of heat to make working conditions tolerable. Be sure the cover allows for air circulation with venting throughout; otherwise, mildew is likely to occur below decks. The boat will generally stay much cleaner when properly covered. And when springtime finally arrives, much less work will be required to bring her back in shape.

Alternatively, the boat owner may choose to move the boat south. The advantage here is that the boat will be continually used throughout the year giving the yachtsman the opportunity to explore different cruising grounds. Here on the east coast, many choose south Florida as their winter destination.

Recently, I took part in a yacht delivery from New York to Ft. Lauderdale. We took the outside route and made just one stop in Norfolk to wait out a bad forecast for Cape Hatteras. The trip to Norfolk took roughly 38 hours from Sandy Hook NJ in ideal conditions of 25-35 knots of wind out of the northwest. From Norfolk to Ft. Lauderdale the trip took a total of 5 days as we experienced 20-30 knots of wind out of the northeast which carried us t0 the FL border and then southwest winds in the 15-20 knot range down the Florida coastline. A trip of this nature is rigorous and should only be attempted by an experienced crew in a well found boat. It is a commitment in time and the risks involved should not be taken lightly.

Many prefer a leisurely trip down the Intercoastal Waterway. That is fine provided the masthead is less than 65' from the waterline - you will need to allow at least 3 weeks and a good deal of fuel as sailing is out of the question for the majority of the ICW. It is a good idea to make berthing arrangements before arriving as the docks in south Florida tend to fill up quickly late in the year. Once the boat has been moored, the owner can now make plans to exploit some great cruising opportunities in the Florida Keys, the Bahamas, and Mexico. Be sure to bring your mask and flippers as these aqua colored waters are teaming with wildlife and must be seen to be believed.

Pursuant to the Purchase & Sale Agreement

Often the search is far and wide, similar to an online dating service, for a new boat. After all, the boat must meet all the predetermined requisites as set forth by the owner-to-be. Every hiding place for fine boats and, as it sometimes turns out, derelict boats will be sought. On land and by sea, and often through the air, the buyer will not quit until that buying urge has been satisfied. And along the way, oh wise one will have learned that nothing is ever as it seems, and that is so ever true with boats.

Recently, my search led me to an online site often used by brokerage houses. As with dating services, the personality, specifications, and featured benefits, must be condensed into a finite number of words which never seem to satisfy the reader's curiosity. The listing contains whatever is required to pique the buyer's interest. The listing only scratches the surface of what you actually might be getting yourself into. Usually, brokers will submit a positive personal opinion in the description - be sure to separate fact from opinion. If the boat described generates any interest at all, prepare specific questions for the broker based on the listing.

To uncover the truth about the condition of the boat, an inspection must first be arranged. It is preferable to view the boat out of water; however, during the nice weather, the boats are being used by their present owners and features below the waterline will have to be inspected during the haul out. Whether boarding the boat from a dock or from a ladder, take a stroll down the side decks; look around on the foredeck; sit at the wheel. The boat must feel right for handling lines, long hours at the wheel, anchoring, and moving fore and aft on the boat. How about the accommodation? Is there sufficient headroom? Will the layout work for captain and mate? Is the motor(s) accessible for routine maintenance? Is there enough storage space and tankage to suit your cruising needs? These questions are subjective and can only be answered by the skipper and crew. Questions pertaining to the condition of the yacht are normally determined by a qualified surveyor or journeyman boatbuilder. Boarding a yacht in obvious disrepair is risky from a liability standpoint as damages might be incurred during the inspection and the potential client could be put in harms way by merely boarding the boat. These "death row" boats are best left for the do-it-yourselfer with marine experience in structural and mechanical repair.

Once the initial inspection has been completed, more research must be undertaken by the buyer. Find the manufacturer's website; study the builder's original specifications; look for an owner's group website for the particular brand as owners will often post problems experienced with a particular model. Plan on doing the research on the high ticket items - the motor, electronics, generator, and so on. Many buyers rely on the broker for information; this is a mistake. It is up to the buyer to do the research so there can be no mistake interpreting the information. The broker will assist in coordinating the showing, seatrial, and survey, providing a Purchase and Sale Contract, holding monies (deposits) in escrow, registering and documenting the vessel and, most importantly, providing the communications link between buyer and seller. For the buyer this means that the bulk of the work; ie, knowing and understanding the boat in question, will be up to the purchaser.

In most cases, the broker will submit offers to the buyer. Depending on the broker/seller relationship, the broker may not submit a low ball offer to the owner; this can sometimes become a sticking point. Yet, an offensively low offer may not be worth the trouble for the buyer. Better results may be achieved by submitting what the broker defines as a reasonable offer. Later in the buying process the seller will often submit a new, lower offer based on the results of the pre-purchase survey. All sales are driven by this mutually agreed upon number. Nevertheless, the buyer never knows for sure what motivates the seller. Depending on the personal circumstances of the seller and how long a boat has been on the market, all "reasonable offers" can be very difficult to determine. Once an offer is presented to the owner, a counteroffer by the seller might be a clue as to how low they might be willing to go. A middle ground can usually be found by both parties compromising and lowering their respective expectations.

At the point when both parties agree to the purchase price, and any and all contingencies, the survey and seatrial are scheduled. Very few boats will come away with a spotless pre-purchase survey. If the recommendations exceeds a tolerable number of repairs, the purchaser is likely to walk away with the deposit. If not, an estimate of the cost of the repairs per the surveyor's recommendations will be sought out and the purchase price will no doubt be re-negotiated.

The object of the exercise is to get to the truth about a particular boat. Every boatowner will treat a boat differently and the results of this attention or lack thereof influences the purchase price of a boat. A potential buyer will sense immediately how well a boat has been cared for. A broker's listing usually won't give a clue as to what problems a boat might have. A lengthy inspection by the purchaser and a thoroughly technical pre-purchase survey and seatrial, will determine if the boat is worth pursuing.

Truth in Advertising and Other Notions

I have been involved in various boat deals of late; for many owners, now is evidently a good time to sell. When shopping for classics, there is no shortage of boats available. In fact, I dare say most any boat is available - for the right price!

Which brings me to the value of a survey. While employed for various brokerage houses and dealerships, we as sales personnel urged our buyers to have any used boat surveyed prior to purchase. Likewise, before accepting a boat in trade, the "house" would have a mechanical and conditon survey performed on the trade. There are different types of surveys available. For the buyer, it is essential to have a pre-purchase or condition survey done on the boat prior to purchase. This type of survey is not to be confused with an appraisal or valuation survey. These are performed for the owner of the yacht generally for insurance purposes but often to get a handle on the yachts' value.

A thorough pre-purchase survey will find the boat commissioned and in the water and the surveyor will accompany the buyer for the seatrial. The surveyor will also inspect the vessel out of the water. This survey takes much longer to perform than an appraisal survey and will also cost more. Often the seller will make an older survey available to the potential buyer. Careful for what you wish for! Usually, it is an appraisal survey which the owner had carried out to obtain hull insurance. And, indeed, it was performed in the past - often years in the past. These types of surveys are great for the owner because they are very kind to the boats' condition: they don't go into too much detail other than the boat's specifications. It also gives the owner a market value and a replacement value. In this day and age - ouch! But brokers love these figures as they usually translate to hyper-inflated asking prices.

For the pursuer of a classic yacht, the buyer must beware of intrinsic structural problems. Will a pre-purchase survey make the buyer aware of potential problems? Not always. In wooden boats particularly, problems such as leaks, rot, and loose structures will often be hidden behind built in joinery or the inner ceiling. Corroded or de-zincified bottom fasteners will not be discovered unless several fasteners are removed in an appropriate pattern. In a recent survey I was privy to, I noticed the statement "all observed keel bolts appeared sound". Interesting since no destructive disassembly took place as the survey reminds the reader throughout. It is therefore safe to assume that nary a keelbolt was removed - thus, the nut, washer and whatever amount of thread being exposed is, well, sound! This is useless information to anyone trying to assess what he or she is about to buy.

Anyone buying a classic yacht, in particular a wooden classic yacht, will require either the skills or the resources or both to carry on with the yacht's legacy. In a previous blog entry, I touched on full disclosure by the seller. It is up to the buyer to dig for the truth. Most sellers are not willing to admit, for whatever reasons, that their boat may have a problem or two. And here's where we get into semantics. What exactly is reconditioned, rebuilt, restored. Often these words are contained in the listing. It is up to the buyer to figure out what it means exactly. A carefully worded listing will naturally steer the reader in a positive direction by creating excitement and sometimes even urgency for the buyer. A worthwhile surveyor working for the buyer, will naturally look in a negative direction and hopefully turn up any and all defects in the yacht. For the collector of vintage wooden boats, it is not uncommon to have pieces of the interior removed for the survey particularly in the chainplate region; the owner will of course have nothing to hide and will grant permission providing the yacht is returned to its original condition. The same holds true for bottom fasteners and deck screws providing the fastening and bung is replaced. It is the buyer's responsibility to contract a boatyard in advance for the hauling during survey and to perform any structural removal for inspection purposes.

All too often the dream gets in the way of reality for the classic yacht owner. The best foundation for the successful stewardship of a classic is knowing in advance what you are getting into. I have used the analogy that buying a boat is similar to joining a club. The purchase price is merely an initiation fee. The yearly dues are relentless - they keep coming and coming in the form of invoices for storage, maintenance, upgrades, and repairs. This is the costly part of the ownership. When buying the boat, find out all the information available about the boat's condition in order to make a sound decision.

Summer is Here

Over the past month I have been boating in one form or another in New York, Maine, Connecticut, and California. While I enjoy having the waters to myself, an alarming fact became apparent that very few boatowners are actually using their boats. Perhaps it is early in the season but late spring offers exceptional boating conditions. Brisk evenings and warm afternoons, with the usual prevailing breezes makes for memorable cruises.

However, I suspect part of the reason for boats not being used is their owners have cut back significantly on their boating budgets. Yes, for many owners, the boat is the last item on the agenda to receive a portion of the paycheck. As a result, not only do the boats suffer, but their owner's are usually relegated to some inane "honeydo" list on the homefront. Such a pity!

Perhaps it is time to hire the professional to carry on with the outstanding project list that keeps the boat on its boatstands in some hot, dusty boatyard. Obviously, the easy choice is to commission the boatyard by making the inevitable phone call. No problem, right? Not so fast. Can you be sure you are getting skilled and experienced labor? How soon will they get to the job? And what is the labor rate - do you even know?

There is the alternative in contracting your own workforce from outside the boatyard or marina. Often these mechanics, carpenters, painters, and canvas professionals are found from fellow boaters who recommend their services. Most advertise in the boating magazines or list their services via the internet or trade publications. Your efforts will be well spent in finding a marine tradesperson: make the call and ask the right questions. Invite them down to see the project. Ask them about their professional experience: how long have they worked in the business; how much do they charge; what are their billing practices; will they provide references; do they carry enough insurance allowing them to work in a "closed" yard; when can they start; about how long will the job take; do they look organized and fastidious. From this initial meeting, the owner will get a sense if this professional will work out or not.

Oftentimes, this route will save the owner a ton of money simply because an independent contractors' overhead is not even close to that of a boatyard. And, in a boatyard, one never knows who will be assigned to a particular job. You may in fact be paying top dollar for someones apprenticeship program! While the yard manager may seem very pleasant and persuasive, he is probably not going to be doing the actual job. On the other hand, the independent contractor knows that his or her professional reputation is at stake for each and every job they take on. They live by referrals and one bad one can make future work very much in doubt.

It is very difficult to pin a marine contractor down to a set price. If the customer pushes in that direction it is usually out of naivety. Engine and mechanical work aside, most jobs on a boat are very difficult to estimate simply because no two boats are alike. Most contractors prefer a simple estimate based on time and materials. Contract prices are based on an inflated estimate of time and materials. Obviously, everything is negotiable and the boatowner is the one writing the check. The contractor reserves the right to walk away from the job simply because he is in business to make money. And some jobs just don't pay. When the bill is submitted, the contractor expects payment on receipt - in full! Every contractor has their own ground rules: if my customer has an outstanding account past due, I will stop work when the account has reached a predetermined figure. I prefer a downpayment of good faith money before I begin a job and then bill every two weeks. For the customer to receive timely service in the future, it behooves that person to pay attention to the invoices. Respect your contractor as they have very good memories! In return, the contractor will give his or her very best effort, keep a clean and organized job site, and respect your boat as if it were their own home and their own lives depended on it.

My "Prelude"

As the weather warms and the lows pass through at greater intervals, lives take a quickened pace. We seem to want to do everything at once - kindly observe the pace of drivers in the passing lane! For a boater in the northeast and on the Great Lakes, these are particularly desperate times given the length of our season. The projects must be concluded; the boat must get launched; the gear hunted down and stowed aboard; and, the shakedown cruise planned and executed. Most certainly crucial deadlines are involved.

I was fortunate in spending my youth working in boatyards beginning at age 16. There were many more wooden boats back then and there seemed to be many more "characters" wandering the waterfront. At some point during these early years, I decided to make a career of working on boats. I realized that to make a go of it, I would need training since these summer jobs only gave me experience in blocking up boats, washing bottoms, and rigging masts. I began researching various options in the marine field and began studying yacht design. This gave me solid information in hydrodynamics, calculations, and endless amounts of technical information. This correspondence course forced me to draw a full set of lines in ink which required a natural skill I did not possess; and, a desk job was not going to cut it. Eventually, an epiphany occured as I strolled through the San Francisco Maritime Museum: I would build a boat and go to sea.

Up to this point, my carpentry experience consisted of building a crude table. In the Northwest during the early 70's, ferro-cement construction for the amatuer builder was commonplace. I had applied to a boatbuilding course at the local vocational school in Tacoma, WA for which there was a waiting list. My choice was not difficult: I would begin building the hull immediately. Within a week I had purchased a set of plans for a replica Friendship sloop and rented a portion of a covered shed at the end of a pier on Commencement Bay.

The year was 1972 and the armature for the hull was assembled and plastered in roughly 6 months. At this point, I began attending school full time with Joe Trumbly as my instructor. Early on we spent most of the time in the classroom learning design, lofting, and patternmaking. Once this was out of the way, the class could begin their individual boatbuilding projects. For me this would be taking my gaff rigged sloop from a bare hull to a finished sailboat. As with most novice builders, I had my share of problems and bad days. My louvered door frames comes to mind: as I neared the point of launching the first set across the room with the appropriate amount of profanity, Trumbly stepped in and simply said, "no you're not!" He was a first rate instructor who had an unbelievable amount of talent and patience. The boat eventually got built within the 2 year time frame of the boatbuilding course. This included hollow spruce spars, deadeyes and lanyards, vertically staved teak cabin trunk, an interior with a V-berth forward, a seat to port, and coal burning stove, sink and counter to starboard, a sliding teak hatch, louvered doors, and a cockpit with an outboard motor well, teak decked seats, toerails forward and rail caps aft. She was christened "Prelude."

Our maiden voyage in early March was in typical Puget Sound fashion. For a New Englander, the weather in the Northwest always seems mild. However, the waters are ice cold. In the Gig Harbor area, the winds always funnel through the Narrows making for unpredictable gusts. What seems the perfect breeze at one moment will unaccountably scream bloody murder in an instant. This is how we were knocked down on our very first sail in the middle of the Narrows. Fortunately, only the cockpit flooded and I was thankful for large cockpit drains and companionway doors that were closed. That was my last ferro-cement boat and my last sailing experience in the Northwest. My wife and I were soon to become parents for the first time and we agonized many nights as to should we stay or should we go (back east). I had a full time job finishing out fiberglass bare hulls for the Alaskan fisheries in the town of Puyallup, WA. We loved the area and were making some very close friends. But we missed our families and that is a very strong pull. So it was decided: we would move east before the baby was born.

However, where exactly was still unknown.

A Boater's Life, Part 1

There are countless resources for the boatowner in this day and age. There are hundreds of books dealing with all sorts of minutia on the subject matter, workshops, videos, classes, websites, and on and on. Yet, nothing substitutes for the experience gained by casting off from the dock or mooring in a sound and readied boat, and heading out. Believe me, there is no better way to learn.

For many of us, boating is a generational thing; ie, our parents had boats and often our children will have boats when they come of age. My first boating memory was on Lake Erie: a huge cardboard box arriving from the Alcort factory in Waterbury, CT containing all the parts and pieces for a plywood Sailfish, the predecessor to the ever popular Sunfish. At the time, my Dad was a young man; and, over the course of his life five boats followed, including his last, a Luders 36. On each of those boats I have fond memories, snapshots of my youth, and I enjoyed many wonderful sails aboard each. When I eventually became a young man, I owned and lived aboard "Halcyon" with my wife and infant daughter. Other boats were to follow. Similarly, my son has recently purchased his first boat, a vintage wooden sloop we both are busy getting ready for the coming season.

For me, boating is a family affair. Boatowners have many reasons for making their first purchase though my favorite reason is that it is something the whole family can participate in together. And, taken to the extreme as was in my case, the boat became our liveaboard home for many years. A home with a simple, cozy interior - tied to the dock in the winter and on a mooring during the summer months, sometimes with 3 dingys hanging off the stern. And we took cruises - weeks and sometimes months at a time. Our family was young enough to know any better - before kids grew old enough for summer jobs. It was an experience they will take with them for all of their lives. And then, just maybe, pass this cruising life along to their children.

During our liveaboard experience, we had the good fortune of meeting other cruisers, some with small children aboard. Many have become lifelong friends, and to this day, some of us still sail together. This points to another grand reason why people choose a boater's life - the enjoyment of meeting other cruisers and liveaboards. Many of the great yachtsmen that have gone before us - Eric and Susan Hiscock, Irving and Exy Johnson, Hal and Margaret Roth, Lin and Larry Pardey, all seem to agree, the most wonderful part of cruising are the friendships made along the way. These folks, among others, are the great ones - the pioneers of small boat cruising, bravely crossing oceans before the days of GPS and other modern conveniences of navigation. Their cruises and writings have inspired a generation of sailors and influenced small boat safety and seamanship as we know it today.


Many will not find the inclination to take heroic offshore passages and be thoroughly content with cruises in local waters - an overnighter or a weeks worth of day trips can be just as exhilarating and gratifying. The important thing to remember - just go. You won't regret it!

Take My Boat....Please!

I am told that the second happiest day in a boater's life is the day the boat is sold. It may very well be the happiest day; "buyer's remorse" should be taken into account when the boat is purchased! Using the logic that nobody needs a boat, great care and a colossal amount of effort must be taken when selling a boat. For sailboat owners, it is particularly true when one considers the fact that only 1 in 7 boats sold are sailboats.

There are many strategies available to the seller: the important thing to note is the more exposure the boat has to the buying public, the greater the chance of selling at or near asking price. Develop a marketing strategy and execute. If using a yacht broker, fully understand their marketing strategy and fees. Be sure the boat is accessible and ready to be shown. Print out flyers with plenty of pictures and a well written advertisement containing "features and benefits" of the boat. These can be used for postings at community bulletin boards, yacht clubs, and left aboard as handouts.

Have a look through the advertisements in the various "Boats for Sale" websites. Are the pictures worthwhile? Does the write up create excitement? Do you get a sense of urgency to buy the boat? It is doubtful. Often the pictures are an afterthought or taken at the last minute. Why in the world would anyone advertise pictures of a boat under shrink wrap? How can anyone get a feel for the deck layout, the cockpit arrangement, or the anchoring setup when the photographer has to crawl around under a shrink wrap cover? I understand many boats come on the market during the off season; there is no legitimate reason to wait until the boat is laid up and under cover to photograph the boat.

Photos will create interest in the boat; a showing might very well sell the boat. Any buyer worth their salt will want to give a very close inspection of the boat. The prospective client will want to look in lockers, under floor boards, snoop around the engine compartment, and anywhere else access can be gained - as it should be. It makes sense that the boat be in spotless condition for the showing with a total absense of extraneous gear, the sellers' person items, and anything else not included in the sale including food, magazines, clothing, bedding, half used cleaning products, dirty rags, and so on. Yes, this is the seller's responsibility to make the boat clutter free and clean for the showing - not the broker's! Selling a boat is difficult enough: work the details in your favor. When showing the boat, open it up and air it out beforehand. The object here is to make the buyer fall in love and often love is at first sight.

If you are aware of problems with the condition of the boat, it is best to fully disclose the problems prior to survey. The buyer will be greatful for your honesty and it will help in building a trusting relationship between buyer and seller. Every boat has its share of problems - leaks, cosmetics, vibrations, and so on - some worse than others. As a seller, it is best to correct any known major problems before putting the boat on the market otherwise it could become a sticking point in future negotiations. If the seller is unwilling to make the repairs, it should be pointed out to the buyer that this has been reflected in the asking price.

If all goes well with the showing, follow up with the buyer. Perhaps an offer was made. Now what? If the offer is accepted, a purchase agreement will be drawn up either by the broker or the seller. Along with a signed agreement, a deposit to hold the boat is put into escrow and typically a survey and sea trial will follow before closing the deal. Once the survey is reviewed by the buyer, the original offer may be retracted based on recommendations in the survey. If the problems aren't too serious, a counter offer will be made and it will be up to the seller to decide if the number is acceptable. If preparations were made to sell the boat with obsessive detail, the day the deal is closed will perhaps be the happiest day in the life of a former boatowner.

Wanna Buy a Boat?

It is possible that many reading this post are "between boats". Finding the right boat is often a time consuming process involving many fruitless inspections. I encourage buyers to be realistic in determining the purpose of their new purchase. Will the boat be used as a year-round live-aboard? Should it be capable of long range cruising? How much room is actually required? Will the boat be tied up at the dock 80% of the time and then hauled out during the off season?

It is amazing to me to see all the boats tied at the dock during the beautiful weather. It is sad to witness the empty pilothouses, the stained topsides, the algae coated fenders, and the perverbial shore cord. What a waste! Millions of dollars of equipment sitting idle, patiently waiting for its next mission. If only the owners had been realistic in assessing their needs before they went to the boat show.

It has been said that nobody needs a boat. With the advent of production building during the late 1950's and early 60's, boating became affordable to more than just the very rich. During the heyday of the 70's and 80's ownership grew tremendously and buying a boat could simply be put on a payment plan. At boatshows, eager salesmen hawking their wares aboard a landlocked chrome-plater seemed to provide some sort of answer to a yearning or inner need. And before you could say hard-a-lee, a purchase agreement was signed and immediately our egos were overcome with self gratification. No doubt, buying a boat is purely an emotional decision. But buying a boat to suit your needs can be planned and well thought out.

There are some important points to be aware of in the buying or selling process. Obviously, there is no such thing as a perfect boat. But it is fun to imagine one. We have all spent countless hours wandering up and down waterfronts dreaming what someday might be. And during those times we have imagined what that perfect boat might be. However, that boat is usually far more money than we are willing to spend. Now the compromises begin.

Set in your mind a price point and stick to it. Scour the listings to see what is available. Look for value. No boat is forever. There will no doubt be a time when you and yours part ways. One thing I have witnessed over and over: a new or left over model boat is purchased during a boatshow with a small downpayment with the remainder financed; and, for one reason or another, a year or two later, the boat needs to be sold. Because the boat is financed, , the payoff on the boat is far more than what it will fetch on the used boat market. If only the owner had been more realistic and less emotional in the buying process.

Many prefer involving a broker in the buying or selling of a boat. The broker will assist in the paperwork, as well as in the negotiation process between buyer and seller. They will coordinate seatrials, surveys, bank financing, and closing the deal. They will also be able to assist in registering and documenting the vessel. Their job is to build relationships. This is how they acquire customers which often leads to referrals. These people are generally outgoing, hard working, and honest boaters. I have worked with many brokers and I can't remember a bad penny among them. Beware of the people they work for, however!

It should not be a problem to work on your own in the buying process. There are many owners who choose to list their boats on their own. No matter how sweet the deal looks, I strongly advise having the boat surveyed. If making an offer on a boat, it should be contingent on the survey, and if financed, obtaining financing. Be sure to have the seller initial the listing when signing the purchase agreement as this will state what equipment is included in the sale.

If possible, obtain a blank purchase agreement from a broker and study it. This contract will contain important points that should not be overlooked. The purchase agreement will include but not limited to: the name and address of buyer and seller; the particulars of the vessel; the purchase price; the deposit - typically 10% of purchase price; list of contigencies - typically survey, seatrial, mechanical evaluation (all at the expense of the buyer). Generally, the contract stipulates that the buyer will give written acceptance or rejection of the vessel within 5 days of the survey and seatrial. If accepted, a closing date is chosen usually 30 days after acceptance. The deal also is contigent on the buyer receiving adequate financing. The contract will stiipulate other details; for example, that the vessel is free of encumbrances or liens; where the vessel will be located at closing; the funds are to be cash or certified bank funds; that there are no warranties to the boat either expressed or implied. These are the highlights of any purchase agreement and must be understood by both buyer and seller if a smooth transaction is to take place.

Certainly there is room for negotiation once the contract has been signed if the survey or seatrial don't meet the buyer's expectations. I have seen deals fall through at this stage many times. The deposit is returned to the buyer, and everyone goes their own separate ways. Full disclosure by the seller will save everyone a lot of time. Sooner or later, a boats' problems will come to light. For the potential buyer, a thorough survey is an invaluable tool at the negotiating table as well as the peace of mind it gives for the new boat owner.

If you are considering selling a boat, please consider reading my post in the coming days.

In Consideration of Trim, Finish Work, and Inexpensive Paint

Once the project has been designed, the pattern made, the wood cut and faired, the pieces fit and glued, what was once a vision is now a reality. The fact is, once started - the hard part is over. A progression of processes has taken place - a momentum has begun - and the next thing you know you are admiring your work!

It may be possible at this juncture to finish the piece with paint or varnish before installing. Finish work is far easier to accomplish while the piece is still in the shop. If the bare work is installed on the boat before sanding, filling, priming, painting or varnishing, you will be making many more trips up the ladder usually working in an awkward position without good lighting, and, in the winter, farther from the heating source. However, be absolutely sure that the piece fits where it is to be installed. Any slight adjustment to the piece must be done before painting or varnishing.

I generally give my work a "builder's" finish. Painting is a trade unto itself; a journeyman brush or spray painter has honed his or her skills for many, many years. I enjoy watching them prep a surface and am constantly amazed at the high level of finish they are able to achieve. They can make the topsides of a 50 year old carvel planked boat look like a bottle!

Generally, I give work below decks a coat of primer and two coats of finish; if varnished, a coat of filler stain and 3 or 4 coats of varnish. Above decks, a coat of primer and 3 or 4 coats will suffice. Varnish work demands a build up of coats to eliminate a grainy appearance and to get a glass like finish. On mahogany I first use a filler stain (it fills the grain) wiped down until the grain of the wood is clearly visible. Once the stain has dried, I start building coats of thinned spar varnish "wet on wet" usually two coats per day until I have 4 coats. I then level it with 150 grit and use full strength varnish for the next coat; for subsequent coats I go with 220 grit with the goal of a total of 7 coats.

For finish coats, I prefer using about 2 caps of mineral spirits per pint along with a cap or two of Penetrol or boiled linseed to eliminate drag in the brush. These proportions holds true for oil based paints and spar varnish. I am not a big fan of paying top dollar for product from the national marine chain stores. In fact, I look for my paint products in my local hardware store; this is the local guy who is competing against the national hardware chain outlet. My guy stocks Man-O-War spar varnish so I buy it. He stocks quarts of Rustoleum oil-based Flat white and Gloss white so I buy it. He also supplies my Kilz original primer by the gallon, various thinners, sandpaper, scraper blades and files, Formula 27 putty, mahogany surfacing putty, and China bristle paint brushes. I supply my own rags (worn out undies and shirts) and my own paint pots (yogurt containers). There are times I have to break down and order Pettit, Interlux or some other fancy paint. It practically kills me. Unfortunately, these guys seem to have a corner on the market when it comes to Bristol beige, Sandtone, Hatteras off-white, mahogany filler stain brown or red, natural boatyard bedding compound, and seam compound underwater and above the waterline.

All horizontal seams and any exposed end-grain will be sealed and hidden by trim. Consideration of trim should be done in the design phase although now is a good time to design the actual dimensions. Common sense is the rule-of-thumb: again, if it looks right it probably is. Cut a section of the proposed trim out of cardboard or thin plywood. Hold it up to the piece it will join into or sit atop of. Does it serve its designed purpose? Is it large enough or is it gaudy? Will it flow into its neighboring piece without causing notice? How difficult will this trim piece be able to turn out with the available tooling and stock? Will it be easy to refinish when the time comes? Can I get a decent fastening down through the top or side? Will the head be bunged with a wooden plug or puttied? As with any new piece of work on a boat, it is best to pre-finish the trim before installation. If the trim is bunged, the final coat will need to be applied after installation. For exterior trim it is best to use a non-hardening bedding compound on installation. All too often, glue or some sort of moisture cured rubber is used for bedding which makes for not only a long clean-up process but an impossible job of removing the trim for refinishing.

Finally, when brightwork is adjacent to paintwork, I suggest doing all the varnish first and cut the paint work into the varnish as it's easier to wipe paint from varnish than vice versa. I have other thoughts on the matter, but this is enough for now.

Wood Butchers Are In Recovery

Carpentry projects often seem to be a recovery process. Unfortunately, things often spin out of control once a mistake is made. I don't care who you are, we all make mistakes. More than once I have said to myself: "I didn't make the people and put them on the world". With this in mind, never let fear enter the thought process. It is ok to make mistakes. The longer this art of boatbuilding is practiced the more adept we become. And the better the preparation, the less chance for error.

Preparation takes many forms. The job site must be accessible, well lit, and ideally have a power source. In southern climes, it must be protected from the midday sun; and, likewise up north, the site must be reasonably heated (usually in the dead of winter this translates as not freezing). The required tools must be close at hand and a work area must be established for laying out. This can be a table made up of saw horses and plywood or, a bona fide work bench with a carpenters vice. Another consideration is ease of getting aboard the boat. In a shop this means having a stairway built with a platform at the top; in a boatyard, this usually means a stout ladder tied at the top to the boat.

Once these prerequisites are met, it is time to go to work. Whatever it is we plan to accomplish has already been developed in our mind . We can see the end result. If you can't see it, you are not ready to start it! For a carpentry project I prefer to sketch what it is I am about to build. This establishes dimensions and allows me to see the joints I am about to fit. Trust me, I am no illustrator! But I can draw lines and I can write measurements to these lines. I have drawn on scraps of wood, bench tops, sandpaper, and boxes; however, I prefer making my diagrams in a hardcover notebook. And these notebooks I save. These drawings for me are just as important as the finished product is for the customer.

Once I am satisfied with my sketch (call it what you will, it is the design), I can go to the next step of patternmaking. A pattern will save time and material, period! And, major flaws in the design will come immediately to your attention. For something built in plywood, the pattern for the particular piece (be it a bunk flat, seat back, or top to a box) is made up of five 2" strips of 1/4" ply or door skin glued and clamped at the corners. The fifth piece is glued on a diagonal to keep the assembly from racking. If one edge is bevelled, the angle is written on the pattern, transferred to the finish stock and either cut or hand planed.

Now that a pattern is made and everything looks like a go, its time to cut wood. But, be sure to draw accurate lines on the finish stock. This little detail is often overlooked. Saws are an essential tool for the woodworker and these include various handsaws, table saw, sabre saw (at EBW we called these jiggle saws), chop saw, sawsall, bandsaw, Skill saw, and radial arm saw. I also like my electric chain saw. This is just my collection - you may want to add to this list.
And with this collection goes the assortment of saw blades including the oft overlooked set of dado blades used on either the table saw or radial arm saw. For certain projects a router can be used effectively though this is one of my least favorite power tool in terms of the noise and dust it produces. More often than not, the same result can be accomplished with hand tools. Once the lines are drawn, determine whether to leave the line or split the line when cutting.

Once wood has been cut, joints are now fitted. Use common sense in the design of joints: if it looks right, it probably is. Joints are strongest if they a) fit perfectly, b)glued according to manufacturer's guidelines, c)mechanically fastened. My preference for joints are scarf, shiplap, and miter. When everything fits, assembly can begin. Be sure to have enough clamps, and if glueing, enough time is allowed for assembly and the temperature to cure the glue is reasonable.

At this stage, one never seems to have enough hands. Glueing up can challenge the most experienced: it all depends on the complexity of the project. Try to anticipate any problems befoe they arise. Using clamps can be awkward - sometimes they won't work for the job at hand. Be clever with your alternatives: a piece of line as a spanish windlass, blocks and hand cut shallow wedges, props and shores to the floor, ceiling, wall, or some other immoveable object, weights (save old car batteries!) , and so on. This is the tipping point of your project. It should be a cake walk from here.

Whatever we are building can now be installed. Consider at this point to finish (paint or varnish) before installation. I have covered alot here; best take a break! We still need to discuss the role of trim in this project.

Organization is a Process

Efficient work routines evolve from previous mistakes. This time of year, when demand is the heaviest, the work is spread out among boatyards in many different locations, sometimes in different states.

Professionals in the boat business are often compulsive people and yes, obsessively so. Don't get me started about misplacing a hammer, an instruction sheet, or a top to a container. It can ruin an otherwise productive week! That said, it can be very challenging to multi-task on different projects. But it can be done and in multiple locations.

Much of the groundwork for a productive day takes place in the wee hours of the morning planning, fidgetting, and fretting about the coming day. Often the best ideas, solutions, and decisions takes place tossing and turning during the night. To successfully bring about an end result on a boat project first requires a clear vision of that result. The finished product must be visualized before it can be brought to reality. In reality, there are no architect drawings to work off of unless, of course, you happen to be the architect. Builder's sketches will have to suffice. Often golfers are said to visualize a shot before they swing the club. It is very true for boat projects.

Because of this visualization process, it is easy think of nothing else - the brain has put this task in the front of the queue. But it's a trap! Other jobs on different boats can be figured out and actually worked on in the same day. Let's face it: noone I know has survived in this business with just one happy customer - ideally, we want them all to be happy. Hence, the need for multi-tasking.

I like to group boat projects into catagories or skills. If possible, I prefer tackling different jobs in the same catagory on the same day. My tools will be easier to assemble, and the materials will have more in common. The skills in boatbuilding are mechanical, carpentry, painting and glassing. I leave electronics to the nerds. And there are some jobs I won't go near simply because there are others much better qualified; ie, sail and canvas makers, metal fabricators and welders, diesel and outboard mechanics, etc. These journeymen have paid their dues from years of being on the job and are worth every penny of what they charge.

So if I have an assortment of boats requiring paint work, I plan accordingly. I load up the truck with staging horses and planks, finish brushes and throw away brushes, sandpaper of assorted grits, thinner, paint and varnish, tack rags and towels, surgical gloves, boiled linseed, paint pots and a couple of small boxes, and stirring sticks. What have I forgotten? Extension cords, adaptors for Hubbell fittings, power sander, and dust masks. And to any job I always bring warm clothes and a hat, food, and water. And don't ever leave home without your scraper, file, and chisel.

Carpentry jobs require more intense planning as each job is a process. Having completed the visualization process, the next step is preparing the job site. More on that later.

Welcome to the latest edition of the Classic Yacht Restorations' website. We hope you like the obvious improvements and the new features such as this blog page. In the coming months, I intend to publish features on this blog page for all boatowners to enjoy. Check back every so often to see what's new!

As the weather grows warmer, the pace quickens around the boatyards, reaching a near frantic crescendo in the month of May. This is the season, short as it may be, to use our boats and, just as importantly, work through the various projects from our action plan for improvements and repairs on our boats. And here in southern New England, we are blessed with reasonably decent weather from April through October. However, the water is still damn cold this time of year so I reserve the spring months for projects, not sailing.

Yesterday, April 20, 2010, was a momentous occasion. Northern Light was splashed for the first time under her new ownership. The 32' Danish sloop built in 1961 was trucked down from Vermont a few weeks back and almost immediately, work commenced to get her launched post haste. A woodenboat complains bitterly when out of her element; she gets payback on launching day and there is only so much good underwater seam compound accomplishes! When launching day finally arrives, it pays to have more than one large capacity pump available, particularly if she is not allowed to sit in the slings for any period of time. She will drown her engine if allowed - that's payback! It is always amusing to observe the owner's "look of concern" as water pours in from below. But a day later, things usually quiet down and, one by one, the pumps can be removed.

She now sits in her slip alive again to the movement of a protected cove. No more ladders to negotiate, just other boats and the waterfront. Granted stationary machines are a hike and a half away but, often, hand tools and portable power tools serve just as well. The major hurdle of launch day is behind us and the boat looks "right" sitting in her element. Now the major projects will begin including building a new galley, installing a rebuilt head, and plumbing a new domestic water system, to name a few. Pictures of the progress will follow soon.