rerigging columbia 29

[chrisv]

I am currently negotiating to buy a columbia 29 that needs a lot of work (I've been sailing for a few years but this is my first boat). One job that I know is going to need to be done is completely rerigging the boat. I would like to have it done professionally. Can anyone give me some idea what rigging might cost (assume starting over from scratch)?

My overall plan for this summer is to haul the boat out. In addition to having the rigging redone, I hope to sand and paint the mast. I will repair the few soft spots in the deck. I will have current non working gas engine and gas tank removed, as well as the propellor. I guess I will grind out and glass over any holes in the hull that this causes. Hull finish is dull and ugly. Should I sand and paint hull with epoxy and then awlgrip? (going to repower with outboard) I also want to have someone check the rudder to make sure it is good shape, and have it fixed if necessary. In addition I will check the hull to deck joint all around the boat. After this work I'm hoping to have a boat that I can put into the water and sail safely. (I'll worry about interior next year)

If anyone would care to comment on this list of work in terms of what I might try myself and what I should leave to professionals or estimates or wild guesses on costs? Please let me know. Oh, and the reason I'm doing this is because after all of this work is done I will own a Sparkman and Stevens designed boat that strikes me as safe as well as beautiful.

Thanks in advance for any advice,
Chris

[sharpii2]

Hi, Chris.

Since nobody else has responded, I will.

I was hoping someone more knowledgeable than I would.

To me, it looks like you are looking at HUGE yard bills, if you want to hire all this work out.

What you really are talking about is a total refit.

If your motivation is to have a 'classic' design that is no longer manufactured in fully found condition, spare no expense, you are going the right way.

I do think you are looking at thousands if not tens of thousands of dollars in yard bills. The cash value of the finished boat may not justify the expense.

I see the epoxying and painting as the most expensive part of the project. The meaning of 'yacht finish' is lots and lots of yard labor.

If you were to do that part yourself, the results may not be perfect, but probably a lot better than the boat's present condition. And the amount $aved could be huge.

[PAR]

Chris, welcome to the forum. Which Columbia 29 do you have (there are three models, the early one the later version and the Defender). It's a classic CCA style boat off the boards of S&S, but doesn't hold it's value in the current market very well.

I suspect you have a dead Atomic 4, spent rig, old sail inventory and worn out gel coat, not to mention the interior finishes and other systems such as the out dated and likely faulty electrical and plumbing.

I have a friend who will give me his 1968 Columbia 29, if I promise to fix it up, but it needs about as much work as your and not worth the effort, unfortunately.

If you have an affinity for this boat for some reason, by all means fix her up, but costs will be high, unless you can muster up some "sweat equity" to offset some of the labor and shop rate costs of outside help.

If you still have a mast, you should keep it, ditto the boom and reaching pole. Rigging is application specific, but you'll have a minimum of 200' feet in stays and shrouds to replace, which will run $2 to $4 per foot, just in wire. The terminals (things on the ends of the wires) are also likely needing renewal, figure about $50 for each wire, just in bits and pieces (I estimate $300), bringing the grand total to around $600 - $800, just for the materials. This doesn't include swaging the terminals to the wires, attaching the tangs, etc., just the materials. You can easily run into a few grand to have a pro re-rig your boat.

I wouldn't worry about paint and finish issues until you sort out the mechanical systems. The reason being, that you're going to be dragging things and people on and off the boat, repeatedly in the coming months, getting things working or replaced. No sense screwing up a nice paint job in the process. The finishing should be the last thing on the list.

Honestly, you should have her surveyed. This will give you a list of things to address and an idea of the costs and value of the boat. This should have been done before purchase, but it's never too late.