daysail trimaran restoration project questions

Discussion in 'Boat Design' started by Siphon, Nov 3, 2013.

  1. Siphon
    Joined: Nov 2013
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    Location: South Carolina

    Siphon New Member

    I recently moved to Columbia, SC and in my exploring I came across an old daysail trimaran in need of restoration. I've got some experience with rebuilds having restored my '79 Mutineer Champion Series. This trimaran was found rotting away on the lawn of the local boatyard. The Fish & Games tag dates 7-82, so I know it is at least that old. The shrouds are frayed or bent, lines rotted away, and some of the metal fittings rusted. The trailer is in need of repair too. I know it's been sitting for at least a couple decades, as evidenced by the 10' tree growing between the main hull and pontoon... What I'm unsure of is whether this find[is honestly worth the effort. So I've got a few questions I was hoping to get guidance from here:
    1) How do I figure out the make, model, year of this boat?
    2) How do I determine an offering price? The guy at the boat yard tried to tell me $1,500. I can't imagine it's worth that much.
    3) Aside from the obvious shrouds, lines, electrical wiring and rusty fittings that will need replacing any other additional surprises I should look for to determine if this craft is salvageable?

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  2. Richard Woods
    Joined: Jun 2006
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    Richard Woods Woods Designs

    I bought a monohull dinghy in a similar state a year ago for USD150, basically for the mast and boom

    I'd start by saying that "it is a real eyesore and I'll take off your hands for nothing" Certainly I wouldn't pay more than USD150. It will be a lot of work to tidy up, and sails will cost you, even if you buy old Hobie sails

    you'll have to post dimensions etc to help us decide what design it is

    Richard Woods of Woods Designs

    www.sailingcatamarans.com
     
  3. messabout
    Joined: Jan 2006
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    messabout Senior Member

    Most derelict boat bargains are not bargains. The boat yard ought to pay you a reasonable fee to get the miserable thing out of their yard. Once in a blue moon a real deal will come up. This one not likely. If a tree has grown up between the hulls that ought to tell you something which is not encourageing.
     
  4. Petros
    Joined: Oct 2007
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    Petros Senior Member

    most of the value is in the trailer, in that condition I would say about $200. tops.

    But even if it was free, it might cost more to make usable than just buying one off of Craig's list that is in sea worthy condition. There is a saying among boat owners, the boat you can afford least is the free one.

    there might be a reason it has been abandon too, even if in perfectly good condition, it may not be a good design, or it might have some extensive and costly damage to the hull.
     
  5. Stumble
    Joined: Oct 2008
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    Stumble Senior Member

    Wrong thread sorry.
     
  6. sharpii2
    Joined: May 2004
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    Location: Michigan, USA

    sharpii2 Senior Member

    I once bought an old Pintail dinghy for $500.

    The hull was very run down, the rigging was fair, but the bearings in the trailer were shot.

    I had to replace them before I could even take the boat off the guy's property.

    The sails, however, had been kept indoors and were in excellent condition.

    I rigged it, launched it, and sailed it two seasons, before selling to someone else.

    The person I sold it to, wanted to restore it.

    So I don't buy the argument that buying a derelict is always a bad deal.

    It certainly is, if you want a boat that is in 'yacht condition'.

    It would probably cost many hundreds of dollars to reenforce the tired hull and put a decent, durable paint job on it.

    The issue is, that if you get the derelict, you may be able to put it into some sort of useable condition for a modest amount of money, then upgrade it over the years.

    You may end up spending more money, over the long run, but you will probably not have to borrow too much of it.

    This may make the impossible possible for some people.

    Rich people go yachting.

    Poor people go boating.

    They care less about how the boat actually looks than about having one in the first place. They might use hardware fittings to replace corroded nautical ones.

    Seeing something that's been abandoned for decades sail again, even minus the shine of its gel coat, and with a good deal of it's original performance degraded, is gratifying almost beyond words.

    It may well look like a corpse brought back to life, but there's a certain amount of romance to that too.

    One old boat, I was involved in, was so tired its leeward shroud sagged noticeably. I talked the new owners into sailing around an island that had a channel between it and the main land, that was only about two or three boat lengths wide. Much of it was upwind. The tired old thing made it around the island-under sail.

    200 to 500 seems like a fair price range.
     
  7. upchurchmr
    Joined: Feb 2011
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    upchurchmr Senior Member

    Siphon,

    That boat is a Sailbird trimaran.
    I don't have any other information, but one is for sale.

    http://www.sailboatlistings.com/view/34625
    My memory says comments about the boat were that the fiberglass was somewhat heavy, which might be better for a rescue job.

    I believe in the last two years there was one in the Everglades challange. It might be the same one since it was also widened.

    Good luck, please let us know what you do.
    If it was around me and in the $200 range I might think about it seriously. But you are 1000+ miles away. Of course I have some leftovers from a couple of catamarans!
     
  8. Siphon
    Joined: Nov 2013
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    Location: South Carolina

    Siphon New Member

    Thank you all! So I've tracked down the owner and he is not willing to part with the boat for less than about $1500. He apparently is afraid someone is going to pull one over on him. I may talk to him about $200 but if he insists on higher then it's dead on the beach.

    Upchurchmr, I like that one you linked, thank you. That is about what I was thinking of doing to this one had the owner sold it.
     
  9. upchurchmr
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    upchurchmr Senior Member

    Wait 4 months and ask again.
    And again until you don't care.
    He might start thinking about there is no value just sitting there.
     
  10. Petros
    Joined: Oct 2007
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    Location: Arlington, WA-USA

    Petros Senior Member

    tell him if he gets the trailer in roadworthy condition (tires, wheel bearings, etc), and the boat so it can be sailed, and you will give him $1500. otherwise $400 as it sits.
     

  11. Corley
    Joined: Oct 2009
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    Corley epoxy coated

    It's amazing to me that someone would ask $1500 for a boat in that state even if it's structurally sound wouldn't you at least clean the leaves out and attempt to make it look a little shipshape? It really is no wonder so many boats fall apart on their moorings or on hardstands when coupled with the unrealistic value that owners seem to emotively place on their charges. It's a pretty cool boat hope the owner comes to his senses on the price and you can launch a rescue.
     
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