to be or not to be ... wooden classic sailboat (100 years old :) ...

Hi everyone,

I have a question for those who own or work with wooden boats. I don't currently own a wooden sailboat, but I've been in love with their shape for a very long time. I now have an opportunity to buy one that needs some DIY work but is generally in good condition. However, I'm unsure if buying a wooden boat is a wise choice.

I've heard from fiberglass boat owners that wood can be problematic in marine environments, and many of them prefer to have as little wood as possible on their boats due to maintenance concerns. Wood just looks and feels so good to me, though.

My main concern is whether I’ll be able to balance the time required for maintenance with my family life and kids. I’m not afraid of DIY projects—I've done a lot of hands-on work, including renovating three of our homes over the last 10 years. I have experience with woodworking, and I own most of the tools that would make the job easier. But I still don’t know what it’s really like to own a wooden boat.

I'd love to hear about your experiences or points of view on this topic. Any advice or insights would be greatly appreciated!

 

The first thing would be to hire a marine surveyor with experience on wooden boat. That will provide you with an unbiased and qualified opinion of the condition of the boat and the cost/labor necessary if any.

 

How much work, how much time, how much money.
You need a certified marine surveyor to evaluate that.

Often the buyer and the seller will split to cost of the survey.
The buyer then can walk away if they choose and the seller
retains the survey for future use.
The surveyor may also provide you with
an estimate of annual maintenance costs.

From your brief description in your opening post,
no, a 100 yo wooden boat is not for you.

EDIT: What's wrong with the Carter 43 you presently own?

 

Chapaef,

What's wrong with the Carter 43 you presently own?
Why are you replacing it?

 

BlueBell I am not, I am just playing with idea of the wooden boat. Nothing more...