The Price is Right!

[31seahorse]

This weekend I discovered a jackpot deal! Since we sold our Celebrity sailboat several years ago I have been prowling sites for a similar boat. Craiglist offered up several Flying Scots last week, and I thought about driving to Delaware (about 5 hours) for a look at one of them. Decent price asked by the seller, and he planned to include some good equipment.

Saturday evening I received an email from a lady who had recently seen a request I had posted in 2010 for leads on a Celebrity. (Heavens! What is placed on the internet stays on the internet.) After a reply to the email on Saturday evening I made a phone call on Sunday. The family had decided to donate the boat to a charity, but they could not raise interest from those groups. They offered the boat to me for $0 because they felt I could restore it and enjoy it like they did.

I drove 2 3/4 hours to see the boat, and decided it was a great project. Since the registrations for the boat and the trailer were intact I felt I should pay some money for the convenience that provided for me. We agreed on a price and headed for the office for the transfer. The agreed price I paid also avoided questions of value that would have reared their ugly heads if the selling price had been "free".

Sorry, no pictures yet, but I will post some of the work in progress if there is any interest. We just started to dismantle the boat in the barn on Tuesday.

31seahorse

 

[Will Gilmore]

Those are pretty boats. They look like they sail well too.
You must be feeling lucky.
Have fun and keep posting.
- Will (Dragonfly)

 

[31seahorse]

Celebrity sailboat update......

The pictures included don't do the boat justice because it is already in the barn, and the views are far from panoramic! We started the basic removal of wooden parts and old hardware. Work will continue during the winter. Small boat sailors enjoy!



The name will be changed to protect the innocent. "Wicked Wahini" will give way to a name that our granddaughter will help us choose. Of course the appropriate ceremony for name change will be observed.

 

[JRacer]

Used to race against a J24 in TX that was named Wicked Wahini. Looks like a good find and project. Good luck with it.

 

[Rick D]

I see you are from Penn Yan. I really liked the boats the company of the same name manufactured. I looked them up and see they have been gone since 2001.

 

[sailnoproblem]

I see you are from Penn Yan. I really liked the boats the company of the same name manufactured. I looked them up and see they have been gone since 2001.

Yea they were really nice old school boats, only problem was the tunnel drive.

 

[Will Gilmore]

Of course the appropriate ceremony for name change will be observed.

https://forums.sailboatowners.com/index.php?threads/the-practical-renaming-ceremony.188929/
There appears to be some debate about appropriate renaming ceremonies. Whichever route you choose, drinking seems to be the universal.
- Will (Dragonfly)

 

[31seahorse]

To paraphrase an old saying....... Beauty (or in this regard "appropriate ceremony") is in the eye of the beer holder.

 

[heritage]

Wicked Wahini,,, A popular Hawaiian perfume many years ago. Your granddaughter might get a kick out the boat name.

 

[TomY]

Celebrity sailboat update......

The pictures included don't do the boat justice because it is already in the barn, and the views are far from panoramic! We started the basic removal of wooden parts and old hardware. Work will continue during the winter. Small boat sailors enjoy!

View attachment 143754 View attachment 143755 View attachment 143756 View attachment 143757

The name will be changed to protect the innocent. "Wicked Wahini" will give way to a name that our granddaughter will help us choose. Of course the appropriate ceremony for name change will be observed.

Nice find! Especially because it found you. That scenario is becoming less rare. Old boats that can't be sold go looking for a place to donate to.

Trouble is, in some cases, nobody wants the donation because they have more than they can use (to resell).

That was the scenario with a free 26' sail away boat our son now owns and sails the dickens out of.

Friends were approached this past spring by the owner of a beautiful small Pinky schooner. "It's yours if you'll care for it".

A lovely boat in good condition that they are sailing regularly now.

 

[31seahorse]

Nice find! Especially because it found you.

Thanks for your comment. It is always exciting when something other than trouble finds us! Today, I spent about 1 1/2 hours in the barn sanding the cockpit sole planking. I burned up the hand held belt sander, but that was a good thing. I switched to a disc sander which worked better!

RE: Rockport Harbor.....Eileen and I were there in late summer several years ago while she attended a watercolor event. We dragged "Linde", a previous Celebrity, there and I sailed it along with another husband who also had lots of time to spend while his wife painted.

 

[pateco]

Nice find! Especially because it found you. That scenario is becoming less rare. Old boats that can't be sold go looking for a place to donate to.

Trouble is, in some cases, nobody wants the donation because they have more than they can use (to resell).

That was the scenario with a free 26' sail away boat our son now owns and sails the dickens out of.

Friends were approached this past spring by the owner of a beautiful small Pinky schooner. "It's yours if you'll care for it".

A lovely boat in good condition that they are sailing regularly now.

This is how we got the Stargazer. Got to love a free boat.

 

[31seahorse]

Update.....Update: The cooler weather has driven me below ground and indoors! Today I worked in the basement and in the kitchen.

The wood from the cockpit sole has some rot at the ends. I am attempting to rebuild the areas with West System epoxy that has some sanding residue mixed into it. That enhances the color of the epoxy, and I have used that method successfully in the past. Since these boards are not going to be subjected to much pressure or twisting, I feel pretty confident in this method of repair. An added benefit is saving some Rainforest Mahogany!

The shelving boards that are below the side decks are veneer. Many places it is lifting. I used Titebond interior/exterior wood glue. Since the boat will spend its storage time in the barn I think that glue will work fine. Note: (1) Yes, the fourth picture does show bottles of homemade wine. Another good reason for working in the basement! (2) Yes, my wife does let me work on the kitchen counter.

Photos of my work:

 

[Will Gilmore]

My wife and I make wine too. We have used just about every edible fruit and berry there is in the north country. And, flowers. Dandelion and elderflower are excellent. Dandelion's my favorite. We sell it at $350 per bottle (well we would if we had a license to sell).
- Will (Dragonfly)

 

[Scott T-Bird]

What a great name! Tell me you're not changing it.

 

[Will Gilmore]

What a great name! Tell me you're not changing it.

Is this statement, request directed at me? If so, Dragonfly is what I changed the name to. You clearly haven't read my post on changing your boat's name: https://forums.sailboatowners.com/i...ctical-renaming-ceremony.188929/#post-1417473
If, on the other hand, you were referring to the name Stargazer then, "OH PBLBLLEEEEZE!"
-Will (Dragonfly)

 

[Scott T-Bird]

No, I think "Wicked Wahine" is awesome and I wouldn't change it. But, if it needs to be changed, so be it!

 

[31seahorse]

Hello Scott,
I think the names have been confused to protect the innocent! Wicked Wahini is the name on our recently acquired Celebrity sailboat. The clarification that Wicked Wahini was a perfume name makes it more likely to remain on the boat. No decision yet. Current project is refinishing the wood in the basement.

 

[31seahorse]

Hello SBO Members, Just in case any of you are still interested in my sailboat project.....
With most of the work on our home completed (replacement of 2 large windows, two sliding glass doors, and 2 of 4 double hung windows) we took some time to continue work on our Celebrity day sailor. The wooden parts shown in the earlier posts are out of the basement and in the barn. Eileen gave them their final coat of polyurethane yesterday.

The seats and bulkhead hatches have been sanded and have received their first coat of Grand Banks Beige. When I applied it today it looked a blueish gray color at first. I checked twice to read the label on the can. As the paint dried the color became more acceptable. Perhaps another coat is in order.

Also, the purpose for the update is the removal of the mast tabernacle and the mast step. Both showed signs of prior repair and of rot. The pictures below show what is remaining of the mast step and the location from which it came.

Question: What bit of nautical folklore/superstition/history should have been found when I removed the mast step?

 

[Will Gilmore]

No gold, huh?

-Will (Dragonfly)