Dumpster diving

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Vic Trial

All sailors must check GOODWILL

I was visiting my son in W.Palm Beach, Fl. when he said "lets go shopping." To my surprise, we went to the local Goodwill in Palm Beach, Florida. There were two sailboats, one a Catalina 22 and the other was an old boat w/ new sails w/ no name. It looked like an old tug boat w/ sails. All they wanted: $500.00 ea. Had I not been on an airplane and the owner of two boats, I would have bought both! You would be surprised as to what is "junk" in Palm Beach! Vic
 
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FrankR

Good stuff to be had

So far I've retrieved a usable(replaced the end) whisker pole and two fenders from the dumpsters. Usually if the stuff is usable the donor will put it outside the dumpster so that one doesn't need to dive for it.
 
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Camerons Macgregor

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Jan 19, 2005
3
- - San Jose CA.
Yep I got 2 big boats that way!!!

My stepfather owns a towing business and my Macgregor Venture 24 Sailboat was scheduled for the crusher when I happened across her, sitting on original trailer waiting for certain death. 2 years later and completely re-done (all of it my own work) and $3,000.00 dollars later, she's scheduled for her first launch since 1999, in about a month. Take a look at those old boats, you may very well find a classic Gem!!!
 
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Tim

Come and get it (or pay for the shipping)!

Since we're moving soon, I've been cleaning out the basement (one corner full of boating "stuff"). Some of it has gone bye-bye on eBay, some in the trash, and some is being recycled on my new boat, but.... I have for the first one to come and get it, or promise to pay the shipping (I take PayPal), a hardly-used wire luff tall-boy staysail from a 1983 Beneteau First 32 Tall Rig. The 'I' dimension should be about 38-39' max (could be less but I haven't measured it), and it appears to be about 2-4 oz nylon (white). Made by Ullman Sails in '83, it was probably used 20 times, then stored for a lot of years in decent dry storage. Yessiree, its your's for the low price of ZERO! Come and get it folks, this one won't last! Email me at TKP62@aol.com if you're interested. Fair winds, Tim
 
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Alan

1 loss

I have 2 stories: 1. When I was 25 my father grew tired of the small styrofoam snark sailboat in his garage. At the time I had no room for it, as I was living in a 1 bedroom apartment, so he put it out on the curb, with a "free" sign on it. It lasted there less than 5 minutes. A year later, I bought a house
 
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found_at_dump

Been There Done That

Found an older 9.8hp Mercury OB at the local dump. Cleaned it up, got it running sold it on eBay used the money for other stuff!
 
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Don D

Couple of years ago..

.. a friend was working on his boat and I was working on mine in the yard. He came over to chat and brought a pair of Land's End chino pants and a denim shirt, that he had just found at the dumpster. Brand new. He gave them to me as they were not his size, but fit me perfectly. Still wearing them. Thanks!
 
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Dave Babcock

guess you could call it diving

Well let's see, I've found a half sheet of 1/2" starboard (really needed that), a jammed furling roller (which I unjammed), a gallon of spar varnish, (unopened), an old envinrude 10 hp motor (now running), enough blocks and stainless hardware to refit a boat (I think), and my last treasure was a Kolibri 12' sailboat with a cracked foredeck and a couple small holes in the hull, complete with two piece aluminum mast, boom, boom vang, three sails, all stainless steel standing rigging, kick up rudder and center board. What no trailer!!! I finished the glass work yesterday, should be sailing in a week or so.
 
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Tom s/v GAIA

Anyone wondering what Mike (the first post)

is thinking now? Tom s/v GAIA
 
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Howard

Over the years...

...the best find I had at a local dumpster was a suit of sails. They were in great condition, but didn't fit my boat, unfortunately. I sold them on eBay and bought a new main with the windfall. I always wondered why the owner of those sails got rid of them...
 
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Before the Bell

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Jun 4, 2004
133
- - Plymouth
Dumpster diving, land lubber style...

A bit unrelated to sailing however, my wife recently bought me a new made to look antique record player for a box of old records I had. Went to the dump a few weekends later turned around to dump my trash and sitting right next to the dumpster were three boxes of records. I'm a classical music fan and Stravinsky was staring me right in the face. Three boxes, Classical, Jazz and Rock, this person had taste!
 
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Brian Hanna

One man's trash....

Is another man's treasure!! I found an old beat up looking step ladder in the dumpster at the marina once. It looked beat up, but was still in perfect working condition. It was great because I could leave it on the cradle without having to chain it. When I sold my last boat, I forgot to get it off the cradle, or I would still have it.
 
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ex-admin

Finall results

Final results for the Quick Quiz ending May 8, 2005: I check out the dumspters at my ramp or marina: 46% Only when throwing something away 34% Never, I wouldn't be caught dead 12% Every time I go to the boat 07% Only when no one is looking
 
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John

For THREE BUCKS!!!

A couple of years ago I was volunteering at the used furniture shop of our church's outreach program when I spotted a well-machined but homemade jib furling drum. I took it up to the manager (a gal from the dry wilds of West Texas) and asked her if she had any idea what it was. She said, "No, what is it?" "It's a piece of sailboat equipment," I answered. "How much do you want for it?" "Three bucks," She said. After I picked my jaw up off the floor I calmly said,"Sold!... If it doesn't work, I'm out three bucks. If it does work, I owe you a donation." It's been on my Catalina 22 now for two years. I put twenty bucks in the pot.
 
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Tom s/v GAIA

And lets not forget all of those Taylor Made

Fenders that people toss out. They have a life time warranty. trade them in for new. Tom s/v GAIA
 
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Forrest

diving for dollars

Yes Mike from Caseville...good judgement is recommended in all decisions... ANYWAYS, driving past a yard sale last month I did a double-take on a shiny ball sitting in the grass. Sure enough, a force10 bbq w/regulator and stem. When I approched it the owner said he only wanted 10 dollars for the "camping" bbq because he couldn't find the legs...(it was on the shelf of his recently purchased home) I didn't want to know any more of the story and after a good cleaning and holding braket from west marine I'm BUSTING! Another "winner" was a carry-on 7000 AC from this site for 350 delivered...."Thanks again Val!!"
 
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adr

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Jun 9, 2004
32
- - CITY ISLAND
My wife found me in Dumpster

I was living in the dumpster outside of a marina back in 98. A lady dropped her old rusty anchor in and hit me on the head. I yelled and she bought me breakfast because she felt terrible. We hit it off and were married the next year. I also found some chain and a broken tiller.
 
elle

elle

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Sep 13, 1996
112
Rhodes 22 Northern Neck of Virginia
Frugal

I heartily agree with Bill that frugal is a state of mind. My best dumpster find was a lovely antique folding mahagony companion way step (Alas, marina pirates later made off with it). It is truly amazing what some folks discard. As a starving student I furnished three apartments with furniture found on the side of the road. Here in Fla, there's a major furniture chain named Rhoades Furniture -- it was always fun, when complimented on a refinished piece, to look people in the eye and say the furniture came from Roads.
 
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Mark15059

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May 15, 2005
1
- - Orient Point, Long Island
I Lived in a Dumpster Too!

I can't believe it...I once lived in a dumpster too! But alas...not in a marina but behind a restaurant. One day a half eaten turkey was tossed on my head so I moved out....I guess what others told me was true...I wasn't the only one...
 
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