FREE BOAT, SCENE ONE-ACT ONE-WITH PICS!!!!

[Ross]

Books and authors that will be most helpful

These titles I have selected from my collection as the most useful for your efforts.1. The Boat Owners Mechanical and Electrical Handbook Nigel Calder2. The Fiberglass Boat Repair Manual Alan Vaitses3. Practical Yacht Joinery Ian Nicolson4. The Riggers Apprentice Brian Toss5. From a Bare Hull Ferenc Mate`6. The Capable Cruiser Lin and Larry PardeyThere are many others that can be found useful. If you need a lot of pictures to help to understand the text then Don Casey will meet that need. I have others but they tend more towards wooden boats or are redundant to this list.

 

[Ross]

I just looked at all of the pictures and

it reminds me of the story about two young men hired to muck out a stable. They were told that they could keep anything that they found. Well the place was so full you couldn't get through the door. and one of the men went to work with great enthusiasm and the other was ready to walk away. The walker ask the worker why he was so inspired and the worker replied that with all this sh** there has to be a horse in here.Patrick some people can't see past the garbage. Get your shot record up to date and a box of Hefty brand contractor clean-up bags and just start mucking the place out run a big box fan in one of the hatches. As someone suggested get a wet-dry shop vac and clean things out. There has been a lot of neglect but no abuse. Only after you get things cleared out will you be able to really see what you have and make a plan of attack.

 

[higgs]

links

Your links no longer showing your photos. I'd like to see them.

 

[captain E]

free

Actually people giving away a freeboat is practical if you think about it. Imagine this, you have close to a $5,000 to pay for the next year and it is due soon. imagine you don't plan to sail anymore, you have a bad back. Do you think you can sell your boat quick enough that you don't pay the slip fee? It would cost the owner more money to dispose of it. So In my opinon, boats with a very low resale value should be easy to come. This is the right time to look for free boats or really cheap boats. It takes a person who really loves sailing to make a boat worth the price and make the boat sailable again. To the rest of us, its junk... In my opinion, most boats in the $5,000-$10,000 that is 26' to 35' range have a potential to be free, given the boat's engine is not cranking and owner can't afford the slip fee's.Checkout Boneyard Boats http://www.boneyardboats.com/

 

[Ross in Tampa]

Patrick, she's worth every penny you paid for her.

Patrick,Give me a call or drop me a note if you need an extra set of hands. You are gonna need a BIG trash cart.Contrary to an opinion here on the board, the Morgan 33 OI IS a classic. And Charley lives here in our neck of the woods. I am sure he would be happy persuade / dissuade you on your challenge.It's doable, keep your focus and work on small projects at a time. Given time and money you'll be back sailing. Did they ever disclose the source of water ingress?I would be very curious to know.Ross

 

[letterman]

not what I thought

I thought the thing was bare on the inside. It's not. I see one bulkhead up and it looks to be OK, just dirty and in need of paint.I see the need for some teak oil or urathane on the teak, but that will come later.The deck hardware is through bolted. Great.The ports look OK Good.Not sure, but the motor looks like its under the stairs. Not to hard to find or remove, but from the other stories, I bet it is OK. Check the oil for water. The boat is not nearly as bad as was first portrayed. Cleaning it out would be the first, and most obvious step. Then paint the interior stuff with rustoleum gloss using the roll and tip method. Don't forget to thin it out first. Apply three coats. Each coat thinned progressively less.Look to see if the mast cover at the deck is leaking using a garden hose. Seal it.Why is the rudder missing? Is the boat still leaking? If yes, find its source. Seal it.

 

[JungleJetJock]

One thing

I only have one thing to say. I do NOT envy you with this undertaking. It is going to take a huge investment to make this boat nice again.Good luck.

 

[Ross]

JJJ, one mans junk is another mans treasure

Patrick is single, this will keep him off the streets and out of the pool halls and just that savings may be enough to pay for the work that he will have time for if he isn't out carousing around. This is a win-win opportunity for him.

 

[Stillraining]

I'm sure the rudder

is still there it has hydrolic steering and is not conected so you are just turnning the vane valve with no rsistance. PS: Don't be too hard on some of us as "Been there done that" will apply to alot of us. So we know more then you thats all. After all you did ask for advice, right? If we havent scared you off by now most will all get behind you !

 

[Jerry10776]

Not having seen

the boat, I can't make any useful comments except one. To echo another post - make sure you have CLEAR TITLE in hand before spending much more time and money. Go for it and keep us posted.

 

[Pauly T]

Good Luck!

I think there are several 'new' used boat owners out there that will find your enthusiasm encouraging. I am one, I recently purchased a '80 Mac 25. Neglected for a few years sitting in a yard I rescued her for $400. Lucky find. I am going to blog my progress little work I will need to do (see the link). I had picked up 'Fix it and Sail' and found that it will help along the way answering some of those questions on how I should do this or that. I am looking forward to seeing your progress. Thanks for sharing.

 

[Ross]

PaulyT, I have a friend that installed cedar

linings in a closet. When he came up stairs his daughter gave him a hug and asked why he smelled like a Gerbil. I am not sure that cedar shavings will discourage four footed beady eyed critters.(I read your Blog) Make sure that you leave plenty of ventilation in the covers on your boat.Ross

 

[brianbob]

It's goo to know your boat inside and out

I am one of those crazy people who actually built my first sailboat. It will never be worth what it cost to build it, but if it breaks, I can fix it. Good for you fixin' up a freebe. A boat is just a hole in the water you throw money into anyway. At least this way, you will learn how to fix it.

 

[sonofasailorsailing]

some info

Patrick,That cylinder thing with the gauge and nipple is the hydraulic tank. The pump is used to pump up the pressure. Usually about 30 psi and the steering should work (provided all the lines are intact). The motor has been removed in the past. You are right, they built the boat around the motor and the way to remove it is to cut up the cockpit floor. By the way, we are in love with OI33s. We've been searching for one for about six months. Alas, we have to wait until our current boat sells to move on one. We have done what you are planning, stripped our boat to the bare hull and built it out to our own specifications. Good luck with the "project".

 

[letterman]

hard to believe

Now I see why I cannot get a job. All you naysayers must be HR people. Do you have relatives in Cleveland by chance? There are some people that just and don't get it, or cannot do, so they think others think like they do. I cannot carve Mt. Rushmore, but someone did it! I cannot play the violin, but they sure do a darn good job of it at the Cleveland Orchestra. One thing I can do is woodwork and cleaning. I can build and have built houses and cabinets and interiors of Hippy Vans! I redid my boat interior, sort of, and all it needed was what this boats appears to need. TLC. Time, Love, and Cash (paint, soap, and acetone....don't get carried away here)!This boat was only neglected for a short period of time by the looks of the barnacle growth. Cosmetics aside, the rest of it looks good to me. If I cannot get hired here in Cleveland, and it looks like I won't, I hope to find a boat such as this in Florida to live on. Even with my bad neck this is not a big, expensive looking project. Now, my further advice. DO IT YOURSELF. REMEMBER...CHEAP WORKS AS GOOD AS NEW!A case in point. A friend bought a used Coronodo for $1000 that was not as bad as this boat, but bad enough. He had he exterior professionally painted (although it didn't need it), bought a new main for it (overpaid for what he got at $800), bought stuff new for the interior, and there it sits, for sale for $6000. He will be lucky to get $23000 for it. And it isn't that bad a boat.Like I said before, just clean out the trash, paint the interior, and it will look great.

 

[Jim]

Letterman, you need to

move where the work is. Why don't you move out east or down south. There is nothing where you are at!

 

[Scott]

sailorman, it's hard to believe that you can't ...

make a better deal! Captain E was just beginning to touch on the subject. Why are you letting the PO off the hook so easily? He should be paying YOU! First of all, I have a hard time believing that he doesn't already owe a long list of people money to begin with, so I would echo the posts that suggest that you make sure you get a waiver from any obligations.But let's assume that the guy is free and clear and now he has to come up with the money for his slip in short order. If you don't take the boat off his hands, what's he going to do? I assume he has to pay somebody ... why not you? You should get at least 3 months of slip fees paid to you for the effort it is going to take you to get the boat out of there. What about your own expenses? Why are you so willing to let this guy off the hook at your expense?You're saving him a lot of money and you want to do that for free? Then you're going to throw good money after bad? This is obviously a salvage effort that somebody should pay for. Why are you so kind hearted to the individual that wanted you to pay $3,000 for something that is costing him a lot of money (if I read your previous posts right)? He should pay YOU for salvage. You'd still be doing him a big favor. Make him pay something for the huge favor you are doing for him.I would wait until his slip fee is due and then make him an offer. Tell him if he doesn't write a check to you for $3,000 to get the boat out of there, you're walking. Then let him chase you.

 

[Ross]

Scott, If you are not being facetious you should

be. I do hope that the shoe is never on your foot.

 

[Scott]

It sounds like you need money, yourself ...

Make the PO pay you for your service. Don't be a sap. Get something for your effort and elbow grease. You need money to start with just the basics. This boat is so bad, how can you even justify your effort without taking advantage of the situation as it stands. The owner needs to get rid of it or his expenses will keep rising. He obviously is looking for a sucker to do him a favor. Don't be a sucker. From the looks of it, he will let this boat rot without putting another dime into it. So something isn't adding up.Either he is not paying the slip fees and he is making somebody else very angry, or he is paying the slip fees and desperately looking for a way out. His way out is you ... make him pay ... you need the money ... don't let him take advantage of you.Call the bluff ... let him pay the slip fee and allow you to work on the boat at your liesure. It could be that the slip fee is not an issue, and if it is not, then why are they putting pressure on you to get the boat out of there? Why are you letting them turn their problem into yours? If you have a solution, you are the one that should gain something monetarily for it.

 

[Scott]

Ross, what do you mean?

What would I be facetious about? Can you explain yourself? I can explain further if you need me to.