Old boats

pateco

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Aug 12, 2014
2,207
Hunter 31 (1983) Pompano Beach FL
While some of the replys here at derected to millenials. and the want it now attitude. I do see young guys out there trying there best to either fix up and old boat, or get a little more hp out of the old jap cars. perhaps its that parents dont instill what good hard work will pay off. more like get off that phone and go out sailing or motor boating.my dad tought me these things at a young age.and proud to be able to fix just about anything. what I am trying to say is more input from parents. then whats on that stupid video game. we need to help and give them our expierance. if there parents don't cause there to busy,I would rather buy my son a old sailing scow and help him fix it than a phone
My boys have been a huge help in restoring the Stargazer., But they have been exposed to tools and hand work their entire lives.
2014-12-26 18.45.06.jpg 2015-04-12 19.55.59.jpg 2016-05-01 17.39.02.jpg 2016-02-20 11.31.58.jpg
My 20 year old is restoring his third car, while my 16 year old is working on his first.

Colns VW.jpg COLINS BMW.jpg COLINS BMW2.jpg 2015-04-11 17.44.27.jpg Colins MR2.jpg 2015-12-30 08.06.29.jpg

My 20 year old asked for and received a Mig Welder for his 17th Birthday. Its all in what you teach them.
 
Mar 5, 2012
152
Hunter 37-cutter Saint Augustine
That is they way it sould be knowlege handed down. Kudos to you and your sons. they will be better men for it!!
 
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Nov 30, 2015
217
MacGregor 26S Lakehills, Tx
Jesus! I have no idea what they were saying, but that was a damn depressing video! Pretty looking boat, but she obviously had some real damage.
The boat was severely damaged in a winter storm in 2013, and the owner couldn't afford the repair bill (~28,000 Euro's) for a 40 year old vessel.
 

pateco

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Aug 12, 2014
2,207
Hunter 31 (1983) Pompano Beach FL
That's awesome Pateco! You just revitalized my hope for the future!!!:yeah:
That is they way it sould be knowlege handed down. Kudos to you and your sons. they will be better men for it!!
I am proud of both of them, and they have done the cars with their own money. However I think the 16 year old, Tristan may be a little too confident in his skills. For the last year he has been crawling the internet buying the bits an pieces needed to do an engine swap on his 1990 300ZX. He wants to swap it for a Twin Turbo, and he's 90% there on the parts list. I think I may end up being pulled into this project though. LOL They both deserve this award.
2016-11-03 00.14.37.jpg
 
Feb 6, 2013
437
Hunter 31 Deale, MD
This one fascinates me. It might make a nice liveaboard (60-70 LOA). In the 4.5 years I've been at this marina I've never seen anyone near it. The mast has been unstepped so they are paying separate store for that.

BTW, does anyone know what make it is?
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Feb 6, 2013
437
Hunter 31 Deale, MD
When I saw the pic of the retired couple my mind went into caption mode and I thought "Actually, I came up to the bow to get away from you, dear."
 
Sep 10, 2012
220
Hunter 450 Gulfport, Florida
I worked with High School students and they truly have no fine motor skills. They have never built models (if you look at the price you'll know why) but and typically lacking in interest in anything beyond the video game genre. It doesn't of course define all, but the vast majority have fallen prey to apathy and most things just take too much effort.
 
Mar 20, 2015
3,094
C&C 30 Mk1 Winnipeg
The lack of DIY skills doesn't just apply to many millennials.
I manage an auto repair shop, and it amazes me how many men have no idea about their cars/trucks, other than simply putting fuel in and driving them. (What ? I need to check the oil ?)
Many vehicles no longer have spare tires. A large number of owners would have no clue how to put them on if they had them.

That said, there are kids out there that are bucking the trend of their parents.
I'm encouraged to see young people on youtube getting out there and fixing, making and using.
That will help them, since the younger generation simply won't have the spare money the boomers have/had.
If anything, that lack of disposable income will force them to be resourceful like their grandparents, and their grandparent's ancestors were.

Even with the DIY skills, there are more boats available from the boom era of sailboats, than there are buyers.
I'm good with that. With luck, by the time I fully retire, the demand will have dropped even more, leading to even cheaper prices on good used boats, and the anchorages will have less boats in them. :poke:
 
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Jan 19, 2010
12,362
Hobie 16 & Rhodes 22 Skeeter Charleston
The lack of DIY skills doesn't just apply to many millennials.
I manage an auto repair shop, and it amazes me how many men have no idea about their cars/trucks, other than simply putting fuel in and driving them. (What ? I need to check the oil ?)
...
And the car manufactures are making it harder and harder to work on your own cars.... I have a 2012 Silverado.... and was baffled the first time I wanted to check the radiator fluid.... It is a CLOSED system... it is not just closed but they hide the entire damn thing under a plastic shield so you can't even see it.... I can't even add fluid (or look at it) without going into the shop. Pisses me off... I talked to an engineer at Chrysler who said manufacturers are going towards closed systems because the thermostats work better when at the bottom of the flow cycle bla bla bla bla.....

You could still put the thermostat at the bottom and have a valve at the top.... and I shouldn't start talking about my Astro Van (too late)... For instance I have to remove the battery to get at the driver side head light. Who the F designed these things anyway?
 
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Mar 20, 2015
3,094
C&C 30 Mk1 Winnipeg
Who the F designed these things anyway?
CFOs/Accountants. Manufucturers have learned that they make more money servicing them, than they do selling them. Sealed transmissions that never need to be checked (until an axle seal fails and all the transmission oil slowly leaks out without you realizing it) The mid-late 2000 Chev Equinox series has a book time of over 2 hours to change a headlight bulb (because you need to take the whole grill/bumper cover off to get the headlight out).

There are vehicles that are still user serviceable, but you have to look for them.
But yes, this too leads to less DIY skills.

I first learned how to fix a tire on my bicycle.... Then check oil and fuel and plug on our gas lawnmower (which I was using on my own)... then my dad bought me a 50cc Honda Mini bike..... then i looked under the hood of family cars. Now I tackle damn near anything, because I have enough overall knowledge and CONFIDENCE to simply figure it out.
Build garages ? Reno houses ? Fix electronics ? Repair computers ? House wiring ? Appliances ? Welding ? auto painting ? Roofing ? I've done it.

Heck, I have no formal auto training, am completely self taught, and have been managing a shop.
Many younger people in my neighbourhood ask me: "How do you know how to do all this stuff ?".

Past experience... in some cases reading of pro training materials.... and the confidence to tackle it.

I had never repaired a boat before this one. It was in decent shape but I've done bulkheads, fiberglass repair, wiring etc, since I bought it. Lord knows what some poor guy without the skillset, a helpful mentor, or deep pockets to pay a professional, would do.

I know that my natural abilities are above the norm, but a lot of it is simply because I was allowed a chance to tackle things, occasionally fail them, and learn.

I even see fallout in new young auto technicians. Without clear instructions, some of them are scared to tackle jobs on vehicles that they haven't seen before, even though they have the actual knowledge to do the task.

Yet, as @pateco has implied, the modern era, with it's ease of access to information, has been making a difference. Not just for those of us who simply need advice on how to best tackle a job, but also for those who have never done anything like it before.
Admittedly, some of the info out there is misleading and plain wrong. It can also lead to over confidence. But much of it is very helpful

It's places like this forum, that give me hope that people will still be self-sufficient long after we are gone.

Heck, even the less useful youtube channels, by the narcissistic and more extreme gofundme/patreon types, are evidently inspiring people to buy old boats, and go sailing. Amen to that.
The more of those memories that get passed down from grandparents to kids the better.
 
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pateco

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Aug 12, 2014
2,207
Hunter 31 (1983) Pompano Beach FL
I first learned how to fix a tire on my bicycle.... Then check oil and fuel and plug on our gas lawnmower (which I was using on my own)... then my dad bought me a 50cc Honda Mini bike..... then i looked under the hood of family cars. Now I tackle damn near anything, because I have enough overall knowledge and CONFIDENCE to simply figure it out.

Heck, I have no formal auto training, am completely self taught, and have been managing a shop.
Many younger people in my neighbourhood ask me: "How do you know how to do all this stuff ?".

I had never repaired a boat before this one. It was in decent shape but I've done bulkheads, fiberglass repair, wiring etc, since I bought it. Lord knows what some poor guy without the skillset, a helpful mentor, or deep pockets to pay a professional, would do.

I even see fallout in new young auto technicians. Without clear instructions, some of them are scared to tackle jobs on vehicles that they haven't seen before, even though they have the actual knowledge to do the task.

I know that my natural abilities are above the norm, but a lot of it is simply because I was allowed a chance to tackle things, occasionally fail them, and learn.

Yet, as @pateco has implied, the modern era, with it's ease of access to information has been slowly making a difference. Not just for those of us who need advice on how to best tackle a job, but also for those who have never done anything like it before.

It's places like this forum, that give me hope that people will still be self-sufficient long after we are gone.
Heck, even the less useful youtube channels, by the narcissistic and more extreme gofundme/patreon types, are evidently inspiring people to buy old boats, and go sailing. Amen to that.
Leeward,
I started out with a go-cart in middle school that a buddy and I bought off a classmate for $20 when I was about 11years old. The 3 HP Briggs & Stratton motor had been vandalized with sugar in the gas tank, so we had to do a complete disassembly, cleaning, and rebuild. My buddies dad raced CanAm cars and had some great tools so we did it by trial and error, and got it back running. We later rebuilt it again when we decided to mill the head, and upgrade the carb to make it go faster. We both learned a lot about engines in a short period of time. I later got pulled over in it by the local police clocked on radar doing 55mph with that same motor. I can't believe our parents allowed us to do what we did, but it was the 1970s, and I am glad for it.

Its not just cars or boats though. I have been building my own computers since 1978, and I passed that skill on to the kids as well. Both Colin, and Tristan are using high powered gaming computers they built themselves with parts they researched and bought off of Amazon, Ebay, black friday sales, and Craigslist. I don't think either have more than $500 invested in their systems, but they will run circles around any off the shelf system I have seen for thousands of dollars. Also, because they built them themselves, they have a respect for the money and effort that went into them.
Teach your kids to be self sufficient and confident, and they will do amazing things.
 
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Mar 20, 2015
3,094
C&C 30 Mk1 Winnipeg
Also, because they built them themselves, they have a respect for the money and effort that went into them.
Teach your kids to be self sufficient and confident, and they will do amazing things.
You are right on the money !

That said, there are kids out there who don't have the mentor but are doing "it" anyhow. Our part-time tire "kid" is a 18 yr old girl, with great marks, currently in a class full of boys. When I asked her why she wanted to be an auto tech, she said that no one in her family had any sort of knowledge in that area, but she loves cars.... so she simply signed up for classes. :)
Her answer made me smile. I hope she achieves her goal. Not only is the field becoming more and more complex, there is a lot of sexism in the field, but I think she has the strength and brains to get there.
 
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Aug 2, 2005
1,155
Pearson 33-2 & Typhoon 18 Seneca Lake
RE: marke14's retirement ad photo ........ The retired couple is probably enjoying the Bahama Islands or Cancun cruise they chose to kick off their retirement. Notice that the jib is furled and neither of the happy retirees is at the helm!

Jars my memory of a RC cruise we took out of Miami a few years ago. (NOTE: I considered jumping ship BEFORE we left the dock!) One of our optional excursions was a "sail" on a catamaran. Although the sail was raised it had a long, ugly rip through most of its height! My wife noticed that almost immediately. The jib was never unfurled, and the engine was only shut off when we returned to the dock.

The next day's adventure was a sail to "Lovers' Island". As luck would have it the sailboat was out of commission due to mechanical problems. The cruise line's solution was to offer to take us to "Lovers' Island" by bus! No Thanks, We Passed on that option.

Give me an old sailboat to work on and I will be (and have been) happy throughout my retirement!
 
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Feb 6, 2013
437
Hunter 31 Deale, MD
You should have made the trip to Lovers' Island! It might be the only chance you'll even get to go to an island by bus.

Give me an old sailboat to work on and I will be (and have been) happy throughout my retirement!
Absolutely! When I'm retired I want to liveaboard. To keep myself occupied I might flip boats at the marina.
 
Sep 15, 2013
707
Catalina 270 Baltimore
IMG_20161111_151631059.jpg
The first picture on the thread is sad. To make you happier here is a picture of the Columbia 26 in my marina that is in Bristol condition. It is the same vintage of the Columbia in the first pic.
 
Jan 19, 2010
12,362
Hobie 16 & Rhodes 22 Skeeter Charleston
... then my dad bought me a 50cc Honda Mini bike.....
For me it started with a go-kart my dad bought me for my 8th birthday (Sears Catalog). It had a 3.5 hp engine on it. Dad came home from work and found me in the garage with the engine strewn across the floor in pieces.... he took one look and said "It better still run when you put it back together" HAhaha... it did... a little rough but it still ran. I then moved onto bikes....

I recently heard a guy suggest that the reason so many people in the 19th & 20th century seemed so much more productive that we are is because they were bored and went looking for something to entertain their minds.... today, you have to go out of your way to be bored. Maybe like... go sailing!!!!!! :)