I'm in the process of reviving a 1973 Chrysler Pirateer. I had pretty much nothing to work with but a beaten hull, a mast, a grouping of mast attachments, a rudder, and a drop keel. The boat also came with "new sails". This basically consisted of a pair of bags containing what appears to be a jib, and a windsurfer sail. I've got to buy a new masstep, and a number of other things before "The Guppy" (temporary name supplied by my girlfriend because of the coloration after most of the paint has been stripped off) hits the water. I'm looking for ideas, advice, stories, anything. The big question for me right now is whether to buy finished sails, or purchase a sail kit. Then there's the question of color for the boat and sails, etc... Lot me know what you think.
Rebuilding a classic
- Thread starter Pyrate
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It Wears Me Out Just Thinking About It !
Well.... you wanted to know what I think about it. On the other hand, projects are what keeps one from being idle so it ain't all bad. Something to do with all that excess free time. From a mony standpoint, every once in a while there are good old boats that have been restored or brought back from the dead and price-wise they're probably less than what the owner put into them in money alone - not counting their labor. So.... (again), guess my suggestion would be to put together a budget and really try to watch that cash outflow. Another one would be to check the old running lights to see if they meet current requirements and, if not upgrade them so they fit in. Chance are, as a minimum, the lenses are probably faded or crazed. Good luck with the project. And.... if your girlfriend likes the idea you got a good one! (girlfriend, that is!).
Well.... you wanted to know what I think about it. On the other hand, projects are what keeps one from being idle so it ain't all bad. Something to do with all that excess free time. From a mony standpoint, every once in a while there are good old boats that have been restored or brought back from the dead and price-wise they're probably less than what the owner put into them in money alone - not counting their labor. So.... (again), guess my suggestion would be to put together a budget and really try to watch that cash outflow. Another one would be to check the old running lights to see if they meet current requirements and, if not upgrade them so they fit in. Chance are, as a minimum, the lenses are probably faded or crazed. Good luck with the project. And.... if your girlfriend likes the idea you got a good one! (girlfriend, that is!).
Here's mine.
This took three and a half years. But I'm retired and the boat was in my backyard. The stairs up the stern and the trench for the keel saved at least six months of time. Hope you like this kind of work.
This took three and a half years. But I'm retired and the boat was in my backyard. The stairs up the stern and the trench for the keel saved at least six months of time. Hope you like this kind of work.
Good Link
He use "members" instead of "homepages". http://homepages.tscnet.com/ss427/EpitomesRebuild.html
He use "members" instead of "homepages". http://homepages.tscnet.com/ss427/EpitomesRebuild.html
Fred - re Subtle Humor
I get a kick out of your subtle humor - Just visualizing it: Find drill bit in garage, walk out to boat, up stairs and down inside (opening and closing the hatch to keep the heat in and the rain out), go to drill the hole and find the bit should have been one size larger, then back to the garage.... Is that "six months" saved because the boat was set into the ground or based on having it at your house vs. at the marina? Just guessing but I'll bet it's just for the "siting in the ground" part. When the boat is at the marina the garage is a LOT further away so it's probably more like a half-hour round trip or more. How did you get it into the hole without, say, a travel lift???
I get a kick out of your subtle humor - Just visualizing it: Find drill bit in garage, walk out to boat, up stairs and down inside (opening and closing the hatch to keep the heat in and the rain out), go to drill the hole and find the bit should have been one size larger, then back to the garage.... Is that "six months" saved because the boat was set into the ground or based on having it at your house vs. at the marina? Just guessing but I'll bet it's just for the "siting in the ground" part. When the boat is at the marina the garage is a LOT further away so it's probably more like a half-hour round trip or more. How did you get it into the hole without, say, a travel lift???
Excersize
The 100 trips in and out of the boat everyday I work on it is my exercise program. Hauling the teak plywood up the rickety ladder and into place just to take it back to the work bench and sand a little more for the 36th time today keeps me fit...at least that's my story. I saw a post from a guy that said, "Figure out the cost and the time to rebuild and multiply that by 10." It's amazing how accurate that is! However, I love working on my boat and I'll be happy as a clam for years to come working on the boat. It is in the shop in the back yard and protected from the elements so time is not an issue. I have decided to make a list of the things I can do after the boat hits the water instead of finishing everything before putting in. I will have new rigging and new sails. I will have new safety gear. In my opinion, the procession of work re-fitting a boat, sails are last item on the list. The whole boat needs to be done before hoisting a sail. Good Luck and enjoy the journey. And keep saying over and over, how do you eat an elephant? Dan
The 100 trips in and out of the boat everyday I work on it is my exercise program. Hauling the teak plywood up the rickety ladder and into place just to take it back to the work bench and sand a little more for the 36th time today keeps me fit...at least that's my story. I saw a post from a guy that said, "Figure out the cost and the time to rebuild and multiply that by 10." It's amazing how accurate that is! However, I love working on my boat and I'll be happy as a clam for years to come working on the boat. It is in the shop in the back yard and protected from the elements so time is not an issue. I have decided to make a list of the things I can do after the boat hits the water instead of finishing everything before putting in. I will have new rigging and new sails. I will have new safety gear. In my opinion, the procession of work re-fitting a boat, sails are last item on the list. The whole boat needs to be done before hoisting a sail. Good Luck and enjoy the journey. And keep saying over and over, how do you eat an elephant? Dan
Dan H, I feel your joy
Bietzpadlin lived in my yard from the winter of 1990 until the summer of 1999 when we called the hauler to move it to the marina. Suddenly I didn't have a boat to work on any more. So the next year I built a dinghy. I am not sure if I had more pleasure refitting the boat than I have had sailing or not. But the time Nancy and I spend on the boat is priceless. Do it right and do it once.
Bietzpadlin lived in my yard from the winter of 1990 until the summer of 1999 when we called the hauler to move it to the marina. Suddenly I didn't have a boat to work on any more. So the next year I built a dinghy. I am not sure if I had more pleasure refitting the boat than I have had sailing or not. But the time Nancy and I spend on the boat is priceless. Do it right and do it once.
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