We'll I think I have reached a point in my sailing life that has me thinking of moving to a trawler...which begs the question, wood vs fiberglass. There are some great deals out there on older, restored, wood hull trawlers but I don't know enough on the subject. So I would be interested in hearing from my fellow sailboaters about what if anything they think or have heard on this subject.
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glass
Wooden boats are like dogs: I love them, but it's not practical for me to own one. Glass requires enough of my limited maintenance time for washing, waxing, bottom painting, etc. I want no part of wood maintenance.
Wooden boats are like dogs: I love them, but it's not practical for me to own one. Glass requires enough of my limited maintenance time for washing, waxing, bottom painting, etc. I want no part of wood maintenance.
Ditto Steve
Love to look at and admire a well kept wooden boat, however, they can be maintenance intensive to keep them looking that way. Several people I know that have wooden boats are retired and have time to work and maintain them. They do, however, love them and wouldn't have a "plastic" boat. Wooden boats do have a life about them though, they make noises under sail that plastics don't. Depends on what you want and how much time you would want to work on it. Your call. Luck with your decision.
Love to look at and admire a well kept wooden boat, however, they can be maintenance intensive to keep them looking that way. Several people I know that have wooden boats are retired and have time to work and maintain them. They do, however, love them and wouldn't have a "plastic" boat. Wooden boats do have a life about them though, they make noises under sail that plastics don't. Depends on what you want and how much time you would want to work on it. Your call. Luck with your decision.
wood = work
If you have reached a point in life where you are looking at trawlers, I would guess you are looking to cut back rather then become more involved with maintance and upkeep. The fact is wooded boat are more upkeep and maintance intensive the a fiberglass boat.So unless you are the type who loves or finds it relaxing to work on a boat go with the glass !
If you have reached a point in life where you are looking at trawlers, I would guess you are looking to cut back rather then become more involved with maintance and upkeep. The fact is wooded boat are more upkeep and maintance intensive the a fiberglass boat.So unless you are the type who loves or finds it relaxing to work on a boat go with the glass !
The update is that the boats hull was recently redone. They removed and replace all the material that goes between the wood slats of the hull. After inspecting it, I found the bilge to be "dusty". I not only am reducing my work load, but I also enjoy working on boats.
Not so much workign on boats...
...but working with and understanding the parts of a wooden boat. They are hundreds times more complicated than a fiberglass boat and unless you trust your surveyor with just about your life, you coud be getting into something verrry interesting....
...but working with and understanding the parts of a wooden boat. They are hundreds times more complicated than a fiberglass boat and unless you trust your surveyor with just about your life, you coud be getting into something verrry interesting....
Wood
In this day and age, there is not a good reason to own a wooden boat unless you REALLY enjoy all the maintenance that comes with it. Personlly, I would never own another wooden boat. The good looks are not enough to offset all the work that is required to keep those good looks.
In this day and age, there is not a good reason to own a wooden boat unless you REALLY enjoy all the maintenance that comes with it. Personlly, I would never own another wooden boat. The good looks are not enough to offset all the work that is required to keep those good looks.
I love wood, but
I love wooden boats, there is nothing more beautiful not to mention being salty. And because the the cheap price of wood vs fiberglass, I have been tempted. I grew up in Egg Harbor New Jersey, and as a boy would go to the Egg Harbor Boat Works and look at the beautiful wooden vessels they produced when I was a kid. There is a great deal of nostalgia, even today when I see a wooden Egg Harbor or Pacemaker boat (same builder). However, maintenance is a major issue, and that was the main reason I boat a new Hunter 340. A major selling point was that the only piece of wood exposed to the elements on the Hunter was a strip of teak across the companionway. Also, a good friend of mine bought a wooden trawler for $60,000. It was, and is beautiful, but he spent at least that much the first year he owned it, replacing the main wooden part of the frame. So the answer is, if you have the time, and the money, a wooden boat is beautiful. But fiberglass is much more practical and cheaper in the long run. ajp
I love wooden boats, there is nothing more beautiful not to mention being salty. And because the the cheap price of wood vs fiberglass, I have been tempted. I grew up in Egg Harbor New Jersey, and as a boy would go to the Egg Harbor Boat Works and look at the beautiful wooden vessels they produced when I was a kid. There is a great deal of nostalgia, even today when I see a wooden Egg Harbor or Pacemaker boat (same builder). However, maintenance is a major issue, and that was the main reason I boat a new Hunter 340. A major selling point was that the only piece of wood exposed to the elements on the Hunter was a strip of teak across the companionway. Also, a good friend of mine bought a wooden trawler for $60,000. It was, and is beautiful, but he spent at least that much the first year he owned it, replacing the main wooden part of the frame. So the answer is, if you have the time, and the money, a wooden boat is beautiful. But fiberglass is much more practical and cheaper in the long run. ajp
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