"Joe" wrote in message
ups.com...
The ad say he just put 60K into fixin her up.

Pretty well supports my point.

If she is in the shape
shown, then Id just sail her back, around cape horn, then sell her for
a profit. The trip alone would be a great value.

Wooden boats vary in price from dirt cheap to horrendously expensive. Very
often the price *does* reflect the condition, or at least the level and
consistency of ongoing maintenance. My guess is that a boat that seems to
be priced low is likely not in the condition you might anticipate. For that
matter, $60K invested in a wooden boat may only scratch the surface of the
repair/upgrade costs. This boat may or may not be in bristol condition. A
survey by a competent wooden boat surveyor is an absolute must.

Roughly ten years ago we traveled to Maine to inspect a wooden boat--an Aga
Nielsen design built by Paul Luke, 38'--that seemed priced too low for the
purported condition. It seemed too good a buy to pass up, and we loved the
design. In the flesh the boat appeared bristol, inside and out. The
auxiliary was almost new--100 hours on a 36hp Yanmar--and the electronics
were all recent and working well. She had a lot of other upgrades,
including a new LP stove/oven, new plumbing throughout, and a nice Dickson
solid fuel cabin heater. Sadly the survey showed a radically different
pictu the deadwood was rotted and needed replacement. The lead ballast
had shifted, thanks to some keel rot, and needed to be lifted and
refastened. Numerous planks, under gleaming Awlgrip, were soft and needed
replacement. Two ribs were cracked, and about half the floors were cracked
or rotting. The deck and house had new Dynel covering, but there were still
some leaks around the cover boards. The sampson posts appeared nicely
varnished on deck, but were rotting below. And there were other problems.
The estimated cost of repairs was 5 times the price of the boat.

Proceed with caution.

Max