Jasper Windvane wrote:
Here is the scenario; find an old wooden sailboat, circa 1955, and
speak to owner. He wants boat gone.

Boat is very cheap. It is a caravel planked boat. It has been taken
cared of but the last couple of years that has been by the local
marina. Many things have been done to the boat. New keel bolts, for
example.

But, it still is a wood hull.

Question: is this boat worth investing time and energy in, how many
more years of life does the wooden hull have, will the boat need a
complete rebuild, etc...

IMO, wood is less a problem than the fastenings. If it is iron
fastened, I'd forget it.


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dadiOH
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Jasper, you have asked a very open-ended question, kind of like "I see
an old house, should I restore it, and how much will it cost?" You
won't know any answers unless you a) have a survey done of the boat or
b) know enough to do it yourself.

That being said, lots of people with more time and money than brains, I
mean, with lots of ambition, have taken on seemingly hopeless projects
and with persistence and cleverness have wound up with fine vessels,
all the better for having restored the boats themselves. I say, go for
it!

As for the USS Constitution, if I recall correctly there is but one
piece of original wood in her, and it isn't structural.