Try Again: see:
http://www.terryking.us/photoalbum/m...g2_itemId=2605

Sigh. Try this:
http://www.terryking.us/photoalbum/m...g2_itemId=2605

On 29 Jan 2007 01:13:34 -0800, "
wrote:

Jay, Dan, Steve, others... Thanks for the comments and new
information!

I'm sure you're right that there's nothing magical about building
boats in China. But you probably know about the "Gotta Do Something
With Boats! syndrome!



Much snipped

Ok, maybe that's a LITTLE simplistic. But you know what? There are
5000 boats running in that area, and I don't see any that look like
what I see in the USA. I think there only two ways to go: One is try
to afford a Westernized type boat, maybe rebuild a wreck or something,
and the other is to go all the way to the local rough boats. I don't
see anything workable in between. And I AM working on boats and
getting on the water.

So, what's stupid about this??


Nothing wrong with your ideas and what you are talking about has been
done in Hong Kong for years.

There are a substantial number of junks that were converted, to a more
or lesser degree from fishing boats. Two I looked at in Singapore a
few months ago, that had been shipped from Hong Kong -- all teak -
probably 10 - 15 years old. One powered by a Gardner 6 cylinder marine
engine and the other by a converted truck engine. These boats were
about 50 ft. long and were being used as day charter boats and had a
single covered cabin the length of the boat.

My point is that there are innumerable junks, sampans and other local
boats that you can buy fairly cheaply.

The alternate is to have something built .

I have no idea what type of work you will be doing in China but my
experience is that expatriate salaries are high enough that you can
afford to have a reasonable size boat built. Labor costs are CHEAP in
that part of the world.

Normally, the majority of a boat's costs is in the fitting out and if
you stick to Chinese made gear -- engine, transmission, sails, etc.,
you should have a pretty cheap boat. I can't quote prices in China but
as an example I just had the interior of a 40 ft. sloop refurbished in
Thailand including replacing some delaminated plywood in the galley
area, inumerable screw holes plugged and the entire interior scrapped
to bare wood and re-varnished and my cost in thailand was about US$
514. Labor in China would be cheaper.

In other words, "go for it!"




Ibid
(k4556ATinetDOTcoDOTth)

--
Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com

Terry,

The idea is great, just remember that you are going to be dealing with the
Chinese govt. and going back and forth on the water between hong kong and
mainland, even Shenzhen will be interesting and may involve a few questions.
Otherwise, what the hell, have fun.

Brian

Thanks! Knnnn and Brian...

This is invaluable information for someone who's never been within
10,000 miles of China, but who's going there...

Fortunately the "Fitting Out" part is my strong point, engines,
welding, electronics and like that. I'm retired, with USA SS and a
smaller pension from a shorter second career at IBM. I have a couple-
few $K saved up (And I'm motivated to try to save some more / make
some more between now and August. Never been a good money guy :-) I
will have a few hundred$ a month available while I'm there. So I'll
work something.

And TEAK.. It seems there's a big break in longevity based on
materials used in China. I get the impression that those really rough
boats seen in some of the photos I posted (Thanks to you-know-who)..
are made of (some species) that is cheap and only lasts a few years.
Anyone able to illuminate more on that subject??

Uh-Oh, now I have a Chinese Teapot full of questions brewing! I
probably should take some of them to new threads. Like:

- Cheap conversions of Nissan automotive diesels / Drive systems
- Welding / Brazing copper to build exhaust manifolds
- Homebrew heat exchangers

- Modern caulking materials for old boats

- Building a new cabin into an old boat, with construction / sealing /
ventilation so it doesn't always smell like the bilge.

- Computer Hardware / Interfaces / WiFi / OS / Software / Display for
homebrew shipboard system.

Anyone interested in these???

(I'll add a photo of my Vermont boat to the Chinese ones I pointed to
above...)