Home |
Search |
Today's Posts |
#21
posted to rec.boats.cruising
|
|||
|
|||
Ferro Cement boats
Josh Assing wrote:
My wife & I have been talking about moving onto a boat & sailing away for a long time -- the biggest stumbling block to buying a boat the size we'd need for liveaboard is $ -- we'd have to sell our house 1st & then buy the boat. however, we happened upon a FC boat that we can afford w/o selling the house. I've spent about a month reading about FC boats and it seems that there is a common thread: If the boat was home built -- run away if the boat was professionally built - there's a very good chance it's solid as hell. The only way to truely "check" the construction is to cut away the hull & examine the steel beneath. The hull was professionally built in Canada -- and then "owner finished" the interior. The standing rigging is overkill (bigger than needed, which is fine with me); the running rigging needs some tlc here and there. So now I'm looking for people that have had experiences with FC boats (good or bad) to get an idea if we want to make the leap. We would be taking the boat on shake down cruises for the next year while still working & sell the house; once done -- sail off. So anyone with off shore sailing experience in an FC boat -- I'm very interested to hear from you. Thanks -josh Hi Josh, here goes- I have sailed for a few years on a 47-foot ferro-cement yawl owned by Rolls-Royce, and built by their apprentices as a training excercise in the mid-seventies. "Merlin of Clyde" is, as you would expect, quite heavy for her size, displacing around 23 tons, and I can tell you that she is a good boat to keep out of the way of when racing, as one or two racing types have found out to their cost in recent years! She has been used for the past twelve years or more as a "team building experience" for RR employees at all levels from senior management to apprentices and students, and has sailed round Britain without mishap. Built with utility rather than luxury in mind she was nevertheless extremely well equipped above and below decks, and has been maintained regardless of expense, naturally, since she carries the flag of one of the world's leading engineering companies. She sleeps 10, in 2 cabins. My own opinion, gained from the experience of sailing other types of boat, mostly fibreglass constructed, is that if the boat has a pedigree such as Merlin's, you need have no fear of ferro-cement being an inferior material, but do be careful, as many of these hulls were constructed during a period when the price of oil-related products such a resin was rocketing skywards, and many of them were built in backyards and on waste ground out-of-doors, by amateurs. As a live-aboard, ferro-cement can be a sound enough investment, though annual maintenance is probably double that of a similarly-sized fibreglass yacht, but then the initial outlay should be considerably less. You also need a much more powerful engine to push this mass thru the water. "Merlin" has a 160hp Volvo and makes around 7 knots in any sort of headwind. Of her type, she looks simply superb when newly fitted out and launched, having flawless topsides and smooth underwater hull. I need hardly add that all ancillary equipment and sails have to be really heavy, .particularly winches and related hardware. BTW, "Merlin" is currently for sale by Clyde Marina, Ardrossan, phone (44) 1294 607077. No, I have no financial interest in the yacht whatsoever! Dennis. |
#22
posted to rec.boats.cruising
|
|||
|
|||
Ferro Cement boats
On Sun, 20 Jul 2008 16:16:07 -0400, "Roger Long" wrote:
Remember also that you may have a difficult time documenting the vessel if you can't get in touch with the builder(s). This may be important for foreign voyages. Glass boats have records, hull numbers, etc. Be sure to check this out as well. Boat's already documented... and was tested by labs when it was built to ensure a good hull construction... I guess those are two good signs. |
#23
posted to rec.boats.cruising
|
|||
|
|||
Ferro Cement boats
On 2008-07-20 15:59:59 -0400, Josh Assing said:
We just cannot afford to keep the house with only me working.. (I can work from anywhere) If you sell and invest diversely, you should still have enough to get a new place in a cheaper area with lots left over (one of my possible plans. We're in a high-rent district compared to where we'd like to retire.) And I'm with Roger: get an old fiberglass boat for half of what you can afford. Additionally, you may not need as much boat as you think, if you haven't actually walked the docks for a while. -- Jere Lull Xan-à-Deux -- Tanzer 28 #4 out of Tolchester, MD Xan's pages: http://web.mac.com/jerelull/iWeb/Xan/ Our BVI trips & tips: http://homepage.mac.com/jerelull/BVI/ |
#24
posted to rec.boats.cruising
|
|||
|
|||
Ferro Cement boats
Additionally, you may not need as much boat as you think, if you
haven't actually walked the docks for a while. I live on an island and do dock duty down at the marina. -josh |
#25
posted to rec.boats.cruising
|
|||
|
|||
Ferro Cement boats
On 2008-07-23 12:13:41 -0400, Josh Assing said:
Additionally, you may not need as much boat as you think, if you haven't actually walked the docks for a while. I live on an island and do dock duty down at the marina. -josh Then you're in better shape than most anyone -- if you can get aboard and 'try them for size' with your wife. Simply seeing isn't the same as going through the motions of everyday life. There are some gorgeous boats that we found serious drawbacks with when we did that. BTW, Our assessment agrees with yours as to size. 38' seems to be a sweet spot for having two "work" spaces, but we did find a 34 that beats most shorter than 40' for our purposes. -- Jere Lull Xan-à-Deux -- Tanzer 28 #4 out of Tolchester, MD Xan's pages: http://web.mac.com/jerelull/iWeb/Xan/ Our BVI trips & tips: http://homepage.mac.com/jerelull/BVI/ |
Reply |
Thread Tools | Search this Thread |
Display Modes | |
|
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Forum | |||
Ferro-Cement | General | |||
Ferro Cement Boat Restoration | General | |||
Ferro Cement Boat Restoration | Tall Ships | |||
FS: 33' ferro-cement sailboat $8000 in Texas | Marketplace | |||
ferro cement boats | Boat Building |