# Young couple, old boat!



## ABRsailing (Nov 5, 2017)

Hi there!

My husband and I have always been in love with traveling, sailing, water, and the outdoors, so we decided to look for a boat and eventually live aboard!

After a long search, we did a crazy thing: we bought a fixer upper, and are currently getting started on the refit... OURSELVES!

We're absolute rookies, but we do our research and reading, and fingers crossed, she comes back to life again.
We appreciate your advice and guidance!

(Constructive comments welcome, negative ones are not!  )

:captain:


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## SanderO (Jul 12, 2007)

I'll bite... Good luck with that... hard to know from your post how steep the hill is. But you will find boat wisdom here and answers (multiple) to any question you might have.

You'll have to provide information... photos and so forth... a fixer upper can be many things... but it will be a series of challenges you can barely be prepared for.

The good news is when you emerge from the tunnel you have a boat you know like the back of your hand.


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## ABRsailing (Nov 5, 2017)

SanderO, it needs a few things like wiring, rebedding of some hardware, it has some cracks (that don't seem too hard to fix according to Don Casey's Complete Illustrated Sailboat Maintenance Manual)...
Knowing the boat like the back of my hand is basically what we were going for. I'll post more on here when we get into it and have more questions, but for now, it's all about finding the time to work on it!

Thanks


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## Markwesti (Jan 1, 2013)

You are killing me . What is the boat ? Plezzz .


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## capta (Jun 27, 2011)

Old boats and young folks are a better fit than old folks and old boats. I sailed a Wm. Hand gaff ketch, launched in 1909, through the SoPac in my 20's, but she was a lot of work back then and way too much for me today, no matter how beautiful she was. 
Good luck on your endeavor.


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## ABRsailing (Nov 5, 2017)

capta said:


> Old boats and young folks are a better fit than old folks and old boats. I sailed a Wm. Hand gaff ketch, launched in 1909, through the SoPac in my 20's, but she was a lot of work back then and way too much for me today, no matter how beautiful she was.
> Good luck on your endeavor.


That's so inspiring! What got you into it?


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## roverhi (Dec 19, 2013)

FWIW, we built a Westsail from a bare hull and deck with only a Junior High Shop class as wordworking, glass experience. Did have some knowledge of commissioning a boat having done that before. Remember the overwhelming feeling when I unscrewed the temporary plywood sheet that passed for a companionway hatch the first time. Gazing into that huge fiberglass bathtub I thought to myself, you really stepped in S**t this time. We launched the boat after a year of full time work and left for the Marquesas after another year. Lived in our VW bus parked in front of the boat till we had enough of the interior finished to be able move on board. Boat felt like a palace after the bus.


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## driggers (Aug 23, 2012)

Welcome! My family and I got a boat this year as well and we have been doing a lot of work on her too. You'll learn so much in the first few months! I hope you don't live too far from it because you'll be visiting a lot.

You mentioned Casey, a great resource, but I've been swayed in a different direction on the topic of bedding hardware by a sticky from this very forum: http://www.sailnet.com/forums/gear-maintenance/63554-bedding-deck-hardware-butyl-tape.html

Actually, you might just want to view all the stickies on the maintenance sub-forum
http://www.sailnet.com/forums/gear-maintenance/

Here is a list of the things we've completed on our own boat (straight from my half-assed maintenance log). Some major work under way as well.

Lifeline netting installed
Furler system overhauled
Double hose clamp and replace hose on port side galley sink and rain drain thruhull (below waterline)
Install float switch
Replaced Dinghy
Replace cheek blocks on boom (for both reefs) and spinnaker block
Rigged texas prussik for climbing mast
Cleaned spreaders
Repaire UV cover on 150% Genoa, change diameter of sheets and adjust self-tailing winches
Retired Autohelm 2000 autopilot
Replaced cockpit locker hinges
Double and inspect other below waterline hose clamps as well as transom hose clamps
Fresh drinking water tanks treated with bleach and flushed
Repaire bilge pump exit hose and install valve foot on manual pump
Installed ammeter and voltmeter
Serviced Wallas Heater at First Yacht Services
Oil Change 665 hrs
Install led light quarterberth
Rebed chain plate deck shield, starboard and stanchion forward of gate port
Replace raw water heat exchange gasket
Replace raw water pencil zinc and holder
Transmission fluid change
Rewire DC Panel with circuit protection
Tighten Alternator belt


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## ABRsailing (Nov 5, 2017)

driggers said:


> Here is a list of the things we've completed on our own boat (straight from my half-assed maintenance log). Some major work under way as well.
> 
> Lifeline netting installed
> Furler system overhauled
> ...


Wow! That's great! On the topic of bedding, I agree with you! I looked into bedding with butyl tape, and I've seen some videos of a guy redoing an old sailboat and the butyl tape in the deck-hull joint bolts was still good! Amazing stuff. I'll have to reach out you when we get started on some of the work you've already done! Have you posted anywhere about your work or progress?


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## driggers (Aug 23, 2012)

I have not yet used my butyl tape as it was delivered shortly before going on vacation... but soon!


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