Most people neither have the time or the money when they're young to buy a boat. As we get older we acquire both and various other skills.
A wooden boat 'well maintained' is certainly seaworthy and a thing of beauty, the 'well maintained' is the part where time, skills and money are endlessly hoovered up.
On our trip from Ireland to France covered in the blog 'Ireland to the Mediterranean Part 1' we visited Lord Nelsons wooden flagship 'Victory'. The British government has not spared any money in keeping this iconic wooden boat 'well maintained' and the museum staff we spoke to estimated that there's probably only 35% of the original ship still there as all the rest had been replaced to keep it 'well maintained'.
I'm the first to agree that see'ing the wooden 'Tall Ships' under sail at sea is a thing of utmost beauty and joy.
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