Oh My God Not A Wooden Boat

[SteveK]

Thanks for sharing Googles wisdom but that's not the point I was making.

No, and your point was heard, and ignored. You may notice I now also have a plastic boat, have gone from plastic to cellulose several times over 40 odd years of boating, buying a boat because that is what appealed to me at the time.

 

[KnotYet]

Thanks for sharing Googles wisdom but that's not the point I was making.

My point was to contribute information, Shawn, and your point was?

 

[Comodave]

At one point we owned a truly plastic boat. It was a Triumph, roto cast HDPE. Great little boat.

 

[PierreR]

Thanks for sharing Googles wisdom but that's not the point I was making.

We got your point. I have a plastic Hatteras, my sister lives in a house trailer and drives a Pacifica station wagon. Words mean things within context.

 

[garbler]

GRP, or 'Glass Reinforced Plastic', is an accepted generic term for 'fiberglass'
which has several other definitions besides being embedded in resin compounds.

Actually GRP or FRP was ‘not accepted ‘ but the original engineering term used by Gibbs & Cox in their Marine Design Manual for Fiberglass Reinforced Plastic circa 59-1960 . This was the first comprehensive study on this then new material giving builders some numbers to work with

Rick

 

[Moonfish]

My good friend owns a 1946 Matthews sedan cruiser. I've had two different friends own the same 1974 DeFever 54 (made in Osaka, Japan). Aside from a new transom on the 77-year old Matthews, the only real issues they've had to deal with have been systems-oriented, such as electrical, drivetrain, and plumbing/tankage. Granted, these are two high quality builds. But the "wood" part of their boats has not been problematic.

 

[DDW]

Properly designed and built wood boats are not inherently higher maintenance than a fiberglass boat. That is a stand alone statement that is absolutely true. Another absolutely true statement is that wood is a superior boat building material.

Both of those statements are false by any objective measure.

 

[KnotYet]

Actually GRP or FRP was ‘not accepted ‘ but the original engineering term used by Gibbs & Cox in their Marine Design Manual for Fiberglass Reinforced Plastic circa 59-1960 . This was the first comprehensive study on this then new material giving builders some numbers to work with

Rick

Thank you for the elucidation.
https://www.google.com/search?q=elu...AgAGbAYgB1wqSAQQwLjExmAEAoAEB&sclient=gws-wiz

 

[Mako]

At one point we owned a truly plastic boat. It was a Triumph, roto cast HDPE. Great little boat.

They make great skiffs. I'd like to see a couple of them, nested nicely in each other, on my deck. Use them, abuse them, lose them, give 'em away when done.

 

[Mako]

There is something special about a well built wood boat, I can’t exactly explain it. But they have a special place in my heart. Maybe I’m just being sentimental.

It's called romanticism, emotionalism. It's one of my biggest drivers in life also. The fact that (most) boats are horrible investments means that we participate in them for reasons which don't need to make practical sense.

 

[garbler]

My good friend owns a 1946 Matthews sedan cruiser. I've had two different friends own the same 1974 DeFever 54 (made in Osaka, Japan). Aside from a new transom on the 77-year old Matthews, the only real issues they've had to deal with have been systems-oriented, such as electrical, drivetrain, and plumbing/tankage. Granted, these are two high quality builds. But the "wood" part of their boats has not been problematic.

Those old Matthews were elegant designs and real honest builds. One of my best customers when I had my boat and paint shop was a 47’ Matthews sportfish with the licensed name “ Reel One “ . The boat ran as smoothly as it looked

Rick

 

[Comodave]

They make great skiffs. I'd like to see a couple of them, nested nicely in each other, on my deck. Use them, abuse them, lose them, give 'em away when done.

Ours was a 22’ center console.

 

[SteveK]

It's called romanticism, emotionalism. It's one of my biggest drivers in life also. The fact that (most) boats are horrible investments means that we participate in them for reasons which don't need to make practical sense.

My car could use a set of tires for about $2500, but I will put it off as long as possible.
My boat could do with new risers for $8000, hey how soon can they get here.

You mean like that.

 

[Delta Riverat]

Yeah, that's the spirit!

I bought my boat with 2 non functioning heads. That's not gonna work.

Two new Marine Elegance installed and old heads removed (plus a lot of other "fixes") - eleven grand.

Four new tires installed on the car, only 1600, cheap.

Yeah, boats...

 

[Blissboat]

Back in the 80’s a friend published book listing about 150 wooden boat builders coast to coast. In talking with him years later we both agreed that he missed lots and lots of builders in Maine and Nova Scotia, the Chesapeake, panhandle region of Florida and especially the South coast. Perhaps another 50 to 75 builders that weren’t found or logged. Bottom line is that is a lot of full time wooden boat builders and I’m certain we can all agree they are building for buyers, no ? Rick

Sorry, Rick, but no. Back in the 80's I personally knew four wooden boat builders whose shops and yards ranged from Panama City, FL to Sarasota. I came to like and admire each of them. Sadly, all of those devoted craftsmen are no longer living, and no one has taken their place. Others in that business, who I knew of but did not know personally, are also gone. Nature ecologists call that "ecosystem collapse," and indeed, outside of New England and the Pacific NW, the wooden boat ecosystem is fragile at best.

In the 21st century, owning and maintaining a traditional wooden boat is sustainable for two types of boaters: 1) someone with the tools, skills, time, passion and facilities to do the work themselves, or 2) the boater with an open checkbook. People who are entering boat ownership for the first time need to hear that sobering truth. If they remain undeterred, then may God bless them and I'll hold their beers!

 

[Ox76]

I have to think about one thing I heard an old timer say once when we were talking about points ignition and electronic ignition. I said "points are easy to get running again and they've stood the test of time. The old timers liked 'em and still prefer them, mostly". He simply said, "If those boys had electronic ignition at the time they would have used it and laughed at any fool that still wanted to use points." Stuck with me all this time.

Wood floats. Seems like it would be good to use for a boat, is easy to work and forgiving, is biodegradable but can rot. The kind of plastic/fiberglass used in boats doesn't float (I'm sure there's exceptions), and doesn't rot, is easy to work with but is weaker than steel and doesn't turn back into elements to be "green" to the environment. Steel doesn't float and it can rust, is harder to work with, but is very strong and resilient and turns back into elements after rusting but is also quite heavy. What does all this mean? Pros and cons, gents. Pros and cons. Don't worry about what the other feller's pro is. As long as he's happy and isn't bothering or hurting anyone else, or trying to convert others for solidarity purposes it means nothing to us, really.

 

[Action]

I bought my boat with 2 non functioning heads. That's not gonna work.

Buying stuff for the hole in the water and ignoring your daily driver, that is an emotional ride.

And if I were to buy a boat with two non-functioning heads there would be three.

 

[Delta Riverat]

The boat was the best we could afford. Had lotsa room, good motors, good view, didn't stink of poop or mildew.

Supposedly had 1 good head previous survey, but second survey not.

Yeah, bought it anyway because we liked it!

Yeah, boats...

 

[garbler]

Don’t get me wrong here I love a nice fiberglass hull with a lovely sheer line, dark topsides to show off how fair she is. This one is a bit out of my price range but I was onsite during a lot of the build. Bruce King design

Rick

 

[garbler]

As I noted in the previous post I was onsite quite a bit during construction working for Lloyds of London. He are a couple of earlier build photos.

Oh yea I lied, she is all wood cold molded hull

Rick