I watched as someone spent 400,000 restoring The hull of a 65 foot wood Cruiser. Neglected for years, it had some rotten frames, dozens of planks replaced as well as 15 feet of the bow.
It made sense to the owner as the topsides were good and a similar new boat would cost roughly 2 million. It didn’t make any sense to me, nor anyone else in the boatyard.
Anyone who loves wooden boats should read this thread on the wooden boat forum. First, and perhaps foremost, the boat owner is a very gifted writer. (I’ve read it 3 different times) It chronicles an attempt to restore a classic Huckins in a remarkable way that captures the thrill of the dream and the sobering reality that both accompany such an ambitious project.
Perihelion - a story of hubris, failure... and redemption?
But if it had been my grandfathers boat, I sure would want to give it a shot.
Don't think I agree. Sentiment aside, thinking about my GF's boat, The Troublemaker, it was a big old wood piece of junk. Right now it is fully decomposed and raising a new generation of trees and shrubs in someone's backyard
If it in that shape I would agree. But his sounded in better shape, ie “floating and running”.