What to expect with a WOOD sportfisher from 1972? Who can provide insight?

[stafford]

Great boat for sale, But it is wood. 31' soprtfisher all wood "shed kept" for at least 15 years and maintained. What could I expect in taking it into the Ocean wor a weekend fisher, leaving it exposed for four months then back to the shed for winter?
Perfect boat and condition now but what should I watch out for? Putting it to good use for four months, What wear and tear could I expect with hull only? I think I know what to expect with all other systems. It is a strip planked hull
SHOULD i refocus on a glass boat

[zup]

BUYER BEWARE. You must get a VERY GOOD surveyor, familiar with wood boats, to perform a survey.

The first thing to know about a wood hull boat is that they leak. No matter what you do it will leak, there is no such thing as a watertight wood hull. That being said wood has proved itself as time tested hull material.

If it was "shed kept" out of the water it will leak like a sieve until the planking swells, and you will need to watch it very closely to make sure it does not sink for at least the first two weeks after you put it in the water. If it has stored out of the water for 15 years the hull may never swell enough to slow the leaking to an acceptable level.

If it was in the water you may have significant issues with wasting of the fasteners by electrolysis. Also certain areas of the country have issues with worms that eat the planking.

Regardless of how it was stored there will likely be issues with dry rot. Also you should ask if slickseam was ever applied to the hull. It is known as a last resort fix to stop a wood hull boat from leaking. If slickseam fails, replanking is the only option.

Personally, I would stick with fiberglass, but that is just because I have seen too many wood boat failures.

[warthog5]

Quote: The first thing to know about a wood hull boat is that they leak.

That is not true. It depends on how it was built. Clinker, strip built, coldmolded, plywood on frame.

[Walt_S]

Who built it? Jersey, Pacemaker, Egg Harbor? Since you're in Jersey I figure it might be a "local" builder.

[Glen E]

I would get at least two surveys, maybe three*by the most reputable guys you could find before prooceding.

I grew up in the Chesapeake bay on a 1940-ish 32 foot Chris sedan that was double-planked mahogony. We looked at a few newer boats at the time and had them surveyed - the next boat we bought (Century) was surveyed and found to be intact -*1year later we found 4 planks in the transom area that were dead rottten on the first plank covering - mucho dollars to fix - survey missed it completely...

Go careful and slow - and make sure the surveyors specialize in that type of construction and age...

[rogerstg]

Even if it's in great shape per the surveys, expect to put in much time to maintain it. For a weekend user, it often boils down to a labor of love, or extreme frustration.

[auguste]

Like the old Jag XKEs . . . a weeks maintenance for a days use not an exageration if you want to keep it in top shape!

Good luck if you go ahead

[stafford]

The Boat has not been stored out of the water, it has been in a covered slip on the lower Chesapeak bay 30 miles west of tunnel. It is a strip planked hull built by a Bay builder named KRENTZ sp? who built a couple skipjacks in his day one of his skipjacks runs out of St. Michaels.
I agree on the survey, I am most concerned with a labor of love and money. I think working on boats is halve the fun but there is a point where it is no fun. To maintain this wood boat would be work, But the last thing i want is to get a call that it sunk at the dock. That being said there is nothing more impressive than a large, well maintained wood boat cutting through the water.
Any horror stories? Anyone want to share some maintance #'s $$$$ .?

[Megabyte]

There are wooden Baybuilt work boats on the Bay every single day that have no issues, and they have done so for years...

Wood will require maintenance, but so will fiberglass. Anyone who tells you that a fiberglass boat dosen't require maintenance is either crazy or a fool. Wood is no different, its just that the maintenance schedule is different. Learn what that maintenance schedule is, and you'll be fine. For example... freshwater (such as rain and wash water) is not good for a wood boat, but saltwater is fine. I know at least one charter Captain who puts bags of salt in his bilge to keep rain and wash water from damaging the wood on his Baybuilt.

If the boat surveys well and you are up to the task of maintaining it, I think you'll get many years of enjoyment out of it. After all... There are Skipjacks out there sailing on the Bay right now that are over 100 years old. How many fiberglass boats over 100 do you know?

[djcxxx]

Just one thing to consider, and this may not apply to you or your needs, but it is highly unlikely that such a boat will be insurable, and certainly not for any cost that would approach reasonable. If insurance is an issue you should research this before you sign on the dotted line. Best of luck.

[Bullshipper]

Re-read Augustee's post.
Even if this old baby is sound, and I would give that about a 20% probability, the maintenance on a wooden hull fishing boat is murder- unless you don't plan on using it for boating.

[kahunaoftuna]

I worked on a bunch of wooden boats in the day.

expect the following

leave it in the water so it does not leak
get real good with cotton
invest in brass screws to refasten the hulls
Become an expert at epoxy to rebuild the hull

I would not buy a wooden boat, too much work, and you will not be able to resell it.

[HEDJUG]

Keeping it uncovered will increase maintence and rot ten fold. Try to find a shed, the extra $$$ are worth it. Also, invest in extra bilge pumps, you can never have enough on a woodie. I set up every one that I owned with a valve that allows the raw water intake to act as a bilge pump & it saved my a$$.
Jug