Restoration question. I found a 31' metal sailboat hull.?

Question

This boat had a wooden mast, unknown year, 31' feet. The condition of it now is laughable, but it is all there, minus the lead for the balaster. there are a couple of sections in the rear cut out and the keel looks as if someone gave up half way through trying to cut it off. It has been sitting outside for 15-20 years. I can buy it for 1500 dollars and I see some like this going for 50k when it is done. I don't mind a 10-15 year project and I don't mind spending time and money on welding equipment. Is this a good deal, assuming that it is 80-90% good metal?

Answer 1

I've rebuilt a dozen 40-50 foot boats over the years, two of which have made it around the world.

Here's the short answer

RUN AWAY from this...don't walk..run......

detailed answer next week if the question is still up

Answer 2

Was this keel boat found in the swampland of Florida?Continue the butchery for fun and experience.An investment it is.But is it wise?As long as you can leave it on a reef and it won't hurt.

Answer 3

You have to decide for yourself. First off, no one is going to pay 50k for a restored steel-hulled sailboat. A restoration project NEVER pays off financially. It's only worth doing for the love of it.

Have a marine surveyor look over the hull with a hammer and an ultrasound thickness gauge. You can split the cost with the owner, possibly.

Welding is an art and a science. Include a year of lessons in your costs!

Good luck!

Answer 4

Do you know who designed the boat?

30 feet is minimum design length in a steel hull sailboat, due to beam/length/weight distribution.  (yes there are smaller ones but they are not comfy to sail in)

at 31 feet the design would have to be really good to be have decent sailing qualities.  with an unknown design all the work and money that you spent might be wasted on a boat that will not sail right.

with the lead ballast missing sounds like one of the previous owners didn't like how it sailed so he scrapped it for the value of the lead, think its currently about 1.25 a pound for scrap, my 30 foot fiberglass boat has about 3400 pounds of lead in it, so $4100.  

without knowing more about the boat I wouldn't pay more than the scrap value of the steel,  ($200 a ton right now I think)

Answer 5

These people specialize in wooden boat restoration, but may be able to find time to give you some pointers:

http://www.cayugawoodenboatworks.com/

I have seen some of their work sailing Seneca Lake in the Finger Lakes of New York.  They restored the Malabar X, twice winner of the New London-Bermuda race in the 30's.