Logbook: Only the Brave

When it comes to fixing up an old boat there’s the price, the cost and the reward.

There’s something romantic about refitting or restoring an old boat. It’s probably why time-lapse videos of VW vans or school buses being transformed into luxury campers do so well on social media. When it comes to refitting boats, owners generally fall into two groups: those who want to fix up a boat and those who have to. Within the pages of our May 2023 issue we pay homage to those who have restored boats as an act of love (see “Love and Boating” by Shane Scott). Then there are those who refit a vessel as a way of achieving their wildest dreams and float plans (see “The Purpose Driven Yacht” by Chris Dixon in our May 2023 issue). Then there are businesses like Metan Marine that rebuilds family heirlooms and crafts new boats that pay homage to the classics of yesteryear for the likes of Jimmy Fallon (“The Metan Effect”) Those stories all revolve around people living out a passion project.

Now, for that second category. Those, like yours truly, who buy vintage vessels as a means to get on the water without breaking the bank. I paid $4,000 for my first boat, a 32-foot 1962 Rhodes Chesapeake sailboat, but that’s not what it cost me. What it cost was months spent building a new wooden mast, and countless weekends of sanding, priming, painting and varnishing. In the end, my wife Karen even made one of those Instagram-worthy videos of the restoration that almost makes me want to do it all over again. Almost.

Buying our current Bertram was largely influenced by two things: A fellow boater who showed Karen and me his beautifully restored 28. Classic lines and modern comfort are a powerful combo. And second, it was a cost-effective solution for my family to achieve our cruising goals.

I think this mindset was largely influenced by my family. As long as I can remember my old man was always upgrading and enhancing the family boats. I also watched as he and my brother, who both possess the car gene, restored a 1978 Camaro. A too-cool teenager when that project was going on, I had to admit, even then, that the car was bad ass.

Other guys who influenced my decision to purchase a vintage Bertram were my colleagues Bill Pike and Bill Sisson. Pike’s regular column about refitting his immaculate Cape Dory 28 provided a regular dopamine drip that made me crave a project boat of my own. And Sisson has always lent an open ear for my boat dreams; having not only built an 18-foot Tashmoo from the hull up but being convinced by two Whaler nuts to restore a 17-foot Whaler. He’s thus intimately familiar with the pros and cons of such endeavors.

Sisson says that one of the most important things to keep in mind before embarking on a refit or restoration is that: “It’s going to cost more time and money than you estimate, no matter what. Even when you have a sharp pencil and you’re working with people who’ve done it before, you’ll run into problems you didn’t expect. You just need to be patient and push through. And you have to do your homework.” He adds that, “You should also know where the historical weak points of the boat are.”

Though often times a mental and financial strain, Sisson looks back on his project boats fondly and still thinks they’re a good way for some to get into our sport, especially if they have a good core of contacts in the boat business. “Fixing up the Whaler was fun because my kids were the right age to use the boat,” he says. “I got hooked on the idea of taking an old boat and rebuilding it, refurbishing it and enjoying it as much as a new model boat. I wanted to find out if I could I recreate that childhood fun I had messing around on my brother’s 13 Whaler, and it turns out I could.”

There’s a real sense of pride when you restore something, but especially a boat and especially when it’s a platform upon which to build powerful memories with friends and family. I hope this issue captures that spirit. Disclaimer: The editors of Power & Motoryacht are not responsible for the purchase of an old boat without the consent of your spouse. (But we’d love to hear about it!)

This article originally appeared in the May 2023 issue of Power & Motoryacht magazine.

Source: https://www.powerandmotoryacht.com/column/logbook-only-the-brave