Sailing, Surfing and other things waterbased

Especially if it's a boat restoration company

Obligatory shout out for my favourite YouTube channel ever, Sampson Boat Co

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLB00JHoTw1TeX82Qw8hoFLRJI89Us_jMw&si=yzZt5eqdpdn3IKPz

I have been steadily working my way through the entire series - I’m at “caulking” currently.

In terms of the startup, it’s so nebulous at the moment - mainly ideas, some design work, lots of plans. However, one of the local VC fund advisors suggested that we have breakfast earlier this week and proceeded to suggest that he would work with me/for the company for a couple of days a week with a primary focus on raising equity which (once that was achieved) moving to what I’d probably call a COO role, with payment in equity (equity that is only worth something if we are successful).

I admit that the imposter syndrome is coming in waves at the moment.

The sailing has been a pleasant distraction from thinking about cyber security and how to do a small part of it better than anyone else, and of course a great opportunity to speak like a pirate for hours on end.

Folk boats are decent seagoing boats and lots of spares available - rig, sails etc. Small enough to sail on and off a mooring too, definitely no inboard required. I wish I’d bought a folkboat instead of my Hillyard

Ok, this is the ketch- had a good look round her today and it’s just too much of a project. Ideally you’d want her in a boatyard for months, and at $180/day that’s not an option.

It’s a lovely boat in many ways, but not for me.

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How she used to look:

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Ok, it seems that when you start learning to sail you get offered “free” boats quite regularly - and from observation what happens to the boats that are offered for free, if they are not taken on by anyone, is a very high incidence of sinking mysteriously. This obviously can’t be anything to do with yachts having a very high disposal cost.

There’s a Marieholm produced International Folkboat that I’ve been offered, but the owner is so at odds with the storage yard that it’s been in (for the last 15 years) that they won’t do any work on it.

It has to have work done so it can be registered, so the only way that boat is leaving is under tow, or on a truck. That then still leaves the “where to take it?” Question, so (again) I think it’s a free boat that would end up costing a lot, with a lot of unanswered questions attached to how to even go about it currently.

Which brings me onto the i550 - a self built boat by a friend of a friend, who parked it when the mast bent when he had a lot of sail up (it’s an 18’ yacht that will do 16 knots).

Looks like a fresh mast extrusion would be around $500 from NZ, and other than that it’s drilling some holes and swapping the rigging.

Not exactly a cruiser, but - it’s the closest to free of the free boats, and it looks like fun to sail around the coast.

The i550 sounds like the best bet.

If you want to get into yacht sailing, people are usually looking for crew. All the benefits of sailing and none of the costs.

that would be an absolute money pit.

I would like to be able to sail to Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand to explore, rather than flying (the normal method), ultimately. Maybe further afield depending on how much time I have - Australia in one direction, Sri Lanka the other, for example.

But the i550 is not the boat for that unless trying to set some sort of record.

There is a chap selling a Contessa 26 which looks to be in good condition but he wants double what I think it is worth, so I’m going to see if he adjusts his price next year (if he still has it of course).

The Contessa 26 is based on the folk boat design, hence very seaworthy.

Old boats are not worth a lot unless in very good condition, as the cost of ownership is much greater than the cost of acquisition.

Also bear in mind that the cost of ownership increases more or less exponentially with increase in size.

So whilst an old fashioned 26' design like the Contessa has zero gin palace appeal, and is quite cramped inside, it will be quite a bit less expensive to maintain than for e.g. a 30' boat.

Having been through this cycle more than once, I can't emphasise how much more than you initially think is involved in boat ownership, both in time but particularity in cost. Even for a relatively small boat like a Contessa 26, just consider:

Standing rigging
Running rigging
Sail wardrobe
Inboard engine
Fixed electrical installation
Essential electronics such as speed, depth, chart plotter, VHF
Interior fixtures and fittings
Galley equipment (cooker of some sort)
Heads
Safety equipment such as flares, emergency location devices, life jackets, harnesses

All of the above are limited lifespan items.

Then hull, deck, windows and woodwork will all need attention.

Will it be on a mooring? You'll need an inflatable tender to get to it and stow on board unless you intend to only visit marinas. If you keep it in or visit marinas, check out how much they cost. Check out how much it costs each time you want to get it in or out of the water, and how much to store "on the hard" whilst you do work on it or outside the sailing season.

apologies if all of this is grannies and eggs.

Yes, everything costs more than you think and there are always additional costs for things.

Here in the tropics cleaning the bottom of the boat is an every couple of weeks type deal, which I don’t think it is in the UK.

The i550 is hauled out onto the hard stand at the moment and will be put in the water and taken out again when required- so marine growth less of an issue.

The current owner is apparently happy to keep paying for it to stay there if I fix the mast.

Changi Sailing Club is second cheapest here- Singapore Armed Services Sailing Club is the number one I believe. But cheap in the context of boats is not cheap.

Spent a bunch of childhood summer holidays on a Contessa 32 called Nan of Kyle, harboured at Crinan. Don't know we fitted as a family of five on it retrospect.

Imagine the sense of adventure for you and your siblings would have pushed out memories of being cramped. Plus I am guessing you would have been a bit smaller at that point.

I’m really enjoying learning to sail- after being asked to come here then sacked I’ve been trying to find things that make sense to do here, or are in some ways better than back home. Falling in the water here is definitely less objectionable than back in the Solent, so it makes the list.

Ideally I want to get my licence so I can sail on my own, head out to some of the bays with clear water and reefs and go snorkelling.

We have a tiny problem.

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There was a heavy deck hatch left propped up behind it which fell against the transom, corner of hatch hit flat bit of transom (which is 1/4” ply and fibreglass) and punched a hole in. The water and ants followed.

It’s a wooden frame with fibre glass construction- I’m wondering about stripping it back and cutting out the rotten wood, then re-glassing it. Critical requirement would be some space to do this.

that construction looks quite, ummm... lightweight.

Could be it isn't as bad as it looks but it doesn't look great - depending on the extent to which the frame has rotted.

Yes, very- all up weight including lead ballast torpedo on the tip of the keel is 330kg.

It’s just going to get cut up and landfilled now if I don’t fix it, so I shall see what I can do.

If it’s just the corner I reckon that should be (hopefully) a straightforward (albeit probably not quick or easy) job. If the frame is rotted back into the core of the boat then bin time.

I’m kicking myself for not opening the hatch that you can see under the lines, and taking a look inside when I was there.

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Always get sucked into the Vendee Globe when it's on. It's like bike dot watching, but with added tactical fun allowing you to arm chair race, all the while being uncomprehending of the task ahead of them. The youtube updates from the various skippers are great and a brit is currently in the lead - which always helps keep the attention. The boats, as with all modern high performance yachts - are incredible too.

There is some odd winds on the horizon for them now and it will be interesting to see how they navigate down across the equator as they all bunch up in front of some high pressure.

Fav updates come from Boris Herrmann, who always seems very chill about sailing a massive boat round the world. Followed him last time and just like his vibe.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9gkwkCSr_tI&t=9s

Was also interesting to follow the ups and downs of Clarrise Cremer over the last couple of days. Almost in tears doing an update a day ago after losing her biggest gennaker over the side after it unfurled unexpectedly.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ns6yJy2iGkg

Later on, she'd pulled her self together out in the middle of the ocean and did a "how to cook eggs at 25 knots in the middle of the Atlantic" video before explaining she was scared of the spider that's still aboard her boat. Happy to sail single handed through the most dangerous waters in the world though.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-dDFa-8WC3I

Her story is pretty cool. Previous sponsor dropped her after she got pregnant, but Alex Thomson helped sort her a new sponsor and bought her boat back. Her husband is also sailing the race so their 2 year old has got a few months with his sister as third parent.

Well this has become an extremely deep rabbit-hole. Thanks a lot?!

Enjoyed this

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2018/03/22/magazine/voyages-kayaking-across-ocean-at-70.html

Just throwing it out there, is anyone looking for a couple of sea worthy kayaks? I have a pair of Perception Expression 11 kayaks that I'm looking to move on, as moving away from the sea and don't have anywhere to store them. Both in good condition and looked after. They're lovely things, nice to paddle, pretty stable even in choppy seas as they have a retractable skeg.

Would include two paddles (both decent ones), spray deck, cover etc and I can throw in a life vest too.

Likely need collecting from down south though.

talk to me. I recently picked up a necky jive but i lack the skill for surf and have been keeping an eye out for a crossover

I'd love one but that would take my kayak count to three! I have a couple of sit on top kayaks but would love a 'proper' one. I learned in something similar as a kid