Looking at a 1972 65 foot wooden Romsdahl
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Nomad Willy
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The boat was at least 65’ and wide. It had a very low hp per ton of displacement .. I remember it had 2hp per ton. Few boats under 50’ have less than 3.
I breezed through the later magazines on the outer cover edge. No find.
Perhaps somebody reading this has a copy.
I breezed through the later magazines on the outer cover edge. No find.
Perhaps somebody reading this has a copy.
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Blissboat
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Indeed it is. Put differently, that's what "open checkbook" looks like - beautiful. Your prospective boat Triton could look like that too. As an old lawyer friend used to quip dryly about ambitious ideas, all it takes is money.
backinblue
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There is another saying......"There's nothing more expensive than a cheap boat".
The Triton you say!
I just googled Triton Yacht. This is what I got:
https://images.search.yahoo.com/sea...oads/2014/06/Triton_038_web2.jpg&action=click
This yacht was recently sold by David Ritchie, one of the "Ritchie Bros Auctions" founders. This yacht has done the Northwest Passage and other significant passages. With crew including the son of a good friend as chef.
Kidding aside, I think a previous poster has hit the nail on the head when suggesting you are not really looking at a Romsdal, but actually a copy of a Malahide. Lack of authenticity is not fatal to your quest, as you are looking at an old survivor, so your survey will tell you value based on condition, not on historical lore.
Good luck with your quest.
It seems like Romsdahl is used as a generic term. This boat was under a different name and was renamed to the Triton .This boat was built in England by Edward Wood I think. I was scheduled to look at it this Saturday and the seller just canceled. That's okay, there are other boats that I want to look at.
blister repair on a wood boat?
Guess not blister repair planking rot that kind of thing. The owner told me that he had it hauled out in November they did a bunch of planking full bottom job whatever that means and it was a little over $20,000. It is in the hands of a broker now who instantly raised the price by $30,000. I'm becoming a little bit frustrated with this. Starting to feel like a sleazy used car sale.
backinblue
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I didn't make up the saying, but I get it. A boat that is cheap to buy may need a lot of investement to make it right. Guess it depends on what you are willing to live with.
Simi 60
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MAY need
And you need to define "make it right"
Ours was cheap and she'd require a hell of a lot of coin spent to make into artwork, it would not improve her comfort or amenities one bit but it would have bled us dry.
She'd require a hell of a lot less money spent to make her whole and pretty
And, her comfort and amenities are identical to above
We have done some pretty serious work this lift, more than anticipated and it will be repeated on other side in next lift.
Work that I was wanting to get done in Satun (Thailand) but due to covid am now getting done in OZ at 10x the price.
Even with the extra expense she will still have cost us a small fraction of what a comparable "no immediate work" vessel would have cost to buy
But, the "no immediate work" vessel could also very well have had hidden issues, I know several we looked at did.
Having been in the industry for decades prior I have seen bandaids, coverups and jam iobs on many vessels over the years.
I have been employed to repair many of them.
Filler, shiney paint and wall panels hides all........until it doesn't.
An example of this happening now not far from where we are.
Foreign bought vessel - shiney, modern , expensive
Catastrophic failure of work done prior to leaving and before arriving here on own bottom.
Boat is in pieces now so as to pull engine.
Preliminary inspection shows work and parts paid for have not been done or used.
Ouch
Also depends how much debt you like to be in and how much you enjoy going to work to service that debt.
We don't enjoy either, so were willing to purchase the cosmetically less attractive vessel if it had us retired and out here way sooner - which it did.
TLDR: spending more money on a boat is no guarantee that there aren't problems
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backinblue
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Jeez why so defensive? I wasn't directing the comment at you. The OP has a budget of $150K for a boat. If he buys this one for $50K is that a bargain? Not if it takes another $200K to make it seaworthy and functional. And then another 50K a year in more repairs, insurance, dockage, etc, once he begins to use it. I get what you're saying and I'm glad you are happy with your boat. Not every boat needs to be a showpiece to be useful and make their owners happy. Speaking of dept, there is probably more risk in getting in over your head with a cheap project boat than spending more upfront and buying something well-maintained and in good operational condition even if not cosmetically perfect. Look at the boat "Scout" that a TF member has listed here for sale. He admits that it's not a piece of art, but I'd bet that if you bought that boat, it would be virtually turn key with no big $$$ suprises that you didn't plan on. I'd rather purchase something like that because at least I'd know what I'm getting into financially than taking a gamble on something that could end up costing much more than I could afford once the never-ending repair costs start adding. I agree that nothing is guarenteed and something that looks good, could also have a lot of problems. However, I think you can usually tell when a boat has been loved and cared for, as I'm guessing yours is. A boat with 4 non-functioning heads and issues that were found in a 5 year old survey but still not addressed? Not the boat for me. But to each his own, I'm not judging you or anyone else. Live your life the way you want, doesn't affect me. I'll do the same.
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Simi 60
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Not defensive at all
Simply pointing out that it's not as cut and dried as some claim.
More expensive, shiny boats can have plenty of hidden issues as well but once the big coin is spent ( I have seen plenty of people since covid sell the house and spend it all on a boat) there is often little left over for ongoing repairs that can and do arise.
If they had bought the less cosmetically appealing and or older model, they could enjoy similar levels of fun and comfort with plenty of "fat" in reserve.
Instead, they are looking for work <shudder>
.
It would raise flags with me as well but 4 toilets is $1000 and depending on what those other issues were.........
Personally, I think its a great saying, especially for new boat buyers. Quite often new boaters don't realize the cost of some of the projects. Repowering comes to mind, but there are a lot others. It doesn't necessarily mean the "cheap" boat isn't worth buying, but one needs to have realistic ideas on how much money it may take to get the boat into operating condition.
Jim
backinblue
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Could be, or maybe a holding tank with a bad leak that needs to be replaced or other plumbing problems. Who owns a boat with no working head? That says a lot about how much the owner cares about functioning systems, not cosmetics. Also a non-working generator that allegedly needs a $200 circuit board replaced. Sounds like when someting stopped working the owner just ignored it.
The problem with a holding tank was the first thing I thought of. Guess there's no way of telling that for sure without closely inspecting the tank and knowing what you're looking for. I'll accept his explanation that the generator just needs a board if he's willing to go on the hook for paying whatever repair is necessary. It looks like will be next Saturday before I get down there to see the trawler.
I did have a chance to look at a 69 foot pacemaker that was listed as excellent condition. One engine would start explained as being out of fuel, neither generator would start run explained that the batteries were dead, three broken windows, every square inch of external teat needed refinishing, the deck on the flybridge was completely destroyed needed complete replacing He had owned the boat for about five years and never had it hauled out for a bottom job. It sat for at least 10 before he bought it. I suggested that there might be a problem with blistering on hull and every single through all fitting needing replacement and probably the packing gland as well. He told me that blisters on fiberglass were caused by a bug that gets inside the fiberglass. I'd never heard that one before.
I did have a chance to look at a 69 foot pacemaker that was listed as excellent condition. One engine would start explained as being out of fuel, neither generator would start run explained that the batteries were dead, three broken windows, every square inch of external teat needed refinishing, the deck on the flybridge was completely destroyed needed complete replacing He had owned the boat for about five years and never had it hauled out for a bottom job. It sat for at least 10 before he bought it. I suggested that there might be a problem with blistering on hull and every single through all fitting needing replacement and probably the packing gland as well. He told me that blisters on fiberglass were caused by a bug that gets inside the fiberglass. I'd never heard that one before.
backinblue
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Blisters have nothing to do with bugs, it's water ingress into the fiberglass. I don't know how much experience you have buying used boats but remember that any ad you are seeing is showing the boat in the best possible light. Every write-up will tell you why it's the perfect boat and a rare find in such great condition. There are almost no bad pictures of boats that are a disaster in realaity. You just experienced a boat that was listed in excellent condition, think about what you may find in a boat that is not "excellent". In my mind, for the boat in question is, why wouldn't he go ahead and replace the board in the generator after spending more than that to have it diagnosed? Why do all 4 toilets suddently stop working and why have a boat with no working head. If you want to take on this kind of project, I respect and applaud you, but to me it just seems like a boat that has been nothing but neglected for a long time. Just be sure you know what you are getting into and whatever it is, even a turn-key boat, there are likely some unexpected problems on the horizon.
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Not my first boat by any means. I couldn't believe the guy tried to tell me that it was caused by a bug. Right now the schedule is for my daughter and I to go and look at the trawler next Sunday. I will catalog everything that I can see and detect and make a decision if I even want to move forward. If I do move forward I'll make an offer based on the problems that I am aware of contingent upon a survey and further adjustment after the survey. The board on the generator excuse really bothers me. On any boat that I buy I will be installing the maximum number of solar panels and lithium batteries so a generator may not be quite as important as it would be otherwise. But if the generator is in the boat I want it to work.
backinblue
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I think I should stop replying to this thread. I've said what I feel and it doesn't mean I am right or wrong, in the end it's your decision. The red flags you mentioned would be a non-starter for me, but that's just my opinion. All boats will have issues but I wouldn't want a neglected boat that the owner didn't care for. If I was buying an old boat, it would be from somone who cared for it and tried to keep it in good running condition even if he couldn't keep up with the cosmetics. Whatever you end up doing I wish you the best. Let us know what you find.
Blissboat
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That's a funny one. Back in the mid-1970s, one of the yachting magazines, I think it was Yachting & Boating, published a deadpan serious April 1st article announcing the recent discovery of mutant termites that had adapted to the growing use of fiberglass in boatbuilding. "Polyestermites," they were called. In classic Darwinian fashion, they were colonizing the hulls of fiberglass boats, and nothing known to science could stop their spread . . .
That’s beautiful. I wonder how much money they put in to it. And beyond all the bright work whether that wood boat is worrisome. But limited rear deck space or swim step.
Blissboat
Guru
Exactly right. We know what to do about teredo worms, but these polyestermites are terrifying.
Maybe we need to start coating our hulls with ceramic, like the latest in nonstick cookware . . .I'm thinking Ivermectin mixed in with some epoxy should do the trick.Exactly right. We know what to do about teredo worms, but these polyestermites are terrifying.
BruceK
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As the saying goes "All that glisters* is not gold".
(* or "glistens", your choice)
Snug Harbor
Veteran Member
I find lots of people with no personal experience with wooden boats have lots of opinions on them. Owning a wooden boat can be a lovely experience but can be the most frustrating experience of your life. The work never stops so you have to approach it with that expectation. If you specifically want a wooden boat, then by all means pursue it but don't buy it just because it seems to be a good buy.
Be sure the surveyor is experienced and skilled in inspecting a wood boat, no matter how good he is - he won't find everything. But you could end up with a boat that smells good and has a very seakindly motion that only a wooden boat has...
Be sure the surveyor is experienced and skilled in inspecting a wood boat, no matter how good he is - he won't find everything. But you could end up with a boat that smells good and has a very seakindly motion that only a wooden boat has...
Can't recommend strongly enough that you get a firm, written commitment/quote for liability insurance BEFORE spending a dime on this boat! Very few insurers will issue a policy on an older wooden boat, irrespective of condition. And, if your financial situation dictates several million in liability, that further compounds the problem...
Linda Resner
Newbie
Check this Youtube show
The boat looks pretty good. This is a fun show about a young couple who bought a wooden sailboat in Brazil. Obviously it's an extreme example.
https://www.youtube.com/c/SailingYaba/featured
The boat looks pretty good. This is a fun show about a young couple who bought a wooden sailboat in Brazil. Obviously it's an extreme example.
https://www.youtube.com/c/SailingYaba/featured
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