Ted Hoppe
07-21-2008, 02:51 AM
Last week I was happy with my old girl but then I saw her from a distance. I felt lust in my heart for another more shapely, longer lined model with dreams of adventures outside the golden gate.
To give you background, I own a nice 1957 H-28 hard chine wooden sloop which has been a great sailing boat as well as giving me an introduction to classic wooden restoration project. Her sails are new and tight with a rebuilt mast. She is classically vintage fast and easy to single hand. She is always ready to leave in a moments notice. I alway am willing to buy her a nice fitting or happy to fix her when she is stressed. She is a bit small for my family with limited cockpit spacing. Her only drawback is that her performance has been less than I expected as compared to similar twenty year newer boats.
But on a recent walk down the pier fingers, I saw her. She is a custom designed 36 foot planked stripped sloop and former noted Transpac racer. Like the 28, she is rigged like she had been in her prime (ala 73) in her races to Catalina. Her engine is strong but bit tried and her mast is new. She can seat 8 very comfortably in the cockpit. She needs at least the following: Her planked hull needs a solid sand paint. A 4 aft ribs need sistering and rigging needs four turnbuckles. I think she will be at least $1500 haul out to do her right and all the work done by my self. Oh yeah, She will require a second hand to sail her properly.
Question is… Do I stay with my girl or do I go for a boat that is more. The asking price is 5000. My wife said goes for it. My young son says we need to stay with our nice old girl.
I am that type of guy who like simple, uncomplicated, elegant solutions and high quality things. Like many folks nowadays, money is a bit tight and I will have to part with a few toys to have the new boat... I suppose this kind of feeling is much like having a great, classy wife and being aware that there is beautiful, willing, fast and demanding (expensive) mistress who has made herself available.
What would you do?
To give you background, I own a nice 1957 H-28 hard chine wooden sloop which has been a great sailing boat as well as giving me an introduction to classic wooden restoration project. Her sails are new and tight with a rebuilt mast. She is classically vintage fast and easy to single hand. She is always ready to leave in a moments notice. I alway am willing to buy her a nice fitting or happy to fix her when she is stressed. She is a bit small for my family with limited cockpit spacing. Her only drawback is that her performance has been less than I expected as compared to similar twenty year newer boats.
But on a recent walk down the pier fingers, I saw her. She is a custom designed 36 foot planked stripped sloop and former noted Transpac racer. Like the 28, she is rigged like she had been in her prime (ala 73) in her races to Catalina. Her engine is strong but bit tried and her mast is new. She can seat 8 very comfortably in the cockpit. She needs at least the following: Her planked hull needs a solid sand paint. A 4 aft ribs need sistering and rigging needs four turnbuckles. I think she will be at least $1500 haul out to do her right and all the work done by my self. Oh yeah, She will require a second hand to sail her properly.
Question is… Do I stay with my girl or do I go for a boat that is more. The asking price is 5000. My wife said goes for it. My young son says we need to stay with our nice old girl.
I am that type of guy who like simple, uncomplicated, elegant solutions and high quality things. Like many folks nowadays, money is a bit tight and I will have to part with a few toys to have the new boat... I suppose this kind of feeling is much like having a great, classy wife and being aware that there is beautiful, willing, fast and demanding (expensive) mistress who has made herself available.
What would you do?