Never Sell Your Boat Locally

[Bob Adams]

It might lead to heartache. I owned Enterprise, a 1966 Egg Harbor 37 for 23 years. Saved from a dumpster and repowered with Detroit
Diesels, I sold her in 2013 She is being cut up now. Makes me want to cry.

enterprise sunset.jpg

enterprise profile.jpg
de3.jpg

[StevenBauer]

Damn. That sucks.

[Mcjim]

Bugger. That makes me want to cry too.

[cstevens]

Ouch. That's rough. I have a friend with an identical Egg Harbor here in Seattle. Lovely boat.

[johngsandusky]

Sorry to hear that. I've had a similar experience.

[willin woodworks]

Thats rough.

I was searching used boat ads and ran across my old Cal 33. It had broken loose during a storm and spent two tides on a stone breakwater.
Big hole in the side....they were asking 6K. I cried.

[Figment]

Yep.
The guy who bought Figment was a hapless dreamer. Two years later he had an outboard bolted to the transom (I told him I had a spare A4 if he wanted it!). Two years after that the rig came down on the mooring and stayed down for the rest of the season, looking like the yard guys had lashed it all on deck just well-enough to prevent it from being a navigation hazard in the mooring field but not well enough to prevent it from beating itself up on a choppy day.
I imagine she's been cut up by now as well.

[Rich Jones]

What a crime.
The new owner just left her to die from neglect?

[JimConlin]

There are other possible outcomes.

I owned Magic, an Alberg 35 for 25 years and sold it. My daughter grew up on it. Fifteen years later, she bought it and it’s back in the family.

I donated another boat to a local kids’ sailing club, vicariously enjoy their use of it and consult on its maintenance. They’re doing a good job.

[wizbang 13]

About five years after I sold “kutty ”, my Norwegian kutter, a new owner contacted me with some questions and photos. The boat had been stripped,cut and trashed.
I would have felt better taking her out for a one way trip some nice evening .

[jpatrick]

Jim Conlin's story reminds me that for many of the disaster tales, there are stories of resurrection. Many forum members are responsible for those. My own father would have fit in here. He rescued three old wooden boats from near death. One of which I would purchase in a heartbeat.

Jeff

[Ted Hoppe]

happened to me 3 months ago. I was so angry and cried for my efforts and love, knowing how many hours and how much blood I put to save and restore her. the owner left her open and went to Africa 5 years leaving her side tied under the golden gate bridge never returning. I had restored her back to 1957 perfectly and when i came to see her before she was cut up she was pirate stripped and sponge soft.

We can't look or go back. I say that with a second boat that has returned to me. It also has stopped me from doing other things i wanted to do this summer.

[schlaboatnic]

Last year when I had my boat pulled and blocked in the yard for the yearly shave and a haircut, I noticed an old trojan 36 on the far side of the yard in disrepair. Couldn't be the one my family had for over 20 years, it was way up North somewhere. I wandered over and sure enough, the same boat my father bought brand new at the Seattle Boatshow when I was kid. I hadn't seen it in many years, and the years were not kind. I saw no one working on it while I was there and assume it left in a dumpster.

[Bob Adams]

What a crime.
The new owner just left her to die from neglect?

The young man I sold her to really loved her, he even took his honeymoon on her. Unfortunately, his wife's interests turned to motorcycles and he gave her away maybe 4 years ago. Her end began then. This picture was about a year ago. I remember replacing that teak cockpit coaming looking at this. Transom too. On a lighter note, the light blue Interlux Perfection was over 10 years old and held up well.
de8.jpg

[cstevens]

I've seen how hard Maryland weather is on a wooden boat kept outside. My dad had to cut up a lovely little pre-war English cutter there many years ago for the same reason. But even so it's shocking how fast that Egg Harbor went from "really loved" to compost.

[schlaboatnic]

I always worry when x-mas lights get strung on a boat

[jpatrick]

I always worry when x-mas lights get strung on a boat

Not always a problem:

THOR.JPG

Jeff

[SKIP KILPATRICK]

Ugh, heart breaking!

[Autonomous]

These boats become family, and like family, you love them, nurture them and even have fights with them.
There comes a time to let them go, seeing them prosper gives you joy and seeing them deteriorate hurts.

[Bob Adams]

I always worry when x-mas lights get strung on a boat

Well not really. The person I sold her to put her in many lighted boat parades. The problem is, over the 4 years the last person owned her, they never bothered to take the lights down.

[bamamick]

This is nothing at all like that, but I bought a 'classic' Finn from a guy at Willow Bank YC near Syracuse several years ago. At the time there was a bit of a push to have a 'classic' Finn class going in North America like the one in Europe. Aluminum rigs, dacron sails. That sort of thing. I sailed the boat for awhile after a complete re-rigging, and then eventually sold it when it became apparent that the classic idea wasn't really going to work out. The guy I sold the boat to never used it, and I got antsy about it, so I tracked her down and bought her back from him. Once my hip and neck got so bad that I couldn't race her any more I donated her to my yacht club, hoping that a young sailor who might want to sail Finns would get her out there and get her wet from time to time.

I think that worked, for awhile. But eventually she wound up out on the back forty, her dolly broken and the boat lying half on the ground. I ordered the parts to repair the dolly and am in the process of stripping her down to paint again. I installed a new floor today (just painted plywood with 'hydroturf' on the upper side as non-skid) and after she's painted will pull apart the rig to see what's what. I have the rudder faired and painted. I will order a new cover. Hopefully the club will allow me to buy the boat back for a dollar or so?

It is very difficult to sit and watch any boat that you've put blood, sweat and tears into just rot. I let the old Star go to pot for awhile, but no more. She is in as good of condition as she might be in for a 40 year old Star boat. The cat boat is in good shape. If I can get this Finn going again, even as a Finn day sailor (which is all I want of her) I will feel as if I have done some good.

Mickey Lake

[Rich Jones]

Back in 1993 I sold the 20' gaff sloop I'd built.
I always wondered how she fared.
Turns out the woman I sold it to took really good care of the boat and made improvements.
She just sold it last year to some guy in Missouri.
I hope he takes good care of it.

[Nicholas Carey]

This is nothing at all like that, but I bought a 'classic' Finn from a guy at Willow Bank YC near Syracuse several years ago. At the time there was a bit of a push to have a 'classic' Finn class going in North America like the one in Europe. Aluminum rigs, dacron sails. That sort of thing. I sailed the boat for awhile after a complete re-rigging, and then eventually sold it when it became apparent that the classic idea wasn't really going to work out. The guy I sold the boat to never used it, and I got antsy about it, so I tracked her down and bought her back from him. Once my hip and neck got so bad that I couldn't race her any more I donated her to my yacht club, hoping that a young sailor who might want to sail Finns would get her out there and get her wet from time to time.

I think that worked, for awhile. But eventually she wound up out on the back forty, her dolly broken and the boat lying half on the ground. I ordered the parts to repair the dolly and am in the process of stripping her down to paint again. I installed a new floor today (just painted plywood with 'hydroturf' on the upper side as non-skid) and after she's painted will pull apart the rig to see what's what. I have the rudder faired and painted. I will order a new cover. Hopefully the club will allow me to buy the boat back for a dollar or so?

It is very difficult to sit and watch any boat that you've put blood, sweat and tears into just rot. I let the old Star go to pot for awhile, but no more. She is in as good of condition as she might be in for a 40 year old Star boat. The cat boat is in good shape. If I can get this Finn going again, even as a Finn day sailor (which is all I want of her) I will feel as if I have done some good.

Mickey Lake

You are what the Jewish side of the family would call a mensch. Of the finest kind.

[Oldad]

Well, I sold BUNKY to a local fellow and when his family loved her but outgrew her 22 feet, and they sold her and I got a letter from the next buyer telling me thank you for building such a fine boat with pictures of the new owner at the helm. Nice to be able to know she is doing well.

[Garret]

I'm really sorry to hear this Bob. I know it'd tear me up.

[Geftb]

To love and to have lost, is better than to never have loved at all.
can’t remember where I read this years ago? But I find it is true, hurt and all.

[RobK]

Ouch. That's rough. I have a friend with an identical Egg Harbor here in Seattle. Lovely boat.

john B?

[bamamick]

You are what the Jewish side of the family would call a mensch. Of the finest kind.

That's one heck of a compliment. Thank you.

Mickey Lake

[hawkeye54]

That's one heck of a compliment. Thank you.

Mickey Lake

From what I have 'seen' (electronically), Mickey, a well - deserved and well-earned compliment !!!


Rick

[Bob Adams]

Drove by today, there is, thankfully no longer any trace of her. Suffering over, goodnight Enterprise.

[dboboc]

I'm really sorry to hear this Bob. I know it'd tear me up.

It’s just a boat.

[Garret]

It’s just a boat.

Some folks don't get it. For sure it's less bad than a person being harmed, but I'm sorry you've never had a relationship with a boat. Like any relationship, it can be painful, but it can also be gratifying.

[Bob Adams]

It’s just a boat.

I find it a bit surprising you are even on this forum with an attitude like that.

[Oldad]

Its all relative I guess. I had my tool bag stolen when I left it on a job overnight in a supposedly secure location. Hammer gone—just a hammer, tape gone—just a tape, etc. BUT my little cast iron plane that fit in the palm of my hand.. that had been grampa's, then my dad's and finally mine. That hurt.

[soap94]

I guess you can apply the same approach to all things, especially if you live in a suburban area. My friend live in Wisconsin Dells (it's basically a small town 7k<) and he sold his mustang which at that time used to have a unique color way. It hurts to see this car at the local Walmart. That's the reason why I always try to keep boat bill of sale with me as a good memory and look at it whenever I am said and want to revise all the memories connected with my item. Good old time