Sarah = Sadness

[Hugh MacD]

Re: Sarah = Sadness

Have you considered the "Save this boat" in Wooden Boat? Or have you already explored that avenue? I wish I was in a position to save her, but I have neither the youth nor the resources.

[Concordia...41]

Another two months, another nothing. The owner of the yard where she sits thought she knew someone interested in taking her.

Like Ted earlier in the thread, I always thought that giving her away would put her in the hands of someone unable or unfit, but at this stage even that is an option.

Another month and nothing

I looked at moving her inland to vastly cheaper storage, but I'm worried about potential damage transporting her plus the expense of unstepping the mast and transport.

On top of that I'm fairly certain that if I move her inland I'll drive away and never go back, and she'll be one more wooden boat sitting in a field rotting away.

So I do what I've done for the last few years and just pay what would be a car payment or a half month's mortgage for another month's storage.

This hurts my heart so much

[Thad]

Very sad, but you are a hero!

[wizbang 13]

C'mon. It's going to take 200 grand to fix her up.
you want someone ELSE to do it.
good money after bad
Florida killed that boat.

[Figment]

Heart-achingly tragic.
(and yeah... moving inland for storage simply delays the chainsaw while increasing its certainty)

Though this is probably of very little comfort, I'll say that this issue is not unique to Sarah, and not even really about the wooden part of the boat. A lot of sailboats in absolutely fantastic turn-key condition are struggling to find new keepers these days. The pool of sailors with the means to own a 40 footer (or even a 30 footer) is drying up.

[nedL]

I'm so sorry this sage is continuing for you Margo. I am having growing thoughts that I may be in a similar situation when the time comes for me to stop using my boat as well. All we can do is keep looking for someone interested in taking them on after us.

[Pelirrojo]

Perhaps a small condolence but I know that the Concordian society is aware of your situation and attempting to find a buyer for her.

[Concordia...41]

C'mon. It's going to take 200 grand to fix her up.
you want someone ELSE to do it.
good money after bad
Florida killed that boat.

Wizbang,

I'm going to agree in some parts and disagree in others.

It's going to take 200 grand to fix her up.

I disagree strongly: Between 2000 and 2007 Dave and I put 200k into her (purchase price, materials, tools, years of yard bills), but we started from nothing. I think someone who had the ability to do their own work would be into it for the cost of trucking her to their location, setting up the project, and 20-30k. Definitely less than 50k. If someone wanted to truck her to New England and hand her over to a yard, I can't say.

you want someone ELSE to do it.

I absolutely agree. I just don't have it in me to work on her. I'm so afraid of falling I hate going up the ladder and climbing over the lifelines. I have no local help or support and the last time I tried to hire work done was a total disaster and I spent a couple of years paying off the debt incurred for the money paid to someone that didn't turn out to have the skill set advertised.

good money after bad

That is your opinion and you are entitled to it, but I don't regret any of the money spent on her. I regret the situation and what I have let it become.

Florida killed that boat.

I disagree strongly. Sarah was brought to Florida in 1962. She was maintained and sailed successfully until approximately 1998. Dave and I bought her in 2000. July 29, 2000 - 23 years ago tomorrow to be exact . When I got her relaunched in 2007, she had been out of the water for over nine years and was fine.

[Thad]

Thank you, Margo.

[chas]

Hwl's link shows Sarah for sale at $35K. When I access her page through the broker website she is listed at $55K. This is confusing, at least for us on this site. Margo, I hope I am not intruding as I am unknown to you other than on the pages of this forum. Know only that I have some understanding of the pain and worry that you feel with Sarah, as Shannon and I were forced to find a new caretaker for Accolade last fall, the acceptance of which remains painful to this day. We were fortunate to find a skilled and experienced young man who recognizes the effort required to operate and maintain a classic wooden vessel. I hope the same for yourself as it absolutely helps with the process of moving on.

I think if you could procure a portfolio of present day pics of Sarah, including items of value in storage, and prepare a complete specifications list, that you would be prepared for marketing her on Facebook Marketplace. Present day pics would perhaps dissuade the angst one feels when confronted with the fact she has been on the hard for ten years. A valuable addition to your sales pitch would be an accurate account of work remaining to get her back in the water and operational. This would include an estimate of materials quantity required and a realistic estimate of the skilled man-hours required to complete her to a reasonable standard. I found this last item to be a handy time-saver when trying to separate the tire-kickers from the eligible purchasers during the initial phone inter-actions.

Wishing you all the best in finding her next caretaker! They are out there somewhere; you will recognize them, they will look like you 20 some years ago. / Jim

[Concordia...41]

Jim - Thank you for pointing out the discrepancy on the listing. He also had her listed as a 39' and while not all of the problem, it is a small part. The pictures weren't very good either. It was just one more broken piece of this situation. I texted him Saturday and asked him to remove the listing completely.

At this stage I would consider any offer. A couple of months ago the owner of the marina said that they had someone who would take her and take over the monthly storage. Thankfully nothing came from that because I was afraid that this person wouldn't understand or appreciate the boat and she would become just one more joke to someone about how expensive a "free" boat is. I also really need to get some $$$s for her. If not I need to sell the sails and other items of value, and I hate the idea of doing that.

Prior to that, there was some interest from a college student looking for something she could make into a liveaboard. While I applauded her idea, I talked her out of Sarah and into something more suitable like a fiberglass Hunter also for sale at the same yard.

I have a listing with all of the specs, and will try to get some current pictures this week. I obviously can't post this listing here, but since you all are such an excellent sounding board, what I would like to do is a staggered listing.

Asking price of __k = as is where is
Asking price of __k = huge inventory list including new sails, interior items
Asking price of __k = all of the above plus tools, utility trailer, materials

Any input of how to convey that would be appreciated.

Thank you all!

-M

[johngsandusky]

I understand your concern about offering her for free. I've given away two boats, neither lasted long after. "Free" tends to attract dreamers who can't manage the boat.
My good friend Bill currently has his 41' Malabar II listed very reasonably, no takers. There was nearly a deal allowing for any needed repairs, but it fell through. This boat floats and sails, but can't find a buyer.
Good luck with yours.

[bamamick]

This is just such a sad situation. I had my wooden Dragon for sale for, I don't know, three or four years. Then I get a call from a guy in Texas who was interested. I assumed he was after the glass Dragon, but no, he wanted the woodie, which at the very least needed a new deck and a refinish. I had paid $4K for her a long time ago when she was essentially a wreck, and had about $50K in her. He wanted my 'best price' and I gave her to him for $2500. He had inside storage and a buddy who knew a lot about wooden boats and was raring to go. Almost as soon as he got her home he wrote asking if I though he could just rig and sail her as she was, and I said 'no way'. I mean, the deck had gotten so bad that you could poke your finger through in places. My boatwright had retired and moved away, and down here in coastal Alabama there aren't many who I'd give a 1950's Dragon to for a deck replacement.

So now the boat is listed on the North American Dragon website. $2500, I think. He's pulled off the deck but done nothing else that I can see. It tears at my heart to know she's over there, just sitting. She was freakin' beautiful at one time, but I have to just have on blinders and not look at the photos or think about going over and getting her back.

These boats, they become a part of us in a way that no one else could ever understand. And when they 'die', it is very much like losing someone who was close to you.

Mickey Lake

[Dave Lesser]

I see that Off Center Harbor is offering listings for $10 per month.

https://www.offcenterharbor.com/dream-boat-harbor-good-boats-for-sale/

[nedL]

Margo, please check your messages.