Why the classic vessel remains afloat
You know who you are. As you approach a marina, an anchorage, a wharf, dock or forest of masts, your first instinct is to look for the classic boats. While you feel remorse, you are still guilty of removing the latest Wooden Boat magazine from it's plastic cover. You spend an impressive amount of spare time trying to think of a possible use for a 1944 108' tugboat with a two story Enterprise diesel and the 6' bronze prop. You have more than one book of Francis Herreshoff's cruising sailboats. You wonder if you could possibly single-hand a real Bristol Channel Cutter. You are the only one within earshot of the four Detroit diesels in the 86' Navy YP belching to life that enjoys the 672's in quadrophonic sound.
Rather than tilt at windmills like Don Quixote, you have always tilted at old boats. You know who Aubrey and Bolitho are. And when you go to the wooden boat show, or down rigger weekend, you revel in all the history of how and why every part of a boat goes together...and whats involved in renewing, restoring, replacing or reengineering the original. But you never really pay attention to how much all this costs.
So when you see that beautifully preserved vessel, you appreciate what it has taken to either keep her, or restore her to the present condition. Over the years several owners have been called by vessel to keep her proud and afloat. But now, it's her present owner that is the steward of keeping her afloat. There are no popped bungs, the prop is polished, the blocks are varnished and her bilge is dry.
You know you could be this guy.
We age at the same rate as our boat
As the years and varnish, and sandpaper and red lead accumulate, the ability to keep our classics in the same shape as the year we won best of show begins diminish. The wisest among us begin early to find a new steward for our vessels. It's not only a challenge to find someone who has the ability and means to maintain our vessel, but who will also be moved to assume the responsibility.
But those of us who tilt at old boats are not always wise, nor can we predict life's curveballs. There are countless reasons that keep us from being a good steward of our classics. Financial setbacks. Personal health challenges. Lack of family support and interest. Mother nature gaining the upper hand in returning our vessel to the earth and sea as mulch and rust.
And sometimes we are clouded by unreasonable expectations that we should be reimbursed for every dollar we have invested in our stewardship. You are no doubt familiar with the tale. The owner decides to sell the boat, and sets the price at his cost of acquisition, plus every dollar he has ever invested, plus the brokerage commission. The boat languishes for several seasons, with each new year bringing a reluctant reduction in the asking price. The boat degrades, the paint and varnish peels, the bungs pop and bilge begins to fill. But now the number of potential buyers begins to diminish as the condition of the boat degrades.
And as we know, it does not take very long for the maintenance requirements of an old boat to quickly exceed the value she can ever be sold for.
And then the boat sits. And the water begins to find its way in thru an ever increasing number of paths. The bungs begin to pop, corrosion begins to weaken the fasteners, and then one day, the electricity goes off and the bilge pumps are quiet. She fills up, maybe just enough to immerse her old diesel and flood the batteries.
Can she ever be refloated and restored to her former glory? Of course its possible...
...but it doesn't often happen
You know who you are. As you approach a marina, an anchorage, a wharf, dock or forest of masts, your first instinct is to look for the classic boats. While you feel remorse, you are still guilty of removing the latest Wooden Boat magazine from it's plastic cover. You spend an impressive amount of spare time trying to think of a possible use for a 1944 108' tugboat with a two story Enterprise diesel and the 6' bronze prop. You have more than one book of Francis Herreshoff's cruising sailboats. You wonder if you could possibly single-hand a real Bristol Channel Cutter. You are the only one within earshot of the four Detroit diesels in the 86' Navy YP belching to life that enjoys the 672's in quadrophonic sound.
Rather than tilt at windmills like Don Quixote, you have always tilted at old boats. You know who Aubrey and Bolitho are. And when you go to the wooden boat show, or down rigger weekend, you revel in all the history of how and why every part of a boat goes together...and whats involved in renewing, restoring, replacing or reengineering the original. But you never really pay attention to how much all this costs.
So when you see that beautifully preserved vessel, you appreciate what it has taken to either keep her, or restore her to the present condition. Over the years several owners have been called by vessel to keep her proud and afloat. But now, it's her present owner that is the steward of keeping her afloat. There are no popped bungs, the prop is polished, the blocks are varnished and her bilge is dry.
You know you could be this guy.
We age at the same rate as our boat
As the years and varnish, and sandpaper and red lead accumulate, the ability to keep our classics in the same shape as the year we won best of show begins diminish. The wisest among us begin early to find a new steward for our vessels. It's not only a challenge to find someone who has the ability and means to maintain our vessel, but who will also be moved to assume the responsibility.
But those of us who tilt at old boats are not always wise, nor can we predict life's curveballs. There are countless reasons that keep us from being a good steward of our classics. Financial setbacks. Personal health challenges. Lack of family support and interest. Mother nature gaining the upper hand in returning our vessel to the earth and sea as mulch and rust.
And sometimes we are clouded by unreasonable expectations that we should be reimbursed for every dollar we have invested in our stewardship. You are no doubt familiar with the tale. The owner decides to sell the boat, and sets the price at his cost of acquisition, plus every dollar he has ever invested, plus the brokerage commission. The boat languishes for several seasons, with each new year bringing a reluctant reduction in the asking price. The boat degrades, the paint and varnish peels, the bungs pop and bilge begins to fill. But now the number of potential buyers begins to diminish as the condition of the boat degrades.
And as we know, it does not take very long for the maintenance requirements of an old boat to quickly exceed the value she can ever be sold for.
And then the boat sits. And the water begins to find its way in thru an ever increasing number of paths. The bungs begin to pop, corrosion begins to weaken the fasteners, and then one day, the electricity goes off and the bilge pumps are quiet. She fills up, maybe just enough to immerse her old diesel and flood the batteries.
Can she ever be refloated and restored to her former glory? Of course its possible...
...but it doesn't often happen
