Thread: Thunderbird on ebay

Now here's a good idea, maybe it can be implimented here too.

Family BoatBuilding: A Free Opportunity for Wooden Kit Producers - Boat Design Forums

I am sure there "wood" be interest.

John, are you off your medication again . . .

In the Lubber's defense, I see about 100 of these types of boats each year. 99% of them are destined to occupy a slot at the local land fill soon. Many of these could be "saved", but they're just not worth it for lots of different reasons. Most of these yachts are just long past help and should be given an honorable burial.

On the other hand, every once and a while, not very often, but often enough for me to keep my eyes open, a "special" case is found. It will have some sort of significance, be this historical, a notable previous owner, maybe an enviable racing history or some movie star's daughter was conceived on it's foredeck. Who knows, but it's usually a prerequisite for a restoration. Sometimes, you just get lucky and find a nearly unmolested example of a rare breed.

I once found a 50 year old runabout that had been barn stored for 35 years. It had been used a few seasons, then passed through a few owners, that had little interest (son's of the guy that originally owned it), eventually being parked in a dirt floor barn, with an army tent tossed over it. I got it for $500 less the outboard which they wanted to sell for more then it was worth. The boat was one of about 12 of it's kind and the only survivor not in a museum.

Of course this sort of thing only happens, after you've looked over many hundreds of boats, that were little more then a place for the queen bee to hang her hive (literally). If you know what you're looking for, more often then not a bargain can be had and the good stuff removed, while the rest is cut up and swept into the burn pile. I've bought $500 boats just for the sails and winches, but buyer beware, you better have a good idea what you're getting.

In the end, I think most of these Ebay finds which seem to be "good deals", are probably boats that the owner couldn't sell with a sign on it at the local marina. In other words, the folks in the area that are looking for a boat like it, passed this one over and now it's on Ebay, so select wisely and if much money is involved a survey is a must, not to mention will be required for insurance.

...spoken like a true maven PAR.....

by the way, the Chris Craft I discussed with you previously has still not been touched, the owner is "considering" his options, either way, it is unfortunately going to be an expensive toy for him.

Fed X it to me and I'll give you a quote . . .

Yap, That's what often happens. I would much rather an owner "consider their options" and get some advice than think that the restoration or repair starts with pulling everything apart.

Best wishes
MIK

Do any of the participants in the above discussion about whether to restore or dispose of mind if I put together an edited version and add it to the lead post for the section.

It does canvas the two sides quite well and both sides made some good statements.

MIK

MIK,

Please do, up to yourself, it needs to be realised.

(and I have had my pills for today thanks PAR, it was the red ones wasn't it)

Good idea Mik. You made a good point that old boats cannot be promoted as worthwhile to restore without an inspection, but neither can a boat be condemned.

Unless people know about these boats from a site like this, some good boats that could have had a new lease of life will end up on the scrap heap. I certainly don't know enough about restoration to filter out all the one's that are "no-hopers" (although I've seen plenty that I haven't posted for this reason)

All I ask is: please don't anyone shoot the messenger, or no-one will want to post any boats!

Selective and edited plagiarism is always a crowd pleaser, go for it Mik.

Some of us may have come to that realisation that, although it may have been faster/cheaper to scrap the boat and start again (and maybe get a better finished result) we actually enjoy the process of restoring something that already exists.

(Says he who's spent the past 18 months restoring a boat instead of finishing the one that he started. )