What a lovely project.  Those German boats had quite a lot more room inside, if my memory serves.  Boats are unbelievably cheap in places that aren't called New Zealand!

Thanks Annie, yes it’s a lovely project for someone that’s why I chose to put it up here. 

Thanks Arne for your intelligent reply, Nice one. I think this is why I ovoid fourums

Dan

I think Arne is quite right to warn that these restoration projects can prove to be rather more expensive (in time and money) than anticipated, and also right to point out that such effort is probably worthwhile only for a boat which is “special” in some way. It can easily become “throwing good money after bad.” The same applies to restoring old cars and restoring old aircraft.

It is not always a cheap way to get onto the water, as I know – and people need to take advice, if necessary, and realise what they might be getting into. Arne’s warning carries some truth.

I won’t drop “the diplomatic filter” just yet, because my  respect for Arne is genuine - but in the suggestion he made I think Arne, with the best of intentions, went just a little too far.

I would have thought a folkboat hull to be special. And here in New Zealand it is not difficult to find examples of beautiful old boats, classics, which have been lovingly restored, successfully, and made fully operational once more. Examples come readily to mind. Not all who would restore a boat are foolish, ill-informed or incompetent like the ones Arne refers to. Sometimes top hamper is removed too, returning the beautiful looks of a vessel to what the designer originally intended. Not everybody likes to do this sort of thing, some people would just prefer to spend their time sailing, and that is a good thing – but it is also a good thing that there are people who find joy in restoring something which is old and characterful, rather than just put a match to it. It is just another kind of “messing about” which also has value.

Then again, another possible route, which is not a “restoration”, would be to get the hull and decks watertight and shipshape, then just add the very minimum of accommodation and fit out, sell most of the chandlery, the mast and rigging, use the junk mast of course, and make a sail the easiest way possible, using Arne’s successful and well-documented method – and go sailing, maybe just weekend sailing.

In any case, of course, it is first necessary to ascertain the condition of the hull as it is at present. I am not sure that a hull having been painted inside necessarily means much, let alone what Arne suggests (I sure hope not!) and if I had to, I think I would rather make a sight-unseen judgement on some other basis, such as the credentials of the person advertising it, which, by the way, I had a look at Dan’s blog (http://junkdorybuild.blogspot.com/) probably already known to most junkies but it was new to me and I was mightily impressed. I would expect that Dan (who is selling on behalf) is qualified and will have reason enough to provide the necessary sound guidance.

I salute Arne, with full respect and with gratitude for his wonderful and outstanding contributions – but in this recent post I venture to suggest that he has been just a little too harsh.

PS there have been some remarkably interesting propositions in New Zealand recently too. For example: https://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/Listing.aspx?id=1625172701&archive=1

I, too, think that Arne is being a little too harsh. No. Make that much too harsh. Any boat that has passed through the hands of Dan and Tim Loftus is not going to be such a wreck as to be fit for burning, though clearly this is a restoration project. Of course a thorough examination and survey are needed, but then I see a blank canvas, just like buying a GRP hull and deck to fit out, where one doesn't have to accept  accommodation that's designed around a bermudan rig, with too many berths crammed in, but can do a sensible layout for cruising alone or with one other. Moreover, the dynamic duo of Dan and Tim are the very people you'd choose to do the woodwork for you, if you weren't in a position to do it yourself. 

The raised doghouse may not suit Arne, but does make sense in a Folkboat that's for cruising, not racing. My old boss, Mike Gibb, had such a Folkboat, Timoneer, which I was allowed to borrow, and the extra volume of the raised doghouse made a significant contribution to comfort aboard, with two adults and two small children, cruising for a couple of weeks.

Being in the middle of a JR renovation project, I'd agree with Arne.

My boat is a 1965 Kingfisher 20, with no structural problems. and that is taking several years of evenings/weekends and way more money that the boat is likely to sell for. A wooden folkboat currently in the Western Isles is likely to be in far worse condition, take more time, and at the end will still be worth a pittance.

Boat renovation is either meant to soak up excess time & money (otherwise often seen in football fans or leisure fishermen) or for love. So if someone loves that boat, or loves the design, good luck to them!

But I can't really imagine that this particular example will go anywhere, alas.