A good friend, who is an experienced boat owner and knowledgable in the building trades, called me late yesterday. "How would you like a free sailboat?"

He knows I am going to need a place to live very soon, and that I have been trying to find a sailboat to liveaboard. So, I am going along with the gag, "What do you have?"

"How about an all wood, classic sailboat in the midst of total renovation, that the owner just wants to walk away from." A couple of phone conversations later I put a call in to the supposed owner to see if he really wants to give the boat away - no return call yet.

So, what to do. My friend says the boat is gorgeous but a bit grimy and somewhat torn up here and there while cosmetic repairs and restorations are in progress. Definitely liveable as-is. Engine turns over, sails are in good shape, and my friend would help me sail/motor the boat to a berth nearer to my hometown (about 60 miles all through the Delta).

My friend would take it himself but when he talked to his wife - well, the bottom line is that he cannot. The question is, should I take on this boat?

Restoring the boat to its former glory would probably be a project of years and many dollars. On the other hand I could just live on it, do the minimum to keep things habitable, and try to sell it down the line to someone with more passion for classic boats and deeper pockets.

Assuming the boat was minimally sound, it would be a welcome and an immediate housing solution. If my friend is right about the intrinsic value of the boat it might even lead to enough money to get a more modern, though modest, boat later on.

What do you think?

Thanks.

And, yes, I am well aware that free boats are always the most expensive.

I'd take a look and give it due consideration. If you don't, you might cheat yourself out of an opportunity to fill a need, even if it turns out to be only a temporary solution.

I had a free lunch once, it didn't taste all that great. Maybe you will have better luck. It worked in Captain Ron.

Good luck if you take it...

Tough call! "Free" is good but when I think "all wood", I KNOW that means "work". I have some teak on my fiberglass 31' sailboat and I wish it was stainless steel instead! But....if the engine is working, sails are good, hull is sound, you will only be out the cost of moving and a slip fee. Worse case, you end up needing to find a buyer who wants to take it on, which could take a while...let us know what you decide.

Being it's a wooden boat, if you like what you see when you look at it, I would recommend having a survey done on it. It will cost you some money, but will give you peace of mind that you have a decent hull under you. "Free" won't be free if you are dealing w/a rotting issue you can't see on the surface. You don't want to have to vacate your new home to get it fixed later.

Good luck.

btw, let us know which classic design it is. And the particulars - length, sail plan, hull design, etc. Would be interesting to know why he wants to walk away from the renovation as well.

Why not? It's free!

If you're not happy with it, you can have fun sinkin it! LOL

Who built her and when? Is it a name you can google and get a clue about reputation? Is it big enough to truly live aboard or will it get old quick?

If all the present owner is doing is cosmetic, he probably thought the hull was solid or why bother with cosmetics. Then again, why is he walking away?

Having a survey done is a good idea. Those guys will find problems and potential problems. She may have some "issues" that can be easily remedied, the survey will let you know.

Free only means you have no up-front expenses. Operation, maintenance, et al are not necessarily cheap.

Take a digital camera with you when you look at it and post the pictures here.

This sounds like a great opportunity!!!! Which also raises "Red Flags" as to why this opportunity has presented itself.

It sounds like it is worth looking at as long as you will look at it from a "buyer's point of view"!!!

It may be a great alternative as you have been thinking of irt a living/bug out asset. Just be critcal while you're inspecting and then you can make an informed decision. If the boat is drydocked, who will pay to put it into the water ($$$)?