Another interesting wooden boat day.

I met the marine engine guy about 0915 and we carted all the stuff down to the boat. By 1030 the engine was purring.

In the interim he confirmed the gas had gone bad and should not be used. That the gas tank was of Monel and about 20 gallons in size. The engine temperature was steady and about where it should be. Compression and spark plugs were at least fair in all four cylinders. The points were usable but should be replaced. The Gray Marine marking appeared to be 4-112 and he guesstimated it was about 30 horsepower. The wiring was in decent shape. After a tap or two to some packing that was loose, the propeller shaft, box, etc. looked good and did not leak. The existing impeller was putting a strong flow of seawater through the engine.

He also asked if he could look the rest of the boat over, and did so. Because the interior is fastened in a way to allow it to be “peeled” back away to expose most of the inside of the hull in the main cabin area , he looked at it the way several of us have – nothing noteworthy mentioned. He pointed out the only damp area he could find in the bilge and thought it might indicate a leaky plank fastener. He looked at the teak decking and said most of it probably could be removed, treated and re-used. Like me he found the lines, brass fittings, carvings, etc. make the boat a charmer.

Then there was the laundry list of negatives and cautions.

Primary among them was his belief the propeller shaft is slightly bent, causing vibration especially at low rpms, and seems to have loosened at least one of the wooden stringers (not a hull frame or rib) on which the engine is mounted because you can see it vibrating back and forth. Based on this he labeled the boat a liability and recommended it not be motored or sailed until a new shaft – and preferably a new engine – is installed. He recommended that along with a new engine, the boat should get a modern exhaust system, water pump, coolant lines, and electrical system components.

He pointed out the interior mast step tensioners were not tight. He thought before any serious sailing is done the mast should be unstepped and checked with all fixed and running gear replaced as a matter of principle, though no particulars damage or faults were visible. Based on his work maintaining rich folks boats, he thought ideally the boat should go into a shed-covered berth for a couple years to be sure everything could be worked on. His opinion was that spending about $40,000 should result in a great $20,000 boat, with annual maintenance in the $4,000 to $5,000 range if hired out and perhaps half that if most of it was DIY.

By the way, he just happened to have a great little used diesel that would work in the boat for about $1500 plus cost of shaft, cooling system, etc., plus labor. I didn’t get a total price for all that.

He also mentioned he works with a non-profit that accepts boat donations. He felt the boat was attractive enough they could get $5,000 to $10,000 cash for it as-is and could match the boat with an owner who could afford a restoration.