44] Liveaboard Boat Tour & The Cost of Our New Sailboat | Abandon Comfort
Вставка
- Опубліковано 6 вер 2024
- We should mention the converted bunk we will be making inserts for is for use only while in port. We will be using the quarter berths while underway.
As mentioned at the beginning of episode 42, we will be powering this boat with a small electric outboard as a true auxiliary engine and we will have two 12ft sweeps as a 3rd method of making way. We plan to sail 99% of the time on passages as we did with our old boat.
BLOG POST: www.abandoncom...
Learn About All The Ways You Can Support Our Show: AbandonComfort....
Follow us on Instagram: bit.ly/2pMPpxf
Like us on Facebook: bit.ly/2pLGd9M
*Want to support us without costing you anything?*
USE THIS LINK EVERY TIME YOU SHOP ON AMAZON - amzn.to/2wl9mfz
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (Bookmark It!)
[FAQ]
What navigation software do we use on our iPad? Navionics amzn.to/2JO1ZHi & Bad Elf GPS (As GPS Backup to our 3G iPad's built-in) amzn.to/2JK3cQe
What's that solar generator thing? Goal Zero amzn.to/2ykAXSF
[CAMERA GEAR]
CAMERA/LENS/MIC: amzn.to/2rpAvOR
TRIPOD: amzn.to/2rHCDRy
VO MIC: amzn.to/2rHryQu
ORANGE FLOATY THING (Hard-drive): amzn.to/2r6LziW
[RECOMMENDED READING LIST]
A DREAMERS MUST READ: amzn.to/2wlET0L
DREAM DESIGN & FRUGALITY: amzn.to/2wGhlWY
MUST READ BEFORE BUYING A BOAT: amzn.to/2iERV6l
GO SMALLER, GO NOW: amzn.to/2F2pHgU
FUN & EASY SAILING READ: amzn.to/2wG04gF
**MUSIC IN THIS EPISODE**
Follow our playlist to listen to all songs featured in episodes: open.spotify.c...
With Love,
Ryan & Kelsey
![45] Backyard DIY Classic Sailboat Restoration | Abandon Comfort](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/kWtxOxNXPuw/mqdefault.jpg)
![45] Backyard DIY Classic Sailboat Restoration | Abandon Comfort](/img/tr.png)
Good news! There's a recession coming.
www.abandoncomfort.com/blog/deardebt
Delos has just installed lithium and induction - so you may want to chat with Bryan
Agreed, for the most part. If someone doesn't like debt and has no plans to refinance then repeat the process, there's no harm in taking the extra funds you make per unit and putting it towards the mortgage. Or if you buy really good via a wholesaling type entry then a 15yr can work. But for a conventional rental property, yes a 15 yr is a bad idea. 30yr makes a lot more sense.
There is always another recession coming, even when you are in one.
True!
Uma does a lot of DIY things, most of which come out incredible. They are truly DIY masters. Their head experiment & copper coat mixing were two of the things that didn't seem to work too well. We know countless cruisers who have composting heads that are properly ventilated, which is key, that love them.
The wooden mast is heavier than an aluminum spar, so there is more weight up high. That extra weight up high raises the boat's center of gravity which will cause more heeling that a lighter spar and will also decrease the angle of positive stability. On the other hand more weight aloft will increase the roll period, which makes the boat more comfortable in a seaway. Switching to an aluminum mast will make the boat stiffer, but it will also make it roll more quickly. Finally, while you can just find a mast the right length somewhere and install it, you are taking a big chance if you do that since the required strength of the mast depends on its height how it is stayed AND the displacement of the boat. Most second hand aluminum masts in the length you need will not have a large enough section (strength) for a heavy boat like a falmouth cutter. The likely result would be a snapped spar the first time you sail it in heavy weather. If you decide to dump the wooden mast, then you should contact a spar company or naval architect and tell them exactly what boat the spar will go into so they can design an appropriate mast. There is absolutely nothing wrong with a good wood spar that was designed for the boat. The only issue is keeping it varnished. If you are headed for the tropics, slap a couple of coats of varnish on the mast then paint it. You can always remove the paint to go back to varnish.
Also as far as getting rid of the new engine goes and going all electric I wonder about charging. That boat doesn't have space for more than a couple of hundred watts of solar. There is definitely not room for enough solar for electric propulsion. The diesel engine provides a way of charging batteries and heating water in addition to propulsion. I would strongly suggest keeping the diesel and just using it minimally. Fuel consumption on that boat will be in the one quart an hour range (or less), so you don't need a huge fuel tank unless you are planning to make cross ocean passages.
As mentioned by others sleeping athwartships is fine at anchor in a sheltered harbor. But underway the boat will roll, which will make it VERY uncomfortable. The two quarter berths are ideal sea berths. Also, on passage the athwartships berth will make going below when one person is sleeping very difficult and dangerous. Sure, set something up for use at anchor, but do not use it underway. and definitely maintain the two quarter berths.
Just my thoughts based on 55 years of sailing.
It is hard to tell from the pictures they show of the mast, but it doesn't look like it is tapered, or if it is it isn't tapered much. Their apprehension about the spruce mast being "old tech" is simple ignorance. If they think that way, aluminum is also "old tech" and they should be looking at a carbon fiber mast.
Most sailors who have experienced a knockdown and have been demasted have described that a second roll often quickly occurs because the weight of mast up high actually stabilizes the boat. If you significantly change the weight of the mast it could throw off your stability.
Steve Holett More properly, the mast does not increase the stability, it increases the rotational inertia. Rotational inertia is the product of mass and the square of the radius, so while a mast is not real heavy relative to the displacement, the distance from its cg to the roll center is quite large. Stability is actually decreased due to the height of the mast.
Todd Dunn I agree 100% about the issue of insufficient solar array for an electric propulsion system, at least if they motor more than rarely for very short periods. In that situation, the cost of an electric system makes no sense, either financially or environmentally.
Personally, I'd go with a small outboard and sculling oar if they plan on very little motoring (it sounds as though they do, based on their other videos). And I say this knowing full well the fuel economy and wonderful reliability of diesel engines (I own two). But getting that whole system out of the boat frees up a lot of cabin space.
As Todd Mills said, after you lose the mast in a knockdown the rotational inertia of the boat is greatly decreased which leads to a much shorter roll period. That may cause the boat to be knocked down again in the right conditions. More likely it will simply make the boat much less comfortable to be on. Also the term stability has very specific meaning in naval architecture and is generally not related to dynamics like roll period. Stability deals with things like the extent of heel for a given condition and the point of vanishing stability (the angle beyond which a boat does not recover from a roll and stays capsized. That angle is for flat water and in seas most keel boats will ultimately roll back upright, particularly after they lose their mast.
There is a reason why the berths in boats are laying that way. And the reason is not only that they fit best in a boat in that way. A boat is not only rolling. It also goes up and down as it works its way forward through the waves. Plunging in the waves and make sudden breaks as it hits the waves. Building berth the way you are talking, you will be in for nasty and violent shaking! Don't make huge changes in the boat. Move in and start cruising for a while and find out what really works for you and what not.
Yup
While I agree with Mike that you might want to consider alternatives before doing anything radical, we have our double berth athwart / across the beam in the rear cabin of our boat. It was this way when we bought her, but I have come to really like the arrangement. Other people’s mileage may vary. When on anchor the orientation makes no difference on our boat. When on a passage, I just have to make sure I lay my head on the upwind side, and all is comfortable. The action of each boat may be different, but on my boat the rolling action is better if lying athwart and the pitching movement is less of a problem than rolling due to where berth is located. I admit its not conventional wisdom, so perhaps worth mocking up with temporary bed before committing to major changes.
Sounds like the absolute best advice. What could it possibly hurt to wait and see before doing something to her that will be regretted?
The design of the boat was well thou out ahead of time......don't change the design or the name of the boat....bad Ju Ju.
As an experienced sailer I can tell you 100% without a doubt that you will need a gas or diesel powered motor. It would be beyond dangerous to go charging out on a long cruise without a proper engine.
That boat is a beautiful diamond and you want to chop it to pieces....
Consider that those who built it knew what they were doing.
Keep the wooden mast.
Keep the Diesel
Keep the bunks
And most of all be prepared that a boat with that much beautiful wood work needs maintenance, a lot of it if you want to keep it as nice as it is.
i agree one of a kind boat electric motor induction stove hope batteries dont blow up and tell us about global warming when ur sailing
I agree with keeping the diesel. I know there going to do a good job refitting the interior and keep the look. I can't wait to see this done.
Having spent many nights at sea in from large cargo ships down to 23' Sailboats, I have to totally disagree with you regarding the proposed bed/bunk conversion. First of all you will definitely slide on a small boat like this as the boat rocks.
Second, as the boat heels one way, will you change your position every time you tack and the boat heels the other way? Or are you willing to sleep with your feet above your head?
Third, the location is wrong. Why do you want to dissemble your bunk every time you do not use it?
Fourth, if one of you is sleeping, and the other wants to get into the boat for what ever reason, you will have to climb over the bunk which could be a problem in rough seas with regard to spray etc.
I could go on about tearing up a perfectly well thought out boat, but you get my drift.
Love the Idea to go to electric drive and look forward to watching you do it Delos style.
You bought a beautiful boat that was carefully thought out by people a lot smarter and experienced than all of us put together. Just saying.
Guys I can get where you are coming from but I have to agree with most of the comments you would be mad to change the berth you would be completely insane to change the engine for electric power and I don't believe you can get a mast to replace the one you have without commissioning a bespoke one which would cost a pretty penny . This boat is a great buy but it is a classic not a do upper,put in the engine, put her in the water, stick up the mast and sail her if you don't fall in love with her sail her to England and flog her you will make a killing but not if you f**k her up. I am old enough to be your grand father I have been all over the world and on boats since the 60's and the one thing that I have learned is keep it simple and the only way to share a berth is if the other person is on watch , big berths are a nightmare at sea you need a narrow high sided cot that you can wedge into ( don't be so American you don't have to be in bed to make love) but you do need your sleep on a passage. By the way I would love to be able too sail her, she is a great little girl but I have to get two hips and two knees done over the next few years and suspected my sailing days are over, fair winds!
Plus a wooden mast is quieter. You don’t have the constant clinking sound halyards make against an aluminium mast when you’re trying to sleep
We're definitely looking forward to this! Although after awhile the clinking was sort of meditative :)
Abandon Comfort if you want meditative get a wind chime. At least you can throw the bloody thing overboard when it inevitably starts to give you the heeby greevies 😼
Lol, good point!
it’s all about how you manage your ropes at night. DON’T be one of these charter arseholes….
Saltwest Co Sailing especially with a wood mast. Otherwise you will have to varnish it every few weeks!
Lovely boat for sure, I would strongly suggest that you do no alterations before sailing her as she is. I think you might find the designers had reasons to build her as she is. Live with it a while before you start changing her.
Actually, I subscribe to your channel not for the dream locations you visit but rather to watch you two plan and then live out your lives. Indeed, your explanations of finances, your philosophy of frugality and commitment to a low impact and minimalist lifestyle, your DIY fixes and improvements and, of course, that dog are all compelling reasons to anticipate your offerings.
Fortunately, honesty and transparency are still attractive in these crazy times. Would that more channels might learn from your example. Thank you for what you have shared with us and rest assured that I will follow you wherever your travels and circumstances take you.
Thank you, John, for understanding what we're trying to do so well. The vast majority of our subscribers watch for the same reasons you do and that's what we're making these episodes for. Thank you again. Your comment made our day.
Keep on keepin' on!
We like the reality to balance the sunshine and bikinis.
For what is high's without lows?
John Sears oh and the sweetest loveliest girl on the web, keeps my watching as well...oh and he is pretty lovable too.
John you aren't paying attention. Their family is supporting them while they try to gain traction on UA-cam and through donations/sponsors. Explain the brand new motor? Where did the old motor go? Honesty and transparency are the opposite of what you actually get with these two. Keep watching because it's interesting, but don't fall for their bs. They are trying to get eyeballs on them so they can become self-sufficient and are saying whatever they think will gather sympathy for them.
When throwing this kind of shade upon someone on social media, one should present evidence. Absent that, they should crawl back under their bridge.
I started following you guys before you purchased your first boat. I remember all the discussion about planning, researching and giving us all the transparency behind your reasons for getting your first boat, but I feel that you have thrown that out of the window and have gone in the wrong direction. I'm don't own a boat, and will never be in the position to do what you and lots of others are doing to fulfil their dreams, but reading a lot of the comments from seasoned sailors it seems your plans for the conversion to battery power and changing the loo are wrong. I would suggest your reconsider your options, especially as you have a brand new engine sitting there waiting to be installed. However I respect that this is a public media site, and we can all post comments and opinions. At the end of the day it's your boat, your project, your dreams and your lives, so you don't have to take on board what others are saying - I wish you good luck and will continue to follow your progress which ever route you take
Malcolm Crabbe - Totally agree... Changing the loo is a big mistake. They may regret that in the future... Look at UMA's channel. Putting the head back.
Use the boat before you decide on any major changes. Also that diesel will save you and the boat during conditions that can not be overcome by electric outboards or sweeps. There is not much room for solar panels on your boat and any that you install will reduce the sailing speed and pointing ability of the boat. Wind and water generators also cause significant drag. Love your channel and the boat.
its too late they are going to rape it....
Please don’t Frankenstein that beautiful old boat! Just hone your skills by restoring her. You’ll learn so much and avoid mistakes by making rash decisions. Good luck!
Sailed a BCC with a spruce mast. When I bought the boat the varnish on the mast had split from neglect and very hot and humid climate. I stripped it back and applied 12 coats of varnish. It was beautiful. A word of advice for varnish in general. Get right on any knicks and scratches without delay. Prepare a small kit of sand paper of various grits, small brushes and a small sealed bottle of varnish- I’ve seen nail polish brushes used. Apply a few coats over time. Avoid allowing the area to get wet. The pride you’ll feel in your Falmouth Cutter and the well-varnished wood mast with beautiful bronze fittings will last forever. Best of luck on the refit.
Appreciate the advice! Prevention works best for all things in our lives so we'll be sure to apply that to the care of the mast :) Thanks for the support!
Also, your halyards will likely be external, making it easy to see what’s going on. If you don’t already have them- you probably do- consider fabricating pin rails and attaching them between the for and aft shrouds on both sides of the boat. It will keep the lines off the mast when at anchor or marina thereby eliminating chafe on the varnish.
Re varnishing the mast, be sure to follow the application instructions of your particular type of varnish to the letter, including the type of cleaning solvent to gather up dust between sanding coats. On a mast of mine, I was using paint thinner and the next varnish coat would remain sticky forever. Which resulted in sanding it off numerous times. I finally figured out to use exactly what was called for, and it made all the drying difference in the world. Never again!
Buy a set of oars. One each. You will need them with out a proper engine.
That's what I was thinking
There are electric motors that can be powered with wind & solar. They’re $20k each, but are very efficient. Oceanvolt is a manufacturer in case you’re curious. They also generate power.
Keep the diesel. If you remove the diesel, first read Lin & Larry Pardy; they cruised for years with no engine but you should read what they wrote about oar rowing into marinas and near shore with no wind or shores downwind. Keep the mast. Do the simple maintenance, don't cut anyt hing until you have sailed her a couple of months. Not merely lived on, but sailed. Please. Budster , April 2023
@@budbuddybuddest Electric is much more efficient & much quieter. With the energy they generate on their own, plus from the wind & sun, you never run out of power. Check out Sailing Uma! They have an electric engine & have traveled close to the arctic circle through Norway & explored all along the way. They don’t run out of power & they don’t have to be 24/7 mechanics, smell fumes or have to listen to a loud diesel motor! Times have changed. Change with them.
Hey Guys.....Please continue your great videos and don't let some peoples negative comments discourage you from documenting and sharing your wonderful adventures here with the rest of the community!!! We love you and MISS YOU GUYS!!
WOW, that vessel is beautiful just the way she is, any changes would be a shame. Your boat your money, your mistakes, be safe out there.
Those two quarter berths are the best sea berths... if you plan on passage making! The saloon is the only real living area you have, besides the cockpit! There’s a reason the interior is laid out the way it is. Small boats demand compromise! Expand the v-berth, somehow. The mast is fine! If, later on, you tire of protecting it with varnish, paint it! A VERY sturdy dodger and Bimini gives you more living space outside. A dedicated storm jib is vital for a boat that size. Roller-furled Genoa is too baggy! She’ll keep sailing when larger boats are hove-to! Live with her awhile the way she is... see what she’s really got! You can change stuff later. Just make her safe! I have the Triton’s little sister, Ariel. See you out there!
Gulfcoastbeemer Classic wooden fishing schooners and yachts painted the top of their spars and gaffs. UV breaks down varnish quickly, and fails, usually around mast fastenings. Paint lasts longer in the sun. That’s why the upper surface of spreaders are painted, instead of varnished. Rot does it’s worst work high up the mast, unseen, using paint, or varnish! Wooden spars are high maintenance, rigging takes a beating (can’t set up as tight). The hull is painted (shipworms). But you are right... check for rot!!
Love the Ariel .."I've had the triton, ensign, vanguard and now own a Bristol 40 yawl.
Bill Carson AN ALBERG FAN!!!! Thru & thru, & thru... &thru! Norwegian North Sea pilot cutters, folkboats, Lyle Hess cutters, & Carl Alberg. Seaworthy. Can’t wait till they “untie the lines”!
Saltwest Co Sailing You are correct! But it’s the captain, not the boat, that matters most. Two examples come to mind... Tinkerbelle...& Titanic.
My Grandfather was a wooden sailboat builder. It was always my dream to own my own sailboat one day. When I was younger I found an abandoned Catalina 22. I poured my heart into fixing it up and getting in back into the water after years of wasting away. It has vines growing all around it and completely destroyed inside. When I finally finished it, I took my friends out to spend the night in it and we had a blast. What a great memory! I had more fun fixing it up than I did sailing it I think! I eventually sold it and let go of the boat. But I never let go of my dream of getting out on the ocean going from island to island, just like my Grandfather did in his wooden 47’ sailboat named Windflower. Now as a commercial airline pilot, I regularly fly through the Caribbean and look down from 35,000 feet dreaming of what it would be like if I was down there. Now is not the time, but someday it will be the right time. I love your videos and find it so exciting to live vicariously through you two. Please keep it up, good luck in your adventures, don’t give up when it gets tough, fair winds and following seas, and by all means, please please please add Cruz Bay in St John to your list of places to go. My favorite spot in the whole Caribbean, and I’ve been everywhere, trust me!
Hey gang, I totally love your videos, and although I am an old dude, I can dig what you are trying to do and why. Back in the day I was a minimalist, too. Try carrying everything you need for three weeks on your back in the Sierra. I did that for the sheer fun for years. Please, though, think about what you are planning to do. You are taking a totally classic sailboat and turning it into something wildly different from its design. If you owned a 1962 Shelby Cobra 289 would you even consider parting it out to put in a different motor and suspension? What you have bought is a classic. If you desire something of the same shape but differently configured, then find a way to build it to your specification. Please do not destroy a one-of-a-kind classic.
Well said Mike, I cringe to think of them attacking that beautiful woodwork with a sawsall they way they did the HR! It remains to be seen how this will evolve but with history as an indicator I'm not too hopeful. Then again who knows.
We're not touching the interior wood. We are simply making removable inserts to give us more sleeping options.
People are taking Datsun 280z's and reworking them with modern engines (electric included) with great success. We are the music makers, we are the dreamers.
You don't need to explain yourselves... It's your money, your boat, do whatever makes you happy. Period.
@@ThompsonBMXbikes datsun 280zs were economy sports cars all of which ended up as rust buckets. The reason people do projects like that is because it's a good platform but its cheap af. Not exactly a fine example of craftsmanship
Nice little ship, growing up my dad and I built a 26’ Hess cutter, strip planked King Billy pine and epoxy. She had Hess design elements, along with Harrison Butler (canoe stern, balanced waterline principles). We had all timber spars (the rig was a Seraffyn rig and all the rig hardware was hand built brass laminated strapping, stainless wire and bronze turnbuckles). Well built and maintained timber spars will last forever, ours have now been in use 20 years and still are as new. Every 4 years we would drop the rig (we had a tabernacle) and strip it right back, then 8 coats of spar varnish and reassemble all the cleaned and polished fittings. Each year I would light sand and varnish 1-2 coats from the bosuns chair. Timber spars on a boat are just a joy to work with.
The holes under the forward berth are for ventilation , so the mattress doesn’t get mouldy - so don’t pack that locker 100% full. I also noticed some of the hull was lined with slatting for the same reason - to promote airflow.
Your auxiliary propulsion choice is controversial!, we were 3 years without an engine, sailed everywhere and in cruising mode it was fine and the boat so uncomplicated to maintain. After a while we got an electric outboard , for memory a 55lb Minn Kota - would push the boat against about 5kn of breeze, any more than that we sailed. With Lithium batteries now, electric propulsion is now really an option for a small boat like this. We ended up with an 18hp cyl diesel, it was a constant source of headache. If we were doing it again today, electric inboard and lithium, solar+wind+hydro generation would be great.
Re your bunks - those 2 quarter berths will be the best sea berths - I wouldn’t change that sleeping arrangement for passagemaking. Our layout was pretty much the same, except scaled up a bit.
Great boat, can’t wait to see what you guys do with it and where you cruise her to. You will be able to explore all the hidden away areas the big boats can’t get to and while long offshore passages will be a bit painful at 5kn average, you can throw her on a trailer and do 50kn for the long trips.
I"m not sure an electric drive is a wise move given the existing and reliable engine on board. I would reconsider. Money invested in rigging, sails, and electronic devices with redundancy in mind may deliver you strategic advantages. All in all an impressive boat with a philosophy that is a good match for this vessel. Best of luck!
A wooden mast will of course help stabilty, you are totally right. Since it's heavy and sits right on the bottom of the boat obviously the center of gravity will be just there. I would put a couple of hundred kilos of lead up the top of the mast so it pushes it down even more. That'll make it super-stable. Good luck on the project, you'll need it.
Are you guys being realistic? How will you generate enough electricity for an electric motor and an induction stove? Do you have enough room for a couple good sized solar panels and maybe a wind generator? What about an auto pilot? Wind vane instead? Do you have enough room for storage when on an extra long passage? So many questions .. I love your enthusiasm though.
They’ll realize their big mistake in a shipping channel with a tanker heading right for them and no wind to get out of the way. They’ll die for sure
Someone probably already said it, but the weight of the mast doesn't go down to the step, or at least not when the boat is healed at all. It raises your CG making you less stable, however, that's not the world story. In addition to all that weight up high raising your CG it also increases your moment of inertia, which contributes to the comfortable slow roll instead of the jaring exhausting snap roll that you get with something like a barge.
Love the new boat, but would have kept the HR352 myself. Size does matter.
Boat size is one of the few areas that size doesn't matter. Layout, build quality & design are what actually matters but armchairs always know better.
@Woobie Hiking, even in a desert there is drinking water to be found. Not so on the ocean ... AC's choice to get rid of the diesel engine has other limiting factors besides powering their propulsion & electronics. A water maker needs quite a bit of juice to run. Figure 30-50 days to cross the Atlantic?...and the lack of space for fresh water storage...do the math.
@Woobie ...Great! Add in the electric motor propulsion, new/much larger refrigerator/cooler, and the induction(electric) stove they want to install...add up all the power needed to run just these 4 items, and the math doesnt add up. Solar/wind/hydro power generation is...fickle. Having a generator on-board is a great idea...except they're loud, smelly, noxious exhaust fumes, and for the power they'll need to generate, to keep the house bank running/charged, it will need to be of a bigger size. The new diesel they're selling, is all-in-1.
I like their spirit. Just use reason and math to live Green.
I've been upside down ,rolled over in the Atlantic 400 miles south of Newfoundland..... because the boat was too small to deal with the enormous seas we were in ....the engine saved our lives because we had a belt driven bilge pump and the boat was full of water to just below the knees .... we spent 24 days at sea with no shower because small boat water makers did not exist in 84 ..... it was winter and we were crossing west to east which is not normal on a 36 ' boat I also did it on a112 ' foot schooner and the seas made the boat look tiny so does size matter ? I know what I think and personally I could give a shit what anybody else thinks because it's all down to experience....this channel is different and I don't get it but that's just my opinion and opinions are like assholes most people have them
@rob dog well put
We sail on our 1975 Westsail 32 that we found that had not been maintained at all. We bought her for slightly more than what you paid. (4 year refit doing all the work ourselves.)After living aboard for 3 years we have found her to be the right size for two people. You will find the cost of maintenance and upkeep on the smaller boat is really affordable, plus you pay per foot in the marinas. For your bed layout I think you will enjoy sleeping fore and aft as opposed to crosswise. If you anchor out much you will mostly be rocking fore and aft. If not you will modify your anchor setup so you do. Fore and aft is a gentler motion in a boat. The side to side boat movement really sucks in comfort. We anchor out over 80% of the time.
Great videos keep up the work!
As for the mast the Todd Dunn is spot on
I would definitely keep the diesel engine. Power is a major issue on a boat, especially if you want to sail almost exclusively, the diesel engine also charges the batteries when it runs. I do respect you have a solar panel, but I doubt that will provide enough power to run everything including your fridge, electric stove, lights, computers, water pump, water heater, etc, etc. I just put a new built in fridge on my boat (2.7 cf so its small) and it will flatten the house battery in less than 24 hours but you also have the other stuff, just that electric stove will probably require the same amount of power plus everything else. You can going to need to cover every surface on that boat in solar panels to meet your energy requirements
Now, as for the size of the boat, that is a coastal cruiser. I have a 24 ft power boat, its comfortable, but I feel like going postal after about 4 days on board, but that's just me, you guys could be different. You also need to think about the reality of that boat in the wide open seas if suddenly a storm were to hit you. Think about 8 to 10 ft seas in that boat. Lets say you dump, what are you going to do, unfold that dingy and pray? A minimum I would have a dingy that couldn't sink. I also have a zodiac hurricane and I have had it flooded with water with the fuel tanks floating. I wasn't scared at all, I dumped my swampers (self bailing) and in less than 5 seconds the water was gone. With that boat and what you have I would want to stay pretty close to shore, I like living myself
I love what you guys are doing. As a USN vet I totally understand what you said about the sleeping orientation. Feet to port/starboard>feet to bow/stern. Fair winds and following seas.
The boat is beautiful, but please don't trade safety for minimalism. I would forgo the electric and put the diesel in, however, I understand that it is your boat. The best of luck with the new boat, be safe!!
Despite the negative comments, I must say that I admire you two for trying to think different about cruising and really going for the creative solutions. You've now had some time sailing with a traditional (great) cruising boat, and you have the experience to experiment and try something different.
Just start using it please! Find out what you need later! Go the LEAN strategy!
Hi Guys love all your concepts and plans. Glad to hear that things change and you are prepared to be a little flexible. Firstly don't sell the engine until you are 100% sure of your lithium set-up. I am just coming to the end of a complete Lithium instal on our 37' catamaran. One issue you need to look at closely is re charging. Yes they provide a solution but all those amps coming out need to be replaced and you have limited space for solar and wind generator on a boat that size especially if you intend to cook with electricity. Anyway best of luck and looking forward to next vlog.
This boat is a classic and looks like it's in a very good condition. Love the woodwork (including the mast). It's a shame you see the interior heavily modified.
I will cry if they touch the woodwork the way they did on the previous boat.
I agree with the others as this boat is a piece of art so please don’t change her in any way !
Great boat for the money. I think given your lack of seagoing and general sailing experience I would keep that engine and fit it. You cant beat a good strong engine to get you out of trouble or to get to a safe harbour. The more you sail the more situations you will encounter. You will also enhance the value of the boat which is important as with time you may want to change it again a it may not meet your needs. The quirkier a boat the harder it is to sell. Nothing wrong with that mast. I would keep it and you should get years of service from it. Enjoy
That is one of the prettiest boats I have ever seen. If I owned it, I would redo the entire boat as original, then put it right in my ft. Yard! It would block most of my view of lake Ontario, but only during the off season...the rest of its time would be in the lake! I LOVE it! I'm old..but I know what I like! Good luck kids!! 😉
That boat is freaking gorgeous... I feel like alot of people love the new shiney boats loaded with tech and made of new material.. thank you for showing off how old things can be beautiful pieces of art! It is a bit cramped but if you wanted to spend all day inside you would buy a house!! It forces you to be outside more and enjoy the places you go. It's always all about the journey.
Couldn't agree more. She'll be a simple boat when all is said and done, which is just what we want. Something with character and something simple :)
Abandon Comfort owning a part of history and adding to its history to me is worth more than money could ever buy! So excited to be along for the adventure of refit and relaunch.
I follow a youtuber named Michael Aranda. He has his own channel, a vlog channel (WIDRN) and now runs a business called Synema Studios. The reason I bring him up is because of his vlogs. He's never vlogged for money, fame, or to get the chance to meet incredible people. He vlogs so that when he's older and wants to look back on his life he has his entire life documented. I always thought that was a really cool idea. I've always liked how real is his and the same thing goes with you guys. You aren't putting up a front when the camera starts rolling and your not afraid to show when you're upset. I think that's one of the main reasons I love your videos, because you guys aren't afraid to be open, honest, and real. Take it easy guys!
would be interesting if on some of your episodes you actually went sailing!
Wow what a beauty!. I have a FC22 names "Shoestrings" that I've spent five years restoring. She is ready for sea so come spring it's splash time. My boat while functional with all needed systems (has an outboard though) is spartan compared to the awesome workmanship on your FCC. My advice is to keep the engine and mast and repair everything that is needed, outfit for cruising and leave. Don't fall into the "next year" trap that goes on forever. You are young and healthy get out there and enjoy life.
Often I wish my dad had told me when I was in my early twenties to "get a boat, a girl and get cruising". Instead it was "get a job and fight to keep it".
Where are you now and when do you shove off?
Best of luck, James
enjoy your channel immensely; though your "initial plans for refit" (plans change) makes me nervous --- personally i wouldn't change a thing -- sail it as is, as intended -- you don't want it to look like the "chitty chitty bang bang" of the classic yacht world - if you are a master woodworker and can match the craftsmanship - possibly. As a minimalist, pack a canvas duffel and sail for blue water...
Keep the mast! Replacing it would affect the boat's stability. Also, you need to have the best possible marine batteries. This is a handcrafted boat and you should try to keep the same scheme with any updates.
Lovely boat, although wood equals maintenance. Best of British luck. I recommend that you install the nice new engine, put fuel in the fuel tank and keep galley cooker and lamp as is (and have a back up electric one if you must). Oh and keep the toilet as it is. Are you growing vegetables hence need thee compost? No. Changes seem necessary at first but really she's a traditional old girl and some things are sacrilegious. You're young and impulsive to fix what's probably not broken. New wine in old bottles rarely tastes good. I'm quite envious really. Xx
I am totally on board (pardon the pun) with your plans -going small, saving the wood mast (and head seat), and re-powering with electric. I am enjoying the entire series and love your enthusiasm. As my beautiful partner and I strive to buy our cruising boat it will be a little bit bigger than your Falmouth but small for us. Bravo Zulu Ryan and Kelsey!
Beautiful boat. A classic boat. In prisrine condition. I hope you aren't about to chop bits off of this origina classicl boat.
Ryan and Kelsey, love you guys. I know we have had this discussion before, but I think you should reconsider keeping the diesel. I know UMA has electric and they always say they are no hurry to get anywhere, but unless it's all open water sailing(passages) you will wish you had that diesel. When island hopping or coastal cruising you will motor 90% of the time, I guarantee it. Catch me on PM.
Even sailing uma have had major issues with their electric conversion. Plus you never hear about them using it for very long.
You guys are crazy getting rid of that diesel engine they're so cheap on fuel and Powerful and would literally last forever...
Buffy Mullen They are clueless. No understanding of what the engine is for. They imagine drifting along under battery power across a quiet harbor. Cruisers use the auxilary about half the time to charge batteries for life support. They have it completely backwards.
Art Smith I agree with both of you. BIG mistake on losing that engine. They think that they can just use solar to charge everything up. What happens when they get stuck at an anchorage for 2 or 3 days due to poor weather and it's overcast? Those Lithium Ion Batteries at the capacity they will most likely need (i.e., 100Ah) will cost them $1K EACH right now (See SVSEEKERs latest video on his selection of using Edison Batteries, he gets into the cost of Lithium Ion Batteries).
Agreed. Diesel is the way to go. Electric is ok for a small outboard motor but to push a heavy boat like that will almost certainly be a problem. Very low range and slow. Not enough space on that boat (however beautiful it is) to fit enough solar panels for charging lithium at a decent rate. Also the diesel engine will outlast the Lithium batteries many times over. regards
@SenapspiserTier 3 & 4 rated diesels are very clean running ...but you dont want to run ¿tier 3 & 4? diesels on a boat that might fuel in other countries. ULSD is not widespread and available everywhere...and running LSD or HSD/#2 fuel oil in a ¿tier 3 & 4? rated engines will shut it down within minutes. Then there is the matter of DEF used in tier 3 & 4 diesel engine DPF exhausts; also not always available.
The emission standards set by USEPA is pretty much negating all the benefits of a combustion engine that could run on anything...diesel, kerosene, biodiesel, vegetable/nut oil, or a combination of any of the above.
Acronyms:
ULSD = Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel
LSD = Low Sulfur Diesel
HSD = High Sulfur Diesel
DEF = Diesel Exhaust Fluid
DPF = Diesel Particulate Filter
I'd keep her diesel powered.
Absolutely gorgeous boat that goes well with a gorgeous couple. Many comments from this and the last video were about the size of the boat and how you would regret having 2 living aboard. My wife and could be that close to one another forever without problems. We downsized from 5000 sf to 600 5 years ago in preparing to retire on a boat. It took some getting use to but now we have it down to a science and are very comfortable and well adjusted for out next move in a couple of years. Keep up the great work...
Do some SERIOUS thinking on that composting toilet. I've used them, I know others that have, and when those go bad (and they will)...it is FAR worse than dealing with a head with tank.
I have a wooden mast and it's over 50 years old. It's teamed with a wooden gaff and boom of the same age. While they are not as pristine as your spar, they are solid and strong. AND beautiful.
They do require maintenance, but so do aluminum spars. Keep it!
On the HR I remember you saying there was no reason to have this much boat. I hope the little cutter works out for you, for me it's much more about the ride. I can't wait to see what you guys think about the smaller boat in a serious seaway. Good for you if you enjoy it, I wouldn't. Sea Yawl Later !!
Rusty Sitton if they ever actually take it out on the ocean.
That is one beautiful boat!!!!! You guys did well for 10k.
Wooden mast will not add to stability. There is more weight aloft, and whenever it gets outside the gunwales it will help to swing. But, despite claims you will hear to the contrary, a well-kept wooden mast is more flexible and reliable than aluminum. When aluminum fails, it folds. When wood fails, it will crack and splinter a little before failing. It can be repaired with a cut, epoxy, and lashing. Sail the wood as long as you can. Only replace it with aluminum if it fails. It never will.
You MIGHT be better served moving the hatch to the left or right side than trying to lay your bedding across an area that will take water in moderate seas if the hatch is open. Not as concerned with walking across it, but water will go right around whatever contraption you put over the bedding. Just a suggestion.
If you are going to put your bedding to the rear/midships, then I would dedicate that front space to a bathroom/shower space.
If you are going all electric, definitely get one of those efficient Italian cold plates to keep that cooler nice and cold. The draw is tiny by comparison to a compressor system.
Can't wait to watch the new adventure. Good job guys.
Geez, watching most of these refit "improvement" ideas is like watching an impending "train wreck" in slow motion.
Exactly, what a waste
Amen
Nice site..love what your doing..I have lived on 4 big boats and 5 motorhomes..setting up for next sailboat now..barter, trade, buy..only way to live free now...I made $34,000+ in the late 60's and 70's and to equal that "buying power now, I would need $325,000 a year...Houses are a $ trap that will burn up your years in debt..living free and having fun is the only way to be happy..keep it up, your doing the right thing, and to heck with naysayers...Spruce mast is only way to go!!..a nice one like yours will last forever, if you take care of it and makes boat worth more $$...Aluminum is for when you break a Spruce mast, because they cost so much$$$$..and you don't have to listen to that neverending "clink, ding, clink, clank" of the fittings 24/7..
Personally I would fit the engine, change as little as possible with the boat and just go sailing. I don't understand people who want to fit electric motors on boats. the use of sails for the most part far offsets any use of a diesel engine. not too keen on the bed idea either - maybe thats just me.
good thing its not your boat huh?
Very interesting turn of events (You changing boats). I think it's great that you are really giving yourself the space to experiment and I'll be following with a lot of interest. I find it hard to estimate if this will really be pleasant sailing in the end. We've lived on a 35 for a season and switched to a 38, which we found (so far) to be the perfect size for us. The main reason being: having more space to have friends on board, host a big bbq in the harbor + in colder weather (when you spend a lot of time inside) having a bit of extra space to move around each other is also very welcome. We found that a lot of the fun of sailing adventures is meeting other people, so we wanted a boat which can really provide that social space. Also size does matter for sailing comfort. The smaller the boat, the more you feel every bump in the water. I remember the difference between our 35 and 38 as pretty dramatic, the 38 being just so much more stable. Everything is less bumpy + we gained about a knot of average speed on our 35 (that really ads up in long passages). Plus I don't know that a smaller size boat necessarily means efficiency, less waste, etc. If your passage takes two days longer, you consume more fuel, etc. But maybe I'm wrong :) Looking fw to you guys testing this out :) Keep up the good work :)
While I admire your enthusiasm, I think your choice of cruising boat is nuts. That thing cannot sail to weather. Ditching the HR was a huge mistake. As a cruiser you'll find it's much better to get into port ahead of a weather system, than bobbing along at 3 kts while you're still 100 miles out at sea. Best of luck (Really).
Personally I agree. These boats, while more than capable of crossings have more pitch and roll than their previous cruiser. One of the reasons wooden masts went by the wayside (besides being OMFG expensive due to their requirements and upkeep) was due to the sheer mass of them. Its going to be interesting what transpires moving forward.
@@WreckDiver99 They are making one bad decision after another. For goodness sakes, not even a proper survey. Hope they don't get hurt.
Amen!
Hi Guys, I love your new boat, it is beautifully taken care of. The only thing I would ask you to consider, is to make your bedroom in the cabin and not in the entrance.
Think how uncomfortable it is to be in the middle of everything, when you want to go outside and it's raining, when someone is sick and has to stay in bed.
More than anything because it is very important that the place of rest is stable and comfortable. Not comfortable if you have to be making the bed every day and to exit the deck got to go over.
I recommend to you since you are going to take out the toilet, make a queen bed in the v-cabin and bring the composting toilet to the front.
I hope my English is understood. Greetings from Argentina.
How are you going to make enough power for the electric propulsion and the induction range? You don't have a lot of room on that small vessel for solar panels. I suppose you can install a wind gen, and maybe use propeller re-gen, but it seems to me you still might come up short. It will be a careful balance in any case - you'll have to be watt-frugal.
"Turds" is maybe a bit strong.
The best way to put it wooden mast is like a shock absorber on a car. Plus they are great looking. Remember they use wood for thousands of years.
Don't forget to Fire proof the battery compartment!
most sensible comment here.
Aston's Papa! Hard to fire proof a lithium battery box. They burn so hot and self oxidize to boot that any attempt to seriously contain a fire is no small undertaking.
russ Stearns so how does one tackle this dilemma? heat activated Suppressant system? not being a wiseguy, i'm generally interested in how one would safe guard against such a thing...
If you want to know about wooden masts, just look up the racing yacht moonduster from Cork owned by the late Dennis Doyle, she was built in Cork, Ireland. and was a fully wooden yacht. including Mast and Boom. She was over 50 feet long and had no engine. She was also one of the most successful Irish racing yachts ever built. So its a big thumbs up on the wooden mast.
Selling a brand new engine and using a fuel tank for water. Go rethink that.
@Walker Glover yes, they should use it for the purpose intended. Diesel fuel.
@Walker Glover I own a boat. thanks though.
@Walker Glover how about you take your own advice?
ya ! and it doesn't even have a shower, they should have this boat taken away from them
Yeah guys this boat is a piece of art and designed to maximise it's space. You will need an engine with a decent fuel tank as mother nature will dictate to you when underway. The timber is very expensive and deserves the upmost respect and care. A boat for future generations. Good luck.
you guys are making a big mistake getting rid of that engine,the amount of diesel that engine would use would be minimal over its lifetime compared to the amount of energy used to produce the amount of lithium batteries you'll need
its funny these days people just think they are going "green" meenwhile modern diesels are very clean and an 18hp new one so efficient it would be probably the greenest thing on the boat!lol plus the safety of having a new diesel at your fingertips...giving that up and giving up that personal safety over trying to be clean is really thoughtless
and the most reliable thing on board
@@SuperJlonergan People are quick to knee jerk instead of doing full CBA
As long as you are not leaving the sight of land the lithium will be great. Demast that boat 150 miles from shore and have the dainty solar panels damaged in the fray and you just created an unnecessary preventable emergency that just might take your life. There is certainly a place for sustainable energy ,I'm all for it, it's just not in the middle of an ocean.
@@SuperJlonergan I think some people get so caught up in their ideals that they don't consider everything. If it feels like they doing good, that's all that matters. Like how electric cars can be worse for the environment due to relying on coal belching power plants that put out more pollution than the gas engine it's replacing. I'm detecting an increase of the smug-factor the more this channel goes on which is starting to turn me off. They were afraid to pilot the boat on sails for much of the time they were in ports and now they won't have a choice. Abandoning a perfectly good boat while they were able to do their dream and bail out because registration and insurance were coming up? Now they are back home for another extended refit and it looks like they are about to go to Japan?.. almost looks like they are looking for excuses not to sail. Don't get me wrong, I've liked the channel so far and enjoyed some of the info they provided, but there is an bit of smugness and haughtiness starting to creep into Ryan's attitude when he addresses the camera that wasn't there at the beginning.
Everybody keeps mentioning sailing Uma as a point of reference for the electric conversion, but as a 40 yr sailor, I'll say the difference in Skippering and fabrication skills is massive between these two. Dan and Kikka from Uma know how to anchor without engine power and have sailed into tons of marinas under sail and never used power, something I learned as a ten yr old. In addition, they have probably 6k nautical miles of sailing in all weather conditions. The ability to skipper a craft and have massive common sense will take Uma quite far I'm sure if you follow them and I suggest it look at their approach to every decision they make compared to these two. Night and Day
Love love the boat. Congratulations.
Wood mast should be fine as long as you compensate properly for the weight that the engine would have provided as added ballast. Another commenter already suggested the wood mast has significantly more weight aloft which will affect righting moment. Removing the diesel without replacing the weight might force you to go with a lighter rig for pure safety. Lithium batteries and electric auxiliary won’t likely come close to the same weight and solar adds more weight aloft. Check with a navel architect / engineer for advice on this. It would be a shame to loose the spruce rig as it definitely adds to the character of the vessel.
Your refit ideas sound great. This isn’t criticism and my opinion only, but please don’t change anything that affects the character of the boat. Your renewable ideas will need solar and / or wind which will be very difficult to integrate into the top sides without having a dramatic effect on the aesthetics and classic look of the yacht. Doing this while keeping the original look and feel of the design is possible but will take some creative thinking. Please don’t put up a wind generator, they are ugly and noisy, and solar panels on an arch aren’t much prettier. I applaud renewables, but you’ve purchased a classic and personally hope you can retain as much of the original as possible. I’m excited to see how you approach these challenges.
If at all possible, get your auxiliary engine in and go sailing before you do too many other refit projects. My experience has shown that getting familiar with the pros and cons of what you have before you start projects helps develop and solidify your ideas before you go too far and find redoing things differently later. Not to compare channels, but Sailing Uma are going through this right now on their boat. Having said that, everyone’s ideas evolve so maybe this isn’t just a big deal.
All my best on the refit and fair winds.
Wow, what a great find! You practically DID get it for free. Sell that engine for what you're asking and you almost did!.
My joy in watching your videos, quite frankly, is the enthusiasm you have and vision that you stay honest to. You don't mind doing the hard work necessary to achieve your objectives and to give your "luck" the maximum potential of happening. It warms my heart to listen to the two of you discuss what you've done, what you're going to do, and what the thinking behind it is. You are inspirational to others and I hope it spreads.
Looking forward to the transformation and the next steps along your path.
Your dream and minimalist lifestyle, tiny house living is a wonderful thing. This is a beautiful boat but it is a coastal cruiser, it is not a great blue water boat. You had such a nice boat that you just refitted for your cruising dream.
With a boat this size you will have problems with enough space just to provision for long blue water passages. 3 plus a dog will be tight. Good luck when you are sleeping with your feet above your head or when your head is hitting the wall with the bed located port and starboard.Giving up the brand new diesel engine, not so sure that is the best idea. You will be giving up proven reliable technology for lithium ion batteries and maybe an electric motor(not sure if you are even doing this). The lithium is great for basic power needs but not for propulsion. When you have no sun, wind or other way to recharge you will be in trouble without the diesel engine. When you have sail or mast problems you will be in bigger trouble on your coastal cruiser with limited or no propulsion.
Good luck and please stay safe.
Donald Klarich Well put. They demonstrate no working knowledge of what the diesel engine is for.
They are not thinking.
love you guys. What a breath of fresh air. I live in Mangawhai heads in northland new Zealand. I have a little 23ft boat. If I had my way I would be engineless all the way. I have a family so have to get home after my day or over nighters around the Hauraki Gulf. .I am going to build a sculling oar though for this season and use the engine less. Love your boat. What a thing of beauty hey.
Had a 1941 Dragon with a wooden mast and there were no issues. As long as it is sound it is an asset to the boat. Keep using it!!!
Great Video, I remember my old boat, bought the 26' hull for $300, rebuild everything on the inside from scratch using exterior plywood encapsulated in resin and glass. My shoe string budget was under $5,000 a year. That is a beautiful boat.
Oh !! I forgot about the dog ! Where’s he going to be all day ? Come on guys really?
You guys just keep getting better and better. I love that you're sailing philosophically rather than just showing the typical Caribbean frolicking. I'm not looking to live aboard but I think I've got a similar philosophy. Go small, go now. People think sailing is for the elite but sailing is for anyone that wants to put the work in. It's elegant that way. I'm sailing a Shark 24 in the Great Lakes. It's affordable, it's bulletproof, and while it's rather small (24 is very misleading) the boat is designed for maximum space. I wouldn't live on it but I think I could pretty easily spend a month or so on it. Keep up the good work.
You NEED to keep the varnished toilet seat.
It's not going anywhere!!
Gang...we have a sealing 5 gallon bucket on our Tanzer that we use as a head. We use cedar chips We also use that in the yurt airbnb at our place. Smells awesome! A vision for longer cruising would involve 2-5 holding buckets with air holes to stored above deck, and create a worm reactor. Our seat is not teak by any means, but I bet that seat could fit a bucket pretty easy. Instead of paying 1500 for a "composting toilet"
You might try oak sawdust sawn from green logs (i.e. at the mill). This is the best thing I have found; if you can find a source. Cedar smells nice, but doesn't compost as well.
Symphony Farm. worms sound interesting, they like a constant temp or they go walkabout... I like to hear people trying new stuff and challenging the old ways.
Biggest trouble with solid composting waste, is the marine community is all set up for liquid pump outs. We are lucky enough to have a boat on a lake, and farm and forest. With the ability to static compost human waste for a year plus and a steady supply of worms in the cow compost.
If all of that varnish is in as good as condition as it looks on the video, it is AMAZING ! It is a beautiful cabin !
I ca not wait to hear the detailed refit plans. I would guess the big things that need to be replaced are all of the wiring and plumbing. Although you want to go solar/wind power, I recommend a small (2kW) generator as a back up to charge your batteries.
OMG kids! What a classic you have purchased! Add to that the value of a proven craft, beautifully built for simple comforts and you have achieved your desired goal of living a minimalist lifestyle without sleeping in a tent! She is an absolute treasure and we are looking forward to you getting her launched and on your way. Will enjoy seeing a better view once you have the covers removed.
:)
I agree on that!
Wood mast is simply a maintenance thing. They are strong and don't really weight that much more than aluminum (especially sitka spruce). You'll have to sand and renew varnish every three years of so, but hey, boats are a maintenance routine. I used to do maintenance on an old Thunderbird sloop with may old man for many years. Just part of the drill after a while. A good buy on the boat. I met Roger, the old owner of Morse Yachts years ago and am looking at the big sister Bristol Channel Cutter for retirement. Good luck!
Congrats on the museum quality boat, at a great price! You will develop some seriously good varnish skills. I suggest that you use normal nautical terminology on your channel (galley, locker, etc.) instead of lubber terms. The non-sailors will pick it up by the context, and you will be creating a library of authentically worded videos that could be the basis for a nice feature film.
Personally exited to follow this journey. Wife and I bought a 26 foot trailerable balboa with I sails, bimini and joined dodger for 3000 bucks. Loving it and dont need more. I just love the smaller boats. Yours is beautiful.
It's not 35 feet of living space. It's 35 feet of provisioning space. You gave up a short range cruiser for a day sailor. A cruiser needs speed, provision volume, stability. You lost it. You got a trailer instead. What's your hull speed, 4 knots? My 1300 lb 21' day sailor with swing keel does 5 knots.
If the mast is in as good condition as it appears, I would keep it. The idea of replacing it with an aluminum spar is it odds with the boats character. In any event, if the wooden mast doesn't work out you can always replace it in the future. Also, if the diesel engine fits the vessel (with respect to size and power), I would keep it as well. Finally, paying attention to cost / benefit issues is always smart; however, owning a boat is, almost by definition, a money sink. Good luck and I look forward to seeing you folks sailing soon!
A year for now , the WHAT were we thinking slap will come...
Stay with the wooden mast as long as it was in good shape. Have sailed with and rebuilt and restepped a wood mast on a 37 foot schooner. Worth it, for sure. The elasticity of wood pays off in stressful situations.
When you will have next video? can't wait any more :D
Sailing from my fourth year on this planet, the mast is looking very well maintained so use it! It is balanced to the vessel!
Im living on sailboats for over 10 years. I started with as big of a boat as i could afford and downsized every other year. Currently on a 27 vega and thinking it may be to big, lol' I once converted a Alberg 35 to electric. Biggest fucking expensive mistake I made besides getting married, DO NOT PUT BATTERIES IN THE BILGE......EVER! Electric power and sailboats do not work, period.Unless you plan on small lake sailing. Keep the diesel. love it' cherish it' hug it' kiss it. Thank me later. Also your theory about sleeping position is flawed. But it will be fun to find out why. other than that....you guys rock.
To be fair what batteries you used in the olden days have no comparison to the new lithium batteries, that are at least 5 times lighter per amp held.
But what if they start burning? thats worse than propane in the hull. I just think that the diesel is already there and the best option for that small boat. but I don't really know enough about lithium batteries to comment on them.
I am not saying better than diesel or not. Time will tell (although these two clowns are putting up a show). I own 3 of LiFeO4 140 amp (12v) batteries I have some basic knowledge about them. They are small and light, have thousands of complete discharge cycles and they don't burn - completely different from Lion batteries.
I've converted one of our heads to composting, actually dessicating, and we're probably going to do the other one to get rid of the holding tank which is a major smell generator. The dessicating head smells nicely of sawdust of various trees rather that sewage.
Wow you have found a great boat. Getting rid of that little diesel I think will come back to bite you guys...
I have a 21ft sailboat that has both aluminum and wood mast that can be switched out on a whim. I have never experienced an increase in stability due to the wooden masts, in fact, due to the increased weight aloft I have experienced a decrease in stability. However this decrease was very slight and I have never worried to much over it. I actually liked using the wooden mast set up more due to the asthetics and unique way it was rigged. If I was you guys I would keep that mast since it is in such good condition and if the maintenance ever becomes over bearing you can replace it later. I saw other commenters mention this but I will reiterate it, keep up on any scratches or peeling varnish. It's a chore to take care of but it is necessary. I overlooked a scratch at the base that allowed water to enter and cause a compression crack. My feeble repair only lasted a season before the rot spread to far and the mast is now unsafe to use :(. Now no wooden mast till I can source a replacement.
YES! I looked into the one you checked out in FLA. Owner was wanting 54-58K. There is NO WAY that boat was worth ANYTHING of what they were asking for it. It was WAY underpowered and had a number of other issues. Being patient and trusting your instincts certainly paid off here. And yes, teak decks present a HUGE negative unless they are THICK and still in EXCELLENT condition. While leaving teak decks bare is great for footing, the ones which have been kept bare are usually a HUGE expense and too often one greater than the cost of the boat itself. I would never advocate for keeping teak deck bare despite the footing issues entailed.
As far as lithium batteries go. Once you look at the entire issues with them they lose a lot their shine. First off, optimum charge capacity to insure longevity is between 30 and 90%. So you one, get only a 10% TRUE increase in usable power storage vs LA batteries. THEN there are the thermal life depreciation issues. Unless you have a way to keep them at 72-74 degrees F you will never see the longevity most assume is the case with them. Stored 92 degrees F they lose HALF their expected lifespan. The only good things about lithium are that you can cram 3 times the AHs into the same area and weight as LABs. RARELY do people actually make out financially in total Amp Hours stored despite the hype. Once the DRY CELL Lifepo 4 batteries are finally to market that might finally be the kind of power I would want IF the costs remain in line with what the current Lifepo 4 batteries are going for. HIGHLY doubtful that will be the case. IF you turned over ALL the money you are asking for the diesel you might end up with 40 nm of power at 4 kts. The drag induced by the larger prop you will need to provide much of any little regeneration will not be worth the loss in hull speed IMHO. You gave up a LOT of boat speed as it is by down-sizing. Running 100% charge depth cycles reduces the life expectancy of Lifepo 4 batteries to a few hundred cycles.
It appears as though you are trying to recover 72% whatever percent of the boat's sale costs with the resale of that Westerbeke.
It appears as though you are considering going with an electric drive. All the luck there. I researched it for a few years actually and was quite wanting to do the same. The prop regeneration is NOTHING compared to a wind generator in the same wind conditions. I hope you have room for at least a Honda 2000! generator because you are going to need it. That will provide NOTHING of the economy that diesel will afford you. IF you have kept up with the few YT boats that are electric you find out real quick that all they are really doing 95% is trading a diesel inboard for a gasoline generator. The idea SOUNDS great but one you delve into ALL the issues with them you understand that it is simply not the equation most assume it to be going in.
My plan is to do the same thing as you 2. I recently found a 40 foot Norwegian wood sailboat for 15k and I was stupid and passed it up. I look forward to seeing your adventures in the new boat.
Great find, I hope you get out of the boatyard soon and put many sea miles on her.
An aluminium mast would increase the yachts righting moment with less weight aloft, which improves your stability. With the heavier wooden mast you might find that the yacht will roll easier when sailing down wind. See Eric Hiscock on Wanderer 3 movie, Beyond the West Horizon, for an example.
With a traditional timber yacht I cringed when you use landlubber words like “kitchen”. From a UA-cam viewers position, you seem more knowledgeable when you at least use correct nautical words / descriptions. Look forward to your refit videos.
Andrew Logan I’ve read one of Hiscock’s books, believe it was about his 4th boat. Ill have to check out West Horizon and see what I can find. Appreciate the support!
You guys have bought a piece of floating artwork. The joinery is something that I think modern boat builders could never replicate, nor could a buyer afford. Keeping the varnish up to its current standard is going to be hard work, but rewarding.
Getting rid of this very efficient, dependable diesel is a big mistake!
Looking through all the comments here and on your earlier videos, you have been given some great advice regarding not losing the diesel, not going electric, athwartship bunks and the choice of mast material. I have to say I agree with most of the advice and urge you to consider it carefully. You have a great boat that will go anywhere, given the right crew. 22 foot is very small for two people to live aboard but it's doable - just.
You won't be saving much on marina fees as the Falmouth Cutter 22 is actually 30' 5" overall, which is what the marina will base its charges on, i.e. only slightly cheaper than your previous boat. Maintenance should be somewhat lower but probably not as much as you think. I truly believe, if you ignore all the advice at this stage, you will live to regret it. I base my opinion on owning six sailboats, knowing hundreds of yachtsmen and fifty years of sailing.
I am not making an appeal to authority, as I have none. My only qualifications in this area are sailing, e.g. RYA offshore and have no qualifications in boat refitting or shipbuilding other than experience. I've made many mistakes but they all have one thing in common - I thought I knew best. Don't listen to all the armchair experts but when a pattern starts to emerge in the advice you are given, only a fool, or a genius, would go their own way. Only time and a smidgen of humility will determine which category you fall into. Either way, best of luck in your endeavours and I wish you every success with your UA-cam channel. Subscribed.
Abandon Videos
She is beautiful! She won't be fast but she will take you to awesome places. Congratulations!
Small had it's advantages and disadvantages...From someone who has spent the summer having an awesome adventure on the smallest boat (28ft, which isn't really small) in most harbours with 3 kids, OH and a dog.
Keep that brand new diesel engine for a few a reasons. Going green energy with solar panels and wind generator while making sufficient power is slim to none on the boat your size especially when you're using it to power your boat, you will also be taking away from the antique look of your boat that makes it so pretty. You will end up buying a generator defeating the purpose of removing the engine. Spending 10K on electric components to power your boat that will only last 3-10 years doesn't make much sense when you have a brand new engine sitting on the boat waiting for install that will serve all your power needs reliably for years with zero fuss.
Willow, you should give your sage advice to Sailing Uma too. They've been ignorantly sailing a larger boat with an electric motor for a couple years now. ...and without a generator. They don't even realize it's impossible! Please go set them straight. ua-cam.com/channels/XbWsGV_cjG3gOsSnNJPVlg.html
Edited to add: And of course you're right about a diesel engine being "zero fuss". I've never seen any of the folks on sailing channels work on their engines. - Sailing Nandji, the Wynns, Tula, La Vagbonde, Zingaro, etc. Not one video showing engine repair....ever!
David, Theres one major difference between all those sailing channels and this one, they have a brand new engine with zero hours. Have you heard the vega bond have any issues with their new engines?? You should be able to get at least 1000 hours with no issues with regular oil changes, fuel filter every 100 hours and say a new impeller every couple hundred hours. Realistically you should get around 3000-5000 hours on a diesel engine block without major repair. I got close to a thousand hours on my gas outboard f200, zero issues besides some new seals for the hydraulic steering. While lithium batteries are great and much better than lead acid, you can only get 500-2000 life cycles out of a lithium battery from full charge to discharge. that number can up and down depending on full discharge or not and obviously battery makeup.
I think sailing uma is great and obviously works for them but its definitely not everyone, did you just watch their video talking about range on their lead acid batteries vs the new lithium batteries? I think they said they use to get like 15-30 minutes of run time with lead acid and now hoping to get a few hours of run time with the new lithium batteries, could be wrong on their actually run time but i remember as something like that. For many weekend warriors that is sufficient, but in terms of cruising that would not work for a majority of people. In my opinion, having a maximum range of 30 miles is not sufficient for any live aboard cruiser without having dock space and shore power. Shoot, I just ran 28 miles today fishing on around 12-14 gallons running the engine for 7 hours, unfortunately didn't get any keeper fish though :/
I'm not against motor/battery operated boats, in fact my last little 20 foot (bay) sailboat (harbor 20) was a motor/ battery propelled, Fun little boat for the harbor... While it was nice to have it when the wind cut out, i don't see it being viable option for a cruising boat.
I"ll answer your questions below, but my bigger point was that your _opinions_ are not facts. _You_ should keep your diesel engine, and if you ever end up with a brand new one, by all means install it rather than selling it. That does not mean that others are wrong for making different choices. All the negativity from you and so many other commenters is ridiculous. Sorry that AC is challenging your thinking and doing something different than you, but get over it. Who cares that you wouldn't do the same? Just watch the videos or unsubscribe. Do you really think AC is going to change what they're doing based on a stranger's UA-cam comment? (Yes, I see my hypocrisy: You're not going to change based on my comments either.)
>"Have you heard the vega bond have any issues with their new engines?"
Yes. Many. See La Vagabonde's episode 134, for example. ua-cam.com/video/BKTc1OqG-6c/v-deo.htmlm46s Regarding this episode they wrote: "One engine wasn’t working and the other wasn’t 100% reliable (the same problem with the control boxes needing replacing and a jump start was required if you wanted to fire it up before then)" So, I understand that your "zero fuss" comment may have been hyperbole, but on average I'll bet electric motors are less "fuss" than diesels, so even without the hyperbole I doubt your point is relevant. They're giving up one brand new engine for another brand new engine, but electric motors are a lot simpler.
>"did you just watch [Uma's] video talking about range on their lead acid batteries vs the new lithium batteries?"
Yes. It's episode 135. He said their old lead batteries would only give them 15 minutes of engine time, but the new lithium batteries will give 5 hours (rather than "a few hours"). ua-cam.com/video/vY_-Wfyx0_A/v-deo.htmlm27s Also note that is 5 hours without any charge being added, for example if they were motoring in the dark.
>"For many weekend warriors that is sufficient, but in terms of cruising that would not work for a majority of people."
What's your point here? Uma _is_ a cruising boat. They'll be sailing across the Atlantic. AC is not telling everyone to throw out their diesel engines. They are choosing to use electric, like Uma. So your point is that AC is doing something that the majority of sailors don't do? Yeah, no kidding. Why the negativity about it though?
There was zero negativity in my original posts, If my facts or opinions offended you or Abandon Comfort i would like to start off apologizing. My intent was to simply put into my personal experiences backed with facts with electric vs diesel, usage, and reliability along with some of the benefits and negatives of each. I didn't think my suggestions was offensive but sorry if i hurt your feelings.
Having been raised around engines, electric motors, boats, dirtbikes my whole life, I firmly believe there is purpose and place for each; mostly dependent on the application. My grandfather had a motor company and held patents on motors, my father has been selling electric motors for anything and everything for 40 years. I have seen many fried and or worn electric motors, seized bearings, dead esc's and on and on. I can usually fix anything broken but when it comes to a fried electric speed controller or charger, theres not much you can do besides drop more $ and replace it. I have had an electric sailboat, My brother has a tesla. Great car but limited range, and as far as charging it we had to install a 50 amp 220v so it could fully recharge over night. Charging it on 110 volt for 8 hours would net you 20 ish miles.
Charging any substantial battery bank with wind and solar is very difficult/ near impossible depending on your boat sq footage. Most cruisers with solar and wind generators make just enough power to run their electronics and navigation equipment, This is why i mentioned having an electric boat that has a permanent dock slip with shore power is a must. I said i believe it would work or weekend warriors but don't see it being logical for cruisers. Just because one person doesn't mean it is without its drawbacks. It was my interpretation that abandon comfort were more cruiser life style so i put my opinion with facts to support it. Ultimately this is their channel, journey, and choice and i will enjoy there videos regardless of their choice.
I believe many people have a false idea that, "if its electric then there is zero problems unlike gas or diesel engines." The truth is with any mechanical device there will always be problems. Just like diesel growing algae, batteries get old and have a life cycle. Electric motors can and will burn up if over heated, same goes for an engine. Electric speed controllers can and will burn up if over heated or a power surge happens. electric motors if brushed will wear out, sometimes serviceable sometimes not. Bearings can give out, charging can and will always be an issue. For every engine issue I can show an electrical one. There is a reason why 99% of boats are still engine driven and the only boats battery powered are bay boats.
To sum it up,I believe a modern diesel will be just as reliable as an electric propelled boat without the headache of worrying about range, batteries, chargers, solar, wind, powering electronics.
> "This is why i mentioned having an electric boat that has a permanent dock slip with shore power is a must."
How can you keep writing this when there are clearly people with electric motors who are not on docks? In addition to Sailing Uma, mentioned previously, there's Rigging Doctor, Learning the Lines, and Sailing Saoirse. I'm sure a search would turn up lots more that I haven't heard of, and that would only be folks who vlog. I'm no naval historian, but I think there were also some early sailors (before UA-cam!) who didn't use motors for entire ocean passages.
While it's true that current electric motors won't propel you for a day at a time, I think some folks are willing to rely more on the wind than you - i.e., they're willing to sit longer when there is no wind, and sail up closer to mooring balls and anchorages. Part of this may be how they view their time and the point of sailing, but a much bigger part, I think, is that they simply don't want to burn diesel. It's not that they think electric motors will outperform diesels (on the measures you rate most highly).
Analogy: It's generally easier to be an omnivore than a vegan - in terms of grocery shopping and eating out - but that doesn't mean folks should only be vegans if they live on a farm. Comments posted about the impracticality of being vegan would be missing the point.