Extreme Makeover, Part One
chuckgou...@gmail.com
Part 1
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Jan and I have a diabetic cat. "Oscar" was about 10 years old when
he came down with the condition, and was already an inseparable part of
the family. He requires an insulin injection each morning and evening.
Between the cost of medicine, syringes, special diet cat food
(available only through the veterinarian), and the expense of hiring
somebody to visit and inject the cat when we're out boating, we spend
almost $2000 a year to keep "Oscar" alive and his diabetes under
control. From an objective, impersonal perspective it would be easy for
somebody to suggest that we should simply put our beloved cat to sleep
and go on with life, but the decision acquires a different dimension
when there's emotion and history involved.
We also own an aging boat. "Indulgence" was built in the early
80's, and the years are beginning to take their toll. Her lines are
still smart looking, but no matter how enthusiastically, or endlessly,
one might care to buff and wax her chalking gelcoat, she will never
really shine again. While we have battled continuously to stay ahead of
the curve, in recent years the varnish on what seems to be "miles"
of teak on her exterior has deteriorated faster than we have managed to
sand, and renew it. Some leaks from the vicinity of the propane locker
in the false stack have found new points of entry into the main cabin
and stained the interior teak veneers. Her bottom should have been
stripped to the bare hull a few bottom-paint jobs ago, and we had a
short wish list of things we felt we would want to upgrade, add, or
improve if we could.
>From an objective, impersonal, and probably financially rational
perspective it would probably make sense to pass our beloved boat along
to the next owner (for whatever we could realize) and start afresh with
a new, or much newer vessel. In fact, we did a little casual shopping
at some of the recent boat shows and there are indeed dozens of
wonderful options available that would probably prove quite
satisfactory for Pacific NW regional cruising. We encountered a pair of
critical realizations that wouldn't apply to most people, but
definitely contributed to our final, somewhat unconventional, decision.
The first realization is that Jan and I are definitely removed from the
fashionable mainstream in our boating styles and preferences. We would
smile and nod politely as the representatives for various boats
extolled, "The 2006 model is really improved over the 2005's. Last
year's boat had a pair of brand X diesels that were only 350-HP
apiece. This year we are putting in 435-HP brand Y engines and as a
result our cruising speeds have increased from 19 knots to just under
23!" There is no question that the market prefers higher speed and
higher performance engines than Jan and I care for in a boat- and we
really do realize that it isn't the rest of the world that's out of
step, it's us. (That doesn't make it any easier to shop for a new
boat). The vast majority of boaters correctly appreciate the reliable
redundancy and improved maneuverability of a twin engine vessel, while
Old Phogey Gould thinks he's got just as much engine as he needs with
a 135- HP single screw. Old Phogey Gould also lacks sufficient
imagination to desire a boat that would make " up for lunch in
LaConner and back to Shilshole for dinner" a realistic itinerary for
a day cruise. While there are still a few companies building economical
single screw trawlers, most of the manufacturers are now chasing the
high profit margins associated with larger boats. The number of new
boats available in our preferred size range, (a 36-40 foot "couple"
cruiser), and with low HP single screw propulsion is very limited- but
yes there are still boats built by some fine manufacturers that would
fit our anachronistic, non-conformist boating style.
Our second realization was that any "replacement" boat would need
to be almost identical to "Indulgence." We like a pilothouse, and
have no real use for a flybridge. We put a higher priority on a very
spacious master stateroom and are less concerned with a large salon.
While there are a handful of layout and design factors associated with
"Indulgence" that we would change if we could, we have never seen
any boat that didn't have a few layout and design factors that we
would change- if we could. Finding a new boat "just like"
Indulgence would be difficult, and with only a couple of hundred hours
on the 2004 Perkins repower the option of purchasing a used boat with
likely thousands of engine hours seemed less than attractive.
Diabetic cats and aging boats have a way of becoming part of the
family. Some of the happiest moments, and one or two of the temporarily
scariest moments, of the last umpteen years have been spent aboard
"Indulgence". She's more than just a boat to us, she's "our
boat" in a way that few things we have ever owned have been. It's
tough to imagine parting with her simply because her beauty is fading
and some of the problems associated with the passage of time are
becoming apparent. (I do hope Jan is taking notes, as although she's
more beautiful than ever Father Time hasn't done her husband all that
many favors.) We have opted for an "extreme makeover", rather than
a replacement boat.
It could be said that it makes no more financial sense to restore an
aging boat than it does to nurse along a diabetic cat. We'll spend
about 60 - 70% of what we could probably sell our boat for, in her
present shape, to put her back into near bristol condition. When
we're done, we will probably realize an increase in the value of our
boat of only about 20%.
The upside is that we'll have the boat we really want-
"Indulgence" in a condition that will allow us to be as proud of
her as she deserves. Jan is far more pragmatic than I am, and she says
"There's probably a new boat in our future, but let's revisit the
question in 7-10 years when we seriously begin to consider
retirement".
In my particular position, I'm well acquainted with many of the boat
yards throughout the Pacific NW. It was easy to make a list of ten or
more firms that I felt we could trust to do a good job on
"Indulgence." We needed an affordable price, and wanted to be able
to expect stellar results. Picking a boat yard was, for me, like being
a dog in a butcher shop surrounded by USDA Prime cuts. No decision from
among my list of preferred candidates would have been a mistake. In the
end, for a few specific reasons and without dragging a lot of people
through a "bidding war", we decided to use Seaview North, in
Bellingham. We have every expectation of being extremely pleased with
this decision.
Our experience with this "extreme makeover" may be of interest to
some of our readers, so during the approximately 90-days this process
is projected to take we'll report the good, the bad, and (hopefully
no ugly) aspects of the job as it progresses.
Most of the work on "Indulgence" will be cosmetic, with a small
amount of structural work as well as the installation of a bow
thruster. (Underwater Control Technologies will install the thruster in
Seaview's yard.)
Our general list of work includes,
1. Removal of bottom paint, and the application of 3 coats Interlux
Barrier Coat system and 2 coats of antifouling bottom paint
2. Prep and repaint hull
3. Prep and repaint house, including minor fiberglass repairs
4. Strip all exterior teak and apply 1 soak coat to exterior woodwork
5. Rebed leaking port side windows in main cabin
6. Replace water stained interior veneers
7. Replace a section of delaminated plywood in the aft bulkhead
8. Install teak and holly plywood under galley table
9. Strip cabin sole in forward cabin, head, and aft cabin and apply
varnish.
10. Recaulk and revarnish pilothouse doors
11. Locate and repair leak at false stack
12. Locate and install two new scuppers
13. Edge hatches and refinish cabin sole in the aft cabin
14. Install some shelves in the forward hanging locker
15. Install a 6-HP bowthruster
16. Install a better handle and recharge our Sea Freeze refrigerator.
We are also considering a new swim step- in for a penny, in for a
pound.
Besides, we're already saving money. With "Indulgence" up in
Bellingham undergoing her extreme makeover, we won't have to hire
anybody to sit with our diabetic cat while we're out boating!