[StoneAge]

As an owner of a ferro boat, a properly built one, I can say that it could very well be a good boat that someone doesn't understand the construction procedures.

I know of a F/C boat here that was being worked on about 13 years ago. Guy didn't even know it. When he was told it was F/C, he just wrote off the 30,000 he had just put into it in an engine re-build and hull paint and various other things in a re-fit process. All that was left for him to do on it was the rigging. He didn't want a F/C boat, thought they were junk. Why? that's what he heard. It would be a great boat for someone (was too small for our needs) and it hasn't been finished or used (to my knowledge) since I looked at it in 1995. He didn't know it was ferro because there really wasn't any evidence of it. The entire interior hull and deck were sprayfoamed 1" thick (about 5k worth of insulation value right there ;-)) so you cannot see the hull material. Of course the person who sold it to him should have said something, but sometimes assumptions are made and these things don't get said. The exterior was smooth as glass and chalky faded like FRP tends to do. Still is. no streaks of rust or anything like that. Too bad the rest of it has gone to pot. Probably be a great bargain for someone out there...

Ferro Cement is not really a cement boat. A properly built one is a steel armature with 4 layers of either twisted hexagonical wire mesh (AKA "Chicken Wire") or the small square welded mesh. Then it is plastered with a special mix to keep the water out.

The steel armature consists of an appropriate sized re-bar framing. Ours is 1/4" solid re-bar crossed and welded every 2" on the vertical and every 4" on the horizontal.. Then there are 4 layers of square mesh on the inside and the outside of the armature. This "Webbing" is then fastened to the armature every 4" square giving the complete hull and deck a see through wire mesh look.

Then the plasterers come in. Yes, plasterers. Problem with some of the back yard builders is that they figured a cement truck from the local company that pours driveways can come and pour their boat for them.. Or they could go down to Home Depot and grab a couple of bags and a shovel.. Not so fast... There is a special mix that must be used so the plaster (not cement - different mix) doesn't react negatively to the salt water. And another hardener to ensure the proper strength. Ours was mixed on site with 2 professionals and 8 helpers over a 27 1/2 hour period. That is important too.. A continuous "pour". And then maintaining the moisture for a month after the pour. Ours was dressed in canvass and misted with hot water. Kind of a steam curing process. That was in 1973. It an even stronger boat today. I would trust her going THROUGH a 40 - 60' wave never mind one crashing on top of us.

I know of another ferro boat over on the west coast that hit a reef while under way. Immediately had her hauled only to find some bottom paint scratched away. He returned to the same reef in his dingy at low tide and evidence showed where he had hit. There was some bottom paint on a rock that had been broken off the top several yards away. And other evidence of him scraping along the bottom.

Wood and Fiberglass won't win a war with a reef. especially a coral one. Those branches can grind a hole through tho bottom of your boat before you know it. Steel might survive, but Ferro Cement will.

Point is.. This could be a VERY good boat for the money. And by the looks of the pictures, there's 10 grand worth of rigging, 3,000 in brass ports and another 1500 in dorade vents alone. Never mind a diesel and winches etc... . So you might have to deal with getting rid of the hull... It's mostly steel and they PAY you for that at your local recycler. Worst comes to worse, you find the hull a bad example, strip off all the gear and sell it. Break the hull up with a sledge hammer and sell the steel as scrap. There's probably 8 - 10 tons of it there.... Now all you have is a pile of gravel to get rid of. Know anyone who is building a driveway?

Something else to do - e-mail the broker and ask for the Official number and do a search on it through the coast guard site. It has a US registration number on the bow.. There would be a record of it being stolen or any liens on it. Also - don't expect it to look like that when you see it. And who cares what he says... Go look at it.. Offer him a price on the phone and BE PREPARED to give it to him when you see the boat and it passes your inspection.. If he stops you from looking before handing over cash, walk away. (always a good idea to wander the docks and yards without a broker present first)

As far as cement boats being slow? Yes - it takes us a little longer to get up to speed (we are registered 30.2 tons - 60 ft overall) but we stay there longer. (careful coming into the dock) and pound for pound Ferro Cement cruisers average out with fiberglass cruisers at about 35 - 38 feet. I'm talking cruising boats not racer cruisers. We travel along quite nicely at 9 - 9 1/2 knots without thinking about sail trim in 15 -20 knots. I can only guess what she'll be like when we get all the new deck gear on next spring (the Stone age is about to come out of the stone age ;-))...

Yes, there are some F/C boats that need to be buried, but the ones that are good are the best cruising boats out there. Maybe this guy's ignorance is another's windfall.