Cost to finish a 58 ft sailboat (rig, sail and winsches)

[andreasmehlin]

Have found a Bruce Roberts 58 that not have been riged (just been used as a motorboat/houseboat).

How much would you estimate rig, sail, and winsches would cost? (standard equipped)

Regards
Andreas

[Gene T]

$100,000 is my guess, lots of bits and pieces. Might find some used gear for half that.

[andreasmehlin]

A bit more than I thought...

How do you calculate it?

Rig? (head mast and roller furling?)
Sail?
Winsches? (how many is necessary?)

Is it easy to find used stuff in these sizes?

Regards
Andreas

[sailingdog]

Well, even a used mast and the standing rigging for a boat that size is going to be fairly expensive. Then add the cost of the roller furling, running rigging and the sails, and you're looking at quite a bit of money.

That doesn't even touch the maintenance and repairs to the unused sailing gear on the boat, like the winches, which are likely to be in really bad shape, if they've been unused the whole time. Gear tends to do better if it is used and maintained, rather than if it is just sitting. If the winches weren't added to the boat when it was built, the installation will be fairly expensive, as the holes and backing for mounting the winches has to be setup properly.

Then you also have any other general repairs and upgrades to the boat.

BTW, winches, rigging and such on a boat that large is going to be very expensive, even used.

[cardiacpaul]

one used harken 53 is 1800.00

[andreasmehlin]

I see.

I just did a fast calulation that I maybe could make it under $60k. But you think it will be hard to make?

I calculated

$10k-15k sails
$15k winches
$30k rig

But I might be over optimistic

[sailingdog]

That's very optimistic...and doesn't include the 10-15% of the purchase price most people will spend repairing, upgrading and re-fitting the boat.

You might also have to consider how much it will cost to dock this beast. Dock space for a 60' boat is pretty expensive, and a bit tough to find at a reasonable price. A lot of places will not be able to haul this boat, should you need to work on the bottom. Getting it painted is also something that you might need to do, and will be fairly expensive.

I don't want to discourage you from owning a boat, but I do want you to go into buying this boat with a pretty good idea of what the costs involved are going to be...and not get blindsided by those costs.

There are plenty of boat owners, who buy more boat than they can really afford, suffer along for a while and then take a massive loss trying to unload a boat they never really got a chance to enjoy.

[andreasmehlin]

Im looking for an unfinished boat I can finish myself. usually these boat havnt been out on the sea very much.

Have also a Bruce Roberts 53 in mind. Also this is unfininshed - but opposit - unfinished inside, finished outside. But lots of equipment included. I like the size better here. Don´t want to go too big. Rather not over 50 ft but now I have found these vessels here in Sweden and are easy to transport (and inspect).
How many winsches do you estimate to need on a 53 ft and what size?

I think I will afford owning the boat with that aspect I don´t have many else expenses. Im (or we are) saving money for a world cruise.

[jbernal]

Not sure what masts and furlers cost but I am right now the process of redoing my standing rigging:

If you break convention and rig it with galvanized aircraft cable, you can save a lot. The cost to replace my entire standing rigging, including the tools, hardware, books/learning, and maintenance goop for a heavy duty 40' ketch rig, came to around $400.

I recommend some intense research-- shop around (places like Fehr Bros or Erigging) and piece it all together to see what it will cost. Those sta-lok fittings get awful pricy (or you can splice ends yourself and still have a rig just as strong)
Book recommendation: the Complete rigger's apprentice, by Brion Toss. Lots of people think he's a heretic but the engineering behind his stuff is completely sound, especially as it pertains to galvanized materials in rigging.

You could make your mast out of *gasp* wood! Do it yourself, the old way, it worked for centuries. Book recommendation: Bueller's Backyard Boat Building. Just as good for outfitting/refitting a boat as for building one.

Sails, go with Rolly Tasker. Best prices and great products. A new main and mizzen (40 foot boat) will only set me back $1800 delivered. Years ago I had a new Rolly Tasker mainsail made for my 25 footer, and I can vouch for their quality. Top-notch stuff.

In the end, you may be able to make it work just fine for around $10,000. Won't be as pretty, but it will do what you need it to do. Me, personally, I respect the ugly boats that have been everywhere for a few bucks, more than the million-dollar sparkly ones that are too afraid to be sailed.

A few good solid months of planning will save you a lot of time, money, and future effort. I devoted a lot of time this winter to figuring how we would refit our boat (after living aboard for several years, we had a lot of ideas on what to improve and what needed work).

-JB

[jbernal]

PS--

If I had an open canvas like you do, I'd build an unstayed or partially-stayed junk-rig. Those are cool! And much much MUCH cheaper.