As an older shipwright I've often said: You don't own a wooden boat, You are its caretaker for as long as you have the time, money and energy to look after her. And before you run out of these things it's best to find the next caretaker! Beautiful, characterful old yacht. Pity it's unlikely to find that inspired next caretaker. Good quick unpaid survey. All good observations.
I'm 74, ( a retired Mechanical Engineer) been around wood vessels over 50 years and appreciate your logical view on an evaluation of a wooden boat! There are a few locations I would further examine, however, this is a "free boat" and you covered a lot. If you're not already, you would make an excellent vessel surveyor! My hats off to you young man!
I'm 72 and in a wheelchair but if I had a spare $mill. I would love to oversee a complete restoration of this grand old girl! There's a young couple in Brazil who have nearly finished a total rebuild of a much bigger vessel (see Yaba on TH-cam). They have ended up with a new boat, only using the original as a template.
There is some original wood on Yaba.. Amazing techniques used by boatyard. Channel called.. 'Sailing Yaba' Here's a few channels you might both like to look at... 'Travels with Geordie' Peter is working on 3 Monk boats, also some crusing etc. 'Todd Dunn' he had a wooden boat which he restored, sold it as getting older, just put his fibreglass sailing vessel on land for winter .. does other videos.. 'Salt and Tar' .. a couple who had done some serious sailing.. build a wooden boat from scratch. They are now enjoying the boat. 'Odd life Crafting'.. they are friends with Yaba.. Really well designed metal boat they restored. Now enjoying the boat.. Hope you both might find something of interest.
Correct,-it's a SABB, made in the city of Bergen, Norway. You can still buy all the spare parts you need for it and they're easy to work on. Indestructible and super reliable engine. DO NOT replace this engine with anything else.
I have already restored a 7 ton cutter back in the 1980's that had been built in 1947. Learnt a lot. Would I tackle this boat at my age with my financial resources. No. I would love to and certainly have the skills and the time but no. This ship needs a young person that already loves wooden boats and has a good income and good carpentry skills. There is nothing undoable here. It just needs the right person.
An excellent exploration of a lovely old girl that needs a bit of tender care. You may be interested to know that the log of the "Joybird" from 1911 is not the same vessel: that is a 30ft yawl built by White Bros of Southampton, which was renamed "Ripple" and is still sailing on the Clyde to this day. So the owner's 1913 estimate is more likely to be correct. The engine is a Sabb GG type which, despite its prodigious size, only produces about 10hp, but interestingly has a variable pitch propeller.
I’ve owned one, and could have owned two, wooden boats. My partner ( a great woodworker who will remain nameless ( but you know who you are Chris and you still owe me $500 on her :>) )) and I bought a boat in a bit better condition than this. After months of work I wanted to put her in the water and sail, and he wanted teak decks. I let him buy me out and I bought a fiberglass 30 footer and spent the next 20 years having the time of my life sailing. Chris put the teak on and then trucked the boat to his back yard- where it sat after he had some kids. It never went in the water. It was a tremendous amount of work. I could see it never ending. Just keeping up my glass Pearson seems like a half time job. Many years later on a delivery in St. Vincint I took a walk on the beach around Blue Lagoon, met some friendly locals and was offered a free wooden boat in rather bad condition. In a mock serious voice I asked “Are you threatening me?” It got a good laugh.
These days the issue is that there are a lot of cheap fiberglass boats available. So there are fewer young energetic people to take on an old wood boat as an economical way to start boating. There are exceptions like Leo and Tally Ho. Acorn to Arabella. Travels with Geordie. The water dripping from the thru-hulll is coming from the dehumidifier.
Really a nice 'down to the nitty gritty' survey of an old wooden boat. I learned a lot from your walk-through. I hope that someone grabs this classic and spends the time to put her back in the shape that she belongs in.
Great workshop on how to examine an older wooden boat. Even though I'm not a surveyor, as a boat owner it's good to know what to look for. Very informative. Thank you for sharing!!
That is a beautiful boat. It’s worth a rebuild. I know of a guy who was given A wooden boat. We lived on Saint John and the Virgin Islands and the guys name was red and he went to Saint Croix and got a boat that was sitting on the hard for quite some time. He splashed it and spent a couple days patching all the leaks and headed north to St. John which was 35 miles away. Made it halfway before the leaks overcame the bucket that he had to bail with. He didn’t even have a life jacket. He had a cell phone. He called 911 and they answered. He did not quite know his location but he knew he was between Saint John in Saint Croix. The U.S. Navy happened to be in Port and anchored in Pillsbury sound. The USS Cole. They sent an inflatable to get him. He said he saw a black dot on the horizon heading straight for him and by the time they reached him he was up to his knees and water while holding onto the mast. Inflatable pulled up and yanked him into the boat and headed back to Saint John as he turned around to see the boat sink. He was transferred to a national Park vessel off of Saint John and brought back to the dock. I think of the thousands who did not make it. May their souls rest in peace.
Very good demonstrations of practical survey techniques! Thanks! I’m not convinced that you need worry about transferring termites on your clothes unless you transfer the reproductive queen. The soldiers are sterile and the workers are not carrying eggs. The queen is enormous(up to 100 x) compared with other térmite castes and you couldn’t possibly mistake a worker for a queen. It’s practically impossible to transfer the queen unless you are transferring the central core of the nest. Termites will be a greater risk if your boat has some rot (eg fungal breakdown of the sugar components of wood cellulose) that provides an attractive chemical signal to termites in the nearby soil. I love those classic wooden boats. I’ll look for your other videos!!!
actually in Georgia they have dry wood termites which can transfer through being brought in. As a pest control op for over 20 years I have seen many houses needing to be tented and fumigated from having a piece of furniture brought in that had a few dry wood termites. but a 100 plus year old boat i would not expect them to be in. That's very slow growth wood and very hard. termites would be more likely be in the shed or shop in the yard then the boat. most places north and west of the Carolina's will have whats called sub terrain termites. These require soil contact to survive and die within hours of no soil contact. They get their moisture through the soil. Dry wood on the other hard do not require soil contact.
I had a 38’ double ended boat that I bought from a guy who was desperate to sell. She was a Shetland Bus used in the last war to ferry people from Norway to Shetland . When I got her she needed lots of work, 21 new planks to the starboard and a new keelson. Unfortunately, I ran out of money and had to sell her. Built in Norway during the war as a fishing boat and was called “Roal”. With the Bowsprit she was 55’ total and weighed in at around 17 Tonnes. I really enjoyed working on her and really miss the pleasure I got. Enjoy your boat, she looks great, it’ll be hard work but with love and respect you’ll win in the end.
I am in Michigan and was about to make an offer on Lord Nelson 41 pending survey! Your video gave me enough knowledge to find enough issues even before I called for the survey I was able to shove the screwdriver halfway through the bae sprit!! the route was barely apparent from the surface and covered with paint. They are video, save me a lot of money!
For a start you'd need a shed with skylights and four times the floor area as the deck; one quarter for you, one for tools, one for things coming out, one for things going in. But it would be great. Also termites need a queen with a nest, out of the nest they die, and you can't carry them on your clothes.
Thanks - I though the inside would be far worse given her decks. It’s lovely you can see the potential, the reality and the beauty in these girls. I bet she would sail like a witch with a bit of love.
Twenty years ago, I would have jumped head long into a project like Joy Bird. Right down to restoring the Hit-N-Miss. Today the mind says go, but the body says NO! It is a shame that we spend a lifetime acquiring skills that would bring this old girl back to life. I do enjoy teaching, but not many around today that want to learn. Wouldn't you just love a cup of rusty tea from the AQ.
Aspects of getting old can be a drag sure. Adjustments must be made. But it is not all bad. Accumulated knowledge and experience can become wisdom, a treasure beyond valuation. Though, with enough monitary treasure I would restore that sv and sail around this big old marble going to every wooden boat regatta I could find... sigh. Thanks for the vid mates.
@@drewgibbons4799 Yes, that "wisdom" can be wonderful. If I only knew then...... Naa.... I am a tolerable a$$hole now. I would have been an unholy A$$HOLE then, if not a victim of fragging. LMAO
"Living With The Tide" is a great (although currently dormant) channel centered around a really nice double ender made by Dickies of Tarbert on Scotland's west coast. Beautiful boat, solid craftsmanship.
Thank you for showing the way you do surveys, I gather you did your time as a shipwright in a yard somewhere, so you a man worth listening to thanks again for the tour. jf
I'm a new subscriber to your work ,very accurate 100% no a think to say ,you didn't miss this shot, im from Florida myself and in my 61 years I have been surveying all kind of vessels, but there's something else and I say always as a rule of thumb with wooden boats specially sailing ones and that is his design,they are in my experience very tricky and very well done most of them super seaworthy old ladies .Those who had the privilege of sailing on one of those can tell a good story holding the helm for some time . There's nothing like a wooden sail boat to me and I been sailing a lot ,. I confess when you hit the gardboard with the hammer a was impressed with the sound.. is not an easy view at least for me to see a boat shredded I really don't want to be present I experience that when I was 27 in Baltimore during my time in shipwright school and it was not ok to me .even now here in Louisiana where I'm living and work for more than 10 years now after my retirement I has been doing some assessments works for demolition on warships decomission but I'm better away from that now. Well done .your perspective and common sense is flawless. Wish ya good luck. And a happy new year.
An old sea dog once told me with an old witch like this one “at least you have something to build onto” however it’s a damn shame she was hauled out for the timber and corkage to dry out as it has. Thanks for the tutorial.
Excellent exploration and analysis. Thank you. I was especially impressed with the still tight and square interior joinery work and integrity of the framing. I sincerely hope a passionate new owner restores her to her former glory - not only for themselves, but for future generations. They just don't make 'em like this any more.
At 43:31 you kan see the outline og the letters "S A B B" above the engine tag. Sabb Motor is a Norwegian maker of small marine diesel engines, mostly single-cylinder or twin-cylinder units. The firm was established in 1925. Sabb's main market is the production of propulsion engines for life boats, fishing vessels, fish farming, canal boats, work boats and pleasure craft. They are the worlds largest supplier of lifeboat engines, offering lightweight units and safe whilst operating under extreme conditions.
I used to operate an old "Bucyrus Erie" ....( an old drag line crane) and it had Saab engine that was used as a "poney motor" to start the main engine, and it was very similar to the one in this boat.
This old women reminds me my grandmother who wants to marry again and searching for new husband, and she is 95 years old..Because she is a Joybird forever...😘😘😘Good Luck
the Last “Free” Wooden boat i got only cost me 25 thousand dollars to make it Water Ready for Launching and being able to use BTW it was a 30 foot 1964 Chris Craft CabinCruiser that was in my family for years a major part of my expenses were having the Vessel professionally moved and a engine replacement i personally did all the work myself including the Mechanical, Electrical , Plumbing , and Woodworking which i am a retired Professional Woodworker My Hull was in fairly good shape as she was stored on the Hard indoors for most of her lifetime
Great Video, I very much like your systematic approach for its so easy to get lost when you are having a "first date" with a wooden Lady like that. I restored a small 5 Metre-Class Racing Yacht from 1910 in several years of work - (... and after that became a boatbuilder :-) ) and I remeber the "first contact" as if it was yesterday allthough thats 35 years ago now. Are there any news from this vessel? Did she find a rescuer? I'd love to know! Greetings from Germany
If I'm not mistaken full fiberglass hulls were started in the 1960's, composite boats around WW2, so there may be a couple floating around that are 60 years old.
Dehumidifier is where the water was comin from the hose forward on the hull. Man ive never seen an interior layout like that in a boat. Its soo well designed. I hope it gets restored and used, prob b great for a Joshua Slocom Jr lol. Great vid man.
I live on the West coast of Scotland only about 100miles away from Dickies Yard which was in existence till about 10 years ago . I noticed she has an On 'Official Number' carved into the deck beam I think I'm right in thinking that the yacht details will be held on a register in the UK.Hope that might be a help in identifying more history.All the best to you and 'her'.R
She's definitely a looker. Don't know the lumber situation in that area, since local woods may not be a good replacement choice. Down South, Yellow Pine, could be had for some of the work, but decking is generally Teak, and frames and ribs are usually Oak, which are imports. Really sad she's set with leaking decks so long, as rain water does horrible disrepair when left unchecked for very long. Hope she finds a good home with some well funded soul.
People complain about time and money , ok but why is it every time you see a post of someone restoring an old wood sailboat , they’re always smiling. There’s a lot to be said about accomplishing something that’s so gratifying. To see all your effort , oh and money end up in a thing of beauty. I think I’m trying to justify myself. 75 years old and just bought back an old 49 ft sloop 70 years old I owned 35 years ago. Not nearly as bad as this. Still in the water but needs lots of time.
Great Start. I believe you missed a few points. A plank in the bilge had different color. That may be a hint for dry fungus. Also it's not great that the boat is full of stuff, especially the cotton and the stuff in the bilge. This is collecting humidity, mold and fungus possibly therefore. And the fwd and aft sections of an boat should be mentioned to be generally bad ventilated and therefore have a tendency to root.
Ah great video much appreciated! Lovely looking boat you must have been thinking....should i?? Haha. I've just bought a wooden sail boat from around 1964 and wish i'd seen this beforehand! Not that i think there's anything wrong with what i bought, i knew there was a little work mostly superficial, but i don't know that for sure and your walkthrough here would have really helped! Sure it will help others though. Thanks again, and all the best! :)
I Love the Wooden Boats. I Own A FRP Boat. Sailing isnt a lot different between the two. Maintainance however is! And, id sail any solid Wooden Boat anyday. Really cannot beat the Ambiance Of Them.⛵
This is very helpful for someone like me without much knowledge. Thank you! I will be looking at one that has been sitting on the hard for 8 years after being fully restored by the previous owner in 4 years. It's a shame how she has not been in the water this many years after so much work the previous owner put into her. I don't know the story of what happened after she was sold so no judgement there. Shit can happen. Anyhow this is really good. Thank you. You have a new subscriber too!👍🙏
Great Video! Just about every big boatyard has what I call "The boulevard of broken dreams"...full of sad stories, derelicts and unfinished projects. Having had several boatyard neighbors who abandoned their dreams, I would say it's usually folks who get into these projects, not realizing the scope, time or expense required to make their dream float again, and unfortunately wooden boats go fast after a couple of years on the hard. I wish you would do a show about wooden boat maintenance in the south...I keep on asking myself if I'm crazy trying to maintain my 27' Ed Monk cruiser in Charleston, SC.
I love your videos and I love this old Joybird. I suppose by now a new owner has been found? Also, I hoe you might consider doing a video about your boat. I’d love to know what she is, what size and all that you’ve done since acquiring her!
Ferro sheathing could save this old boat and have her back in the water in a couple months. Then most of the rest of the repairs could be conducted while in the water. At some point, if it mattered that much to the owner, later the sheathing could be removed and her restored to original condition (that is, if he or she wasn't just having to much sailing her and enjoying a trouble-free, watertight bottom).
Hi superbly informative video...but at what point does the hull shrinkage become un-caulkable..? do you have videos on how to caulk does every part need to be recaulked...I need to attend a wooden boat restoration course so interesting but I was wondering so if the frame moves a bit is that a difficult repair...? So many questions as these wooden yachts fascinate me I've owned a 1947 Scottish, William Fife designed Gentlemans motorsailer...but I had to sell her because of not having the skills as there was a fair amount of work to do she was 27 tons dry I was gutted she was a lovely beautiful yacht..Earraid was her name...
damn i dont know the exact boat you're talking about but i know i have never seen an old William Fife design that i didnt like. Really beautiful boats in my opinion, would feel bad about letting it go too. would love an old flush decked boat.
I would soak it down with mineral spirits and linseed oil. It would stop any dry rot and swell the planks back up a little. I have watched some guys caulking the old school way and it looks very slow. A caulking gun would speed it way up.
Here’s my opinion for what it’s worth. I’m a carpenter and part time boat builder . I would consider two things first . Try and estimate the material cost, timber ,hardware ,possible tool hire , and then multiply that figure by AT LEAST two . Then be really honest with yourself and ask “do I have staying power?” I say this because your main enemy will UNDOUBTEDLY be project fatigue. It is so easy to start a project and a few of your mates will probably come and lend a hand (at first) but then they will most likely thin out quite quickly. Also do you have a supportive partner? If not then at some point you may have to choose between the two. Sorry to sound negative,but the world is full of unfinished projects . One other important thing to have of course is the skill to do the plethora of tasks that will face you. To finish I would recommend watching the brilliant Tally Ho series, and see if reality fazes you,remembering of course that the project was fully (and then some) financed by patron. Best wishes whatever you decide !!
You need to talk to Leo Goolden ( Sampson Boat Company) who is rebuilding Tally Ho in Port Townsend WA, he has 115 episodes of his rebuild on youtube. A huge and expensive task.
Een houten boot met de juiste aandacht ,gaat eeuwig mee uiteindelijk verniew je steeds een deel.dat is een deel van de hobby. Mijn advies begin niet meteen met epoxy lapmiddeltjes .concentreer je op vervangen .uiteindelijk moet je wel serieus conserveren. Maar laat je niet te snel verleiden tot 1 product. Zelf gezien dat zelfs museums er weinig van terecht brengen.informatie vergaren hoort ook bij de hobby. Succes met de❤voor houten boten.
Pitchpine ? The planks going from end to end?i know a ship like this name is ,,Penguin“,olso from this aria and build in the same time…Engine was the same. This ship is not only a ship,Urs a historical artefact ..,very nice Video
Amazing boat,, What a fantastic project for a young carpenter / handy person type. I can see this classic restored to her former glory ,,, and it will look magnificent again one day . Very much a true classic ,, Tally Ho ,,,eat ya heart out.
You didn't help me at all here buddy😅😅 I have a sailing cutter in Norway. Still floating and i don't have the time to keep it floating. Getting her out of plank fix and finding something worse would be a disaster due to work and family. So I am contemplating pulling her out and doing her in the garden. But i am mighty afraid it will just dry out, check all over and I'll end up with a Tally Ho situation. But if she is out and next to my house, i could give her some time regularly with time boosts like whole week every few months. I got her practically free.
Engine is definitely a Sabb.. I don't think it is a g10.. I have a g10 and it looks slightly different... Those engines are bulletproof and I think it makes that a game changer on this boat.. I kinda had a feeling it was a sabb by the prop. Peace man thanks for this vid I learned somthing... Peace
I think that engine most likely has a chance of being original. Built by Moses 😃😂😁 . I have no Doubt there are plenty of Antique motor heads out there who ate drooling at a chance to rebuild one like it. Hopefully some that can afford to make parts if needed. Auto zone is probably fresh out
Pity the old fella didn't sell or give her away earlier before it got to this stage. I think the name is not Joybird any longer, but Joyless. That said if you are a young bloke with some skills, tools and a reasonable bank account, who isn't afraid of hard work, the old girl is certainly redeemable. Nothing sadder than a nice old boat disintegrating and nothing more pleasant than one brought back from the brink and given a second life
what I would look for personally, is not a free wooden boat Free and wooden should not be in the same sentence as boat But i do applaud the people who take on these crazy projects
@@kyleabingdon6323 if doing it yourself there will always be things you have to out source, possibly just because you don't have the necessary equipment, you also have to take account of your living expenses as you are not "working", this will include accommodation even if you live aboard whilst working on it as without a deck it may get a bit damp, and the yard may be not too keen on your living aboard anyway.
Many hearts are filled with joy by wooden boats off distant shores, but many more have broken souls and bank rolls, sure, justing sitting dry on creaking poles.
could I put it on a 50-ft flat bed trailer and move it 2K miles or would I be better off stripping inside, supporting the frame & patching the deck then moving it?
I want it just for that crazy ass engine haha. Also the hardest things you have to do on a wooden boat don't really need to be done. I can't remember but did you take a good look into the keel? Also love that it's got brass fasteners the whole way around. Final thought is if this was 2 years in the future I would be picking that up right now. But I'm waiting to move to Washington before taking on another big project.
Ive luckily picked up alot of these techniques and knowledge growing up around wooden boats with a passion for them too but I wonder if you know why the individual planks have "wrinkles" or ridges running along thier length. Has the wood dried out, has the oils left the wood so just he harder fibers of the wood are left? Super useful and informative video!! Priceless knowledge
Nice survey of a beautiful time machine. Would you not be interested in re-building her yourself, it would make an excellent tube story with yourself at the helm, I’d eve in come over sometime to give a hand and at the same time learn from you in exchange? Go on, go for it and you have the bonus of a beautiful boatyard situation for pensive walks in the rainy woods! SkipRay.
As an older shipwright I've often said:
You don't own a wooden boat,
You are its caretaker for as long as you have the time, money and energy to look after her.
And before you run out of these things it's best to find the next caretaker!
Beautiful, characterful old yacht.
Pity it's unlikely to find that inspired next caretaker.
Good quick unpaid survey.
All good observations.
I'm 74, ( a retired Mechanical Engineer) been around wood vessels over 50 years and appreciate your logical view on an evaluation of a wooden boat! There are a few locations I would further examine, however, this is a "free boat" and you covered a lot. If you're not already, you would make an excellent vessel surveyor! My hats off to you young man!
I'm 72 and in a wheelchair but if I had a spare $mill. I would love to oversee a complete restoration of this grand old girl! There's a young couple in Brazil who have nearly finished a total rebuild of a much bigger vessel (see Yaba on TH-cam). They have ended up with a new boat, only using the original as a template.
There is some original wood on Yaba..
Amazing techniques used by boatyard.
Channel called..
'Sailing Yaba'
Here's a few channels you might both like to look at...
'Travels with Geordie'
Peter is working on 3 Monk boats, also some crusing etc.
'Todd Dunn' he had a wooden boat which he restored, sold it as getting older, just put his fibreglass sailing vessel on land for winter .. does other videos..
'Salt and Tar' .. a couple who had done some serious sailing.. build a wooden boat from scratch. They are now enjoying the boat.
'Odd life Crafting'.. they are friends with Yaba..
Really well designed metal boat they restored. Now enjoying the boat..
Hope you both might find something of interest.
The engine is Norwegian SABB - one of the most reliable engine there is! 8-10 BHP (Type 1G)
Correct,-it's a SABB, made in the city of Bergen, Norway.
You can still buy all the spare parts you need for it and they're easy to work on.
Indestructible and super reliable engine.
DO NOT replace this engine with anything else.
I had one as well. Great engines. Dont replace. These are super simple and reliable
I have already restored a 7 ton cutter back in the 1980's that had been built in 1947. Learnt a lot. Would I tackle this boat at my age with my financial resources. No. I would love to and certainly have the skills and the time but no. This ship needs a young person that already loves wooden boats and has a good income and good carpentry skills. There is nothing undoable here. It just needs the right person.
An excellent exploration of a lovely old girl that needs a bit of tender care. You may be interested to know that the log of the "Joybird" from 1911 is not the same vessel: that is a 30ft yawl built by White Bros of Southampton, which was renamed "Ripple" and is still sailing on the Clyde to this day. So the owner's 1913 estimate is more likely to be correct. The engine is a Sabb GG type which, despite its prodigious size, only produces about 10hp, but interestingly has a variable pitch propeller.
You should never rename a boat!!!
@@kirkkirkland7244Land lubber talk. Thats a lot of RUBBISH.
I renamed all 3 of my boats.
seen one in abberdeen built in 1911
Beautiful boat. I hope the new owner starts a TH-cam channel on the restoration. I would love to watch it happen.
Free Wood Boat (what to look for) - the exit from the boatyard...
Very interesting and informative video, many thanks.
I’ve owned one, and could have owned two, wooden boats.
My partner ( a great woodworker who will remain nameless ( but you know who you are Chris and you still owe me $500 on her :>) )) and I bought a boat in a bit better condition than this. After months of work I wanted to put her in the water and sail, and he wanted teak decks.
I let him buy me out and I bought a fiberglass 30 footer and spent the next 20 years having the time of my life sailing.
Chris put the teak on and then trucked the boat to his back yard- where it sat after he had some kids. It never went in the water.
It was a tremendous amount of work. I could see it never ending. Just keeping up my glass Pearson seems like a half time job.
Many years later on a delivery in St. Vincint I took a walk on the beach around Blue Lagoon, met some friendly locals and was offered a free wooden boat in rather bad condition. In a mock serious voice I asked “Are you threatening me?” It got a good laugh.
These days the issue is that there are a lot of cheap fiberglass boats available. So there are fewer young energetic people to take on an old wood boat as an economical way to start boating. There are exceptions like Leo and Tally Ho. Acorn to Arabella. Travels with Geordie. The water dripping from the thru-hulll is coming from the dehumidifier.
Really a nice 'down to the nitty gritty' survey of an old wooden boat. I learned a lot from your walk-through. I hope that someone grabs this classic and spends the time to put her back in the shape that she belongs in.
Great workshop on how to examine an older wooden boat. Even though I'm not a surveyor, as a boat owner it's good to know what to look for. Very informative. Thank you for sharing!!
That is a beautiful boat. It’s worth a rebuild. I know of a guy who was given A wooden boat. We lived on Saint John and the Virgin Islands and the guys name was red and he went to Saint Croix and got a boat that was sitting on the hard for quite some time. He splashed it and spent a couple days patching all the leaks and headed north to St. John which was 35 miles away. Made it halfway before the leaks overcame the bucket that he had to bail with. He didn’t even have a life jacket. He had a cell phone. He called 911 and they answered. He did not quite know his location but he knew he was between Saint John in Saint Croix. The U.S. Navy happened to be in Port and anchored in Pillsbury sound. The USS Cole. They sent an inflatable to get him. He said he saw a black dot on the horizon heading straight for him and by the time they reached him he was up to his knees and water while holding onto the mast. Inflatable pulled up and yanked him into the boat and headed back to Saint John as he turned around to see the boat sink. He was transferred to a national Park vessel off of Saint John and brought back to the dock. I think of the thousands who did not make it. May their souls rest in peace.
Very good demonstrations of practical survey techniques! Thanks!
I’m not convinced that you need worry about transferring termites on your clothes unless you transfer the reproductive queen. The soldiers are sterile and the workers are not carrying eggs. The queen is enormous(up to 100 x) compared with other térmite castes and you couldn’t possibly mistake a worker for a queen. It’s practically impossible to transfer the queen unless you are transferring the central core of the nest. Termites will be a greater risk if your boat has some rot (eg fungal breakdown of the sugar components of wood cellulose) that provides an attractive chemical signal to termites in the nearby soil.
I love those classic wooden boats. I’ll look for your other videos!!!
actually in Georgia they have dry wood termites which can transfer through being brought in. As a pest control op for over 20 years I have seen many houses needing to be tented and fumigated from having a piece of furniture brought in that had a few dry wood termites. but a 100 plus year old boat i would not expect them to be in. That's very slow growth wood and very hard. termites would be more likely be in the shed or shop in the yard then the boat.
most places north and west of the Carolina's will have whats called sub terrain termites. These require soil contact to survive and die within hours of no soil contact. They get their moisture through the soil. Dry wood on the other hard do not require soil contact.
Second time I've watched this, liked it even more. Very edifying.
Thanks much!
I had a 38’ double ended boat that I bought from a guy who was desperate to sell. She was a Shetland Bus used in the last war to ferry people from Norway to Shetland . When I got her she needed lots of work, 21 new planks to the starboard and a new keelson. Unfortunately, I ran out of money and had to sell her. Built in Norway during the war as a fishing boat and was called “Roal”. With the Bowsprit she was 55’ total and weighed in at around 17 Tonnes. I really enjoyed working on her and really miss the pleasure I got.
Enjoy your boat, she looks great, it’ll be hard work but with love and respect you’ll win in the end.
I am in Michigan and was about to make an offer on Lord Nelson 41 pending survey! Your video gave me enough knowledge to find enough issues even before I called for the survey I was able to shove the screwdriver halfway through the bae sprit!! the route was barely apparent from the surface and covered with paint. They are video, save me a lot of money!
For a start you'd need a shed with skylights and four times the floor area as the deck; one quarter for you, one for tools, one for things coming out, one for things going in. But it would be great.
Also termites need a queen with a nest, out of the nest they die, and you can't carry them on your clothes.
Thanks - I though the inside would be far worse given her decks. It’s lovely you can see the potential, the reality and the beauty in these girls. I bet she would sail like a witch with a bit of love.
This is my new favorite video on TH-cam! Thank you for sharing your expertise! I have a 1939 Tahiti Ketch and am a surveyor as well. Learned a lot!!
Twenty years ago, I would have jumped head long into a project like Joy Bird. Right down to restoring the Hit-N-Miss. Today the mind says go, but the body says NO! It is a shame that we spend a lifetime acquiring skills that would bring this old girl back to life. I do enjoy teaching, but not many around today that want to learn. Wouldn't you just love a cup of rusty tea from the AQ.
Getting old sucks.
Aspects of getting old can be a drag sure. Adjustments must be made. But it is not all bad. Accumulated knowledge and experience can become wisdom, a treasure beyond valuation.
Though, with enough monitary treasure I would restore that sv and sail around this big old marble going to every wooden boat regatta I could find... sigh.
Thanks for the vid mates.
@@drewgibbons4799 Yes, that "wisdom" can be wonderful. If I only knew then...... Naa.... I am a tolerable a$$hole now. I would have been an unholy A$$HOLE then, if not a victim of fragging. LMAO
"Living With The Tide" is a great (although currently dormant) channel centered around a really nice double ender made by Dickies of Tarbert on Scotland's west coast. Beautiful boat, solid craftsmanship.
Thank you for showing the way you do surveys, I gather you did your time as a shipwright in a yard somewhere, so you a man worth listening to thanks again for the tour. jf
I'm a new subscriber to your work ,very accurate 100% no a think to say ,you didn't miss this shot, im from Florida myself and in my 61 years I have been surveying all kind of vessels, but there's something else and I say always as a rule of thumb with wooden boats specially sailing ones and that is his design,they are in my experience very tricky and very well done most of them super seaworthy old ladies .Those who had the privilege of sailing on one of those can tell a good story holding the helm for some time . There's nothing like a wooden sail boat to me and I been sailing a lot ,. I confess when you hit the gardboard with the hammer a was impressed with the sound.. is not an easy view at least for me to see a boat shredded I really don't want to be present I experience that when I was 27 in Baltimore during my time in shipwright school and it was not ok to me .even now here in Louisiana where I'm living and work for more than 10 years now after my retirement I has been doing some assessments works for demolition on warships decomission but I'm better away from that now. Well done .your perspective and common sense is flawless. Wish ya good luck. And a happy new year.
An old sea dog once told me with an old witch like this one “at least you have something to build onto” however it’s a damn shame she was hauled out for the timber and corkage to dry out as it has. Thanks for the tutorial.
Excellent exploration and analysis. Thank you. I was especially impressed with the still tight and square interior joinery work and integrity of the framing. I sincerely hope a passionate new owner restores her to her former glory - not only for themselves, but for future generations. They just don't make 'em like this any more.
At 43:31 you kan see the outline og the letters "S A B B" above the engine tag. Sabb Motor is a Norwegian maker of small marine diesel engines, mostly single-cylinder or twin-cylinder units. The firm was established in 1925. Sabb's main market is the production of propulsion engines for life boats, fishing vessels, fish farming, canal boats, work boats and pleasure craft. They are the worlds largest supplier of lifeboat engines, offering lightweight units and safe whilst operating under extreme conditions.
I used to operate an old "Bucyrus Erie" ....( an old drag line crane) and it had Saab engine that was used as a "poney motor" to start the main engine, and it was very similar to the one in this boat.
Beautiful lines, hope she gets restored.
This old women reminds me my grandmother who wants to marry again and searching for new husband, and she is 95 years old..Because she is a Joybird forever...😘😘😘Good Luck
the Last “Free” Wooden boat i got only cost me 25 thousand dollars to make it Water Ready for Launching and being able to use BTW it was a 30 foot 1964 Chris Craft CabinCruiser that was in my family for years a major part of my expenses were having the Vessel professionally moved and a engine replacement i personally did all the work myself including the Mechanical, Electrical , Plumbing , and Woodworking which i am a retired Professional Woodworker My Hull was in fairly good shape as she was stored on the Hard indoors for most of her lifetime
Great Video, I very much like your systematic approach for its so easy to get lost when you are having a "first date" with a wooden Lady like that. I restored a small 5 Metre-Class Racing Yacht from 1910 in several years of work - (... and after that became a boatbuilder :-) ) and I remeber the "first contact" as if it was yesterday allthough thats 35 years ago now.
Are there any news from this vessel? Did she find a rescuer? I'd love to know!
Greetings from Germany
If I'm not mistaken full fiberglass hulls were started in the 1960's, composite boats around WW2, so there may be a couple floating around that are 60 years old.
23:54 I thought old, wooden yachts and WASPs went hand in hand!
Very informative video, I'll definitely be coming back to a rewatch.
What a beautiful boat. Wish I could come and get her.
Fancy seeing you here, love the channel
Nice project, I will like to see the boat restore.
Dehumidifier is where the water was comin from the hose forward on the hull. Man ive never seen an interior layout like that in a boat. Its soo well designed. I hope it gets restored and used, prob b great for a Joshua Slocom Jr lol. Great vid man.
Thanks!
Thanks
Well spoken
British Columbia Canada needs a replica of the Captain Cook boat he discovered BC with for an upcoming anniversary.
My wood boat was just in a shop this winter for repairs. I should spray it with something now for termites just in case 🤦♂️
Be terrific to see her back in the water
I live on the West coast of Scotland only about 100miles away from Dickies Yard which was in existence till about 10 years ago .
I noticed she has an On 'Official Number' carved into the deck beam I think I'm right in thinking that the yacht details will be held on a register in the UK.Hope that might be a help in identifying more history.All the best to you and 'her'.R
She's definitely a looker. Don't know the lumber situation in that area, since local woods may not be a good replacement choice. Down South, Yellow Pine, could be had for some of the work, but decking is generally Teak, and frames and ribs are usually Oak, which are imports. Really sad she's set with leaking decks so long, as rain water does horrible disrepair when left unchecked for very long. Hope she finds a good home with some well funded soul.
People complain about time and money , ok but why is it every time you see a post of someone restoring an old wood sailboat , they’re always smiling. There’s a lot to be said about accomplishing something that’s so gratifying. To see all your effort , oh and money end up in a thing of beauty. I think I’m trying to justify myself. 75 years old and just bought back an old 49 ft sloop 70 years old I owned 35 years ago. Not nearly as bad as this. Still in the water but needs lots of time.
Great surveys. Will look into your other vídeos! Cheers
Great Start. I believe you missed a few points. A plank in the bilge had different color. That may be a hint for dry fungus. Also it's not great that the boat is full of stuff, especially the cotton and the stuff in the bilge. This is collecting humidity, mold and fungus possibly therefore. And the fwd and aft sections of an boat should be mentioned to be generally bad ventilated and therefore have a tendency to root.
Really good content. I like your channel and hope you can grow it. Keep it up!
Ah great video much appreciated! Lovely looking boat you must have been thinking....should i?? Haha. I've just bought a wooden sail boat from around 1964 and wish i'd seen this beforehand! Not that i think there's anything wrong with what i bought, i knew there was a little work mostly superficial, but i don't know that for sure and your walkthrough here would have really helped! Sure it will help others though. Thanks again, and all the best! :)
I Love the Wooden Boats.
I Own A FRP Boat.
Sailing isnt a lot different between the two.
Maintainance however is!
And, id sail any solid Wooden Boat anyday.
Really cannot beat the Ambiance Of Them.⛵
I believe it's good enough to save. Considering the history and the age. Good solid bones
This is very helpful for someone like me without much knowledge. Thank you! I will be looking at one that has been sitting on the hard for 8 years after being fully restored by the previous owner in 4 years. It's a shame how she has not been in the water this many years after so much work the previous owner put into her. I don't know the story of what happened after she was sold so no judgement there. Shit can happen. Anyhow this is really good. Thank you. You have a new subscriber too!👍🙏
Great Video!
Just about every big boatyard has what I call "The boulevard of broken dreams"...full of sad stories, derelicts and unfinished projects.
Having had several boatyard neighbors who abandoned their dreams, I would say it's usually folks who get into these projects, not realizing the scope, time or expense required to make their dream float again, and unfortunately wooden boats go fast after a couple of years on the hard.
I wish you would do a show about wooden boat maintenance in the south...I keep on asking myself if I'm crazy trying to maintain my 27' Ed Monk cruiser in Charleston, SC.
I love your videos and I love this old Joybird. I suppose by now a new owner has been found?
Also, I hoe you might consider doing a video about your boat. I’d love to know what she is, what size and all that you’ve done since acquiring her!
Yes its free and yes it needs lots of work but its about preserving a piece of history that will soon be lost forever.
Engine hard to make out could be dorma. Petter lister, very interesting project, a must save,
Awesome video gents, learned tons will be looking for your vids from now on, again thank you
Well I may soon have the opportunity to pick up an old 33' tahiti ketch for free. Excellent information for when I go to visit it.
Looks like a "Fisherman" by the Loane Engineering Compsy who used to make them in Baltimore.
Built by The Dickies Co in Scotland in 1913
Ferro sheathing could save this old boat and have her back in the water in a couple months. Then most of the rest of the repairs could be conducted while in the water. At some point, if it mattered that much to the owner, later the sheathing could be removed and her restored to original condition (that is, if he or she wasn't just having to much sailing her and enjoying a trouble-free, watertight bottom).
Thank you so much for sharing. Invaluable tips indeed.
There's a reason their free, if you got the time and money, but it'd take a lot of both. Cool project if you wanna invest both.
Awesome video. We are currently rebuilding Morna, a dickies of Tarbet build 1920. Would be good to keep in touch with whoever takes on this project.
I am pretty darn right, that motor was built at the "Moses Diesel Co.
Mount - Sinai Eden's Garden" Hahahah. Greetings from Brazil.
Hi superbly informative video...but at what point does the hull shrinkage become un-caulkable..? do you have videos on how to caulk does every part need to be recaulked...I need to attend a wooden boat restoration course so interesting but I was wondering so if the frame moves a bit is that a difficult repair...? So many questions as these wooden yachts fascinate me I've owned a 1947 Scottish, William Fife designed Gentlemans motorsailer...but I had to sell her because of not having the skills as there was a fair amount of work to do she was 27 tons dry I was gutted she was a lovely beautiful yacht..Earraid was her name...
damn i dont know the exact boat you're talking about but i know i have never seen an old William Fife design that i didnt like. Really beautiful boats in my opinion, would feel bad about letting it go too. would love an old flush decked boat.
I would soak it down with mineral spirits and linseed oil. It would stop any dry rot and swell the planks back up a little. I have watched some guys caulking the old school way and it looks very slow. A caulking gun would speed it way up.
Here’s my opinion for what it’s worth. I’m a carpenter and part time boat builder . I would consider two things first . Try and estimate the material cost, timber ,hardware ,possible tool hire , and then multiply that figure by AT LEAST two . Then be really honest with yourself and ask “do I have staying power?” I say this because your main enemy will UNDOUBTEDLY be project fatigue. It is so easy to start a project and a few of your mates will probably come and lend a hand (at first) but then they will most likely thin out quite quickly. Also do you have a supportive partner? If not then at some point you may have to choose between the two. Sorry to sound negative,but the world is full of unfinished projects . One other important thing to have of course is the skill to do the plethora of tasks that will face you.
To finish I would recommend watching the brilliant Tally Ho series, and see if reality fazes you,remembering of course that the project was fully (and then some) financed by patron. Best wishes whatever you decide !!
You need to talk to Leo Goolden ( Sampson Boat Company) who is rebuilding Tally Ho in Port Townsend WA, he has 115 episodes of his rebuild on youtube. A huge and expensive task.
Watching this as the video is two years old. Would love to get an update on the project. Should be completed by now?
Very interesting video , good job!
Een houten boot met de juiste aandacht ,gaat eeuwig mee uiteindelijk verniew je steeds een deel.dat is een deel van de hobby. Mijn advies begin niet meteen met epoxy lapmiddeltjes .concentreer je op vervangen .uiteindelijk moet je wel serieus conserveren. Maar laat je niet te snel verleiden tot 1 product. Zelf gezien dat zelfs museums er weinig van terecht brengen.informatie vergaren hoort ook bij de hobby. Succes met de❤voor houten boten.
It would be cool if you can do an update later on about this boat
"That's why you want a wooden boat-its easy to fix." That's funny.
Pitchpine ? The planks going from end to end?i know a ship like this name is ,,Penguin“,olso from this aria and build in the same time…Engine was the same.
This ship is not only a ship,Urs a historical artefact ..,very nice Video
New subscriber, looking forward to the next video
Amazing boat,,
What a fantastic project for a young carpenter / handy person type.
I can see this classic restored to her former glory ,,,
and it will look magnificent again one day .
Very much a true classic ,,
Tally Ho ,,,eat ya heart out.
She definitely deserves someone to restore her like Tally Ho or Western Flyer. Would be a perfect project for a shipwright school.
Wow what a beautiful boat. Any updates on what happened to her
You didn't help me at all here buddy😅😅 I have a sailing cutter in Norway. Still floating and i don't have the time to keep it floating. Getting her out of plank fix and finding something worse would be a disaster due to work and family. So I am contemplating pulling her out and doing her in the garden. But i am mighty afraid it will just dry out, check all over and I'll end up with a Tally Ho situation. But if she is out and next to my house, i could give her some time regularly with time boosts like whole week every few months. I got her practically free.
Thank you for sharing your knowledge!
I think if you scrape that hull you’re gonna find out that the planking is a very tight grained Douglas fir.
Inspiring things to see.. new subscriber. good luck to all!
Engine is definitely a Sabb.. I don't think it is a g10.. I have a g10 and it looks slightly different... Those engines are bulletproof and I think it makes that a game changer on this boat.. I kinda had a feeling it was a sabb by the prop. Peace man thanks for this vid I learned somthing... Peace
I think that engine most likely has a chance of being original. Built by Moses 😃😂😁 . I have no Doubt there are plenty of Antique motor heads out there who ate drooling at a chance to rebuild one like it. Hopefully some that can afford to make parts if needed. Auto zone is probably fresh out
Pity the old fella didn't sell or give her away earlier before it got to this stage. I think the name is not Joybird any longer, but Joyless. That said if you are a young bloke with some skills, tools and a reasonable bank account, who isn't afraid of hard work, the old girl is certainly redeemable. Nothing sadder than a nice old boat disintegrating and nothing more pleasant than one brought back from the brink and given a second life
What a great project she would be. Is she still for grabs
I've seen a lot worse restored as long as the keel isn't rotted and full of ship worms, but it's just how much time and money do you have?
what I would look for personally, is not a free wooden boat
Free and wooden should not be in the same sentence as boat
But i do applaud the people who take on these crazy projects
Nice love wooden boats. Is she still available? Where she at ?
Well done inspection.
Great survey and you taught me a lot but this vessel will run well over 100K to be put into seaworthy condition . I hope that she is saved.
Only if your paying someone else to do it.
@@kyleabingdon6323 if doing it yourself there will always be things you have to out source, possibly just because you don't have the necessary equipment, you also have to take account of your living expenses as you are not "working", this will include accommodation even if you live aboard whilst working on it as without a deck it may get a bit damp, and the yard may be not too keen on your living aboard anyway.
First thing is a very friendly bank manager or a small to medium lotto win.
Very good work. Remember when you buy a boat, the time come when you has to sell it. how easy is going to be to sell it ?
I would love to own that boat 👍
Thanks guys. Great video. I learned a lot. That was an adventure. : )
Please. Tell me, someone rescued or at the very least filmed or made a list of those beautiful books.
Did the boat get a new home?? Perhaps Ryan decided to take the project on
Thank you for such an informative video.
Many hearts are filled with joy by wooden boats off distant shores, but many more have broken souls and bank rolls, sure, justing sitting dry on creaking poles.
could I put it on a 50-ft flat bed trailer and move it 2K miles or would I be better off stripping inside, supporting the frame & patching the deck then moving it?
No. Just no
Probably 15k to move it that far or better.
I want it just for that crazy ass engine haha. Also the hardest things you have to do on a wooden boat don't really need to be done. I can't remember but did you take a good look into the keel? Also love that it's got brass fasteners the whole way around. Final thought is if this was 2 years in the future I would be picking that up right now. But I'm waiting to move to Washington before taking on another big project.
Ive luckily picked up alot of these techniques and knowledge growing up around wooden boats with a passion for them too but I wonder if you know why the individual planks have "wrinkles" or ridges running along thier length. Has the wood dried out, has the oils left the wood so just he harder fibers of the wood are left? Super useful and informative video!! Priceless knowledge
When are we going to get some updates as to date and how are you doing
Nice survey of a beautiful time machine. Would you not be interested in re-building her yourself, it would make an excellent tube story with yourself at the helm, I’d eve in come over sometime to give a hand and at the same time learn from you in exchange? Go on, go for it and you have the bonus of a beautiful boatyard situation for pensive walks in the rainy woods! SkipRay.
She will give back as much as you put in. Find a good shed to rebuild her in though.