Me and My Boat: Now What?

Over the next week or two I contemplated the boat’s fate.  I contacted everyone I knew that had any experience with sailboats trying to get some advice or words of encouragement.  I even told all my good friends what I had just bought.  I think that only confirmed in their minds that I’m crazy.  And maybe in a way, I am.  What type of guy buys a junky old sailboat and dreams of fixing it up anyway?  You got to be either crazy or stupid or some of both. 

In general the response I got was one of cautious encouragement, people telling me “Good for you” or “nice”.  The couple of guys I knew who owned boats listened enthusiastically to my tale and then told me “Wow, looks like you got yourself a project”.  They even offered some advice on various aspects of the refurbishment.  I certainly could use all the help I could get.  However, what I really wanted was someone to come look at the boat and give me a direction.  After all, I had absolutely no idea what I had just gotten myself into.  And so she sat.

Marquette being a sea side town and a major port (somewhat exaggerated) must have boating supply stores and it was to these that I went to, looking for information.  One of the stores here caters to motor boats but they pointed me in the right direction.  With that, I ventured over to the Bingham Boat Works.  I had found the right place.  It was a business whose sole purpose was sailboats and their maintenance, building, and general function.  If they didn’t have it, they could get it; for a price.  I talked to the guy there and told him what I had done.  He was very enthused; after all, I was the golden goose.

Our discussion left me in awe of the complexity of my situation.  This boat of mine would be a lot of work.  The guy at the boat works suggested I bring the boat down for an inspection.  He could then tell me what I needed to do to the boat and plan on sending his child to college. 

I could tell that refurbishing the boat would or could end up being an expensive undertaking, especially if I used “boat” equipment to do it.  Like anything else, the specialized equipment for the project is specifically produced for it and thus is expensive.  Damn, isn’t there a cheap hobby out there?

While all this was going on, I kept talking to people.  One of my buddies told me the old cliché boat saying: “A boat is just a hole in the water that you throw your money into”, and “The two best days of your life are the day you buy your boat and the day you sell it”.  My mother also quoted me the first one.  I could see there is some truth in these witticisms.  My friend who told me these had just bought a boat himself.

And then there’s Tim.  Tim is a guy I meet a couple years ago while group camping up at Perkins Park.  He had brought his catamaran up there and graciously let me use it.  I repaid his kindness by promptly flipping (turtling) it over in the lake, and getting myself drenched in the process.  I was no worse for ware, but Tim told me that he kept finding sand stuck in the top of the mast. 

I had left a message for Tim shortly after I had purchased the boat.  To which I received no response.  I didn’t think much about it because we were just acquaintances at the time and if he didn’t call me back it was no big deal.  For all I know, he might not have even remembered who I was.  I had called him because I knew he was into boats and I though he might be able to give me some advice. 

About two weeks after I had left a message for Tim, he called.  He didn’t sound overly enthused on the phone, his attitude being that this was a waste of his time, but he had called back.  As soon as I explained that I had bought a sailboat, his attitude changed abruptly.  I think he said something like, “A sailboat, why didn’t you say so in the first place?  I’ll be right over".  This was more then I had expected, not knowing what to expect, but he was as good as his word and showed up within about half an hour.

When Tim arrived at my house he explained that he had gotten my message and thought I was talking about a power boat.  I guess I just related I had gotten a boat and failed to explain the nature of the vessel.  He said that he had a power boat of his own that needed work and didn’t want to commit time to help someone else with theirs  He also explained that he had considered blowing me off (after all, we weren’t friends at the time) but called anyway.  When I had conveyed that it was a sailboat he became intensely interested.  I told him that, “I guess I called the right guy”.

I explained that I was just looking for some advice and wanted to know what he thought of the boat, since I knew absolutely nothing about them.  He looked at the boat sitting in the back yard and exclaimed, “It’s a piece of shit”.  My thought was, “Great, I just wasted 500 bucks.”

Tim then went over to have a closer look at the boat.  I told him everything I knew about the boat, which wasn’t much, but he took it all in.  He thoroughly inspected it, crawling all over the boat and looking in all the spaces.  He though that it was in pretty good shape all things considered, and the trailer alone was probably worth 500 dollars.  Cool.

Labor Day Weekend 2009

Tim asked me what my plan was?  I told him I would work on it over the winter and hoped to have it out on the water by next summer.  He didn’t like that idea and suggested we get the boat out on the water by the following weekend, Labor Day weekend.  I raised my eyebrows and exclaimed a questioning, “Okaaaaaaay”.  I then pointed out that the boat was missing some key components, namely a rudder and a jib and probably a few other things I wasn’t aware of.  He then outlined his plan for my boat; who was I to argue.

Over the next week, I got the boat registered.  Tim came over with a trailer full of tools (he’s a contractor) and set up shop in my driveway.  We ran to Menards and bought a 6’ x 10” x 2” plank, a 2 x 4, some hardware, and some varnish and two hours later I had a rudder with a tiller.  Tim told me he would lend me an outboard motor and a jib for the boat.  I think we made another run or two to Menards, the first of many, and purchased some pulleys and rope (for the rigging), some cable and assorted other items.  Buy the Friday before Labor Day the sailboat was ready to go.  Total cost, 100 bucks, not counting the registration, and she’d be on the water.  It was actually kind of amazing as I look back on it.  I owe Tim a huge debt of gratitude for all the help he’s given me since I’ve gotten the boat.