We're gonna need a bigger boat...

 

Free Radical

Over the last year and some change I have taken a deep dive into the world of boats. It seemed like a pursuit that combined my love of vannin' with the thrill and repetition of surfing. As usual I had no ability to pace myself and have now bought and sold five boats in the last two years. 

What a collection of boats they've been. A West Wight Potter 19, Compac 23, O'Day Daysailer, Flicka 20 and finally a Sabre 28. A lot of hustling and selling off shit or taking carpentry gigs helped finance each of these boats and each one was sold to buy the next, kinda. Each boat helped me understand a lot about boat work and even more about what I was looking for in a boat. Which is why (for now) we've settled on the Sabre 28 "Free Radical". We want the ability to spend more time on the water, in a more comfortable boat, that we also can afford to maintain ourselves. 28 feet these days is a sweet spot in terms of slip fees and maintenance versus accommodations. As someone who lived in a low roof mid-wheel base van this spring, the Sabre feels huge. The bathroom or head, was also a big part of the decision.

All of the boats I have purchased needed a lot of work, big surprise. I even fantasized that Free Radical, a fairly original boat would be ready to hit the water. Instead I now have a binder with different heads for all the systems and parts of the boat that need maintenance before this boat hits the water. Fortunately I am a glutton for punishment and also just love fixing things beyond anythings else. 

Heres the stats and the list of work needed so far

The boat is a 1981 Sabre 28 Mk II. She was made in Casco Bay Maine. She was listed for $10,000 when I first saw the add and as such I didn't even consider the boat. When the price was halved to $5000 I was the first person to arrive. I had just sold my DR650 and was selling the Compac 23 sailboat I had spent the last winter rebuilding, this allowed the purchase from the Deltaville Maritime Museum (which I highly recommend).

- I tore the engine down to the block. The water pump mounting plate broke off the engine, so then I fell down the rabbit hole of wanting to know just how much corrosion had affected the Volvo MD7A raw water cooled diesel. It looked like the motor had been brought off the bottom of the bay. I needed to Mae sure it seemed worth tuning up. It did run when I came to inspect the boat.

Look at all the sludge and rust onto of the motor, I'm just impressed it started and ran so easily!

- The stuffing box looks in rough shape and the prop shaft is stuck in the transmission flange, can't wait to tackle that.

- The mast compression post step was soft, very common to Sabres.




- The port bulkhead was beginning to rot around the chainplate, due to a chainplate leak through the deck being unsealed. 

- The mainsail is in decent shape, but the head of the sail has lost enough stitching to warrant a trip to the sail loft. 

- All the sea-cocks need to be rebuilt, a good number had dried oysters inside of them.

- Running rigging needs to be replaced

- All the deck hardware needs to be re-bedded.

- Also the boat just needs general upkeep done

All in all, despite the long hot days of work ahead I couldn't be happier.






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