Thread: Cruising launch

Looking at buying a launch. Something like this.
https://www.trademe.co.nz/a/motors/b...ing/5096014148

Someone was saying wooden boats require lots of maintainence and that I should look at a GRP hull boat.

Are DD kauri really high maintainence once you get them clean and painted?

Aren't most of the rot issues in the topside exposed to fresh water? Do most GRP hulls boats have GOP topside anyway?

Most of the GRP boats I like have stern drives which I'm defo not doing for a moored boat.

Appreciate thoughts as I'm a bit lost in marine things.

If GRP watch for osmosis damage I guess

Wood below the water = worm and soft spot damage, but you are right that 'rot' is normally a topside thing.

If you are unsure, I would get the hull surveyed prior by a good surveyor to check what you are getting into. You can get timber sheathed in glass which if it's done right is basically turning the boat into GOP.

Glass can be as problematic, osmosis as mentioned which is dissolving the fibreglass hardener in places basically. I agree with legs on moorings, but on the other hand they have been doing it for years with not a huge number of problems by stats. Just as many issues with shafts really...

Originally Posted by Longrun

Looking at buying a launch. Something like this.
https://www.trademe.co.nz/a/motors/b...ing/5096014148

Someone was saying wooden boats require lots of maintainence and that I should look at a GRP hull boat.

Are DD kauri really high maintainence once you get them clean and painted?

Aren't most of the rot issues in the topside exposed to fresh water? Do most GRP hulls boats have GOP topside anyway?

Most of the GRP boats I like have stern drives which I'm defo not doing for a moored boat.

Appreciate thoughts as I'm a bit lost in marine things.

I'm going to add to my reply - it's not just wooden boats that require maintenance, all boats require maintenance period full stop drop mike. It's just what type of maintenance and how early you get onto it...

Gives me something to think about. I guess the stern legs are reliable if maintainence is kept up
Might be easier for a newbie to dock.
Fibreglass topside would keep me away from the paintbrush.
https://www.trademe.co.nz/a/motors/b...ing/4819210535

Docking is a factor of wind, current and knowing what the boat does at what setting of power and wheel... But that does look like less work if only for smaller size.

cost typically is by the foot and ton. as it get longer it gets way more expensive.
and mass increases cost as everting has to be stronger and heavier for the increased load.

either way get a survey for any boat that is perperminantly in the water, also check insurance, you will have to have cover to be in a marina.
I don't know about power boats but with yachts the rigging has to be less than 10 years old or have a riggers inspection / survey.
Z

I have always thought that if I go big I'd by an old steel trawler.
Better suited to the west coast (north island) than a lot of the cruising type east coast boats.

Old stern legs can be problematic with poor maintenance. Older boats shaft driven can be more reliable if you don’t want to replace the leg.

However when new they have more pros - less drag - lower cruising rpm - get on the plane easier - all that comes with better fuel efficiency so they pay for themselves.

They’re also easier for the motor install typically.

This is from my mate who builds launches and always recommends stern legs but can install a shaft if really wanted.

Any leg is a problem for maintenance on a permanently moored vessel. I'd have one on a trailer launch or something that can be easily hauled out without needing a syncro or a crane.

The number of times I have hit logs and crap in the water with a shaft boat, and either chopped it up or dented the prop and was able to pop it off and easily have it repaired... Any one of those could have potentially sunk a leg powered boat as the way the leg is assembled any impact can dislodge or damage things that are required for sealing. Most of the stuff I hit I never even saw as well, floating just under the surface or hidden in the chop. Other stuff I saw too late to avoid, some I had time to grab a handful of neutral (including an export pine log in Tauranga harbour the bastards). Cut up a native tree out by Mayor Is while trolling into the sun one day, produced about 10 nice little pieces of firewood. Piss me off, fresh straighten on the prop after thumping another piece of wood the previous trip!

I'd agree that with smaller sized vessels legs can be more efficient with the cleaner hull, but in larger vessels the increased sized of shafts, uni joints, gears etc starts to even things out.