Ferro-Concrete Boot

Hi,

Is there anybody who has got some experience with

a ferro-concrete boat?

Best Regards

Lutz

[Auzzee]

Hi Lutz, I have had 2 ferro boats and have several books on the subject of their manufacture. Have you a specific question you need to have answered?

[steelfan]

I bought a professional hull/deck and fully fitted out a 53 foot ferro some years ago. When I sold it I found the resale value to be pathetic - about half the money I had put into it and forget the years of work. It is also a difficult material to fit out hatch holes in reinforced concrete are not easy etc. However, as a material, provided it is well built, it is fine with no osmosis, much less trouble than steel for rust, strong...

Glad to answer any specific points, but am a relatively infrequent visitor to the site as I am in Yacht Haven Marina, Phuket which has rubbish internet facilities

Steelfan

[krissteyn]

I am a great fan of Ferro/Concrete - repaired a sunken (by canadian warship) schooner in Halifax - 5 holes !

Ferro/C is a wonderfull material - but if badly built - is a nightmare - can take 20 years to start showing tho' .

earliest floating example of a F/C boat is in sweden built 1895 !

email me direct krissteyn at hot mail dot com if you like...

[Gallivanters]

I'm certainly no expert, but...

I believe that Ferro-Concrete Boots would be uncomfortable!

On the other hand, I believe that Ferro-Concrete Boats are quite capable for world cruising as long as they're built well. They're perfect if they perfectly suit your needs and you want to love it forever. However, they are a bad investment if you wish to fix her up and sell for a profit down the track. Easy to buy - hard to sell.

Steelfan... Phuket? I'm jealous! We LOVED Phang Na Bay, Krabi and just about every koh between there and Penang. Although the Virgin Islands are pretty nice, too... we'll soon be heading back your way!

Enjoy!

Kirk

[Auzzee]

No disrespect, but.....

There always seems to be a qualification when people speak of ferro boats...ie. 'Quite capable of world cruising as long as they are well built'. Indeed, if they are of suitable design for offshore work and are well built they are ideal for world cruising...just the same as timber, steel, aluminium or GRP. No poorly built boat is suitable for world cruising irrespective of its material construction. While I do not currently own a ferro boat, I would much rather own a good one than a poorly built boat of any other construction. Regarding cost and resale, both are on the low side. Consequently, you should buy one which has been well maintained and you will not lose so much money by proportion when you sell as if you were buying say,a new Beneteau for eventual resale. if you are wanting to make a profitable investment, buy real estate and have a less exciting life. Dave. PS..Thailand here we come.

[max mariner]

Lutz,

I just bought a sailboat in Feb. I had been looking for a long time and because of my budget...well under a 100k, i found a lot of ferro boats in internet searches from 40-60ft. In terms of ferro, I was curious, as i had read a book early on about 2 guys who sailed a 35' ferro boat to tahiti from British Columbia.

for me, resale value was of little importance, this endeavor was not an investment...rather a complete attitudal, philisophical shift...time to change the way i live.

I did a lot of research and bought a GREAT book by a guy who knows what he is talking about named Collin Brookes. I was pretty sure that i'd become a ferro boat owner and was just fine with that. If you look hard you will find some real nice, well equipped cruiseable ferro boats that are relativley inexpensive. There was one i was drooling over for an awful long time...but it sold before i made a move. As things go, i found a fiberglass boat i fell in love with...a 1979 46' formosa...which to many GRP snobs is also an 'undesireable' boat...just do your research. find out who put it together & from which design they used (some designs don't translate to ferro). in fact your one stop site on the web is www.ferroboats.com.

fair winds,

max