Building a Boat

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Hi,

I'm not really a chit-chat sort of person, but ...

I thought that I'd retire, go sailing (having never even been in a rowing boat on a lake), see the world etc. I must have read about all this stuff somewhere.

So in 1996 I bought an old, 1974, steel sailing boat. Well, I'd just been paid an "end of contract" bonus, and with money and no experience of boats, they saw me coming. I must have shone out in neon lights.

A 36' ketch (2 masts, seemed safer at the time) with a 1968 Perkins diesel engine. I took a 5 day sailing course.

I bought the boat in Singapore and we sailed up to Penang. It would have been faster to walk. When I arrived after the first decent wash and meal in 10 days, I put up a "for sale" notice at the local jetty. I moved to a hotel.

How come no takers for 3 years when there's supposed to be one born every minute?

This was pretty much the extent of my sailing experience.

Since then I've moved north and I hauled the boat out in 2000 for some quick repairs, discovered all the rust, had to rip out the interior, and have been rebuilding it ever since. It's now a sloop (1 mast, that's the way to go), and is still empty inside.

But boy have I got plans for it, so many in fact that a working day on the boat often passes so quickly, what with me planning like mad, reading the Star, having a beer, a few smokes ...

regards, Scott

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hi, JJ,

For marina berths you pay per foot. For a 25 footer, on average, it's a couple of hundred ringgit.

Of course, most of us yotties have a stretchable tape, it's part of the acceptable game. Don't try this at Raffles Marina in Singapore. The crafty staff bring along their own tape measures.

The main marinas in Malaysia are:

Admiral Marina and Leisure Club in Port Dickson.
Royal Selangor Yacht Club in Port Klang.
Royal Langkawi Yacht Club in Langkawi.
Telaga Harbour Marina also in Langkawi.
Awana Porto Malai in Langkawi.
Rebak Marina (rebuilt after it got wiped out in the Tsunami) in Langkawi.
Pulau Duying Marina in Terengganu.
Terangganu Heritage Bay Club in Terengganu.
Sebana Cove and Marina Resort in Kota Tinggi, Johor.
Sutera Harbour Marina in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah.
Tanjong City Marina in Penang.
Miri Marina in Miri, Sarawak.

You can also set an anchor in a local river for nothing, or sometimes there's a couple of moorings at RM5 per day. These are usually OK for temporary stays if you need emergency repairs.

I've been told that the best place to look for boats is Quah in Langkawi.

regards, Scott

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hi, JJ,

For marina berths you pay per foot. For a 25 footer, on average, it's a couple of hundred ringgit.


regards, Scott

Scott, being non nautical and uninformed in these matters, would that be per day, week, month or year.

Tom

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hi, Tom,

That's per month. Usually there's a charge, via a meter, for electricity and water.

In some cases there's a monthly rental charge for the electricity connection device. It's all negotiable to a certain extent.

The last time my 36' boat was in a yacht club I paid RM300 per month, and that included a deal for free electricity and water. It was a promotion running at the time.

Although it was a few years ago prices are still pretty much the same. Most marinas in Malaysia are on the verge of going bust, there was a recent article on this in the Star newspaper.

regards, Scott

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Scott,
There's another one on Pg Island. You can see it as you drive towards the island on the bridge it's to the left. Seems to have more boats there then the one in Tg. City (Weld Quay).
We met a guy (Mr Oh) who owns a company that builds leisure boats/yachts in Batu Maung (Pg), some of his local clients are the rich Datuks. I believe some yachts his Co. builds cost a few million Rm...he told us (that's two years ago), he also runs the boating business in the lake in Putrajaya (have never been there). 

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hi, BB,

Thanks for the information. I'd forgotten about Batu Maung. I visited this boatyard about 7 years ago and they had a very neat joinery workshop. At the time it was all quite small and they were building 20-foot fibreglass boats, mainly for fishing trips.

If I'm remember correctly it's close to the Admiral Ho footprint temple.

It's a nice spot. I think that it must be near to where the second bridge is being built?

regards, Scott

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The boatyard was still small two years ago. I'm not sure where they build those million$$$ yachts unless there's another somewhere in Malaysia.
Yes, the footprint is in Batu Maung and the 2nd bridge will be there,too.
My last visit to the footprint was when I was a kid. There was no temple then, only the footprint on a rock by the sea. I remember putting my foot next to it and wondered who would have such huge feet if not a Sasquash  :-)

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hi,

The sailing boat project has continued on and off for 9 years now. And for a 1974 steel boat, the hull is great, and all the internal steelwork is sound and painted.

Unfortunately I now need to move on and left someone else finish off the boat. The fizz has gone out of my soda pop.

If anyone would like to take over, please PM me. It needs about 3 months full-time work to fit out internally, and put back all the stuff. The sails, and gear, are all there. Externally it's fine.

I've had a lot of fun, and the usual frustration, with this project over the years. I'm pretty reluctant to hand it on       but that's the way some things are.

regards, Scott

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I think you've been watching too much NCIS.

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What's NCIS?

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TV show.
Naval Crime Investigation Scene
The field boss, also the star of the show is building a boat in his basement;  third boat.

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hi,
 
Most 3rd rate TV shows (and NCIS is past 4th rate) have an architect or whatever building a boat. It's always wooden and hand-crafted. The actor is usually seen picking up a chisel and pretending to waft it over a chunk of wood which, amazingly, morphs into a ready varnished gudgeon pin.

My boat is steel and it's not really hand-crafted as most was done with presses and welding.   

I guess it's handraulic. Shame to let it go.      

Still thinking about the situation.

regards, Scott

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3rd out of 55 which is pretty good, although it is getting a bit tedious.  He is a retired Gunnery Sargent from the US Navy heading an Navy Investigation squad and to help him relax and concentrate he builds a boat, explaining his third boat, like his three marriages.  Although what he does with the other boats is not in the script. His three ex-wives, on the other hand.............

This is sounding too soap opera-ish.

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Sorry Scott

Can't agree with you on NCIS.  'tis one of the better TV shows that the Yanks have produced.

Shame the Man From Uncle is little seen in season 6

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Not at all.  Duckie is a good addition.  Been so long since Man from U.N.C.L.E is refreshing to see him still around.  He plays the part very well.  The show has taken a turn for the worst as Tony's antics are getting a bit silly.
But Gibbs has always been building his boat(s).  The odd sanding but you still got the picture.  Even with the down-turn I still rate it 8/10.