Boat needs work, what to prioritize

[-]

I hate to break the bad news to you, but you did them a $10,000 favor by agreeing to take it off their hands “For free.” That’s approximately how much it will cost you to dispose it. Sorry and Good luck!

[-]

EstimateSweet3107@reddit

check all fittings. Chainplates, stanchions, winches, windows, clest etc, and rebed them with a sealant. Youll save a lot trouble and frustration, big chance something is leaking somewhere. And throughly inspect standing rigging and chainplate bolts.

[-]

Brave-Entrance7475@reddit

Definitely sharpen the teeth on the chain 1st.

You want to use a round file equal to the diameter of the curve of the tooth, and draw backwards while twisting toward the tip of each tooth - once. Not twice.

Make sure you've got plenty of bar oil too, and ofc a rented disposal box on site (right next to boat!)

Dont neglect a filtered mask, and eye protection!

[-]

Raneynickelfire@reddit

First call is to see how much the landfill wants for it. Then you'll cut the keel off, sell the lead, and sawzall the rest of it so it will fit on a flatbed trailer, and then you haul it to the landfill.

And then, once you've spent your time and money doing that - it'll dawn on you that the sailing school took advantage of you and gave you their old garbage so they wouldn't have to pay to have it removed themselves.

I've seen this in person more than once - especially when I worked at a sailing school.

Sorry bud.

[-]

BorealAmplitude@reddit

I'm not gonna say run away immediately like everyone else... Not yet at least...

A few things to consider:

Do you have disposable income? At least a few thousand to throw at the boat?

Can you keep it and work on it there, or in a place where you can easily access it?

Are you handy? Do you own basic hand tools, a cutoff wheel, sander/sprayer/air compressor? Are you unafraid to get your hands dirty and deal with frustrating issues you hadn't even considered?

Do you have the time available? Between work, school, spousal commitments etc just know this is a project that will likely suck up every weekend you have for months.

If so, I say give it a good cleaning, and look for soft spots. Walk around the deck, push on areas that have water stains or mildew growing. You will likely need to cut out certain areas and replace underlaying plywood or synthetic equivalent (AIREX etc) and fiberlass over them. Then sand, gel coat and paint. You will need to replace most of the hardware. The interior, onboard systems like electrical, fuel, water etc will all likely need to be completely replaced. Start taking an inventory of supplies and perhaps try finding good used equivalents and figure out how much it will all cost to replace BEFORE you start throwing money at it.

This IS a doable project, but you need to do it from a position of personal stability.

[-]

MininoMono626@reddit

Honestly I'd prioritize a repurpose for it. Make sure there is no waterway, adapt the transom so you can fit a 20hp outboard on it and let it rip. If you want a sailboat just get a new one, it'll be way less of a hassle.

For future situations like this, remember there is nothing more expensive than a cheap boat.

[-]

SoCalMoofer@reddit

With $10,000 worth of time and parts you’ll have a nice $5,000 boat.

[-]

YouWillHaveThat@reddit

This is the problem.

For $5k you can buy a nice one and be sailing tomorrow.

[-]

turkphot@reddit

A J22 for 5k? Definitely not where i am from.

[-]

bandman614@reddit

$4k in New Hampshire: https://www.boattrader.com/boat/1991-j-boats-j-22-9540724/

[-]

turkphot@reddit

99 saves, 537 days on the market. Wanna bet there is something wrong with it? Don’t you think one of the 99 would have bought if it was in decent shape?

[-]

bandman614@reddit

Oh no, I'm not buying that boat lol but it's on the water, so whatever's wrong with it probably isn't a hole in the hull ;-)

[-]

Toolongreadanyway@reddit

The capacity is 2800 people????

[-]

bandman614@reddit

If we make sure the tenants are of light build and relatively sedentary...

[-]

AskMeHowIMetYourMom@reddit

Some people enjoy the restoration. The three I’ve done were my least problematic boats and were easy to maintain because I knew them so well. I learned more about taking care of boats by restoring them then I would have just buying a cheap one and hitting the water.

[-]

bandman614@reddit

I was just thinking, that boat is a lot of things, but 'free' isn't one of them.

[-]

Vegetable-Shelter974@reddit

I’m thinking more than 10k

[-]

WayAgreeable3999@reddit

For less than that he can bring a trailer to CA and remove one of the derelict ones in better condition.

[-]

Random-Mutant@reddit

Apart from walking away…

Clean it thoroughly.

Take out all the wood, but keep it for templates for the replacement wood.

That transom should be the first priority. The rust streaks indicate rust (and therefore water) inside the material.

Remove all fittings and deck hardware, check, clean, remediate, and at the end (hull’s gonna need a paint) reinstall with fresh bolts (no screws) on a good bedding.

[-]

Blue-Eyed_Triathlete@reddit

Does it float? If not, fix whatever is making it sink. That probably done secondary to a decent quick cleaning to see what you're really working with. Then once you know it floats, start fixing things that are rotten or not functional, in your order of needs/wants.

I'd personally want all things to function properly once I was confident that I wouldn't sink after launching

[-]

TheFluffiestRedditor@reddit

You're going to need a bigger wallet.

[-]

Garlic_puma@reddit

Great project.. help here she deserves a better future…

[-]

multistradivari@reddit

A free boat is never free.

[-]

No-Zookeepergame7904@reddit

Buying a new boat

[-]

Available-Water3880@reddit

There is some structure issues - I would pass

[-]

jaxn@reddit

it looks like the keel is hanging free and not fully supported by the trailer. There are bolts that should have been tightened to raise the keel support up to the boat so that most of the weight is on the keel.

That is likely why there are cracks on the top of the keel. the lead is trying to fall off the boat. I suspect the hull is also oil-canning on the trailer pads (dented in).

First, find the mast and boom. Without those, you should throw the boat away. If you have the mast and boom, then raise the keel pad before climbing on the boat and find the rudder and tiller.

If you have those parts, start cleaning from the top down. Don’t use a pressure washer.

If you have more questions once you get through that part, let us know :)

[-]

dolampochki@reddit

Why not use a pressure washer?

[-]

mootmutemoat@reddit

Honestly want to learn, and curious what you saw.

Is it the weird misshapen hole under the exit to the cockpit? Wasn't sure if that was just some rotted wood that could be easily replaced or if it was something that needed refiberglassing. Looked up some photos and some have nothing there, so hoping for OP's case that it isn't structural.

[-]

Waterlifer@reddit

Haul the boat to the landfill. Sell the trailer. Buy a better boat.

[-]

CardinalPuff-Skipper@reddit

I’ve restored a lot of boats - all the ppl telling you this needs 10k worth of work, are full of crap. You simply can’t tell from the photos that anything is wrong except dirty and in need of bottom paint. Bottom paint is annual maintenance and dirt happens. The nay sayers might be right. It might lack sails, have soft decks, and need the mast step rebuilt, we just can’t see those things through our screens. Buy the book Inspecting the Aging Sailboat, by Don Casey as a starting point. Even if the boat is garbage, which I really doubt, know there’s value in the lead and trailer as well as other components like spars and winches. J22s are a great platform to get started and they’re a lot of fun to sail. As a race boat, they’ll be lots of used last season’s sails that can be had for 100s not 1000s…

[-]

throwawaysscc@reddit

Leaky areas.

[-]

richbiatches@reddit

Wash it and sell it for a hundred dollars.

[-]

4runner01@reddit

Take everything out of the boat and inventory it all. Check to be sure you have all the mast, boom, standing/running rigging and rudder/tiller parts, and a mainsail and jib.

Then walk every inch of the deck and tap the hull to search soft spots and a rotted balsa core. This is VERY common on these old J/Boats and it’s difficult, expensive and labor intensive to repair

If you find everything is there… then put on your protective gear and Powerwash the inside and outside. Be very careful to not spray yourself with the p/w!

Only then you can access what repairs will be needed.

Good luck, and don’t be afraid to walk away if it’s missing critical parts or requires extensive balsa core repairs—

[-]

Far_District9145@reddit

Best be checking that deck. There are likely soft spots and water infiltration in the core. If they are bad, boat is not salvageable without way more work and $$ than the boat is worth. You should consider returning this and walking away. Seems like someone stuck you with disposal fees they didn’t want to pay. Sorry.

[-]

scurvytb@reddit

Bleach out the inside

[-]

ruidh@reddit

First make it safe. Get all the required safety equipment. Inspect the rigging. Replace worn standing rigging and lines. Then sail.

You can work on cosmetics and comfort in the off season. Don't fall into the trap of a 2-3 restoration project that you may never finish.

[-]

batwingsuit@reddit

I’m always amazed by what people are able to take on. I would personally mentally crumble under the overwhelm of a project like this, but I can imagine the awesome sense of accomplishment if you are able to successfully restore it.

[-]

kiganas@reddit

Divide it into small jobs and 3 years down it's all of a sudden seaworthy

[-]

batwingsuit@reddit

Easier said than done when you have ADHD. Planning isn’t the problem, it’s staying on one task at a time until it’s done that is.

[-]

the-montser@reddit

First thing you should do is give it a good clean so that you can see what you are dealing with.

[-]

TheGreatKonaKing@reddit

Before that get a cooler chest full of beer and a lawn chair so that you’re fully prepared to break after 15 minutes of cleaning

[-]

Random-Mutant@reddit

Apart from walking away…

Clean it thoroughly.

Take out all the wood, but keep it for templates for the replacement wood.

That transom should be the first priority. The rust streaks indicate rust (and therefore water) inside the material.

Remove all fittings and deck hardware, check, clean, remediate, and at the end (hull’s gonna need a paint) reinstall with fresh bolts (no screws) on a good bedding.

[-]

TexanaRosanaDanna@reddit

Having rebuilt a j22, I’d do this. - spend a day with a power washer, and see if you’re missing any parts. Elbow grease is free(ish), but a new boom is a couple grand. - one bulkhead is shot, the main bulkhead looks very iffy. Also check the deck for any core rot, and rudder mounts. - don’t do the work piecemeal. Just gut it, and do it all at once. - decide ahead of time if you want race quality foils, sails, and hull. If so, plan to 4x your time.

This is a good boat to learn fiberglass skills, enjoy restoration, and one of the best sailing small keelboats ever. But not worth it if you’re just trying to save a few bucks.

[-]

AussiInNZ@reddit

Congratulations

Yeah there are pro’s and cons but have fun, enjoy the water and enjoy the build.

yes, a good wash really changes the perspective and can lift your spirits when looking at the scale of the job. I would do that first. TIP: The chemicals that big car wash places use really cut through the grime you see there, much much better anything you can buy off the shelf. I discovered this when cleaning up horse trailers because these often sit outside for years and were really hard to clean until I went to a drive through.

[-]

Entire-Register-8912@reddit

Start the fire from the back so the flames burn upward. Use plenty of gasoline ⛽️

[-]

bigDeltaVenergy@reddit

My estimation is that will cost 3 time it's worth.

But to answer your question, keel bolts and hull inspection for any sign of delamination or blisters or cracks.

[-]

B14_765@reddit

Do J22s have lead keels? If so that's where the money is

[-]

HelicopterUpbeat5199@reddit

Does this look fun to you? Are you OK with not sailing any time soon? Will the trailer actually get it into the water?

Answer these three questions honestly before you.

If you don't want to do this oddesy, clean it up and plant it in a sandbox. Kids love dead boats.

[-]

hollywould1984@reddit

Free boats seen to cost the most... Mine did. Wash it and find the rot. Go forward from there

[-]

johnbro27@reddit

Sails and rigging after a clean up. Check for any issues with water intrusion into the core as a rotten deck or topsides can be a death sentence for any boat. To do it right you should remove, clean, and re-bed all the deck hardware. If the standing rigging and sails are shot you are not going to have a cheap boat. Also it will need a kicker and a slip at a marina.

[-]

MorseCode1992@reddit

Make sure you have enough weed and beer. Prioritise that.

[-]

throwleboomerang@reddit

Do you want to sail, or do you want to work on a boat?

If you want to sail, politely decline this boat and look to buy something that is turn-key.

If you want to work on a boat, follow the advice of others- clean it, check for leaks, soft spots, rot, etc. and then you can see if it's worth getting back to sailing shape.

It doesn't look like it to me but there's a chance the trailer could be worth more than the boat/you could leverage having a trailer to more easily acquire a boat in better condition.

[-]

Switch-in-MD@reddit

Leaks. Will water stay out when it rains?

Are there any sails that have been stored indoors?

This was a great boat once. No less than 3 years ago.

[-]

dpk794@reddit

Man they did you wrong. You did work for them and they paid you in a boat you’ll have to pay someone to get rid of? Oof

[-]

GMN123@reddit

I would prioritise finding a boat more worthy of your time, energy and money

[-]

TallBoiPlanks@reddit

What to prioritize? Giving this to a sucker and getting a new boat.

[-]

rsteckler3745@reddit

New boat

[-]

Galeocerdo-Cuvier@reddit

I would prioritise the fire insurance claim ....

[-]

Efficient_Waltz_8023@reddit

Check decks for soft spots, classic J boat problem.

[-]

indimedia@reddit

Don’t you know free boats are the most expensive

[-]

JacketWhole6255@reddit

I’ve rebuilt a few j24’s. You can break even if the hull is not too far gone and the inventory is reasonably complete. Also it’s a great way to stay fit and get a dopamine boost from the constructive, creative work of saving a boat from the landfill. Look for good used sails in a racing fleet. They may let them go for cheap/free.

[-]

761016@reddit

First off, don't let a bunch of whiners about cost and troubles discourage you.

I started out sailing boats similar to that condition, and I have now been sailing for over twenty five years. I had so much fun on my first junky little boat.

The first thing after a good wash, I would do is check the keel for cracks. Get somebody who knows about fixing boats to give it a quick inspection. Like I said, keel, keel bolts first, next, chain plates, rudder, pintels and gudgeons cabin top and compression pole.
Sure you got some roten plywood in the cabin but that is an easy fix.

Have someone who knows rigs to check mast, spars and shrouds. Get some fresh line, then get your trailer road worthy and haul her down to the boat ramp with an experienced sailor to guide you in standing up the mast and rigging her up.

If you let it sit in the yard while you ring your hands over what's next to repair.Then, you probably never get it in the water.And you never go sailing.

Like it's been said in the comments, used sales for these boats are plentiful and the fact that it's a J boat and a good racer is exciting. I don't know what your budget is, but it looks worth it to me. But it will definitely take a lot of energy and enthusiasm to get it going. If you got that then you got it going.

[-]

PlatypusMaster5328@reddit

I agree this is a money pit… It has a negative value as it will cost $$$ to dispose of.

But if it’s free and they ( agree won’t stick you with the inevitable landfill bill) assuming it has enough of the parts to sail might be a fun project. Also assuming that you can work out launch/haul mast stepping for free with their facility.

One issue is that these boats are Balsa cored. If a large portion of the deck or any of the hull is wet it’s an enormous amount of work. Look up how to check for water intrusion (woodpecker routine with a phenolic hammer.) judging from pic 13 you got some serious water issues, that airtank is toast and that’s the least of your worries. even if the hull is good I bet that structural bulkhead the chain plates are on looks like shredded wheat inside.

If the bulkhead and hull are dry, and the parts of the deck that are wet are small… the old hardware can be cleaned and re-used. Once rigged and launched spread the word through the local fleet. Someone will almost always give you free beat up old sails to keep the fleet alive.

[-]

Successful_Cod_8904@reddit

First priority should be re instating your guard rails, it is very hard to work on your boat from a wheelchair.

[-]

Nof-z@reddit

I agree with everyone else, wash it first! I want bought a boat for $250, and once I’ve washed it down I found nothing to be wrong with it, and ended up selling it for almost $5000. Of course, that was a once in a lifetime thing, since then I have lost a lot more than that on my current boat!

[-]

SG_87@reddit

Start with a power wash... Inside and out

[-]

RandomUserEight@reddit

Set goals for yourself. I did the same when I picked up my $500 1969 Westerly Centar:
- Get her cleaned. Relatively easy, relatively cheap, and a clean boat inspires you to work on it more.
- Make her waterproof on the hard. Get cover for her, chase down leaks, etc.
- Ensure she keeps the water out after putting in. Boats are supposed to float. Keep it that way.
- She's got two possible modes of motion: wind & motor. Make one functional.
- Make the other mode of motion functional.
- Bring the cabin up to your personal comfort level.

Prioritize to your desires... just stick to one goal at a time. Trying to complete more than one just leaves one feeling overwhelmed.

[-]

32397@reddit

Well get I cleaned up first and see. Fixing up small sailboats is very rewarding. And j/22 is a great sailing boat. Focus on chain plates, keel bolts, Rudder connection and standing/running rigging. That is the basics to go sailing. All the rest is cosmetic.

[-]

OptmisticVoices@reddit

Don’t waste ur time or money

[-]

deleted_by_reddit@reddit

[removed]

[-]

RockHead-MA@reddit

I think I recognize that location. Lake Murray, with a dam on one end? Easter Regatta?

If so, when I was there, I went to a party at a guy's boat repair place. I don't remember his name, or if he's still around. But a potential resource?

Nice place to sail!

[-]

REDDITSHITLORD@reddit

It all depends on what you want to use it for.

First off, as others have said: clean it. Then make a list of every issue.

I would abandon the word "restore". You can buy a race-ready J-22 for far less than that.

I prefer the word "Rehab".

I tend to leave soft spots alone on small boats. This thing is entering the Volvo Offshore.

If it were mine? I would just use it as a kind of fast weekend cruiser. Throw down some cheap EVA flooring, cheap Rustoleum topsider paint, stick up some stupid LED strip lighting. You know... The most expensive thing I'd do to it is bottom paint.

The good news is that decent used J-22 sails can be had cheaply, especially if there's a local racing fleet. 3 year old sails don't win races, so there's no market for them. But 3 year old sails have tons of life left in them.

[-]

Individual-Channel65@reddit

Prioritize finding another boat.

[-]

ClaimIcy@reddit (OP)

Knew that was coming, thanks bud

[-]

Individual-Channel65@reddit

I mean everyone here covered it. But just dont let this thing turn into a bigger money pit than its already planning to be.

[-]

Firescar96@reddit

some nail 'em some sail 'em

we need both people

[-]

danielt1263@reddit

Looks like there is standing water in the cabin and at least one access hatch without a cover which means there is standing water inside the hull.

As others have said, clean her up, but also get rid of that standing water and cover her so no more water gets into where it's not supposed to be. Check those areas very carefully. The outside of the hull is designed to hold up to water, but not necessarily the inside...

[-]

Lopsided_Ad_5152@reddit

I have a hunch you'll be using a lot of West System on that boat. It looks like a lot of work ahead of you. The good thing is that West System has a YouTube channel that restores a j22 beginning to end. It might be handy for you since it's the same boat. They also wrote some articles that you may be able to find on line about restoring a j22. Good luck!!

[-]

BluidyBastid@reddit

To all those telling this guy that he shouldn't have gotten this boat...why? He's already done it, throwing shade at the decision is unhelpful. Plus, almost anything can be fixed on a fiberglass boat. Is it worth the effort? That's up the person restoring it. It's going to look a lot different after it gets cleaned up.

Tap out the deck to find the rotten balsa core, replace as needed. I see some rotten plywood, so get that out and replace it with coosa or MGP. Learn to fiberglass, gelcoat and paint. It's not that hard, loads of Youtube on recoring, tabbing plywood, etc.

Check the rudder and keel attachment. Ditto with bulkheads and mast step. Fairly small rig on that boat, so it shouldn't be a huge investment. If you can't afford new sails, used sails are plentiful online. Deck hardware and OEM parts are easy to find for this boat. Get a little outboard and you're ready to go.

The big investment here is time. Controversial as it may sound, fixing boats up can be enjoyable.

Once you're done, you'll have a fantastic day sailer. I've sailed on these, they are incredibly fun. Cheap to find mooring, and you can trailer it if you want.

[-]

velcrodynamite@reddit

Getting rid of it

[-]

alex1033@reddit

Pressure-wash.
Assess if she's worth rebuilding; mainly hull, deck, keel, mast.
Find another boat or take a fiberglass lamination class.

[-]

gg562ggud485@reddit

How many $$$ will be necessary to make it nice? I would guess $3,000 to $5,000?

[-]

jaxn@reddit

best case.

[-]

azarza@reddit

Start with the keel inspection. There are good YouTube guides on how to do it. If the keel structure is rotten, it can turn into a huge repair, so it might not be worth it.

[-]

Superb-Respect-1313@reddit

Power wash inside out and see what it looks like when you clean it up a bit. But you need a lot free bits are sadly the most expensive.

[-]

sailbrew@reddit

Step 1 - make sure water can't get in Step 2 - steering Step 3 - propulsion

[-]

kokomo1989@reddit

Honestly, there is nothing more expensive than a ‘free’ boat. Having said that, they are a lot of fun to fix up! If you have the time and love a challenge, then this boat will give you lots of joy. Once the cleaning is done, work on getting the rigging inspected. That could be your biggest cost.

[-]