Dilemma - House sold - What to do next?

[bgreenb]

2 hours ago, Janello said:

I appreciate your insight. I however want to go down to the dock and turn the key

I just put 2 kids through college and I'm done saving my money for their inheritence ! They will get a nice used boat that needs work when I am dead. 

Besides..No room in my little yard for a shop. 

Totally understand your desire for a new boat.  But just to set expectations:  don't get used to going down to the dock and turning the key   Even new boats break...a lot.  They exist in the harshest possible environment.  I assume you're getting outboards (most cobias do) - which are even more prone to breaking.  I suggest you do BOTH of the following:

1.  Make friends with a boat mechanic, which is even more valuable than a car mechanic.  I do all my own maintenance and minor repairs, but whenever I need something major done, I want to make sure they remember me, so I always bring something to the shop when I bring my boat in...pizza, beers, cupcakes, donuts.  And if you do any of your own maintenance then buy your parts from them so they know you're not going elsewhere.

2.  Buy your engine shop manual and learn to do basic maintenance at the very least (plugs, oil, lower unit oil, water pump, fuel filters, etc.).  I understand that you'll probably be under warrnaty, but it's more about down time than cost.  Boating season is short in the northeast, so there will be times when you need some warranty work done, but there's a 2-3 week backlog, and you'll decide it's better to just kill an afternoon taking care of it yourself so you can be back on the water quickly.  Do you know what type of engine(s) you're getting?

 

Some other advice:

3.  Join thehulltruth.com, which is the woodtalkonline of boating.  VERY good community of people.  My name over there is row21 (name of my boat).  I'm mostly a lurker/dormant over there ever since my obsession with woodworking got started...but when I have a problem the guys over there are great.

4.  Buy these:  https://www.e-searider.com/  Center consoles typically don't have much comfortable seating.  These beanbags are unreal.  My wife and kids love them.  I can be out in the roughest water with them and they don't feel anything at all.  No bouncing or jostling around.  My wife and kids have both been known to fall asleep in them while I'm getting pummeled at the helm.   Very comfortable.  

5.  If you're already decided on a cobia 26cc, go with god and I know you'll be happy.  But if you're still shopping around, just something to consider:  as mentioned above, the season in the northeast is short.  Buying a walkaround/express style boat of that size will significantly extend your season and increase the number of days you'll be able to be comfortable out on the water.  It also adds the ability to sleep on the boat, which is nice for quick little overnight trips.  I bought a center console and regret it.  DOn't get me wrong, I love my boat...but if I could go back I would get a walkaround.  Of course, I have young kids, and you don't...and the walkaround is definitely more valuable for young kids (think naptime).  Just something to consider.  Cobia doesn't make walkarounds unfortunately.  Again, though, if you've alraedy decided I don't mean to make you second guess...a 26cc is a phenomenal boat that I would love to own.

Have fun.  There's nothing like having a boat.  We spent a week in the vineyard earlier this month with my buddy and his family.  He, I, and our two daughters took my boat down there for the week.  So much fun.  Of course my dinky little 22' cc was docked the whole week in between huge luxury boats.  At one point my daughter (5yo) told me "Daddy, when we get back home we should go to the boat store and get a kitchen boat like that one [pointing at a family eating dinner in their 46' hatteras with full galley]."  Sure honey, no problem.  I'll pick one right up.  

[Janello]

49 minutes ago, Eric. said:

Not sure I understand all the boat hate.  Yes they're expensive and a total pain in the ass...but so is woodworking.  If that's what John wants to do I can totally dig it.  I love boating.  I just don't get why it has to be an either/or situation..."I'm buying a boat so I'm gonna sell my tools" just doesn't make sense to me.  It's like saying I want a sandwich so I'm gonna pawn my stereo.

I think the boat hate stems back from wooden hull and unreliable motor days. I remember as a kid atleast every year we had to pull over in the family station wagon that was over-heating and it deiseled when you shut it down until it puffed out a cloud of white smoke and died. I can only imagine those days as a boat owner would have been disturbing!

As for not doing both, it has nothing to do with time and everything to do with space. I shared my garage with my hobby of woodworking once, then I got a dedicated space. I can't go backwards. I have no room for a shed even. So my garage has to store a snow blower, freezer, boat supplies, beach chairs and all the other crap ones life accumulates. 

[Eric.]

15 minutes ago, Janello said:

As for not doing both, it has nothing to do with time and everything to do with space. I shared my garage with my hobby of woodworking once, then I got a dedicated space. I can't go backwards. I have no room for a shed even. So my garage has to store a snow blower, freezer, boat supplies, beach chairs and all the other crap ones life accumulates. 

If you had a three car garage you could easily store all that stuff and still have a plenty functional shop.  Probably even a two car.  Guys make due with even less than that.  It sounds to me like you're trying to convince yourself that you can't make it happen, when you should be convincing yourself that you CAN.  Because when you believe it can...it does.  But with a defeatist attitude...yeah, it's not gonna work.  If you've truly shed all interest in woodworking, then I guess that chapter is closed for you.  I'm not judging.  It's not everyone's ultimate passion.  I get that.  But if you look deep within yourself and you think that bug is gonna come crawling back out one day...I'd think long and hard about cutting ties completely.  The rest of your life is a long time...even at your old ass age.

[Chet]

I got to think you are at least keeping the Roubo, Yes, No???

[minorhero]

2 hours ago, Janello said:

I appreciate your insight. I however want to go down to the dock and turn the key

I just put 2 kids through college and I'm done saving my money for their inheritence ! They will get a nice used boat that needs work when I am dead. 

Besides..No room in my little yard for a shop. 

As someone else said boats are holes in the world you throw money at. Unfortunately you will need a shop to do work on your brand new boat within 1 to 2 years depending on how often you use it. Buying a used boat for significantly less than new and spending a couple thousand to rebuild a motor (assuming it even needs that much work) is incredibly easy and thereafter it will work just as long and as often as a brand new boat, to mean you are virtually guaranteed to need service every 1 to 2 years. It's not the hull usually you understand. These things are made of fiberglass and barring hitting something will last longer than you or I will be alive. It's pretty much always the motors or electronics  or both that break. Being exposed to salt water plus hot and cold wears them out incredibly quickly. This is why used boats are such a good deal though. If maintenance is kept up then a used boat is in the same place both in function and reliability compared to a new boat. Did a random search and came up with this fella https://newyork.craigslist.org/lgi/boa/d/27-center-console-2005/6239832050.html which has similar functionality to your chosen boat, but a lot cheaper.

Sorry for the nagging I won't say anything else about the boat.

Regarding the wood shop. If you don't have room for a shop on the property (and since you are close to the water I am assuming you can't have a basement) have you considered renting a small wearhouse space for your shop or renting shop space from someone else? Find enough like minded woodworkers and you could probably go in together and rent a small wearhouse. I considered this for my own purposes for a while and the only reason I didn't do it is that I found a wood working club near me that allowed me full access to any machine for only about $125 per month. Some woodcraft stores have a setup like this. If this is an option you might want to call around. In my experience they have poor web presences.

[bgreenb]

Yeah I was going to say I would be looking at renting some commercial space to set up shop in, but I'm sure that's probably a nonstarter cost wise in your area.  I would probably need to drive an hour to get something cheap, at at that point what's the point.  And I assume your real estate market is similar to mine.  But still, might be worth looking.  Remember it's a long winter while your boat is in storage...and if you and your wife are anything like me and mine, you're gonna need a hobby during those winter months to keep from killing each other

 

[Janello]

1 minute ago, bgreenb said:

and if you and your wife are anything like me and mine, you're gonna need a hobby during those winter months to keep from killing each other

Funny you put it that way. Guns are my other hobby. 

[bgreenb]

2 minutes ago, Janello said:

Funny you put it that way. Guns are my other hobby. 

Lol.  You and I are similar.  Same three hobbies.  Guns have taken a back seat though.  I almost never shoot anymore.  Just lack of time.  Although my wife just got her LTC and expressed interest in joining a gun club the next town over from us that is very kid friendly (has a pretty decent sized fishing pond, kayaking, kids shooting programs, etc.) so I may end up joining that and rekindling.  

[Tom King]

What motor/s on the boat?

Our horse friends don't understand boats, and we're often asked why the interest in boating.   We tell them that we have horses in our blood, but our blood is still mostly water.  Our boat friends don't ask us anything.  They understand.

[Janello]

19 minutes ago, Chet said:

I got to think you are at least keeping the Roubo, Yes, No???

Yes, that would always be handy. I have no plans to part with that. Even if I sold my woodworking tools..I plan to keep some stuff around. Router...chop saw...drill press. Just the bigger machines. I even considered scaling back to a contractor saw and lunch box planer. No option including moving the whole shop is off the table just yet.

[bgreenb]

56 minutes ago, bgreenb said:

 

3.  Join thehulltruth.com, which is the woodtalkonline of boating.  VERY good community of people.  My name over there is row21 (name of my boat).  I'm mostly a lurker/dormant over there ever since my obsession with woodworking got started...but when I have a problem the guys over there are great.

 

You guys want a good laugh?  Check out the thread I started in the off topic section of thehulltruth back when I was first getting into woodworking:

http://www.thehulltruth.com/dockside-chat/433600-help-me-pick-table-saw.html

Goes to show that the dreaded "which table saw should I buy" thread isn't just limited to woodworking forums.  It's funny (and cringeworthy) to read this thread in retrospect.  Funny too to see that there are a lot of similar personalities over there as over here (similar personalities in every internet forum I suppose; in other news water is wet).  Some pretty good woodworkers over there too.  And some decent advice given.  

Anyway thought it would be good for a laugh.

[bgreenb]

2 minutes ago, Janello said:

Yes, that would always be handy. I have no plans to part with that. Even if I sold my woodworking tools..I plan to keep some stuff around. Router...chop saw...drill press. Just the bigger machines. I even considered scaling back to a contractor saw and lunch box planer. No option including moving the whole shop is off the table just yet.

What kind of jointer and planer do you have?

[Janello]

5 minutes ago, Tom King said:

What motor/s on the boat?

Our horse friends don't understand boats, and we're often asked why the interest in boating.   We tell them that we have horses in our blood, but our blood is still mostly water.  Our boat friends don't ask us anything.  They understand.

There are multiple yamaha twin outboard options. Most likely a pair of 150's.

[Janello]

2 minutes ago, bgreenb said:

What kind of jointer and planer do you have?

PM 54A with strait knives and a Jet 15" 3hp with byrd head.

[wdwerker]

Some of the houses around your lot have pools or garden sheds. When your shop isn't connected to the house it's harder to track dust in and easier to make noise at inappropriate hours !

[bgreenb]

5 minutes ago, Janello said:

There are multiple yamaha twin outboard options. Most likely a pair of 150's.

The F150s are great motors.  Very reliable and actually get more than the nominal 150hp at the prop, so they're actually underrated power wise.  You won't regret it.  

[Janello]

8 minutes ago, wdwerker said:

Some of the houses around your lot have pools or garden sheds. When your shop isn't connected to the house it's harder to track dust in and easier to make noise at inappropriate hours !

You just gave me a great idea. I should build a shop with a loft to sleep in on that property and put the wife and kids in a days inn    

Nearby ofcourse.

[Tom King]

If it's the model I looked up, motor options go up to 2  200's.   I wouldn't want less than the max rated, but I've been driving boats a lot longer than I have cars, and I got my driver's license for cars on my 15th Birthday.   Actually,  2 250's would probably be about right.

[Janello]

17 minutes ago, Tom King said:

If it's the model I looked up, motor options go up to 2  200's.   I wouldn't want less than the max rated, but I've been driving boats a lot longer than I have cars, and I got my driver's license for cars on my 15th Birthday.   Actually,  2 250's would probably be about right.

Valid points.

[Ronn W]

Be sure about the storage time.  Builder estimates on co m plettion dates for houses are usually way off in my experience.   The longe the storage the more you wnat to protect the steel and  cast iron surfaces ....cosmoline.

[ghost]

i"m with Tom King on how to power the boat.

if the boat is rated at 400 hp. them put that on it.

i have never heard anyone say - "i wish i had less hp on my boat"

if you are married to 300 hp. then think about a single 300 hp. you would save about 400 #'s and have the same hp.

maintenance costs would come down with a single, which is a yearly thing. big thing to think about.

spend all the $$ on safety equipment!

research where you are moving to, and find a "safe boating class". US Coast Guard Auxiliary does them in my part of the world.

that "MAY" give you a discount on your insurance. take it anyway. it will make you a better boater.

research SEATOW or TOW BOAT US - subscribe to what is available in that area. trust me on this.

 as far as the tools go - i would sell them. (the big tools) your description doesn't seem to be a great thing for going forward with a full-on woodworking space.

you are buying a CC, which is a "fishing" boat. jump in with both feet!!!!! LOL

 

[Pondhockey]

On 8/2/2017 at 11:38 AM, wtnhighlander said:

Boats and workshops are both time sucks and money pits. Unless I was indepentdantly wealthy, I would not try to do both.

This is the part that I emphatically agree with.  

If you're at a midlife crisis point, then maybe the change in scenery (watching flying fish and dolphins from your boat has a certain enchantment...)  might be a good thing.

At life's end, as they say, we don't regret what we did as much as what we didn't do.

[bgreenb]

13 hours ago, ghost said:

if the boat is rated at 400 hp. them put that on it.

i have never heard anyone say - "i wish i had less hp on my boat"

if you are married to 300 hp. then think about a single 300 hp. you would save about 400 #'s and have the same hp.

 

Respectfully disagree with this.  Boats are rated for a range of horsepower, yes, but adding horsepower adds weight to the transom, which causes the boat to handle differently, makes it harder to get on plane, and forces you to rely more on trim tabs, motor trimming, and distributing your passengers correctly to be efficient (not to mention safe).  Most boat manufacturers have the max rated horsepower and then will tell you what is their recommended horsepower.  There is a reason for that - really smart engineers have determined the best engine power to complement the particular hull design.  

Further, rated horsepower is kind of a garbage number anyway.  The Yamaha F150 and F200 are completely different blocks with different power curves.  I can't comment on the most recent models because I haven't followed it in a couple of years, but for a long time the F150 was known to overperform its HP rating at the prop, while the F200 was known to underperform.  Which means you're paying for "50" more HP but only getting about 20-25 in actual prop power.  Not a great value.  

As far as single vs. twin engine, to me this is a no brainer.  Yes you reduce maintenance costs by having a single engine (in theory anyway, not always in practice), but if you're letting maintenance costs of a $100k boat drive your decision then the tail is wagging the dog.  Piloting a boat with a single vs. dual engines is night and day in terms of control and handling.  I myself wouldn't want to be docking a 26' boat with a single engine.

The performance bulletin of a 26' cobia with twin F150s has a cruising speed of 27.1mph burning 10.7gph at 3500rpm.  Cruising at 33.2mph at 4krpm.  I'd be pretty happy with that.  There won't be many days in open ocean that you'll want to be going faster than 33mph anyway.  

[bgreenb]

As an addendum:  it's very analogous to bandsaw blade ratings.  Sure a laguna 1412 is rated to turn a 1" blade, but good luck getting it to perform properly under those conditions.  Ditto trying to run a boat at its top HP rating.

[Tom King]

Depends on the boat.   When I was a teenager, a friend of mine put an 85 on his family's boat rated for 45 hp.   That was not quite enough, so he put a 125 on it.  That was about right.  It would then pull a skier through a slalom course at 36 mph without slowing down much, with a power prop on it.   We took it diving with four people and gear out in the Keys for a week and a half of days once. It was about right for that too.

If the boat's going to be loaded, more power is better.

That boat was fun when one person was driving it too.   You could be going about 35, romp down on the throttle, the whole boat would jump out of the water, the ass end would walk sideways a little on the prop, and in an instant, when it came back down, pin you back in the seat.   That was a fun boat, even though our inboards were faster, and more powerful.   I have no use for any boat that's slow to jump on a plane.

If you're going in or out of an inlet with waves coming in, and current going out, a straight line is most often not the smoothest ride.   I like to be able to keep the bow from pounding down, and that requires moving the back end around between, and going over the steep waves.

You're right about not many days of smooth water on the Atlantic, but there are some.   I once delivered a boat from Beaufort, NC to Annapolis, and it was glass all the way until we turned into the Chesapeake Bay late in the morning.

I prefer a single prop too, but if you go far offshore often, it's a good feeling having a backup back there.