MikeD wrote:Well done Bill! You have ended up with your own custom daysailor that kicks the stuffing out of any those "gorgeous new Daysailors". (But I'm sure you already know that.) I would say you made a sound and impeccable decision to take the route you did.
Your custom Shields is truly incomparable! I expect that we'll see your boat gracing the cover of some sailing rag one of these days.
PS. I just hope Tim realizes that he'll need to hire a secretary to handle all the calls for custom boats that will be coming in. ;)
Mike,
Well thank you for your kind words. In the end it is Tim who deserves the credit. For my part I am responsible for the "crazy" idea. I guess I also get some credit for not screwing it up. Tim I and spoke a bunch about how easy it is for ideas like this to go south (sometimes way south) if the configuration and building details are poor.
As far as Bolero being a cover girl, I guess time will tell. I typically live a quiet and unassuming life and I avoid the limelight. Occasionally my passions (sheepdog training, electric cars and now Bolero) direct some attention my way but I can only stand it so long and then I need to find my quiet place again.
I have joked with Tim about getting started building his boat building assembly line. I will certainly be thrilled if this project brings Tim more success and future work. All of the boats that come out of Tim's shop are beautiful and since I love beautiful boats I hope he does many, many more. I don't think we can ever have a shortage of gorgeous boats.
I also thought I would copy the post from my blog on Bolero's cost breakdown as it sort of adds a completion to this thread. I have not listed the actually numbers but I will be willing to pass them along privately if there is a want.
Bolero Cost Breakdown
I find that one of the hardest parts for a project like this is comparing it to other boats that are nothing like this. It is so easy to get into the mindset of "wow, this is lot of money for 40 year old boat when you could just buy...". The reality, that is sometimes hard to remember, is that you can't get this boat for the cheap money older boats sell for and a new "Daysailor" cost many times Bolero's conversion cost.
That said here is my report card on my project cost guestimation.
Shields Initial Purchase:
+50%
It seems my budget became obsolete from the start. I had hoped to find an old Shields on an existing trailer in my price range. Instead I found #9 without a trailer for that price. So I "got" to add a new triad trailer. This also include all initial taxes and licensing fees.
Converstion Costs:
+66%
I had a very rough quote from Tim at the beginning with a very wide range that didn't specifiy anything about parts, labor or task description. But it was all I had at the time It helped with our go-ahead decision. I had always assumed the highest number and we exceeded that.
Rig Modifications:
+12%
This turned out okay. Probable because I knew so little about this task that I over budgeted it. Included in this is all new shrouds and stays, running rigging, blocks and deck hardware.
Transportation:
+0%
Well this is obviously a statistical gift. I absolutely flat out guessed at a number and got lucky. It turned out that Bolero was shipped twice. Once from Connecticut to Maine and from Maine to Washington state.
Overall:
+49%
Funny, I have read more than once to raise your budget by 50% on jobs like this. I / We (I got married during this process) are not at all surprised by these numbers. We committed to this job knowing that we were going to follow through with whatever financial resources it took to achieve the magnificent results we envisioned (and got). My thinking process was that the best way to control runaway costs was by having boundaries. That is why Bolero started out from a relatively small boats (Shields 30, long but skinny). That is also why there is no engine (well one of the reasons anyway) or electrical system. In the end we have ended up with an essentially new, custom Knockabout Sloop on a new trailer with nigh a compromise in sight.
