What Yacht is this?

[tommy2]

I have been offered the below for free from a neighbour. Its obviously a project and needs work! The guy has no interest in sailing and knows nothing about the boat. It was his dads who died 10 years ago. It was last used in the water 9 years ago and has sat on a trailer ever since. As an estimate, it is about 18ft - 22ft. I wonder if it is a leisure 18 or 22?

 

[Tranona]

Looks like Leisure 17 leisureowners.org.uk/overview-leisure-yachts/

 

[NealB]

Yes, she's a Leisure 17.

She doesn't look too disheartening, from the pics, but if she needs spars, rigging, sails and an engine, the costs will soon start to be felt.

Didn't someone cross the Atlantic in a Leisure 17?

 

[LittleSister]

Yes, Leisure 17. They have a good reputation for sailing qualities and more generally. Tiny by today's standards, but better designed and built than some of the competition in its day.

It will instantly look a lot better when it has been given a good wash and scrub.

Being small and of simple technology, most bits and bobs (sails, ropes, etc) will be relatively cheap compared to anything bigger or more sporty/glamorous/hi-tech.

As NealB says, though, costs will add up fast if it has none of the things he has listed. I'd be reluctant to accept the gift at all unless it has a mast, as you'd probably struggle to find a second-hand one, and new one would be very costly. Most of rest can relatively easily/cheaply bought (at least individually) or something from another boat substituted.

You will need to get the rust off the keels and paint with something suitable to seal them, then the keels and hull will need painting with antifouling paint. (That paint alone will costs you quite a few ££s.

I doubt that trailer is roadworthy from the look of it, but a Leisure 17 can be easily transport on e.g. a flatbed.

A Leisure 17 can be lifted up (and down) easily by two people (I've even done it alone, but don't recommend that) by lifting the front of boat and putting a strong wooden or concrete block under the front of the keels, then lifting the back and putting another block the same under the back of the keels, the repeat until you are at, or slightly above, the height you want. Then drag on or off the flatbed trailer or whatever, which will take a few people or you can rig up a block and tackle to drag it. If doing this be very careful the boat cannot tip over onto you - e.g off the edge of the trailer, or on wobbly or rotten blocks!

p.s. If you decide to take it, do join the owners association, it will be well worth it.

 

[NealB]

...................................

A Leisure 17 can be lifted up (and down) easily by two people (I've even done it alone, but don't recommend that) by lifting the front of boat and putting a strong wooden or concrete block under the front of the keels, then lifting the back and putting another block the same under the back of the keels, the repeat until you are at, or slightly above, the height you want. Then drag on or off the flatbed trailer or whatever, which will take a few people or you can rig up a block and tackle to drag it. If doing this be very careful the boat cannot tip over onto you (e.g off the edge of the trailer)!

I'd love to see the video of you doing "it alone" .......... could be entertaining!

 

[LittleSister]

I'd love to see the video of you doing "it alone" .......... could be entertaining!

It was slightly nerve wracking, just in case anything went wrong and I got 'stuck', but not too bad in practice. I can't actually remember the details of exactly how I did it alone (trauma suppression, perhaps?), but I had a set of breeze blocks I used numerous times for the task, more usually with a helper. I suspect that instead of lifting the boat from its extreme ends - which of course has a leverage advantage and is pretty easy, alone I probably lifted the underside of the hull, just aft or forward of the keels, with my back while I manhandled the blocks into (or out of) position. (And I wonder why my back's a bit dodgy these days! )

On one occasion alone I got the boat set up on the blocks behind the (borrowed) trailer, but couldn't slide it onto and along the flatbed trailer on my own with the limited tackle I had with me, so went to the pub just down the road (this in rural Ireland) and managed to recruit a gaggle of brawny volunteers to come and help, it took them seconds to slide the boat into position on the trailer, and I gave them some cash that would have bought them a few rounds.

On subsequent arriival at my new house I backed the trailer up to a tree, tied the boat to the tree, and edged the trailer forward very slowly (getting out repeatedly to check progress!) until the aft, say, 1/4 of the keels was overhanging the back of the trailer, stacked up my breeze blocks to just below the keels, and edged forward bit by tiny bit until the boat gently tipped stern down onto the aft blocks, front of keels still on the aft edge of the trailer. Then continued forward another few inches, stacked up blocks near the front of the keels, edged forward gently until the front of the keels dropped onto the blocks. Volia!

 

[NealB]

It was slightly nerve wracking, just in case anything went wrong and I got 'stuck', but not too bad in practice. I can't actually remember the details of exactly how I did it alone (trauma suppression, perhaps?), but I had a set of breeze blocks I used numerous times for the task, more usually with a helper. I suspect that instead of lifting the boat from its extreme ends - which of course has a leverage advantage and is pretty easy, alone I probably lifted the underside of the hull, just aft or forward of the keels, with my back while I manhandled the blocks into (or out of) position. (And I wonder why my back's a bit dodgy these days! )

On one occasion alone I got the boat set up on the blocks behind the (borrowed) trailer, but couldn't slide it onto and along the flatbed trailer on my own with the limited tackle I had with me, so went to the pub just down the road (this in rural Ireland) and managed to recruit a gaggle of brawny volunteers to come and help, it took them seconds to slide the boat into position on the trailer, and I gave them some cash that would have bought them a few rounds.

On subsequent arriival at my new house I backed the trailer up to a tree, tied the boat to the tree, and edged the trailer forward very slowly (getting out repeatedly to check progress!) until the aft, say, 1/4 of the keels was overhanging the back of the trailer, stacked up my breeze blocks to just below the keels, and edged forward bit by tiny bit until the boat gently tipped stern down onto the aft blocks, front of keels still on the aft edge of the trailer. Then continued forward another few inches, stacked up blocks near the front of the keels, edged forward gently until the front of the keels dropped onto the blocks. Volia!

Great stuff ........ Who needs video when the forum has such descriptive, visual, eloquence?

 

[tommy2]

As NealB says, though, costs will add up fast if it has none of the things he has listed. I'd be reluctant to accept the gift at all unless it has a mast, as you'd probably struggle to find a second-hand one, and new one would be very costly. Most of rest can relatively easily/cheaply bought (at least individually) or something from another boat substituted.

Yes it does have a mast with it, which has been kept inside a barn in the dry. It did have sails as well, but the neighbour is unable to find these and fears they have been mistakenly thrown out. So I think I will need sails. As for an engine, he thinks he has one, but it may need tinkering with.

I will have to read up on renovation of boats, as I have never taken on a project like this before. I am mechanically minded and not too bad with DIY, but it will be my first project of this type.

As for lifting her, the below looks like a good method using a simple scaffold frame and some lifting hoists. All pretty cheap and simple to do:

Boat lift

I think my first job would be to get her off the trailer and another trailer sourced, then a good clean down. I will then look into paint etc. Any recommendations?

 

[William_H]

Every comment seems certain the trailer is beyond hope. I would concentrate on the trailer in situ with boat on to determine if it is structurally sound or good enough, then go to wheel bearings tires etc. A huge advantage to have the boat on a road worthy trailer. OP should look for sails. Larger dinghy sails might be OK. Just as long as they are smaller than the forestay for jib and luff/ boom for main sail. Forget furler for jib but perhaps look to a large and small hank on jib for light or strong winds. Good luck with the project. Just ask on here with any questions. ol'will

 

[NealB]

Deleted: a distraction, overtaken by events.

 

[tommy2]

Every comment seems certain the trailer is beyond hope. I would concentrate on the trailer in situ with boat on to determine if it is structurally sound or good enough

No the trailer is toast. Axles completed rusted through, drawbar practically fallen off and all the chassis rails rotted. Its a miracle the boat is still on there. Its only good for scrap. I will probably look for a flatbed trailer if I can find one at the right price. Then I would lift it with a setup like this:

Boat lift

 

[LittleSister]

. . . Then I would lift it with a setup like this:

Boat lift

By all means do it like that if you want, but it seems to me unnecessarily complicated, costly (if you don't have the scaffolding and hoists available free), and time consuming.

Before committing yourself, I suggest you stand behind the boat, put your hands or shoulder under the edge of the transom, and see how easily one end of the boat can be lifted. Most men and many women could lift it alone, with two people it's easy, and you just need someone else to move the blocks.

The Leisure 17 has the advantage, for moving around and on and off trailers -
- that it is bilge keeler, so stands upright on its own),
- its keels are steel (or is it iron?) and unlike encapsulated (externally GRP) keels, can be dragged along the ground or trailer without risk of significant damage; and
- it is small and hence relatively lightweight, and can fairly easily be lifted from both ends.

The boat in that article looks like a Corribee to me. If so, that is larger (21 ft) and almost 40% heavier than the Leisure 17 (910kg vs 670kg).

From that link - 'Planning and obtaining parts took a couple of weeks but the structure was erected in about 2 hours and the lift completed in about 15 minutes.' (They don't mention dismantling the rig, or the need to transport all that scaffolding etc. before and after, itself a significant undertaking.)

With the aid of about 16 concrete or wooden blocks and the method I described, two people could easily have that boat off the trailer in 15 minutes, without the weeks and hours of preparation.

In case you or anyone else contemplating my suggested method, I'd recommend cut-up sections of railway sleeper as ideal blocks, or lightweight concrete blocks (but managed myself with standard rather heavy concrete blocks). For dragging the boat along the trailer, a couple of heavy-duty ratchet straps (such as used for lorry loads), one round each keel and the other end attached to the end of the trailer or whatever. Washing up liquid makes a temporary lubricant if you need it on a surface, and, unlike grease will wash off afterwards.

Good luck however you decide to do it, and happy sailing!

 

[oldbloke]

Coribee has a distinctive jaunty sheerline. That one's is dead straight.
If you can find one, a farmer with a telehandler would move it in 5 minutes.

 

[LittleSister]

Coribee has a distinctive jaunty sheerline. That one's is dead straight.

I was referring to the boat in the article about lifting that tommy2 linked to on post #11 as looking like a Corribee, which does indeed have a pronounced sheer line, and I now belatedly see is actually from a Corribee owners' website!

I think you are looking at the pictures of the OP's own boat in post #1, which all seem to agree is a Leisure 17.

 

[ylop]

It did have sails as well, but the neighbour is unable to find these and fears they have been mistakenly thrown out. So I think I will need sails. As for an engine, he thinks he has one, but it may need tinkering with.

Ok so your "free" project just got pricey! New sails will be 4 figures. You may be able to find second hand ones - but as you've seen the hull lasts forever but 40 year old sails will be tired, as a novice you will have no idea if you are buying scrap or something you can nurse another 5 years for. A new engine 4HP? is probably a grand too - you might pick up a 2nd hand one but are then buying an unknown. Fixing the one he "thinks" he has could cost hundreds and give you something not very reliable...

 

[Chiara’s slave]

Ok so your "free" project just got pricey! New sails will be 4 figures. You may be able to find second hand ones - but as you've seen the hull lasts forever but 40 year old sails will be tired, as a novice you will have no idea if you are buying scrap or something you can nurse another 5 years for. A new engine 4HP? is probably a grand too - you might pick up a 2nd hand one but are then buying an unknown. Fixing the one he "thinks" he has could cost hundreds and give you something not very reliable...

Sails aren’t so hard. With the rig handy for measuring you could go through a few sailmakers second hand stock and spend £100, I reckon. Engine is of course another matter. Difficult to imagine spending less than £500. Still, you’d go sailing for under a grand, what's not to like about that?

 

[MADRIGAL]

Being small and of simple technology, most bits and bobs (sails, ropes, etc) will be relatively cheap compared to anything bigger or more sporty/glamorous/hi-tech.

That is a definite advantage of a small sailing boat - and she's still bigger than a Wayfarer.

 

[LittleSister]

That is a definite advantage of a small sailing boat - and she's still bigger than a Wayfarer.

I look with some envy at the Leisure 17 of someone I know has, with its simplicity and ability to be towed and launched/recovered without expensive boatyard bills, especially when I have a seemingly endless list of maintenance and substantial outgoings on my admittedly more spacious and creature comfort provided boat.

Although a Leisure 17 (and similar boats) are only a little longer than a Wayfarer, having proper berths, a roof keeping rain and waves out, storage lockers, greater load carrying capability, and vastly greater resistance to capsize puts them in a different league. At the same time they are still small enough to manhandle and can be easily trailed.

Someone I know trailed his Leisure 17 from the UK to sail on the Swiss lakes for a holiday. A similar sized boat I used to own had been trailed to the Med, kept there for a few years, and then trailed back to the UK by its previous owner; I trailed it between Hampshire, Devon and Cornwall; and when I sold it it was bought by a German who was taking it straight from my house to its new home on the lakes of northern Germany.

I know Wayfarers etc. have done amazing voyages, but you have to be much more brave (perhaps foolhardy?) and especially rufty-tufty (hair-shirted?) than me to do them. (I tip my hat to those who do so, though.)

I'd happily do a fortnight's cruise along the UK or, say, France, coast in a Leisure 17 (and have done in similar boats in the past), but would only normally want to day-sail a Wayfarer. Day sailing is lovely, but you have to either be satisfied with going up and down a river or round and round a lake, or be able to afford to live near the sea to be able to cruise from place to place as I like to do.

 

[Wansworth]

With todays weather forecasting and nav tech a small yacht has lots going for it…….aslong as you can make a stew and brew up a coffee that’s all you need.Two people though does make it feel a bit cramped but a cockpitboom tent changes things enormously

 

[Chiara’s slave]

With todays weather forecasting and nav tech a small yacht has lots going for it…….aslong as you can make a stew and brew up a coffee that’s all you need.Two people though does make it feel a bit cramped but a cockpitboom tent changes things enormously

A decent cockpit tent helps almost any boat, but obviously it makes a bigger proportionate difference on a small boat. Somewhere to put the bucket/porta potti at night for instance.