About the project
“So, yeah, I’m going to buy a boat and go sailing” I said two three years ago. One two year(s) ago that changed into “So, I’m going to rebuild a trashed boat and go sailing”. Not only were sailboats expensive, but the only ones I could afford were a third older than me and would have scores of problems. The solution, get one as cheap as possible and in such a state that I don’t mind ripping out useless parts or rotten cores.
As I found a boat model that I liked I joined its user group. Yahoo has a ton of these which made doing research on the boats a piece of cake. I was on the Alberg 30 list, Pearson Triton, Seafarer, junk rig, Rawson 30, and finally Tartan Yachts. I became interested in Tartans because of the Tartan 30. The T30 is a design of Sparkman and Stephens pedigree with a keel stepped mast, an engine in an area this is completely accessible and right over the keel, medium displacement with a modest amount of beam, and a reputation for top notch build quality. So after reading the Practical Sailor revie and reading about what others thought on Sailnet, I subscribed.
The first post I read in the first digest I ever received from the group read “Free Boat”. Long Story short, a T30 named Hobyn had broken free from a mooring in a windstorm and had bashed itself into a seawall…repeatedly. The boat was owned by Mike and Pat McEvily and due to the cost in fixing the boat, they were willing to either part with her or *gulp* part her up. I quickly went to look at the boat (which was in the water) and after sitting aboard for a while decided that I was going be a boat owner. Two weeks later, I traded a minty new $1 bill for a few papers and Hobyn. Since that time Hobyn has been sitting in two marinas while I graduated from Cooper Union, and planned out just how I was going to do this restoration rebuild fixing resurrection. Demolition started on July 10th 2007 and I’ve been going strong since then (except when working in New York City).