Love Among the Ruins

Vintage restorations require planning and preparation

Believe me, I’ve been there. My heart has fluttered at the sight of a tired vintage yacht. My mind has raced a mile-a-minute at the idea of bringing it back to pristine condition. And, I admit it, my ego has seen me at the wheel of the restored classic, pulling into a marina filled with admirers.
Yacht restoration isn’t a pipe dream, and it can be done to perfection. But it is also a minefield strewn with the bloodied dreams of those who rushed in with big ideas and no preparation. Whether you call it a restoration or a refit, it is a major project into which time and money are consumed at a ferocious rate. So heed the expert’s advice, and plan accordingly.

“Now is a great time for project boats,” says Jim Moores, whose Moores Marine (Riviera Beach, Florida, and Beaufort, North Carolina) has built a world-class reputation for impeccable restorations.  “Right now,” he notes, “you can pick up great boats at the right prices.”
There are generally two reasons behind a re-do. Either you love a particular boat and want to return it to like-new condition, or you believe that you can buy an older yacht for a pittance, keep restoration costs in line, and wind up with a good looking “oldie” for less than the cost of a new yacht.
Either way, the starting point, according to Cindy Purcell of Huckins Yachts in Jacksonville, is to get not just a good survey, but a great survey, one that goes beyond evaluating the condition to recommending and pricing necessary work. Jim, who is currently restoring the 92-foot JFK Presidential Yacht Honey Fitz, adds, “Hire a really good surveyor because you need to trust him to either talk you into it…..or out of it!”
Cost it out. Unlike home restorations, most skippers aren’t capable of investing much sweat equity. Unless you happen to really understand yacht electrical systems or can spray on a flawless coat of Awlgrip, you need to pay experts.  Parts may be difficult to source and a vintage restoration will likely require replating or even casting custom parts.
Consider resale value as well. Many times a yacht undergoing an expensive restoration may still be worth less than the cost of the project, commanding only the price of similar boats its size, type and age, in which case it better be a labor of love. However, some boats are far more restorable than others: a mint Bertram 31 is always in demand, and classics with a pedigree such as Trumpy can easily justify their refit costs.
“There are many very successful restorations,” Jim points out, adding, “but the one thing they have in common is a clear game plan beforehand.”
Kevin Doyle of the Newport Yacht and Launch Co. has been involved in consulting and engineering design on an array of large classic yacht restorations, such as the 104-foot Trumpy, Freedom, and his warning is straightforward: “Don’t start with bad advice.”  He suggests a prospective restorer should evaluate carefully how he plans to use the boat and then, “Keep it simple.”  Doyle suggests bringing in experts on all systems to plan every detail before beginning the project. Something that seems straightforward, such as repowering, can lead to a cascade of projects. Newer engines deliver far more power per pound than older ones, so new engines of equal horsepower may be so much lighter that the trim and balance of the yacht will be off. He warns about increasing power in the hopes of a faster yacht. “Not only is the basic structure unlikely to have been designed for the greater forces, but often the struts limit the size of the propellers which then limit speed in spite of increased horsepower,” he says.
“We try to keep everything as original as possible,” says Jim, “but there are obvious exceptions. You have to update the galley, for example, but you can hide new Sub-Zero drawer refrigerators behind panels. Air conditioning is something that you absolutely have to add, so we have to find ways to conceal the vents and ducting.”
“Too many clients get ahead of the project,” says Cindy.  “Do all the structural work before you start on the cosmetics for two reasons. First, you won’t have to re-do anything and, second, you can still use the boat in an unfinished state.”
All of the restorers we interviewed emphasized that a good restoration should not just return the boat to strength and beauty, but improve its usefulness as well. Whether it’s using advanced epoxies to seal a wooden hull or adding a watermaker, replacing the vintage cable steering with hydraulics, or adding a generator to power new air conditioning, it’s important to upgrade the yacht as well. Says Cindy, “There’s absolutely nothing wrong with improving the basic product.”
But in the end, whether it’s a Chris-Craft that looks like it just left a show in the 1960s or an as-new Elco from that gentler era before we began to number our wars, there is a pleasure in restoring a yacht to its original beauty. “Some owners do it because they love the finished yacht,” says Jim, “and others do it because they enjoy the process.”
“Either way,” he says, “there’s nothing like it.”