Major Yacht Remanufacture Blog

[Loren Beach]

Some friends of ours are rebuilding their Cascade 36. Like the Ericson's the Cascades are usually classed as very strong "good old boats" and one of the most experienced and talented ship wrights in the NW has a shop just west of Portland. Tom has done several total rebuilds of this model, including Hawaii race victor Rain Drop. Also several more that are or have gone on multiyear blue water cruises.

And then there's the major reconstruction of an Ericson 30, that moors near me. That story is fascinating, but the owner does check in here from time to time and will have to tell it when he's in the mood.

Anyhow, it's very seldom that the whole process gets put on line in any sort of narrative. Bill and Nina's blog is a great learning tool for projects like the rudder post and related parts that is in today's update.
You can click on each month and see the work moving forward.
https://gypsykramer.wordpress.com/2015/06/25/week-22-painting-is-just-around-the-corner/

They are planning, hopefully, to be back moored beside me sometime in July. I would expect that the last of the interior finishing out will go on for a little while. There is a need to make room for the next project in Tom's shop.

This is also the place where I got a LOT of help with designing and building my four new winch risers.

Cheers,
Loren

 

[MMLOGAN]

Video version

Not that these two had great shipwrights but it is entertaining and informative.

https://www.youtube.com/user/spannerheadz/videos

Cheers,

 

[Loren Beach]

Getting closer to the finish line

https://gypsykramer.wordpress.com/2015/07/30/week-27non-skid-paint/

After seeing how a "one off" finish out is done and the work that goes into something we tend take for granted like perfect edges on our non skid....
I realize all over again just why a boat builder labors so hard and with so much labor expense to make a perfect plug for the initial mold.

Also, why if any planning for installing hardware on the deck that involves a recess or a riser must be Carefully (!!) thought out before the tooling is attempted. I recall that quality high-end builders would sail an initial example of a design and work out the location of blocks, vents, and -any- other deck hardware before the final mold tooling was done.

Seeing the evolution of Bill and Nina's Cascade is quite educational. Note that this shop has done at least 4 or 5 other full restorations of this same model of boat and has more experience with it than any other builder. They previously did a similar Full Monty restoration of an Ericson as well. And then there was the Jason 35 that has been to Hawaii and back is leaving next month to circumnavigate...

Anyhow, I hope that you all enjoy this project link as much as I.

If we could budget that kind of $, would we take our boat there for a restoration? Oh yeah.


Loren

 

[mkollerjr]

I looked seriously at Cascades for a while. This book was a pretty good read about a Portland couple who built a Cascade 36 and sailed it around the world:

http://www.amazon.com/Way-Wind-Refreshing-Inspiration-Long-distance/dp/1574090038

Mark

 

[Loren Beach]

Work continues

They are adding more photos and text to their blog as they rebuild and finish the interior. When you admire your "stick built" Ericson interior, marvel at the amount of work that goes into that wood work. Those of us with all or partial frp moldings inside will just have to get by with occasional cleaning and waxing!


Loren

 

[mkollerjr]

Wow, that boat is essentially brand new now. I wonder how much they spent? Regardless, I bet it was less money than buying a new boat of inferior construction. Those Cascades are solid boats, worth putting money into, even though you probably won't get it back out at resale.

 

[Loren Beach]

New again, indeed

Wow, that boat is essentially brand new now. I wonder how much they spent? Regardless, I bet it was less money than buying a new boat of inferior construction. Those Cascades are solid boats, worth putting money into, even though you probably won't get it back out at resale.

I have not asked for nor received any $ hints, but I estimate the outlay at around 40 to 50K. And then there was a lot of labor by the owners.

Like other blue water-capable boats (Ericson, Tartan, CS Yachts, Hinterhoeller, Sabre, and a few others) a boat of this design and build quality and general displacement would cost around $300K and up, if new.

Note that the boat no longer has a "hull to deck joint".... it has been heavily glassed over. Tom Becker (it's his business) routinely does this on a rebuild.

Loren