SAVE THE SHEERLINES, SAVE THE SOUL OF SAILING

Keep the Classics Afloat — Because Good Lines Never Go Out of Style

If you’ve ever walked a boatyard and stopped dead in your tracks at the sweeping sheer of a Hinckley Pilot, or the tucked-under transom of a Sparkman & Stephens sloop, you know what we’re talking about (I realize these two references could be referring to the same boat!).

There’s a grace to these old girls—a kind of purposeful elegance that today’s chubby-sterned, condo-on-a-keel cruisers just can’t match. Classic sailboats weren’t designed by committees or modern CAD software. They were drawn by hand, by people who knew what it meant to be at sea. People who knew that form follows function—but beauty could tag along for the ride.

The one on the left: $296,000 - 34 feet. The one on the right: $34,000 - 32 feet.

And yet…too many of these seaworthy classics are being left on the hard, sold for parts, or worse—cut up and hauled off to the dump.

It doesn’t have to be this way.

At BoatFools Sailing, we believe these boats still have legs—or at least, hulls worth saving. With the right stewardship (and, let’s be honest, a willingness to do a little varnishing), these classics can keep turning heads at anchor and making good time under sail.

They’re also a fraction of the price of what a modern production boat will run you. A new 32-footer? You’re looking at $250,000 minimum—before you add electronics, canvas, solar, dinghy, or a cupholder. Meanwhile, for a fraction of that budget (less than $28,000) you could land a gorgeously kept Cape Dory, Bristol, or Alberg with ocean miles under her keel and charm to spare. There are dozens if not hundreds of boats like these out there—beautiful and in need of a new home.

The classic Bristol 32 @$24,999

The sturdy Cape Dory 28 @ $27,500

The timeless Alberg 37 @ $23,500

Still worried about insurance? Don’t be. That fear is wildly overblown. Yes, some underwriters are picky—but good boats with clean surveys get coverage. Some smaller boats (under 30 feet) will not even need a survey, but you should get one anyway! We just sat down with an actual factual marine insurance agent to clear the air. That episode drops on the BoatFools Sailing YouTube channel this Saturday, May 3rd at 4PM, so set a reminder. It’s packed with helpful intel for anyone buying a vintage cruiser, wood OR fiberglass.

Bottom line:
Let’s stop treating these boats like relics, and start treating them like what they are: affordable, functional works of art. Might they require a little effort now and then? Sure. But don’t let ease be your new disease. A little boat work is good for your soul (and probably good for the “sole” of your new used boat…). So get out there and get busy sailing or get busy trying!

Sailing needs more sheerlines, not fewer.
The world has enough beige.

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Got a classic boat story or a favorite that’s worth saving? Hit reply or comment—we want to hear it. And if you’re restoring one of these beauties, send us a photo. We might feature it in an upcoming issue.

Let’s keep these hulls on the water—and out of the landfill.

⚓
– Tris & Canadian Ken
BoatFools Sailing
Saving Sailboats, One Sheerline at a Time

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ITEMS OF NOTE

• BoatFools Sailing is a proud sponser of Maine Island Trail Association (MITA). From their website: The Maine Island Trail Association is a membership organization dedicated to the protection and enjoyment of the wild islands of coastal Maine.

  If you’re a boater along the coast of Maine, you should become a member. Click HERE to learn more.

• Also, going forward BoatFools Sailing is donating 3% of its annual gross revenue to THE OCEAN CLEANUP. I’ve recently been to the Bahamas and to Antigua and the amount of plastic and garbage washing up on their shores is disgusting, devastating, and just plain terrible to see. So, if you are a paying subscriber to this newsletter, buy our merchandise, are a Patreon member, or just watch hours and hours of our videos, you are helping. So thank you!

• Don’t forget to check out THE BOATFOOLS MARKET REPORT for current sales data on the boats we have profiled.