Recession-Proof Recreation

Wednesday, 02 June 2010 11:00

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In a world of spiralling costs and diminishing returns, the classic boat may be the answer to your prayers. Simon Everett reports . . .

In these hard economic times, it is heartening to see that the classic boating scene seems to be standing up very well to the tightening of everybody’s belts. Where new boat sales are being hit (quite hard in some cases) with tales of big boat builders laying off staff, the small, independent boat builders who invest their time in craftsmanship and traditional boat building skills have plenty of work on.

I reckon the reason for this is that it is far easier to overlook a mass produced item than it is to let go of a family heirloom. On the one hand you have a piece of plastic created by machines to the same spec as a thousand other competent objects. On the other, you have an artisan creation, full of charm and heritage.

But it isn’t just boat repairs and maintenance that are keeping these businesses alive. New classics are being commissioned too. These new traditional boats require specific skills to build and they are slow in the making, crafted with care and loving attention to detail. They are not just commodities, bullied into decline by open market forces. They are works of automotive art, built with blood, sweat and tears and that is why they have ridden over the tsunami of recession that, in the past year or so, has swept across the UK’s harbours.

The talent pool
To maintain a steady stream of craftsmen with the necessary skills to continue the production of modern classics, there are several boat building schools around the country. These seats of learning will train anyone, from an owner who just wants the confidence to carry out a few jobs on his own boat, right through to a fully fledged trainee or a professional boat builder. Their aim is not to produce perfect craftsmen but to send these people out with the core skills, so they can spend the rest of their lives perfecting them. Whether they then spend their time keeping old boats alive or creating the next wooden boat for future generations to enjoy, it remains an enormously satisfying pastime.

The bargains
Another reason classic boats have ridden the recession well is due to their extraordinary value for money. Have a look through the adverts and you will see just how much boat you can get on a budget. Personally, I have always yearned for a Triana Tropicana. This 25-foot sports cruiser from the late 60s and early 70s is a fantastic sea boat, at least on a par with anything that can be produced today. One came up for sale in Falmouth which had two new engines and a complete internal refit in mahogany. The rebuild and engines alone cost about £20,000 and yet the asking price for the complete boat was exactly that - £20,000. It was a bargain. I couldn’t go wrong. And yet on that particular occasion, I missed out.

Boating for free
It’s no disaster though. There are plenty of gems like that if you keep your eyes and ears open. And if you do manage to buy the right boat, with the bulk of the restoration work done properly, not only do you have a craft that beats the Hell out of any modern equivalent for the same money, but you have an investment that will resist depreciation. Perfect boating for free. How’s that for recession-proof . . .

On the one hand you have a competent piece of plastic. On the other, you have an artisan creation of unique heritage. Which would you choose?