Boat Wanted

[Silverado6x6]

I need a boat, a nice big one, over 40', less than 65'.

I have a dream about it every day, rather bothers me quite a bit especially while I am rebuilding a 28' fishing boat up here in Alaska for my employer, I feel bad putting my good work to someone else's project, naturally getting paid for my work reasons it all out.

If you have read this so far here is the kicker, I want a free boat!

This should have a better chance than me winning a Powerball lottery, there is always an occasional free boat on Craigslist, I have seen them and discussed it on forums here and elsewhere.

What I am doing is quite literally placing my name on a forum so that its there "just in case" there is always that once in a million chance, a sudden widow that never liked boats, a mysterious rich benefactor, or a reasonable item at very small expense.

I deserve it and I will get it, either I keep saving my money, eliminate all debts and have the suggested 20% down for an average low cost of $125,000 for a decent Hat like a 53 or a 58. I have over $6,000 cash on hand saved just this summer alone so I am serious, and just to clarify my position I am 51 years old, master mechanic, I drive concrete mixers in Wasilla, Alaska home of our future Vice President.

So if you want to get rid of that big nasty floating money magnet just give me a call, worst thing is I can say I cannot handle it, worse thing for me is to not jump at a very real offer, lets see if its possible one way or the other.

 

[Sparky1]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1HpUIqdn18Y&feature=related

 

[Silverado6x6]

Good morning guys, I was on another forum and I saw a free boat deal, looks like the person who came forward to take it is going to cut it up for the teak.
http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/f64/free-boat-come-get-it-19588.html
Its over at Cruisers Forums, there was a pic of it, looked like a 50'ketch that was storm damaged and left out and abandoned, kinda sad to see that happen but hopefully the wood will be used elsewhere.
Sometimes I regret moving to Alaska, sure I own 8 acres free and clear, I drive a 2002 Silverado Dually, all paid for, my work is pretty secure because I built the friggin batch plant and the owners could never find anyone to replace me especially the peanut wages they give me.

I make $20 an hour, now I am sure the city folks think thats near minimum wage but in most parts of the country thats quite respectable, I could do a daily 100 mile commute to Anchorage but that would only get me about $6 more an hour.

What is the biggest drag is every winter I usually get layed off for several months, last winter I broke a finger on the job so woorkmans comp paid my wages for 4 months. If I was living in a more temperate climate I would have work all 12 months, of course I always save money and prepay my bills but still its just sitting in a recliner all day on the puter and working in my hobby room on a ships model or something else.

 

[Silverado6x6]

Last spring I joined here and found several other boating forums, also I was cruising Craigslist daily.
My search area was around Tampa Bay because I felt it had the best to offer in terms of renting a lot with a shop plus the boat yards nearby, I was surprised to find many people had some pretty reasonable deals like just a shed, a small shop on lots or on private property to rent out. And RVs are cheap, I would fly down, buy a cheap running class C, park it on a lot with power, either have a shop or build up one say from a connex container and take it from there. Another route was to find the boat and live on it, could work either way. I have no problem running off to someplace I have never been to and starting up from scratch, I have been doing that my whole life.
Unfortunately there is not much here in Alaska, boats that are for sale seem to have golden hulls, even the really old about to sink at the dock ones the owners think that they will get rich selling them, in a way they can because there is not much here and many people make a good wage and have money to spend will buy just whats available because they have no choice. I have a choice, if I find what I want in Alaska say at Homer or Valdez then I have all my tools and resources here, if not I am building up a satellite shop in a warmer climate that is more diverse in materials at better prices and a much more open market.

I have a passion but no outlet for it, now I guess thats laughable isn't it, I mean why should there be people willing to invest all their time and money on something that is just a folly? Sometimes a folly is all a man can look forward to, what else to do? my son is a teenager, I am bored with my work, my wife has a good stable job and I feel like life is passing me by.

Well its sunday morning, time for a platter of bacon and to see whats on the Craigslist.

 

[Silverado6x6]

Sorry but I cannot get images to load here, am I supposed to pay a friggin fee or something, by a VISTA puter?

This a pic of that 50' free boat, its going to become scrap teak tomorrow.

 

[Silverado6x6]

duh me I finally figured out how to get that img thing to work.

 

[Sparky1]

Silverado, you seem like a good guy to me, but maybe you would get more input if you posted this on The Sand Bar. I visited Alaska for the first time this past summer and really enjoyed it. Not sure I'd want to do the liveaboard thing there during the winter, but to each his own.

Just one question, how do you plan to get your "free" boat back to Alaska? I would think there would be plenty of free boats like the one you posted a picture of, but it would cost you a fortune to get it home unless you find one really close.

Either way, good luck in fulfilling your dream.

 

[Silverado6x6]

Sparky I have lived year round in Alaska since 1992, and that means working during a 6 month winter, in my case I manage a concrete batch plant and I drive a concrete mixer in the winter months, on icy roads in sub zero temps.

I absolutely do NOT want to live on a boat in Alaska in the winter, I'll be 52 in december and the winters are feeling too cold for me, besides many Alaskans often leave the state in the winter, I usually rent a vacation home in Orlando every year for a month in january, no I would never plan to buy something and bring it here, I go there, dual base of operations.

Anyhow I thought my post would liven up the forum, I am finding a lot of free boats however on Craigslist, just saw one in Hawaii and I am surprised to find the larger sailboats are pretty cheap there, now I think I may spend more time researching Hawaii, a buddy of mine just came back from there he bought some property, I am asking him to check out some things next time he heads down there.
To sum it up Alaska is great in the summer but after a few winters you start to go a little nuts, I was told that when we all got our PFD checks that half of Wasilla bought plane tickets to Hawaii, myself I have never been there.