I bought a lot on a lake in Saskatchewan, Canada (Fort Qu’Appelle). I contracted out the building of the house but did the ‘finishing’ touches (that I had the competence to handle) myself. My big interest and strongest skill turned out to be the landscaping; that took me about ten years. The points you give are ‘crackerjack!!!’ and I would recommend them to house buyers. The British might say, “Be penny wise, not pound foolish.’ Bravo to you!
Hi Stu, Having undertaken an unplanned boat restoration a boat myself 15 years ago (transom, floor, keel, wiring, electrics, steering, paint, full fit-out) I hear what you are saying. Had I known what I was getting myself into, I'd probably (as you suggest) have gone down a different route and bought a boat with less 'issues'. But there's more to it than that. Renko is YOUR boat. You rebuilt it and you invested your blood, sweat, tears, stress and money. It's a part of you now and every time you look at the old girl you can be immensely proud. Furthermore you know her backwards, you know what's behind every panel. You've eyeballed everything from the wiring to the stern gland and that's always a good thing when it comes to boats. A car breaking down on the side of the road is inconvenient...when you are caught 40km out to sea in a squall there's more at stake and you breathe a little easier knowing everything is solid. My old boat has given me so much pleasure over such a long time and has been my sanctuary and source of happiness during both good and bad times. It's more than a boat to me, something (well I hope!) other boat people reading this understand. Well done on the resto thus far (it is a credit to you) and I've very much enjoyed following it through your videos. Iain
Iain, your comment is music to my ears as I am definitely on the same page with my Clipper 34 project. At 70+ years I am hoping for a few more and I feel my boat is helping me from many angles. I am a tinkerer of course but I have an overall plan still. Thank you for expressing what I would have liked to say etc.
Number Zero: If it Floats, Flies, or F*cks, RENT IT !!!!! Most of us knew you were in over your head at the start. But you are such a great video maker/personality we kept watching.
As for myself I enjoy the restoration more than the use. I’ve restored two boats and two campers one Vespa three motorcycles and too many cars to count them sold them without ever having used them except to make sure everything was in working order. Monetarily I have broke out even on a couple of projects. But it is the project that gives me enjoyment and a feeling of accomplishment.
These tips represent the blood sweat tears and cash you poured into your project. So it would not be a stretch to say that this information is more valuable than gold. Thank you for sharing this information with us fro free !
When you have a bag full of diamonds and you are a brick layer, get a diamond cutter to cut your diamonds, or you could end up with a bag full of rocks. A very hard life lesson to learn, especially for someone as cheap as myself. The surest way to fail, is to give up. Good on you, for not giving up.
This lecture covers anything in life...... I myself just got popped on a purchase (non boat related) and believed the seller and there was no way a problem was waiting to take my money. Someone going with me alone would have stopped it. Stupid me and lesson learned. Great video.....
"Damn You Boats!" I've had canoes, Tinnies, a Bondwood ski boat, yachts, FG half cabins, Auminium centre console, Aluminium 1/2 cabin, and even a catamaran (a small one) I'm a recovering boataholic......And i love it! Thanks Stu, keep em' comin'.
Loved the chooks,, hated him. No, truly mate, this has been a super adventure. Glad it was you and not me. Really admire your courage and tenacity and your 10 tips are right on the money. I'm an ex Aussie in Alberta Canada and listening to your familiar accent has been a treat. Looking forward to many more vids.
Anyone looking at buying a project boat needs to watch this and really listen. Really good advice. If there's one other piece of advice I would give it would be buy a boat you plan on keeping. If your thinking you will start on a smaller boat work on it sell it and buy a better one, don't. Save and buy the better boat you actually want.
That was really good Stu, I bet there are lots of followers like me that have very little knowledge on how to fix/restore anything, but like the idea of getting a second hand boat, but are scared of whats involved price wise and skill wise to make the boat usable...................I've said it before, your a legend
A perfectly described evaluation of the challenges to boat restoration. Have been watching my son tackle and battle a 45 year old balsa core sailboat project. He is "a live aboard" so try to imagine that for a minute. Fortunately now, the third wife is in the battle with him to finish the work and be off on their round the world cruise in a year or so... He is exactly your age.
Great advice Stu. The old saying, 'A boat can often be a big black hole into which you just pour a heap of money', can be so very true. I was more lucky than wise when I bought a 30' NZ Kauri displacement boat (1927), Perkins diesel that an engineer workmate & Commodore of R.V.M.Y.C., who had bought into a larger boat & needed the cash Not only got a good deal on a well sorted boat, but had permanent club marina berth thrown in to the deal included. I can understand the odd motivation lapse you have had on the project, but you seem to have dealt well with them/it. An understanding boating wife is just such a bonus. "Life on the ocean wave, tra la'.
While all reasons and thoughts are very good and sound, number 9 was the best for me. I have in January bought my first fiberglass boat, that was in ok shape and came with alot of extra bits. I have sorted some leaks, resolved a steering problem, serviced the gearbox(outboard) plugs, water filter in the fuel system, upgraded some electronics and really tidied her up all while keeping her usable. My Wife was dubious about the condition of the boat to start with and now sees what I saw when we first looked. I am proud of my vessel and the wife is happy....win win.
Been here for a long time, knowing I DON'T WANT ONE!. But, been into thing's requiring time. Had a business, so was time poor. This led to selling the project. Best move, but regret for what could have been, is still with me. Good for you, for sticking with it, Hope you enjoy it..
Hi Stu. Really sensible/wise/rational words of wisdom from a guy who just had a silly accident. He He ! Seriously though, your Tips are really well put together and make a lot of sense. Obviously spoken from experience with your project which I have followed from the beginning but I reckon I have witnessed a lot of joy come from that project as indicated from your subscribers/Likes etc. I realise that it has cost more than expected as has my Clipper 34 (mini project compared to yours). Iain R's comment makes a lot of sense to me and I believe it would be understood by most project boat owners. Really do appreciate you taking the time to give us the benefit of your experiences Stu. I guess that you are almost ready to enjoy the fruits of your labour with Renko now. You really do deserve it mate - well done and cheers.
Out takes on the end brought back old memories and a special Phrase...." Get a pump", saying used almost daily in the summer, but still fondly remembered.
There are very few people who make sense on the interweb... you are definately one of those who do. Love the advice on practically everything I have watched todate. Good on you. Keep it up
Great advice Stu. I agree completely with getting an external set of eyes to review your potential purchase. I went all the way to the Caribbean to buy a boat. It wasn’t as described and I was really really disappointed but was tempted to haggle. After all I had gone, literally half way around the world. I am a reasonably experienced yachtie but still went forward with the formal survey. Am so glad that I did as it as he was much more brutal than I would have been doing it for myself. His conclusion made it much easier to walk away: ‘I advise you to stay away from this vessel, and insist on not being responsible for future potential aggravation that may occur if you don’t.’ That said it all.
Stu, most of the tips you gave about boats can be applicable to lots of other projects. A couple of trees fell on my old barn last January, and I am replacing it with a new one...different problems than your boat, but many of the same types of decisions. Good insights!
Glad you ended up with at least a part of a good boat. Not to mention the experience and knowledge you have gained and shared. And thanks for showing the world how good a person an Aussie can be. I would love to meet you in person but that will never happen unless you bring the boat to Thailand. (together with the chooks).
I'm 2 thirds of the way through restoring a 1970 Hartley Vixen. It's only an 18 foot trailer boat but wow, it's been a lot of work. I can't imagine taking on a project the size of that ship!
21:34 famous last words This project may have turned out to be way more work than anticipated, but it has also made your channel grow massively! Don't know how many subscribers you had when you started the project, but you're on 153K now and that's a lot. I remember when I subscribed you had around 7K, really nice to see how big your channel has become!
What he says is golden for sure im just about finished on a 9 foot old fiberglass speed boat (cost me only petrol money to get in the first place), Obvious I "calculated" a cost, it has since doubled, but im not going to sell it at anytime. its unique and will attract attention for sure. Still took a lot of work to get it to paint, lots of glass rebuild.
Your right enough there, four years to renovate my boat not the six months I thought it would be and at least twice the cost too I wouldn't do it the same again no way, all's well that ends well though.
You had just posted the first video in this series the day I went digging for a boat repair series and have followed the whole thing. I also remember the episode where you were going to sell your truck and was kinda heartbroken I couldn't help. This has been a really great series and I honestly cant wait to see what you do next!
Good suggestions/warnings for the unwary! Also glad to see you are healing up! Hope you are healing and getting full function back. I'm still in a cast for another 3 weeks. Loved the highlight reel of boat moments at the end. Also loved the chickens. We have a bunch of them, and they are fun to watch. Made the mistake of getting too many chicks this year, and we are giving them away to friends. They are about 5 weeks old now. I am stepping away from being a boat mechanic this year. Going back to doing restorations. Have 7 boats I'll be doing this year- 3 center consoles, 2 walkaround cabins, a bass boat and a bowrider. 4 are mostly ready now, only needing minor work/cleaning, once my arm heals. 2 are total rebuilds. Will keep me busy and pay the bills, and be a lot less stressful. Thanks again for your hard work producing these videos!
Thanks, Stu! Yes, this cast is a real drag. Now that the worst of the pain has passed, I've learned how difficult working with one hand actually is. I've been re-wiring a boat very slowly, and I'm proud to say that I can now zip- tie wires one-handed while upside down, halfway under a console! More difficult than I ever knew. That's a skill I'll actually use, moving forward. Thanks, and best wishes.
All good points for buying a boat and starting a project. The value of your videos and enlightening millions of viewers with your challenges is worth way more than the $100,000 spent achieving your excellent results. I would estimate it's worth millions, it will save lives by inspiring others to restore, recycle and take on the restoration challenge. This element of your contributions here is really priceless. Keep On being you, sharing and recycling. Love your work old mate !
I’m in my late 70s, well past the age of undertaking a demanding physical challenge such as a Renko. It has been an adventure for me and I’ve been glad to support it. Thanks!
Great advice and superb video , When I bought my glass boat I new the stringers and floors were toast but with my friend who has years of glassing experience taught me a lot so I was able to complete the the job on my own . Another tip that worked for me was not to give myself a deadline because I don’t want set myself up for disappointment if the deadline passes . As for the motor and electrical the boat only needed minor repairs / upgrades . I must say you inspired me with your Marvin the martian so I named my boat Amigo and I will have a Speedy Gonzales sticker on my side windows . Cheers
All good advice, great job Stu, on everything. Rynko is a solid sea worthy vessel. All because of your skill, ingenuity, and expertise. I think you could have a live 24hr chicken cam running! Lol I dont know why, but i’m sure i’d tune in to see the yard birds do their thing!
Great advice Stu. The only other one I'd suggest is be really sure of what your needs are, and buy a boat that provides that. It is very easy to buy too big, our too small and what ever you buy, make sure that it will meet your wife's, or husband's, or partner's or family's needs as well. For me the boat had to be big enough for a full bathroom, a full kitchen, 240v power and a most important, a coffee machine. Happy wife, happy life.
I bought a basket case 13 foot fibreglass dinghy on a rotten trailer for £50. I probably spent more doing it up than the cost of an instant in the water job ( i did find some bargains, too late, along the way, but most were very overvalued by the owners ). The learning experience was beyond value and the enjoyment was priceless. I have followed Renko's story all the way and always been in awe of what you have done, but not surprised by what you have had to do. Maybe tip No:11 should be about not dreaming too big for a first go. Pleased to see you healing up, keep on keeping on.
Stu...your words are true. my buddy and I bought a 34 ft scarab, twin 454 mercruisers..He owns a marina. I am a mechanical contractor. if we had to pay people to revamp this boat, there is just no way..but doing what we can ourselves and splitting costs, will have this boat back doing poker runs by august.
Outstanding video, great advice! I bet some of these were humbling. I tell, as guy who grew up on the coast of Maine on boats I really enjoy your videos and the story as it unfolds. Sometimes I learn things, some times I laugh as you learn things. This truly is a special channel. Thanks man..... er mate.
I started watching this without seeing your older videos, and got caught up with the process.I think this is one of the most useful, honest assessments I've seen. Thanks, and good luck with the boat. You're a good person I think, a friend to all.
Speaking from my own experience as a researcher in 21stcentury literacies and learning, I'd just wanted to share my observation that by deciding to go through the motions, you have created a valuable learning repository for other people. Now, I know that doesn't really pays for itself and cannot be added to the cost/benefit chart of the project but it's of important immaterial value to creating a new kind of knowledge base made by people like you and others who document and report their learning trajectories and experiences in projects. Some people write a book, others keep a website; RUclips in its own right has become an important learning resource on the one hand and a potential source of income on the other to actually realize these projects. Thanks for sharing your experiences (also the RE Himalayan videos, I took some good ideas from that and actually own one myself). It would be interesting to see how the channel evolves from here on.
While I understand that the “smart move” is to buy a more expensive boat that needs less work early on, I’m really really glad you went with the “hard route” through the deeper restoration on a worse boat - it’s made for a very informative and enjoyable series of videos. I’m also hoping that after you are happy with Renko’s condition, you resume the from-scratch boatbuilding! (We don’t enjoy watching you suffer, Stu, but _man_ do we learn from it!!!)
Excellent advice Stu, if nothing else, you got a great RUclips following out of it. That should probably be Tip 11: If you do something this daft, make a RUclips channel and be entertaining, at least that way you won't be alone in your suffering.
I love your honesty Stu, I have been watching this build from the beginning, and to be honest I knew this update was coming at some time, "having been there and spent that" my myself on my last boat (and lost a fortune when I sold it to buy my current boat) , I love boats and spent a lot of time looking at boats at marinas, the marinas are full of "broken dreams" and the waterways are littered with the remains of more broken dreams. If you ever make it to the Gold Coast in Renko I would be more than happy to show you the inside route from the Gold Coast up to Moreton Island via North and South Stradbroke island, and a few beers along the way, keep dreaming the dream
Great Episode! Answered many of my planning questions on type of boat. Although I would like Steel or Aluminum, my skills are less in fabrication of metals. The info on buying a little better boat from the start was a particularly good point! Not valuing older Electronics, and options was also a good one that will payoff in my search for an older boat. A problem many of us face now is we are older, with different types of financial means and burdens. So a formal partnership, if you don't have a trusty friend (like they do with private airplanes), makes great sense! I've noticed that Leasing is starting to be more of a subject in boating, considering a boat never gets enjoyed enough by just one party. A lease between 2 or more parties would be great! I don't like weekends for days off, never have, so this also makes alot of sense to me!! Overall 5/5 good episode! Oh, don't forget the WIFE on board with ones project, makes it 💯 easier to do😂
Thank you for your take on boat life, and the information that sits atop of the all, when you get to the end off the beginning or phase 1. " Top 10 vid complete " LEVEL UPGRADE
A cautionary video. I subscribed to your effort because I saw your first video and you asked the question, "Should you buy a old steel boat?". I remember screaming at the screen, "Abso-effing'lutely NOT". But before I could comment in-depth, you announced that you had purchased your project. I then I had to watch the whole painful experience. I lived aboard for 25 years and consequently learned a lot - 'brick houses and fibre glass boats' is my first rule. As with property, construction analysis (COMPLETE survey) before contract. A good survey is a work plan and invaluable. Anyway, I'm glad you made it to the end, still married and with your Rover. I have prayed for you.
BOAT = break out another thousand, on the bright side look at the additional skills you have and the pleasure it has given us watching the challenges...sometimes that is pricless
Partners depends on the person, but best time spent on my boat was just messing about, which made many conversation, opportunity for many messing about moments,Ah, yes and sharing very under played, Its part of a shared relationship, and mostly successful, Sharing is caring, which honestly paid for the slip.
Having a space to work on the boat, YES! I lost my space one month in and it almost killed the whole project. Luckily the yard I'm in now is treating me well. Great tips for sure!
G'day I used to look after Wharf St Marina, Baymac, and others at Brooklyn. I also worked on the Sun and the Star. (Auto Electrician). I'm in Kariong these days, and what you say on this is the same as buying/building a hot rod. Hats off to you for getting it up to how YOU want it to be. Cheers.
Youve done a brilliant job on your boat ive watched every one but your chickens are stealing the lime light there bloody funny . But again your boat is fantastic and i am looking forward to watching you going out diving and doing salvege work stay safe keep doing the vlogs there very interteresting and sorry to hear about your accident
Stu, I’ve got to say thank YOU! This build has provided me many MANY hours of entertainment 😁👍 And the way you run your channel / build makes me feel as though I’m right there but with none of the stress of actually being right there 😎👍👍👍
Great video Stu, actually I've followed a great deal of your tips looking at it at the end of a caravan project I had. Thank you for entertaining me with your videos.
Top video Stu. Realistic and informative. I hope you get many hours of fun and relaxation out of her now the hard yards are done. I'm not seeing any specialised videos about building an eutectic fridge set up to keep a pallet of Coopers cold for the long trips however. Cold beverage storage and easy access to said beverages is imperative........ I've learnt a lot from your videos. Renko is a lovely vessel. Well done. !! Cheers !
Tip #8 ties in with my most essential auto repair tip: The most important tool for fixing your car is another driveable car. My #1 tip is based around living landlocked however: Have a friend who is restoring a boat. You get all the "fun" of working on a crusty old boat and can drop in to help as needed but you aren't tied in to it financially.
Well...I'm glad you built up Renko the way you did because you slapped it all on RUclips for all of us to enjoy. Look at all the friends you made, all the fans you picked up and all the $$$ you get with 150k+ subscribers!
I bought a project boat this past January, an 83 Ranger 375V. That 2k inspection is more than my boat and all work I've done. Crazy to wrap my head around!
I love this new series and how the channel has evolved BUT...I’ll always have love for the green machine videos and seeing that flicker of it in the video brought back the memories lol
Great vid bud, I am not buying a steel boat after watching it, :-) especially when you said, " after spending to much on your boat, can you afford to run it" sounds like a mare. Great viewing and advise.
when I bought my similar sized boat I told the wife that the money we pay for the boat can never be recovered nor all the money that I have spent on it since, you get value from use, so you must be able to use it. Anyway call me lucky but 10 yrs later she (who hasn't set foot on the boat for years) said its great having the boat basically for my mental health the pressure of a big job a big family she is sure that the boat keeps me going which is one of the reasons I love her, but it is true its an escape and one because of that big job we can afford. One day when I have had enough I will give it away.
I bought a lot on a lake in Saskatchewan, Canada (Fort Qu’Appelle). I contracted out the building of the house but did the ‘finishing’ touches (that I had the competence to handle) myself. My big interest and strongest skill turned out to be the landscaping; that took me about ten years.
The points you give are ‘crackerjack!!!’ and I would recommend them to house buyers. The British might say, “Be penny wise, not pound foolish.’
Bravo to you!
All these tips are golden, no matter what you’re buying. Be it a house, car, boat or an airplane. These are all valid!
Hi Stu,
Having undertaken an unplanned boat restoration a boat myself 15 years ago (transom, floor, keel, wiring, electrics, steering, paint, full fit-out) I hear what you are saying. Had I known what I was getting myself into, I'd probably (as you suggest) have gone down a different route and bought a boat with less 'issues'.
But there's more to it than that. Renko is YOUR boat. You rebuilt it and you invested your blood, sweat, tears, stress and money. It's a part of you now and every time you look at the old girl you can be immensely proud.
Furthermore you know her backwards, you know what's behind every panel. You've eyeballed everything from the wiring to the stern gland and that's always a good thing when it comes to boats. A car breaking down on the side of the road is inconvenient...when you are caught 40km out to sea in a squall there's more at stake and you breathe a little easier knowing everything is solid.
My old boat has given me so much pleasure over such a long time and has been my sanctuary and source of happiness during both good and bad times. It's more than a boat to me, something (well I hope!) other boat people reading this understand.
Well done on the resto thus far (it is a credit to you) and I've very much enjoyed following it through your videos.
Iain
Iain, your comment is music to my ears as I am definitely on the same page with my Clipper 34 project. At 70+ years I am hoping for a few more and I feel my boat is helping me from many angles. I am a tinkerer of course but I have an overall plan still. Thank you for expressing what I would have liked to say etc.
I don't think I want to rebuild a boat, but have enjoyed watching you rebuild Renko.👍
Number Zero: If it Floats, Flies, or F*cks, RENT IT !!!!!
Most of us knew you were in over your head at the start. But you are such a great video maker/personality we kept watching.
As for myself I enjoy the restoration more than the use. I’ve restored two boats and two campers one Vespa three motorcycles and too many cars to count them sold them without ever having used them except to make sure everything was in working order. Monetarily I have broke out even on a couple of projects. But it is the project that gives me enjoyment and a feeling of accomplishment.
These tips represent the blood sweat tears and cash you poured into your project. So it would not be a stretch to say that this information is more valuable than gold. Thank you for sharing this information with us fro free !
Thanks mate. :)
When you have a bag full of diamonds and you are a brick layer, get a diamond cutter to cut your diamonds, or you could end up with a bag full of rocks. A very hard life lesson to learn, especially for someone as cheap as myself. The surest way to fail, is to give up. Good on you, for not giving up.
Thank goodness you weren't smart at the beginning, think of all of the good videos we would've missed! Hope you're healing up!
This lecture covers anything in life...... I myself just got popped on a purchase (non boat related) and believed the seller and there was no way a problem was waiting to take my money. Someone going with me alone would have stopped it. Stupid me and lesson learned. Great video.....
Hi Stu , I’m 100 hours into my first boat and your channel has saved me 1000s. Thank you.
"Damn You Boats!" I've had canoes, Tinnies, a Bondwood ski boat, yachts, FG half cabins, Auminium centre console, Aluminium 1/2 cabin, and even a catamaran (a small one) I'm a recovering boataholic......And i love it! Thanks Stu, keep em' comin'.
Loved the chooks,, hated him. No, truly mate, this has been a super adventure. Glad it was you and not me. Really admire your courage and tenacity and your 10 tips are right on the money. I'm an ex Aussie in Alberta Canada and listening to your familiar accent has been a treat. Looking forward to many more vids.
Thanks Robert!
Anyone looking at buying a project boat needs to watch this and really listen. Really good advice. If there's one other piece of advice I would give it would be buy a boat you plan on keeping. If your thinking you will start on a smaller boat work on it sell it and buy a better one, don't. Save and buy the better boat you actually want.
Thanks mate, good point about buying the boat you intend to keep. I'm glad I'm keeping Renko as I'd never get the money back.
Some very sage advice, Stu. Best one I can think of is "Thinking about getting a boat? DON'T!!! Go get your friend to get one."
That was really good Stu, I bet there are lots of followers like me that have very little knowledge on how to fix/restore anything, but like the idea of getting a second hand boat, but are scared of whats involved price wise and skill wise to make the boat usable...................I've said it before, your a legend
Thanks Paul, glad you enjoyed the vid. The real trick is to buy the right boat to start with, everything else can be worked on after that.
A perfectly described evaluation of the challenges to boat restoration. Have been watching my son tackle and battle a 45 year old balsa core sailboat project. He is "a live aboard" so try to imagine that for a minute. Fortunately now, the third wife is in the battle with him to finish the work and be off on their round the world cruise in a year or so... He is exactly your age.
Great advice Stu.
The old saying, 'A boat can often be a big black hole into which you just pour a heap of money', can be so very true.
I was more lucky than wise when I bought a 30' NZ Kauri displacement boat (1927), Perkins diesel that an engineer workmate & Commodore of R.V.M.Y.C., who had bought into a larger boat & needed the cash
Not only got a good deal on a well sorted boat, but had permanent club marina berth thrown in to the deal included.
I can understand the odd motivation lapse you have had on the project, but you seem to have dealt well with them/it.
An understanding boating wife is just such a bonus.
"Life on the ocean wave, tra la'.
Ahh the old green machine, miss seeing that boat! Great video Stu.
While all reasons and thoughts are very good and sound, number 9 was the best for me. I have in January bought my first fiberglass boat, that was in ok shape and came with alot of extra bits. I have sorted some leaks, resolved a steering problem, serviced the gearbox(outboard) plugs, water filter in the fuel system, upgraded some electronics and really tidied her up all while keeping her usable. My Wife was dubious about the condition of the boat to start with and now sees what I saw when we first looked. I am proud of my vessel and the wife is happy....win win.
Been here for a long time, knowing I DON'T WANT ONE!. But, been into thing's requiring time. Had a business, so was time poor. This led to selling the project. Best move, but regret for what could have been, is still with me. Good for you, for sticking with it, Hope you enjoy it..
Hi Stu. Really sensible/wise/rational words of wisdom from a guy who just had a silly accident. He He ! Seriously though, your Tips are really well put together and make a lot of sense. Obviously spoken from experience with your project which I have followed from the beginning but I reckon I have witnessed a lot of joy come from that project as indicated from your subscribers/Likes etc. I realise that it has cost more than expected as has my Clipper 34 (mini project compared to yours). Iain R's comment makes a lot of sense to me and I believe it would be understood by most project boat owners. Really do appreciate you taking the time to give us the benefit of your experiences Stu. I guess that you are almost ready to enjoy the fruits of your labour with Renko now. You really do deserve it mate - well done and cheers.
Thanks mate, it certainly does feel worth it all once you get out there. :)
Have a positive attitude (I.e.; Stu and Damien) so you can enjoy the adventure. Well done info. Thanks.
Out takes on the end brought back old memories and a special Phrase...." Get a pump", saying used almost daily in the summer, but still fondly remembered.
There are very few people who make sense on the interweb... you are definately one of those who do. Love the advice on practically everything I have watched todate. Good on you. Keep it up
Great advice Stu.
I agree completely with getting an external set of eyes to review your potential purchase.
I went all the way to the Caribbean to buy a boat. It wasn’t as described and I was really really disappointed but was tempted to haggle. After all I had gone, literally half way around the world.
I am a reasonably experienced yachtie but still went forward with the formal survey. Am so glad that I did as it as he was much more brutal than I would have been doing it for myself. His conclusion made it much easier to walk away:
‘I advise you to stay away from this vessel, and insist on not being responsible for future potential aggravation that may occur if you don’t.’
That said it all.
From a current boat owner, this is 100% accurate
Most honest advice you can get from some one who learnt the hard way. I really enjoyed watching Renko come to life.
Great video! Good to see the hand mobility improving and splints off.
Stu, most of the tips you gave about boats can be applicable to lots of other projects. A couple of trees fell on my old barn last January, and I am replacing it with a new one...different problems than your boat, but many of the same types of decisions. Good insights!
For sure, many projects have the same problems.
Glad you ended up with at least a part of a good boat. Not to mention the experience and knowledge you have gained and shared. And thanks for showing the world how good a person an Aussie can be. I would love to meet you in person but that will never happen unless you bring the boat to Thailand. (together with the chooks).
Great tips and all very true. Especially the one about finding a long term place to work on it.
Very Well Said! Thanks so much. I hope a lot of people listen to you!
A pretty little ship. Well done mate
I'm 2 thirds of the way through restoring a 1970 Hartley Vixen. It's only an 18 foot trailer boat but wow, it's been a lot of work. I can't imagine taking on a project the size of that ship!
21:34 famous last words
This project may have turned out to be way more work than anticipated, but it has also made your channel grow massively! Don't know how many subscribers you had when you started the project, but you're on 153K now and that's a lot. I remember when I subscribed you had around 7K, really nice to see how big your channel has become!
What he says is golden for sure
im just about finished on a 9 foot old fiberglass speed boat (cost me only petrol money to get in the first place), Obvious I "calculated" a cost, it has since doubled, but im not going to sell it at anytime. its unique and will attract attention for sure. Still took a lot of work to get it to paint, lots of glass rebuild.
Hey Stu, great to see you on the mend. All the best 👍
Good advice. Do it right. You'll appreciate it when you get stuck in rough seas!
Absolutely!
Good to see your casts and bandages off. Take care.
Your right enough there, four years to renovate my boat not the six months I thought it would be and at least twice the cost too I wouldn't do it the same again no way, all's well that ends well though.
You had just posted the first video in this series the day I went digging for a boat repair series and have followed the whole thing. I also remember the episode where you were going to sell your truck and was kinda heartbroken I couldn't help. This has been a really great series and I honestly cant wait to see what you do next!
Thanks mate, glad you enjoyed the series. :)
Good suggestions/warnings for the unwary!
Also glad to see you are healing up! Hope you are healing and getting full function back. I'm still in a cast for another 3 weeks.
Loved the highlight reel of boat moments at the end. Also loved the chickens. We have a bunch of them, and they are fun to watch. Made the mistake of getting too many chicks this year, and we are giving them away to friends. They are about 5 weeks old now.
I am stepping away from being a boat mechanic this year. Going back to doing restorations. Have 7 boats I'll be doing this year- 3 center consoles, 2 walkaround cabins, a bass boat and a bowrider. 4 are mostly ready now, only needing minor work/cleaning, once my arm heals. 2 are total rebuilds. Will keep me busy and pay the bills, and be a lot less stressful.
Thanks again for your hard work producing these videos!
It''s a slow process being in a cast, very boring. Sounds like you'll have your hands full with those restorations! :)
Thanks, Stu!
Yes, this cast is a real drag. Now that the worst of the pain has passed, I've learned how difficult working with one hand actually is. I've been re-wiring a boat very slowly, and I'm proud to say that I can now zip- tie wires one-handed while upside down, halfway under a console! More difficult than I ever knew. That's a skill I'll actually use, moving forward.
Thanks, and best wishes.
All good points for buying a boat and starting a project.
The value of your videos and enlightening millions of viewers with your challenges is worth way more than the $100,000 spent achieving your excellent results.
I would estimate it's worth millions, it will save lives by inspiring others to restore, recycle and take on the restoration challenge.
This element of your contributions here is really priceless.
Keep On being you, sharing and recycling.
Love your work old mate !
I’m in my late 70s, well past the age of undertaking a demanding physical challenge such as a Renko. It has been an adventure for me and I’ve been glad to support it. Thanks!
Thank you Jerry, your support is much appreciated! :)
Great advice and superb video , When I bought my glass boat I new the stringers and floors were toast but with my friend who has years of glassing experience taught me a lot so I was able to complete the the job on my own . Another tip that worked for me was not to give myself a deadline because I don’t want set myself up for disappointment if the deadline passes . As for the motor and electrical the boat only needed minor repairs / upgrades . I must say you inspired me with your Marvin the martian so I named my boat Amigo and I will have a Speedy Gonzales sticker on my side windows . Cheers
Cool Beans mate, a right proper ship she is!
All good advice, great job Stu, on everything. Rynko is a solid sea worthy vessel. All because of your skill, ingenuity, and expertise. I think you could have a live 24hr chicken cam running! Lol I dont know why, but i’m sure i’d tune in to see the yard birds do their thing!
Thanks Stu! Good info! Blame the ball and chain LOL.
Love your boat and videos thanks for everything and get well with your injury
Great advice Stu. The only other one I'd suggest is be really sure of what your needs are, and buy a boat that provides that. It is very easy to buy too big, our too small and what ever you buy, make sure that it will meet your wife's, or husband's, or partner's or family's needs as well. For me the boat had to be big enough for a full bathroom, a full kitchen, 240v power and a most important, a coffee machine. Happy wife, happy life.
Nailed it Stu, all very valid points
Hey Stew Glad your healing up! Best wishes!
I bought a basket case 13 foot fibreglass dinghy on a rotten trailer for £50. I probably spent more doing it up than the cost of an instant in the water job ( i did find some bargains, too late, along the way, but most were very overvalued by the owners ). The learning experience was beyond value and the enjoyment was priceless. I have followed Renko's story all the way and always been in awe of what you have done, but not surprised by what you have had to do. Maybe tip No:11 should be about not dreaming too big for a first go. Pleased to see you healing up, keep on keeping on.
Every single word spoken here is 100% spot on.
Stu...your words are true. my buddy and I bought a 34 ft scarab, twin 454 mercruisers..He owns a marina. I am a mechanical contractor. if we had to pay people to revamp this boat, there is just no way..but doing what we can ourselves and splitting costs, will have this boat back doing poker runs by august.
Outstanding video, great advice! I bet some of these were humbling. I tell, as guy who grew up on the coast of Maine on boats I really enjoy your videos and the story as it unfolds. Sometimes I learn things, some times I laugh as you learn things. This truly is a special channel. Thanks man..... er mate.
I started watching this without seeing your older videos, and got caught up with the process.I think this is one of the most useful, honest assessments I've seen. Thanks, and good luck with the boat. You're a good person I think, a friend to all.
Wow, thank you!
Tip 8....I've done the same with my trawler. Sometimes take a little longer but that weekend on the water is worth it.....to me.
Speaking from my own experience as a researcher in 21stcentury literacies and learning, I'd just wanted to share my observation that by deciding to go through the motions, you have created a valuable learning repository for other people. Now, I know that doesn't really pays for itself and cannot be added to the cost/benefit chart of the project but it's of important immaterial value to creating a new kind of knowledge base made by people like you and others who document and report their learning trajectories and experiences in projects. Some people write a book, others keep a website; RUclips in its own right has become an important learning resource on the one hand and a potential source of income on the other to actually realize these projects. Thanks for sharing your experiences (also the RE Himalayan videos, I took some good ideas from that and actually own one myself). It would be interesting to see how the channel evolves from here on.
While I understand that the “smart move” is to buy a more expensive boat that needs less work early on, I’m really really glad you went with the “hard route” through the deeper restoration on a worse boat - it’s made for a very informative and enjoyable series of videos. I’m also hoping that after you are happy with Renko’s condition, you resume the from-scratch boatbuilding! (We don’t enjoy watching you suffer, Stu, but _man_ do we learn from it!!!)
From a RUclips perspective this was definitely the way to go. ;)
Excellent advice Stu, if nothing else, you got a great RUclips following out of it. That should probably be Tip 11: If you do something this daft, make a RUclips channel and be entertaining, at least that way you won't be alone in your suffering.
Great video Stu! We bought a 32ft Trawler style boat in Feb.....paid 40k after learning the hard way from our last boat, we lost thousands!!
I think we all learn the hardway.
Love this series glad to see the casts gone.
I’ll bet he took it off on his own and didn’t listen to the drs 😂
Rick D and I bet he took it off with tin snips or the grinder!! 😂
James Tulk I won’t take that bet 😂😂😂 cause we all know that’s how it would have happened
Great thoughts I've been watching and learning so when I make the same mistakes, I can bang my head on the bulkhead. Thanks.
I still think you have done an amazing job in an acceptable time frame, Stu. Thank you your candor and bringing us along on your journey.
I'm shocked what it's cost you so far. Love your channel and admire your determination.
Thanks for your honesty.
I love your honesty Stu, I have been watching this build from the beginning, and to be honest I knew this update was coming at some time, "having been there and spent that" my myself on my last boat (and lost a fortune when I sold it to buy my current boat) , I love boats and spent a lot of time looking at boats at marinas, the marinas are full of "broken dreams" and the waterways are littered with the remains of more broken dreams. If you ever make it to the Gold Coast in Renko I would be more than happy to show you the inside route from the Gold Coast up to Moreton Island via North and South Stradbroke island, and a few beers along the way, keep dreaming the dream
Great Episode! Answered many of my planning questions on type of boat. Although I would like Steel or Aluminum, my skills are less in fabrication of metals. The info on buying a little better boat from the start was a particularly good point! Not valuing older Electronics, and options was also a good one that will payoff in my search for an older boat. A problem many of us face now is we are older, with different types of financial means and burdens. So a formal partnership, if you don't have a trusty friend (like they do with private airplanes), makes great sense!
I've noticed that Leasing is starting to be more of a subject in boating, considering a boat never gets enjoyed enough by just one party. A lease between 2 or more parties would be great! I don't like weekends for days off, never have, so this also makes alot of sense to me!! Overall 5/5 good episode! Oh, don't forget the WIFE on board with ones project, makes it 💯 easier to do😂
You did a wonderful job , safe reliable, and it looks good,
This is exactly what i tell friends, some excellent advise, applys
to cars and boats. Keep up the good work stu.
Thanks 👍
Great advice. Glad to see that your hands are better now!
Me too!
Thank you for your take on boat life, and the information that sits atop of the all, when you get to the end off the beginning or phase 1.
" Top 10 vid complete "
LEVEL UPGRADE
100k could have bought a pretty awesome boat. But I have loved watching the journey. I am excited to watch even more adventure to come.
A cautionary video. I subscribed to your effort because I saw your first video and you asked the question, "Should you buy a old steel boat?". I remember screaming at the screen, "Abso-effing'lutely NOT". But before I could comment in-depth, you announced that you had purchased your project. I then I had to watch the whole painful experience. I lived aboard for 25 years and consequently learned a lot - 'brick houses and fibre glass boats' is my first rule. As with property, construction analysis (COMPLETE survey) before contract. A good survey is a work plan and invaluable. Anyway, I'm glad you made it to the end, still married and with your Rover. I have prayed for you.
What about stone houses? Traded in my 2012 brick house for a 1969 stone house and consider it an upgrade.
BOAT = break out another thousand, on the bright side look at the additional skills you have and the pleasure it has given us watching the challenges...sometimes that is pricless
hi Stu
you are doing fantastic, you have more drive than 99,99 percent people !
you are rare ! And you have a range rover with italian leather
I lied, the leather was French. ;)
My wife just suprised me with the dsquad shirt. I love it!!!
Very cool! She's a keeper! :)
Partners depends on the person, but best time spent on my boat was just messing about, which made many conversation, opportunity for many messing about moments,Ah, yes and sharing very under played, Its part of a shared relationship, and mostly successful, Sharing is caring, which honestly paid for the slip.
For sure, it it is a huge plus if you love working on your boat as much as taking it out.
I have not missed a single video on this build!!! Stu Im so glad shes amost there, friend!! Been watching the D Squad for a couple years now.
Having a space to work on the boat, YES! I lost my space one month in and it almost killed the whole project. Luckily the yard I'm in now is treating me well. Great tips for sure!
G'day
I used to look after Wharf St Marina, Baymac, and others at Brooklyn. I also worked on the Sun and the Star. (Auto Electrician). I'm in Kariong these days, and what you say on this is the same as buying/building a hot rod. Hats off to you for getting it up to how YOU want it to be. Cheers.
Youve done a brilliant job on your boat ive watched every one but your chickens are stealing the lime light there bloody funny . But again your boat is fantastic and i am looking forward to watching you going out diving and doing salvege work stay safe keep doing the vlogs there very interteresting and sorry to hear about your accident
Thanks Terry! :)
Stu, I’ve got to say thank YOU! This build has provided me many MANY hours of entertainment 😁👍 And the way you run your channel / build makes me feel as though I’m right there but with none of the stress of actually being right there 😎👍👍👍
Great video Stu, actually I've followed a great deal of your tips looking at it at the end of a caravan project I had.
Thank you for entertaining me with your videos.
Top video Stu.
Realistic and informative.
I hope you get many hours of fun and relaxation out of her now the hard yards are done.
I'm not seeing any specialised videos about building an eutectic fridge set up to keep a pallet of Coopers cold for the long trips however.
Cold beverage storage and easy access to said beverages is imperative........
I've learnt a lot from your videos.
Renko is a lovely vessel. Well done. !!
Cheers !
Absolutely love the boat👍and the channel, you’ve done some great work to her⚓️⚓️
Awesome, thank you!
Feels like these tips would be good advice for any serious project. Thank you.
I for am really happy you ignored your own advice or we wouldn’t have all these great videos!! Cheers!
LOL. Doing the dumb thing never hurts a RUclips channel. ;)
Its a bucket list thing..makes no financial sense..but is priceless overall.
Tip #8 ties in with my most essential auto repair tip: The most important tool for fixing your car is another driveable car.
My #1 tip is based around living landlocked however: Have a friend who is restoring a boat. You get all the "fun" of working on a crusty old boat and can drop in to help as needed but you aren't tied in to it financially.
Well...I'm glad you built up Renko the way you did because you slapped it all on RUclips for all of us to enjoy. Look at all the friends you made, all the fans you picked up and all the $$$ you get with 150k+ subscribers!
I bought a project boat this past January, an 83 Ranger 375V. That 2k inspection is more than my boat and all work I've done. Crazy to wrap my head around!
Thanks Stu been a fun ride ride the ups and downs. Now lets go fine a wreck and bring up some cool stuff.
Great video Stuart. Invaluable advice.
Glad you enjoyed it
I love this new series and how the channel has evolved BUT...I’ll always have love for the green machine videos and seeing that flicker of it in the video brought back the memories lol
That must be before my time.
Long live The Green Machine!
Great vid bud, I am not buying a steel boat after watching it, :-) especially when you said, " after spending to much on your boat, can you afford to run it" sounds like a mare. Great viewing and advise.
The montage brought back so many memories. Probably not as many as Stu...
when I bought my similar sized boat I told the wife that the money we pay for the boat can never be recovered nor all the money that I have spent on it since, you get value from use, so you must be able to use it. Anyway call me lucky but 10 yrs later she (who hasn't set foot on the boat for years) said its great having the boat basically for my mental health the pressure of a big job a big family she is sure that the boat keeps me going which is one of the reasons I love her, but it is true its an escape and one because of that big job we can afford. One day when I have had enough I will give it away.
I think your wife is having an affair