Ask anyone who enjoys fishing or boating and they will tell you that there is nothing better than spending time on the water. For many, it is a life’s goal to get a sailboat and sail away, living out the rest of their days on the water. It is a nice ambition, but it does come with a price. The price is where most people have to give up their dreams, unless they are willing to consider buying used. This also comes with some cost and effort because it may mean you end up having to repair certain things. For instance, repairing a galley table with epoxy.
The Cost of Boat Ownership
When you look at the cost of a boat, you will find that there are not only upkeep costs, but an unimaginable cost to purchase one. If you buy a new sailboat, you could potentially end up spending $123,800 just to get a small one. Sailboats in this average price range have a small cabin that is good for one, maybe two, people. Any more than that and you will feel cramped within the space. The larger you go, the more your boat will cost.
Contrarily, if you are willing to consider buying a used sailboat, you could spend as little as a couple thousand to bring it home. This does mean that it may not be the “dream-boat” you have pictured in your mind. It is very possible that it has issues that will have to be tackled before you can take it out on the water. Some of the most common repairs include:
- Missing Wood
- Rust
- Bad Fiberglass
- No Sails
- Need Fresh Paint
- Bad Motor
- Imperfect/Incomplete Cabin Area
For an avid boat lover, these issues are merely annoyances that can be repaired.
Fixing Up and Older Boat
You can buy sailboats that are used that can be dated back to 30+ years ago. If you bought a car that was made in the early 80s for $100, you wouldn’t expect much beauty to be found in it. Boats are the same way. Even a well-loved and well-cared for sailboat can have imperfection after so many years. Galleys, and the interior space as a whole, are often where you see the most damages, but it can also extend into other areas.
Luckily, most of the necessary repairs can be cosmetic only. You can give them an updated look on the inside and then work your way around the exterior deck area if you want. One thing we can tell you is that epoxy will be your new best friend when repairing a sailboat. As a bonus, the safety of epoxy is not in question.
Is Epoxy Safe for Galleys?
We have seen time and time again how epoxy resin can be used in kitchens to ensure wood counters or tabletops don’t get stained. Once cured, the epoxy can touch foods and never “contaminate” them. In fact, it may even get fewer germs since epoxy is nonporous. They provide a water-tight seal, which ensures that even in the middle of the ocean, all your boat surfaces can be protected. This will eliminate future problems, which will be appreciated if you spend time repairing/remodeling.