Co-op climate controlled boat storage/workshop!

[F14CRAZY]

Re: Co-op climate controlled boat storage/workshop!

To me, this place would have to be on a navigable body of water with at least a slip with a traveling lift. The marine transporter I used to move my Coho had to pull a couple permits and charged me $750 to move it about 70 miles (I had quotes that were double this).

If you could find an abandoned warehouse on a river or something it might work.

The place in Houston is pretty cool but keep in mind the people renting those have MONEY. Enough money to rent out a condo for their car.

Sadly, with the way the world works, people with both boats and that kind of money don't touch their except for maybe the controls at the helm. The kind that wouldn't know what a stringer is if it rotted from under them.

"We", the kind of people that work on boats and need a place to do it, sadly, do not have the money. The majority of us here (I am safely assuming) would not be grinding glass and replacing transoms that have turned to mulch if we had that kind of money, since we'd either buy a boat new enough where it wasn't a problem or pay someone to do it

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Co-op climate controlled boat storage/workshop!

no, there are plenty of boat yards in my area where people haul and work on their own boats. Lots are commercial, restoration, old woodies and lots of sailboats. There are plenty of large boats. And plenty of owners haul them in to these yards, do some work and hire out others to do other work. I know if it were me I'd do the fun stuff like carpentry and leave the scut work (bottom scraping) to my minions.

But first I need a yacht and minions. "used to worry about rich and skinny/before I got poor and fat" as Little Feat says.

OP's challenge is taking it all inside and heating it. Door height is a big challenge. The airplane hanger seems like a good idea in that regard but they are typically far from the water. So you'd have to decide if your target market is small portables that can be anywhere, or large boats that need to be at the water's edge.

 

[cyclops2]

Re: Co-op climate controlled boat storage/workshop!

I am only a designer minion moron.

 

[jigngrub]

Re: Co-op climate controlled boat storage/workshop!

Like an old warehouse that had common areas. like a break room or lounge area, restrooms.

Throw in a bar, a couple of pool tables, and one of them there brass "dancer poles" and your waiting list will be full for units.:laugh:

 

[Handchops]

Re: Co-op climate controlled boat storage/workshop!

Throw in a bar, a couple of pool tables, and one of them there brass "dancer poles" and your waiting list will be full for units.:laugh:

Right? That's what I'm saying. A fun place to be that happens to house your boat.

 

[UncleWillie]

Re: Co-op climate controlled boat storage/workshop!

Throw in a bar, a couple of pool tables, and one of them there brass "dancer poles" and your waiting list will be full for units.

Now the truth comes out! This could work!
Tell the wife you are going down to "work "on the Boat. Wink, Wink!
What we have here is a "Gentleman's" Club disguised as a boat repair co-op.
Of course no real work on the boats ever gets done.

You could easily have 100s of members and now you'll need at least 20 Employees!

 

[Charlie in TX]

Re: Co-op climate controlled boat storage/workshop!

$40,000 to $179,000 to buy a storage unit for my boat ?

Plus condo fees.
Plus taxes.
Plus electric.

yep, things can be cheap down here, don't know if this is. Look at it this way, 500 sq ft for $40k on a 15 year mortgage is $280ish a month. Our property taxes are high in TX. Say another $100 a month. POA was $30 a month for '11. Electricity is a wash, I had to have a meter installed in my storage unit. Total monthly is $410. I was paying $225 a month for a 10x40 fully inclosed 5 years ago. I estimate it at $265 a month now. So about $150 more per month for100 sq ft more and you own it. If it were a couple miles from me, I would probably own one.

Judging by the occupancy rate, they have no problem selling the units.

 

[F14CRAZY]

Re: Co-op climate controlled boat storage/workshop!

A large open area for various boat projects may be difficult...say one person has their 32' Chris Craft Constellation in there and is applying new varnish, where a low dust environment is needed. Next to that boat is a 28' Bayliner Ciera and the owner is grinding glass to replace stringers and obviously making loads of dust. With the solvents with Constellation owner has been using there's plenty of explosive vapors in the air. On the other side the owner of a 37' steel Chris Craft Roamer is replating the hull and needs to weld. behind these boats is a Wellcraft Scarab and the owner found the engines need to be pulled and a forklift cant get there with the other boats in the way. The Formula next to that boat just sold and has to be moved...

 

[Handchops]

Re: Co-op climate controlled boat storage/workshop!

A large open area for various boat projects may be difficult...say one person has their 32' Chris Craft Constellation in there and is applying new varnish, where a low dust environment is needed. Next to that boat is a 28' Bayliner Ciera and the owner is grinding glass to replace stringers and obviously making loads of dust. With the solvents with Constellation owner has been using there's plenty of explosive vapors in the air. On the other side the owner of a 37' steel Chris Craft Roamer is replating the hull and needs to weld. behind these boats is a Wellcraft Scarab and the owner found the engines need to be pulled and a forklift cant get there with the other boats in the way. The Formula next to that boat just sold and has to be moved...

Buzz kill

 

[jigngrub]

Re: Co-op climate controlled boat storage/workshop!

Buzz kill

Don't mind F14 HC, he thinks we're there to actually work on boats and hasn't visited the lounge area yet.:lol:

The only problem I see with the place is some of the members might not ever want to go home!:happy:

... but if someone actually wanted to work on their boat we could get around conflicting tasks with scheduling.

Mon. and Tues. would be particle days with grinding

Wed. would be fire watch day for any burning or welding.

Thurs and Fri. would be explosive vapors days for glassing and painting.

Sat. and Sun would be planning days to sit in your boat and think about what you're going to do, gather around other peoples boats and make suggestions on improvements and compliment work already done... and of course visit the lounge.

 

[MH Hawker]

Re: Co-op climate controlled boat storage/workshop!

Snickers the only way I can see it working is if it has a strip club attached.

 

[roscoe]

Re: Co-op climate controlled boat storage/workshop!

Right? That's what I'm saying. A fun place to be that happens to house your boat.

Wouldn't that be a marina or yacht club?


In addition to the issues listed above, I see insurance, maintenance, and security as major hurdles.
ANd then there is the enforcement of rules, rent collection, fiscal responsibility, etc.

And you want to take this venture on for no profit? Why ?

 

[boatpoker]

Re: Co-op climate controlled boat storage/workshop!

Ontario Boat Builders Cooperative have been doing this for close to 30 years. One guy took on a lease and sublets space to the coop. It ain't fancy but they have a full workshop and there are usually 10 -20 boats under construction. The guy that holds the lease makes a living at it.