Restoring a Classic: How to Get into Sailboat Ownership on a Budget

If you're on a budget but you're willing to put in the DIY elbow grease, you can bring an old boat up to scratch. Learn how this sailor prioritized projects and the costs involved for a 3-year restoration of a Tanzer 22.

By
Doug Henschen
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The author’s Tanzer 22 Ardmore sailing in light air on the Haverstraw Bay stretch of the Hudson River. The aged genoa’s wrinkling was due, in part, to a low-cost roller reefing system that was later replaced. (Photo/ Doug Henschen)
The author’s Tanzer 22 Ardmore sailing in light air on the Haverstraw Bay stretch of the Hudson River. The aged genoa’s wrinkling was due, in part, to a low-cost roller reefing system that was later replaced. (Photo/ Doug Henschen)

Some sailboat buyers want (and can afford) to plunk down a boatload of money to get on the water right away. For others, restoring a great used sailboat is half the fun. For handy types with the tinkering bug, as well as the sailing bug, the restoration approach can be a budget-friendly, cash-flow-driven way to get into boat ownership.

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Doug Henschen
Doug Henschen has been sailing in and around the waters of the lower Hudson River, New York Harbor, and Long Island Sound since the 1980s, through sailing club memberships, boat partnerships and, since 2018, individual boat ownership. A career editor and journalist, Doug served as associate editor and managing editor of The Waterway Guide from 1984 until 1987 and as executive editor of Boating Industry magazine from 1990 to 1996.

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