How to choose a project boat

Growing up sailing on the East Coast it’s fair to say that I caught the bug pretty early on. Family sailing on my father’s yachts and starting in dinghies from the age of five, it was clear from the outset that boats were going to play a central role in my life in one form or another.

My first project boat was a dinghy which my dad brought home when I was around four years old. She was 7ft 6in length overall and far too wide to sail well, but she had a gunter rig, foils that needed varnishing, rubbing strakes to replace and a hull that needed painting. Her name was Jake and she was going to be my boat. I was hooked.

Through my teens the boats grew until at 18 I purchased my first yacht – a Hurley 20. I couldn’t have been prouder, she needed new windows and a complete repaint right through but she was mine and I poured every spare minute and penny I had into her for