This is the boat I'm looking at buying

Next, I need to learn more about fiberglass lay-up. I am finding that, given the age of the vessel I can afford, it is becoming more difficult to research how a given model was built. Does anyone know anything about the Morgan-designed Heritage West Indies 46?

It was probably a Morgan built, not Morgan designed boat.
Quite a bit of information on the Internet on these boats: Try Mr. Google, he knows everything

As far a fiberglass lay-up, lots and lots of information online, too much to even scratch the surface right here. As for spesific boats and their construction: Each brand (usually) have their own fan club with tons of online information down to the nitty gritty details.
I was a long time owner of a CSY (Carribbien Sailing Yacht) and we have several places to go for information. A Yahoo Group, I bulletin board like this one and old archives from older boards in the 90s. Every minute detail on these boats are available to anybody interested. I am pretty sure the same goes for most production boats.
If you are looking for a heavy, quality world wide cruiser, a friend is selling
his CSY 44 Pilot house for a very reasonable price.
Not sure it is cool to add links to this page, but if you are interested, send me
A PM (Personal Message) and I will link you up.
Beat of luck.

Lars:
I am not sure I want to know why the Norwegian flag is embedded in the way-too-big Swedish flag the putt-putt is flying....?

Swedish and Norwegian civil ensign 1818–1844, with the saltire on red in the canton symbolizing Norway.

That is the problem: Them Swedes invaded and made Norway part of their fiefdom for a little while.
I suggest that little barge does not cross the border to Norway, it would not last very long in those waters

Aye Lars.
Stordalen may have been smoking crack, not sure the countries would unite again, although in reality the borders have been open and free work/living whenever people wants, pretty much like EU and open borders except more.
Still strong Nationalistic feelings in all countries and they all have their unique cultures and personalities. (Pickled Herring, Lutefisk, etc)
It all may be a mute point soon, the Muslim Immigrants are building more
mosques and demanding sharia law while taking advantage of the generous welfare system so there won't be much left when they are done.

Sorry, that was a tiny bit of thread creep, back to the scheduled broadcast:
Wooden Boats: They are great in cold waters and will last 100s of years, in the tropics however they deteriorate pretty fast unless stored inside and away from sun, rain and salt water. I know, been there, done that, seen it happen.

For a newbuild, the biggest problem is to find a yard still capable of building a larger high quality wooden boat. My fathers 20 Meter wooden Yawl was build many (MANY!) years ago by Abeking & Rasmussen. Both Lürssen and Abeking used to build pefect wooden yachts and wooden PT boats and minesweepers for the German and other Navys. The last wooden yacht built by Abeking was the 1993 built 140ft sailing ketch Hetairos.





They would not be able to build such a yacht anymore. The craftsmen are retired or gone to other companies. There are only two other yards left in Germany, capable of building such a high quality wooden boat and most likely, only one of them would be capable of building a larger classed sailing yacht with a cold moulded mahogany hull.

But honestly, a really classic yacht has to made be of wood, doesn't it?

Love that boat.

Lars, this the "little sail boat" we are talking about.



We are contemplating about the other way around. Wooden hull with stainless steel main frame, glassed over with carbon /aramid fiber and with putty and paint.

Yep, fun starts on a large racing sailboat with a crew of at least 30 . The German Emperor does not have to be among them but the original of our replica once belonged to him. To keep this bunch of testosterone bolts under control, is the most difficult part of the whole race. But we need to redesign the keel a little bit. The original boat did not perform well enough during its time. That was the reason, His Majesty Wilhelm II sold it.