Comparative thoughts

[Don Tyson]

 

[sbw1]

I'm sure you saw the rotted wood since you took a picture of one area that looks very suspect. While the pictures show a boat that could be cleaned up pretty nicely by a detailer who knows his stuff, I'm not sure I would spend the money for a survey on this boat. The pix show an engine room that probably needs extensive repairs. If this is something you are good at and have lots of time for, not that big of a deal. This is a big ticket cost if you pay a yard to fix it. However, you need to make sure the mechanicals are not similarly bad. The repair costs on this boat would very likely exceed its value if it needs significant engine and I/O work in addition to structural repairs. The gas tank and fuel lines are suspect as well due to age. Don't forget to assess the electrical systems too. I would keep looking and pass on this one.

 

[Don Tyson]

I'm using you members to adjust my vision a bit.......learn what to look for......avoid mistakes. I'm thinking that the piece of rotted wood is a 'stringer'??? Is that the stringer???
The boat is amazing in that everything was in perfect working order. The engine fired. Fridge worked. Toilet was a nice setup. and more. But the engine compartment was iffy. Tell me please what you notice that is so bad in the engine compartment. Although it has not been painted a bright color it was clean and the engine, which was not detailed was clean and not leaking. The risers were fine last fall and the gimble bearings and bellows were okay (said they).
I walked away because he had assured me that the Stringers and Transom were fine and had been inspected recently and that rotted wood was the first thing I saw when I opened up the engine lid. Isn't that a frost crack of a wet stringer below? That is why I walked.....he smiled me and so where else was I being misled?
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[sbw1]

They look like rotted stringers to me and that is not an easy fix. But I'm looking at pix not the boat. You need a little ball peen hammer to tap on things. Solid stringers have a solid ping sound when hit. Rot goes thud. A small thin screw driver is useful too. Some of that wood looks like a screw driver would go right through it. If you are seriously considering a purchase, then spend the money for the survey. Or, you could go do a little more poking and tapping to help make up your mind. The other thing I noticed were pieces of plywood that were peeling badly. What were they for and what caused them to peel? It's never a good sign when the ER is not pristine.

 

[Don Tyson]

It is the first boat of that vintage that I have seen where everything works as originally intended. you could tell that whomever owned it fixed things when they broke. I've walked and will look at others, all the smarter for it. I do have to remember that, for my price range, I may have to make some exceptions but internal structure is not where I'd like to start.