Survey on 2005 420da

[J.Wilt]

The surveyor was looking over the hull on the 2005 420 Sundancer we are buying and found several voids in the transom near where it meets the bottom hull. He didn't think it would be a major problem to fix before they launch the boat but could someone give me some input on how to handle this situation? I have had meant boats but this is my first indeapth survey.
Thanks!

 

[mwph]

Those boats are sooooo nice. Congratulations.

Obviously you'd like for Frank to chime in here. I don't know if the E-mail notifications are working or not but you might want to reach out to him via pm. The repair cost should be a small issue for the seller to cover, depending of course on how many "several" is and more importantly how long they have been exposed.

 

[BrewCrew]

Jeff,

Sweet boat...pretty envious of your purchase. I had a 2004 Searay that I bought new and after a season found the same issue, in the same location. The dealer took pics on a cell phone and sent them to Searay and it was fixed under warranty. They explained that it happens when the mold isn't completely cleaned out before another hull is started. Mine was large enough that I could stick my pinky finger into it. It was fixed without issue and I never looked back, but that was on a 23ft bowrider. Hope this helps until someone with deep knowledge chimes in. Good luck with the transaction, hope to see you around this summer.

Steve

 

[J.Wilt]

Thanks,
Between the owner, surveyor, boat yard they are going to expose the bad areas and fill them with epoxy smooth out and repainted the transom area. All before the boat goes back in the water. I told the owner to take pictures and contact Sea Ray.
Let me know if there is something else I should be concerned about? Or put in buying agreement.

 

[fwebster]

All boats can have small voids in the glass since rolling the air out of a fiberglass layup is a tedious and labor intensive manual job. If you are proactive and fix them before the water pressure causes them to grow and expand, it is a very minor repair. Such voids are typically not structural and are only cosmetic, but the longer you wait on fixing a void, the deeper it gets and the more involved and expensive the repair. I would, however, be concerned if a number of voids showed up in the same general location. If that happened, then you might want to grind deeper and be sure you have removed all the air pockets, then have the repair technician rebuild the area back to its original thickness. A typical yard short cut to avoid is lightly grinding the area then filling it with putty. IT is better to remove the void, drain any trapped water, let it dry naturally, then rebuild t he area with resin and fiberglass cloth. Any putty should be a very thing layer right at the surface to fair out the repair.

420Da's are great boats...enjoy her!

 

[J.Wilt]

All boats can have small voids in the glass since rolling the air out of a fiberglass layup is a tedious and labor intensive manual job. If you are proactive and fix them before the water pressure causes them to grow and expand, it is a very minor repair. Such voids are typically not structural and are only cosmetic, but the longer you wait on fixing a void, the deeper it gets and the more involved and expensive the repair. I would, however, be concerned if a number of voids showed up in the same general location. If that happened, then you might want to grind deeper and be sure you have removed all the air pockets, then have the repair technician rebuild the area back to its original thickness. A typical yard short cut to avoid is lightly grinding the area then filling it with putty. IT is better to remove the void, drain any trapped water, let it dry naturally, then rebuild t he area with resin and fiberglass cloth. Any putty should be a very thing layer right at the surface to fair out the repair.

420Da's are great boats...enjoy her!

Thanks Frank,
Can't wait to enjoy the boat, sitting on pins & needles waiting for by new baby. Don't like burps like this to interrupt the process!

 

[J.Wilt]

The fiberglass guy from the marina drilled several holes into the areas that the surveyor marked off with the yellow tape and said all the areas were dry. These line up with where the stringers are and he said it is normal to have voids in these areas, ?





I'm 250 miles away, can't really tell from pictures what's going on.

 

[Escapade]

Jeff- consider this a good catch and sleep well. Enjoy the new vessel! How soon do you splash? Mike

 

[Woody]

J.Wilt, as you know I've recently surveyed the same year 420DA. My surveyor also found voids, one on each side of the transom zinc like the center one marked in your pic. There was no reading of moisture on my boat at those locations. The surveyor said he's seen it many times and felt it was like that when it left the factory. Because the areas were small at the end of the stringers, no visible signs from exterior or bilge, and no water intrusion after 10yrs he felt it was a non issue.

 

[J.Wilt]

Jeff- consider this a good catch and sleep well. Enjoy the new vessel! How soon do you splash? Mike

I will sleep better knowing why they drilled so many holes through the transom, I told the owner not to fill the holes until my surveyor can meet with the fiberglass guy on Monday That way he can recheck the areas again and they can both come up with a good way to fill the holes. I'm probably being to paranoid but better now tan find something later.

 

[Woody]

I will sleep better knowing why they drilled so many holes through the transom, I told the owner not to fill the holes until my surveyor can meet with the fiberglass guy on Monday That way he can recheck the areas again and they can both come up with a good way to fill the holes. I'm probably being to paranoid but better now tan find something later.

In my case the 'what to do' isn't finished yet. I understand my surveyors point, he based it on the fact that when he has found these voids on the SeaRays in that location the size is similar regardless of the age. But you don't really know til you investigate further. Did you have any high moisture readings anywhere?

 

[J.Wilt]

No high moisture readings. The stingers are hollow maybe that is why he was getting the sound of a void when hitting it with his hammer.

 

[J.Wilt]

Surveyor concluded today that the transom issue was nothing to worry about. After speaking to Sea Ray they figured that this transom my have a little thinner layup but still within Sea Ray Specs.

Another question, are these prop nuts on backwards?

 

[Woody]

Surveyor concluded today that the transom issue was nothing to worry about. After speaking to Sea Ray they figured that this transom my have a little thinner layup but still within Sea Ray Specs.

Another question, are these prop nuts on backwards?
View attachment 40148

According to some people...NO, and to others....YES. That's the way they are on my 420 also.

 

[Woody]

This is from my 420DA Owners Manual

5. Install the large bronze prop nut on the propeller shaft and seat the propeller with the correct torque as listed on the table below.

6. Install the jam nut and torque to 100ftlbs.

7. Install the cotter pin.