Yesterday, after a week or so of text and phone conversations with the seller, I drove two hours up to south Georgia to look at a 1980 Mainship 40 motor cruiser offered at a temptingly low price. I get it that a temptingly low asking price is a signal that the boat has issues. I try my best to discover them in advance by asking lots of specific questions.
In this case, I asked, "Are there any signs of leaks around the hatches or windows?" The seller replied, "No."
The seller lives two hours inland from his marina, and in the opposite direction from me, so he did not plan to meet me at the boat. The dockmaster let me aboard, as arranged, which was when I observed an area of rotten wood peeking out from behind what appeared to be gelcoat, in the aft end of the deckhouse. Okay, I thought, it's not around a window or hatch, but what caused it?
On entering the main salon, water damage was immediately obvious on the interior surfaces of the wood salon bulkheads. But again, the black mold and surface distortion was not specifically around the windows. Eventually I deduced that water or moisture was leaking or wicking through a joint that connects the upper section of the deckhouse (apparently plywood encapsulated with something) to the molded fiberglass deck and lower deckhouse. I hadn't known there was such a joint, but I now realize that it's there and that it can be an issue on that model and vintage of Mainships. Lesson learned.
The model of Mainship I went to see is profiled here: PowerBoat Guide - Mainship 40 Motor Cruiser | Denison Yacht Sales
Another lesson learned: ask specifically about water damage, rather than just asking if there are evident leaks at known points of entry. When the seller answered my original question in the negative, he was technically right. The water damage doesn't seem to stem from leaking windows or hatches.
In this case, I asked, "Are there any signs of leaks around the hatches or windows?" The seller replied, "No."
The seller lives two hours inland from his marina, and in the opposite direction from me, so he did not plan to meet me at the boat. The dockmaster let me aboard, as arranged, which was when I observed an area of rotten wood peeking out from behind what appeared to be gelcoat, in the aft end of the deckhouse. Okay, I thought, it's not around a window or hatch, but what caused it?
On entering the main salon, water damage was immediately obvious on the interior surfaces of the wood salon bulkheads. But again, the black mold and surface distortion was not specifically around the windows. Eventually I deduced that water or moisture was leaking or wicking through a joint that connects the upper section of the deckhouse (apparently plywood encapsulated with something) to the molded fiberglass deck and lower deckhouse. I hadn't known there was such a joint, but I now realize that it's there and that it can be an issue on that model and vintage of Mainships. Lesson learned.
The model of Mainship I went to see is profiled here: PowerBoat Guide - Mainship 40 Motor Cruiser | Denison Yacht Sales
Another lesson learned: ask specifically about water damage, rather than just asking if there are evident leaks at known points of entry. When the seller answered my original question in the negative, he was technically right. The water damage doesn't seem to stem from leaking windows or hatches.