Boat Considerations

I am looking at t his boat tomorrow which has a lot of teak.

https://www.pieroneyachtsales.com/b...trader-labelle-st-petersburg-florida-6954566/

Greetings,
Mr. R. ...and you would like to know???


Just looked at and compared the Labelle and the Jefferson (sold) that you are/were considering. Both about $60K. The Jefferson appeared to be "worth" the price while the Labelle leaves a LOT to be desired, IMO, for the same $$.



The Labelle appears to have a number of issues:



-Evidence of leaking ports in most of the pictures.
-Bulkhead damage in 3rd picture just above pillow (leaking deck perhaps?)
-REALLY messy ER.
-What's going on with the battery in the foreground of pictures #26? Evidence of corrosion being spread around.
-The teak decking, though apparently "shiny" seems to have warped planks over much of it's surface.
-Bad?/messy caulking around bathtub.
-Personal bias: I don't like Volvo engines.
-16 year old Ferrite (fry your batteries from what I understand)) battery charger.

Sorta looks almost like a $30K boat.


Edit: Just saw your reply below. I guess I jumped the gun.


Anywhere you see discoloration around the ports, give it a good poke with your finger.

Boat Consideration

Sorry, I guess I was asking for some advice on checking the Teak for rot and other problems that might be there.

Can you even get parts for the old Volvo? Bet they're expensive. I think you can pretty much guarantee that the teak decks have leaked and the ply underneath is rotten at least somewhere on the deck. Whether that's an issue for you or not that's up to you. You can find lots of threads on this forum about the common problems found in TT's. Only a personal opinion but man is that interior dark.
Hire the best surveyor you can find and make sure he knows where to look for the problem areas in TT's

No, thanks for input. That is why I posted.

I'll second that thought about not liking Volvos.

I was considering the 44 Beneteau for a bit, but concerned about Volvo support, so I made a few calls to Volvo Dealers and mechanics and confirmed my suspicions.

Perhaps they have improved a bit, and talk a nice story but some of the things they said turned me off again. One BIG issue is that they won't sell diagnostic equipment to the boat owner. What's the deal on that? Do they think that perhaps a boat owner might want to maintain his engine.... God forbid!

And parts price are still up there.

Rondalw1 said:

Sorry, I guess I was asking for some advice on checking the Teak for rot and other problems that might be there.

Click to expand...

If you're talking pre-survey then a few things to look for (some already mentioned by RT Firefly):

• Look for missing bungs (exposed screw heads), missing or dry/cracked caulking.
• Look for raised caulking as this indicates a loss of teak thickness without maintaining the caulking.
• Look for checked, cracked or split teak planks
• Look for signs of damage/discoloration below deck around hatches, windows. Leaks can travel so a watermark on one are may not be related to something directly above it.
• Walk every square inch of the deck, ideally barefoot or in socks. You're searching for "soft spots" and they are easier to feel without shoes.
• If the broker/seller will allow it, bring a small plastic hammer and "tap" the
  areas you suspect against areas that feel firm. You'll hear a difference in the sound from a sharp sound to a dull sound. The dull sound indicates delamination of the "sandwich" of teak, fiberglass and coring or delamination (rot) of the plywood underneath.

If she passes your inspection and you like the boat a proper surveyor can then perform a more comprehensive inspection along with estimates for remediation or refit once the boat is under contract.

Decks are fixable, but once rot gets into the house structure things could get quite expensive. Look at bulkheads, house wall to deck joints, windows, etc. Touch things. Feel for flexibility, listen for the creaking or cracking sounds of delaminated plywood under pressure, etc.

Good luck and keep us posted.

On teak decks. A sign of under deck problems is a wet patch of teak where all of the other deck is dry. Step on that spot and it will “squish “.

Thanks all for good info. I will be looking at all that in morning.

I would offer than in an older boat to make sure you check the integrity of the fuel tanks. Some tanks might be fairly easy to remove and replace, while others might be more difficult.

I think that I would want to know why there are only 500 hours on a 39 year old boat? If not regular used is there deferred maintenance?

Jim