1979 Grand Banks Classic

[paulga]

I have seen some boats but have settled down on one.
this 1979 GB passes my filters (radar, gen, diesel). however i don't how long the teak deck can last. the fuel tanks seem to be original. with a 40 year old boat, anything break down (e.g. A/C system) will get me stuck for a while. the asking price is 44,900 is higher than some 1980s boats. does the price suggest reliability?

 

[Rain Dog]

I would not say price suggest reliability. It varies tremendously from boat to boat. Some owners are realistic, some are not. However, an inspection should tell you if the owner kept up with their maintenance. If they did, the boat is much more likely to be reliable. For example:

- Pull the engine zincs and see if they are still good.
- Look for records of fluid changes. Where they done at appropriate intervals?
- Look at the condition of the bilges. Are they clean? Painted? An owner that keeps their bilges clean and painted is unlikely to be skimping on their maintenance.
- Look at the condition of the hoses and hose clamps. If they are past their service life, that is a bad sign.
- Look at the wiring. If you see wire nuts, unsupported wires, etc. it is a bad sign

 

[refugio]

Teak decks can last a long time in covered moorage - helps with that particular tank issue too. How’re the windows, particularly forward? Flybridge deck? These can be $10k items versus an A/C unit for under $2k.

 

[DavidM]

A noted above, price says absolutely nothing about reliability. Care and age of systems indicates reliability.

Also note that the radar is a CRT model. Three or four decades old technology.

Things that can cost you big bucks:

1. Fuel tanks- Check for leaks from deck fuel fill running down and corroding top as well as pooling on bottom.
2. Window leaks that discolor teak paneling and possibly rot underlying core.
3. Worn teak deck leaking past screws into deck core below.

The foregoing are many thousands to fix even tens of thousands. Others are in the low single digits. Note that of the list above, only the fuel tanks affect reliability/safety.

David

 

[Larry M]

I was taught that teak decks need to be 3/8” or thicker to be considered serviceable. That’s to allow for enough wood to secure the deck screws and their plugs plus adequate thickness for the seams. Take a look at the decks in high traffic/wear areas, look for missing plugs and seams that may be coming apart. At almost 40 years, I’d be surprised if the decks don’t need some work.

 

[paulga]

thanks for comments.