Quote:
Originally Posted by Tad Roberts
Thread drift......
I don't think that statement makes much sense. The vast majority of people on this forum are going to sea in 40+ year old fiberglass structures built by unknown Asian people with absolutely zero quality control and no testing. People are happy to risk the lives of their families on boats which they have no information as to structural integrity, seaworthiness, or safety. The only fact available is "It hasn't sunk yet."
Yes, I know about pre-purchase surveys, I've read hundreds of them. The structure "appears sound".....this is a joke. Fitness for purpose is avoided completely, due to liability. The only thing stated with conviction is that the boat exists, that they will stand behind.
The other side of that argument is that pleasure boats spend few hours under way, don't go far from shelter, and mostly travel in good weather. So far (and within tight limits) insurance companies judge the risk quite small.
Back on topic....
No one should touch her because the hull is the cheap part? No one should rebuild her because there are thousands of existing, floating, useable boats for sale at bargain prices. But some people have other ideas.......  |
The "unknown Asian people with absolutely zero quality control and no testing" isn't a fair statement at all. Furthermore, your analogy is off. It's one thing to buy a boat that has been built, can be checked and tested fully before putting more money in it. However, I stick by my statement. It's quite another to buy a hull, spend the money completing the boat before you can find out how it really performs.
As to Asian builds, many of the builders are well known and have a history of either quality or lack thereof depending on builder. No one hesitates to buy Nordhavn and they're an Asian builder. There are quite a few others with solid reputations.
Now a 40 year old boat is always subject to question. But it can be surveyed and a good surveyor can do more than you describe. Furthermore, it can be given a sea trial and the purchaser included. You cannot give a burned boat's hull a sea trial.
Again, I would never put money into just a shell of a hull that had been damaged even if it appeared minor. Wouldn't matter whether steel, glass or any other material.
That hull only at this point has salvage value based on the material itself. Anyone investing further in it is just like those taking old fishing hulls and building upon them. When they finish the build, the resulting boat is of far less value than the cost to build it.
Linear Mode
