If you read my Gulfstar thread skip this preface
I apologize for length of post in advance.
I expect to buy a 35-50 year old boat that will require a good deal of sweat equity... (Only way I can afford it) as soon as I find the right one.
Planned use: Live aboard in NJ, capable of seasonal trips, to Cape Cod, etc.
I will have a reputable surveyor go over it before I purchase a boat. But before engaging a surveyor, I want, to the best of my ability ascertain the boat is worth being surveyed.
So... Here are pictures and some questions, any and all advice welcome, specific to this model, or more general.
This boat like the Gulfstar has been on the hard for a year.
Regarding the bottom: It's pretty, nice and smooth and with new antifouling paint last year and all the through-hullfittings appear solidly attached and uncorroded. Prop and rudder good, with new anodes.
I was told long term owner had a stroke and boat sat unloved on hard 2010-2015.
Lots of interior water damage from windows and hatches. All leaks have been corrected (windows and ports repaired or replaced, new Bomar hatch over v-berth) except aft entry hatch, which has tarp lashed in place. I visited boat for the first time, after 2 days of torrential wind driven rain. No signs of new water penetration in accessible areas. Below deck spaces also dry.
Previous owners had leaks repaired and basic maintenance, winterizing, etc. done for 5 years. Current owner began stripping damaged interior and cutting new plywood to fit in place, but switched to working on a newly purchased cottage on the Chesapeake. That's as close to the water as the wife has decided she wants to live.
Plus factors:
Ford Lehman 120
Bow Thruster installed 3 years ago on separate battery system with dedicated charging system. joy sticks at both stations.
Engine room, hoses, and wiring seem well maintained. Heater has its own heat exchanger running off the engine. Fuel tank sight glass (clear vertical tubing have fixture shut off valves top and bottom. Engine, transmission and shaft do not have excessive corrosion.
Now the not so good... More interior water damage than I expected, though seems residual, not new,
Plenty of gel coat crazing and spider cracks. Cracking sometimes goes into the fiberglass where horizontal and vertical planes meet-both deck to hull, and deck to cabin.
But very concerning are the cracks around the edges of the flybridge platform- they are long and deep and had moisture present, staining a business card I stuck in edgewise.
See highlighted photos
I have been reading madly about replacing damaged and rotten core on these older trawlers. I am fine with doing the work but not sure about putting a price tag on it given that the boat had a sweat equity price basis from the start.
And this time, the biggest elephants on board, (though there is no smell or sign of leakage) are the two hidden steel fuel tanks which have never been replaced.
The boat was put in the water Saturday, the cylinders bled, fluids changed and engines run for 30 minutes. I'm meeting the owner Friday morning.(Thursday's forecast is for rain and wind. Ideally the interior will be dry, and engine runs like a top.
I will bring my little phenolithic hammer (though it all sounds the same to me, too much loud music when I was younger?), and rent (buy?) an inspection camera that will hopefully give some insight into the condition of the fuel tanks.
Keep getting told invalid link for pictures, dang it. I'll try to fix it later. gotta run.
Limulus
I apologize for length of post in advance.
I expect to buy a 35-50 year old boat that will require a good deal of sweat equity... (Only way I can afford it) as soon as I find the right one.
Planned use: Live aboard in NJ, capable of seasonal trips, to Cape Cod, etc.
I will have a reputable surveyor go over it before I purchase a boat. But before engaging a surveyor, I want, to the best of my ability ascertain the boat is worth being surveyed.
So... Here are pictures and some questions, any and all advice welcome, specific to this model, or more general.
This boat like the Gulfstar has been on the hard for a year.
Regarding the bottom: It's pretty, nice and smooth and with new antifouling paint last year and all the through-hullfittings appear solidly attached and uncorroded. Prop and rudder good, with new anodes.
I was told long term owner had a stroke and boat sat unloved on hard 2010-2015.
Lots of interior water damage from windows and hatches. All leaks have been corrected (windows and ports repaired or replaced, new Bomar hatch over v-berth) except aft entry hatch, which has tarp lashed in place. I visited boat for the first time, after 2 days of torrential wind driven rain. No signs of new water penetration in accessible areas. Below deck spaces also dry.
Previous owners had leaks repaired and basic maintenance, winterizing, etc. done for 5 years. Current owner began stripping damaged interior and cutting new plywood to fit in place, but switched to working on a newly purchased cottage on the Chesapeake. That's as close to the water as the wife has decided she wants to live.
Plus factors:
Ford Lehman 120
Bow Thruster installed 3 years ago on separate battery system with dedicated charging system. joy sticks at both stations.
Engine room, hoses, and wiring seem well maintained. Heater has its own heat exchanger running off the engine. Fuel tank sight glass (clear vertical tubing have fixture shut off valves top and bottom. Engine, transmission and shaft do not have excessive corrosion.
Now the not so good... More interior water damage than I expected, though seems residual, not new,
Plenty of gel coat crazing and spider cracks. Cracking sometimes goes into the fiberglass where horizontal and vertical planes meet-both deck to hull, and deck to cabin.
But very concerning are the cracks around the edges of the flybridge platform- they are long and deep and had moisture present, staining a business card I stuck in edgewise.
See highlighted photos
I have been reading madly about replacing damaged and rotten core on these older trawlers. I am fine with doing the work but not sure about putting a price tag on it given that the boat had a sweat equity price basis from the start.
And this time, the biggest elephants on board, (though there is no smell or sign of leakage) are the two hidden steel fuel tanks which have never been replaced.
The boat was put in the water Saturday, the cylinders bled, fluids changed and engines run for 30 minutes. I'm meeting the owner Friday morning.(Thursday's forecast is for rain and wind. Ideally the interior will be dry, and engine runs like a top.
I will bring my little phenolithic hammer (though it all sounds the same to me, too much loud music when I was younger?), and rent (buy?) an inspection camera that will hopefully give some insight into the condition of the fuel tanks.
Keep getting told invalid link for pictures, dang it. I'll try to fix it later. gotta run.
Limulus