Age and maintenance issues ?

Jobs_a_ good_ un

Jobs_a_ good_ un

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www.beneteau393.co.uk
Hi
Can the panel give me a idea at what age would a cruising yacht start needing mega repairs and maintenance
The reason i ask is because I would prefer to get a yacht with less work to do .
Im looking at standard jen or Bene cruising boats 39-42 ft year from 2000
Im not trying to open up a how long is a piece of string type thread just to get a idea
Thanks for any replies
 
Urm.....Engines can cause trouble at 6 months old or 45 years old...

Yachts should only need minor fiddling generally though until 20 years of age or so...

With perhaps the exception of electronics (especially instrumentation), which seem to perhaps see out 10 years typically.... and may need replacing/repairing or additional TLC after that...

Its a massive generalisation though...... and is more dependent upon the quality of the maintenance than anything..... eg have additional electrical joins been done properly... have seacocks been serviced... have surfaces been cared for, bileges kept clean, engine oil changed regularly etc etc

I've got a 15 year old Benny, and it just needs constant 'tweaking' and the odd broken block etc replacing here and there.... absolutely no different to a brand new boat!
 
The trouble is, that there are so many varriables. A year 2000 lightly cruised yacht, with a maintenance schedule that's been kept to, will be in first class condition and need little but continued basic maintenance for many years to come. A heavily raced or ex-charter and poorly maintained yacht may be ready for the cheque book. A very rarely sailed yacht may need even more - there's nothing like the absence of a careful owner to let all manner of nasties start to develop. I would ask the owners for details of their regular maintenance. Any vague answers will give you a handy list of items to check out.
 
When I bought mine she was 11 years old. She's now 18. In that time I've bought two new sails, two new batteries, replaced the VHF radio, replaced the cooker, updated the gas locker and pipes, replaced all the standing rigging, replaced most of the halyards and sheets, and done a major overhaul on the top end of the engine. I've also added a new GPS and new instruments but they are more upgrades than maintenance. I'm pretty sure most of her gear was original when I got her apart from a new sprayhood and boom cover. The sprayhood is now showing it's age. Hope that is of some help.
 
At 40 yrs of age my boat had a new engine when I got her. In the past year of ownership I have; repainted inside, repaired leaks in deckhead, repainted deck and cabin top, replaced water tank, replaced standing rigging and mainsheet including blocks and am in the process of making new dodgers and sorting out the slab reefing.

Next year I shall consider repainting the hull and getting new sails.

Most of this I consider normal maintainance, but I enjoy messing around with boats and making stuff so was happy to pay less than £5,000 for a sound 26ft boat in need of TLC.

You pays your money and takes your choice.
 
Once raced on a brand new OOD 34 for a coupla seasons. I can recall we replaced the main and genoa halyards, coz the owner thought the original ones were too stretchy. A water pump needed replacing. The pulpit got bent (my fault) and was repaired. Shroud covers and spreader boots were added. Something racy was done to the mast foot to change the rake. And that's apart from all the extras that had to be bought and fitted. So even new boats aren't plug and play.
 
Mine is 2 years old and needs constant attention. I am still trying to sort out warranty issues both with hull and engine. Stuff breaks and a layer of oldness settles very quickly.
The simple answer is that maint never finishes.Ever.
I cant think of a single boat that is 'finished' in every respect and wants absolutely nothing, especially if you try and sail it a 1000 miles or more a year in weekend size chunks and do all your own stuff.
Its hell, but I will try and bear it a little longer......
 
At 7 years old things should be quite settled down : manufacturing faults gone. Wear and tear (apart from sails) shouldnt have destroyed too much.
At 17 years old ( 1996 new to me) it sometimes felt like for every hour sailing, Forethought needed an hour of maintenance.
By 28 years the repairs and replacements done 10 years ago are wearing out. Maintenance and replacement (de-zinced P bracket and skin fittings) now come back up as time-consumers.
 
[ QUOTE ]
Hi
Can the panel give me a idea at what age would a cruising yacht start needing mega repairs and maintenance
The reason i ask is because I would prefer to get a yacht with less work to do .
Im looking at standard jen or Bene cruising boats 39-42 ft year from 2000
Im not trying to open up a how long is a piece of string type thread just to get a idea
Thanks for any replies

[/ QUOTE ]

From hard won experience, things start to wear out at 10 years give or take a bit depending on use. But yet again I've gone and bought a 12 year old only to find myself having to spend time and money on maintenance. Next time, I shall simply buy a smaller new boat and have 10 years sailing rather than boat repairing.

Size = more maintenance cost too. And 7 years is definitely approaching the start of wear out. Why else do you think that the best boatbuilders ever do is a 5 year guarantee?
 
All depends on care. With average care (and it's variations!):

Sails, 5 to 10 years,
Running rigging, 3 to 6 years
Standing rigging 10 to 20 years
Batteries 3 to 10 years
Electric motors (pumps) 5 to 10 years
Electronics 5 to 10 years to overhaul
Teak decks 10 to 20 years, with intermediate re-caulk.
Hull finish, powdery after 8 years with no care
Diesel engines with regular thorough maint: 10,000 hr
Diesel eng with little use, weak maint: 3 years!
Water: Most diaphragms, valves, impellers 1 year
Electric anchor winch: 5 to 10 year

So, very broadly, if a new boat has been 'used' but not preventitively maintained, big money kicks in at about 5 years. If a boat has been preventitively maintained, big money kicks in at about 10 years.

Guess why charter companies sell off quite a lot of their fleets at about 5 years old, and why ownership programs they run hand over to the owner at 5 years. Give or take an inch. And quite often a new suit of sails is included in the deal.
 
Yes, our 2 year old has tantrums with annoying regularity - new loo pump, backstay block and C screen already this season...
 
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