Beneteau Oceanis 323 lift keel

[Halo]

Dear All,
I have just had a survey done on one of these very attractive yachts. As usual the surveyor has found a few points and I would appreciate any comments from any forum member with experience of these points.
1. The boat is on the hard and if you put a straight edge across the bottom of (outside) the hull just aft of the keel you see there is a slight concave - as if the hull is being pushed in slightly.
2. Just forward of the engine bay there are keel bolts under the floor boards. The area around the aft most one of these sounds like it has a void under the surface it when tapped with a toffee hammer.
3. There is a lot of play in the rudder bearings.
Have you expereienced any of the above and have any of these developed into a problem ?
Thanks for any comments
Martin

 

[mcanderson]

Martin,

I have a Beneteau 323 and I think its the best thing since sliced bread. I admit that I am biased, but both my wife and I love the boat. It's perfect for the 2 of us and will take another couple easily. There are plenty who will pipe up with the AWB blah, but for us its excellent.

In aswer to your questions:

1. Didn't have this problem so I can't help.
2. I will have a look this weekend and let you know.
3. Have it repaired by the current owner, or negotiate to have the cost of a repair, taken out of the potential purchase price.

Good luck and let me know if you go ahead.

Shane

 

[Pete7]

Martin, you have paid for a professional survey, what does the surveyor suggest? you could always ring him up and ask for further advice.

Pete

 

[minkysailing]

Martin, you have paid for a professional survey, what does the surveyor suggest? you could always ring him up and ask for further advice.

Pete

Agree with Pete...you have paid a great deal of money for a professional survey and it is simply not good enough for your surveyor to identify potential issues without quantifying them and if necessary giving details of the scope of work required for repair/rectify and even a likely repair cost. If your surveyor is not willing to expand the scope of his current survey then I would suggest you reject his survey as inadequate and appoint someone else.

While a worn rudder bearing is something quite straight forward a potential hull void or hull deformation is not.

 

[greeny]

Hi Martin, i've just been to the boat today and had a look at your concerns whilst I was there.
Mine's a 323 lift keel 2007 model same as the one you're looking at but as she's in the water I can't go hull tapping etc.
1. I do remember the very slight concave behind the keel that you're talking about last year when i anti fouled but I dismissed it as the design shape because I looked at a 323 fixed keel 3 boats along on the hard and this had the same shape.
2. As to the hollow sound when tapped just behind the keel bolts - this area is double skinned i.e. the inner frame/hull is bonded to the outer in this area, it may be a small area where the outer is not touching the inner. When I tap this area on mine from the inside i can hear a difference to the sound around the keel bolts, but then I would expect this as there is no keel underneath at this point.
3. I bought my boat in 2008, 1yr old and I too had what I thought may be more play than I was expecting. At the 2009 lift out it had not got any worse and is not affecting the sailing of the boat. No knocking sounds or leaks from the rudder shaft areas.

If you can find another 323 on the hard it may be worth you having a quick look at the hull shape to compare.

Otherwise I'm very pleased with the boat, the ability to get into shallow places more than makes up for any perceived loss in sailing ability (not that I've noticed any).
If you need any more info just let me know and i'll see if I can help.

Greeny

 

[bitman]

swinging keel oceanis 343

not sailing the 323 but the 343 with the same kind of swinging keel system.

it looks like this boat is being dryed out a lot?

the keel takes the ground (all wight of the boat) with both rudders keeping the boat upright.

not a lot of help but it might give you an idea?

 

[Crabman]

1. The boat is on the hard and if you put a straight edge across the bottom of (outside) the hull just aft of the keel you see there is a slight concave - as if the hull is being pushed in slightly.

1.That should not happen. Has the surveyor looked at the internal frames ?

2. Just forward of the engine bay there are keel bolts under the floor boards. The area around the aft most one of these sounds like it has a void under the surface it when tapped with a toffee hammer.

2. Could be loose or the bog mix has cracked under the bolt.

3. There is a lot of play in the rudder bearings.
Have you expereienced any of the above and have any of these developed into a problem ?

3. Replace rudder bearings.

 

[EdWingfield]

I have a 331.

When the boat is aground and supported by the keel it is a slightly different shape than when afloat and supported by water.

I know this as the cupboard doors don't close properly when I'm aground.

Your concave shape may be the natural shape change when you are aground and nothing to worry about.