Buying a Bavaria 30

[John Goodsell]

I am buying my first yacht. The survey threw up 2 problems :
the rudder was found to be waterlogged . The trailing edge was found to be damaged with a small piece missing . I think rectification involves removing rudder and drying out and perhaps some laminating.
The sail drive Volvo seal needs changing.
Can anyone give me a rough idea of the cost to rectify these two so that i can go back to the owner and knock down the price ?

 

[ashtead]

Hi
We previously had a Bav34 from 2001 - water ingress and osmosis in rudder fairly common - leaving aside costs of hauling out and lifting to drop rudder I think cost in 2014 to repair ie remove the fibreglass etc was around £500 approx . I think we used someone from Hayling island who collected rudder from yard and took away and repaired etc. it’s a while ago but I might have details if you PM me .
as you no doubt know volvo seals need changing every 7 years but costs vary widely depending on who does it -all I can suggest is contact a local yard but avoid Volvo dealers ideally. You don’t say where boat is but if in south call Gosport Boatyard for a quote .

 

[RJJ]

I am buying my first yacht. The survey threw up 2 problems :
the rudder was found to be waterlogged . The trailing edge was found to be damaged with a small piece missing . I think rectification involves removing rudder and drying out and perhaps some laminating.
The sail drive Volvo seal needs changing.
Can anyone give me a rough idea of the cost to rectify these two so that i can go back to the owner and knock down the price ?

Gavin Booker for the latter work. Gosport way. No connection happy customer etc.

 

[Concerto]

Welcome to the forum.

I am surprise the surveyor did not give you an idea as to cost to help negociate aprice reduction.

 

[Tranona]

You may be able to repair the rudder without removing it. Water gets in 3 ways. The most common is where the stock goes into the blade, second a split in the join between the 2 halves and third damage to the bottom through grounding. Really need a more detailed inspection to determine how extensive the repairs needed. Removal and working inside gives a better chance of a good repair. As Concerto says your surveyor should be able to give this assessment and a ball park figure. If the rudder does come out then ask the repairer to seal the point where the stick goes into the blade. This is what was done of later Bavaria rudders and there are details on the Jefa site - they make the rudders for Bavaria.

The seal if you want to replace is a £12-1500 job depending on where you are. however as it is probably a known condition you may not be able to get a reduction. When I sold my Bavaria it was 6 years old and I made a small reduction (few hundred) as a contribution to replacement of the seal - mainly because it was a £100k boat and the buyer was otherwise very accommodating.

If you do become a Bavaria owner then suggest you join here bavariayacht.org/forum/index.php absilute mine of information, particularly for the smaller and older boats.

 

[peter gibbs]

I am buying my first yacht. The survey threw up 2 problems :
the rudder was found to be waterlogged . The trailing edge was found to be damaged with a small piece missing . I think rectification involves removing rudder and drying out and perhaps some laminating.
The sail drive Volvo seal needs changing.
Can anyone give me a rough idea of the cost to rectify these two so that i can go back to the owner and knock down the price ?

However you use the advice here, I would advise as follows;

Rudder has been backed into a hard quay? Leaking? If the rudder is out of true do not proceed. Water can be allowed to drain if hole is bored and all made good. If the lower hull / rudder bearing is very stiff you can drop the rudder and replace the bearing - several hundred £ including labour. If stiffness results from stock deformation forget it. Water in the rudder is not a reason to ditch the purchase.

Do not consider splitting rudder - not needed. I'd be surprised if the vendor gave you any discount on this account.

Saildrive gaiter should be replaced every 7 yrs or so. Keeps insurers happy. No record of failure - 8 years as good as etc.. Seek proof of a change if the boat is much older. Expect charge of £900 incl labour. Not changed to schedule is a negotiation item.

Also suggest, check condition of keel. Any gouges in lower leading edges suggests hard life and should alert you to look carefully at whole rudder setup. Whacks on stem, state of engine filters / oil, and condition of exhaust on and after starting also serve as alert signals.

Bavs excellent vessels but, like every boat, careful ownership is key.

 

[Buck Turgidson]

Why not get quotes from professionals ? If you are going to use this for negotiation the seller will claim the jobs are quick cheap DIY projects so you need facts to press your claim.

 

[jordanbasset]

For me it depends on the price, if you are already getting it cheap I wouldn't press too hard for a reduction
If you're already paying top dollar, more rigorous negotiating may be required
Either way, I like the Bavaria 30

 

[Bobc]

All Bavaria rudders end up with water in and some osmosis blisters on. They were made by a company called Jefa and were made using polyester resin (same rudders also used on many other mass-market makes).

I wouldn't go too crazy about the idea of trying to get it all dried-out and sealed to be honest. Patch-up any minor damage, grind down the blisters and fill. That's about it.

The saildrive gasket, you can do yourself if you're that way minded, or if you get someone else to do it, then budget between £1,000 and £1,500. They are a service item, so not really a "problem with the boat" as such.