Fairline SQ58 (2006) – Thoughts on high hours European boat (Tax NOT paid)

LI-Boater

LI-Boater

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In my search for a Fairline SQ58, this one caught my eye: https://www.yachtworld.com/boats/2006/fairline-squadron-58-3524175/

It appears to have VERY high hours (2350 hours on a 2006 boat (vs my current, well-used, 2003 boat at 950 hours)? However, other than that, what questions should I ask (from a distance) before jumping on a plane and then, what should I look for as potential problem areas from a highly-used (probably chartered at some point) boat?

I know it is “Tax NOT paid”, which actually suits me, as I would be shipping to the US and have to pay NY State tax regardless of whether European tax has been paid, but that may put some buyers off, clearly.

Thanks in advance for any thoughts/input/help/advice… it’s going to be a long road, but I need to start walking!

Cheers,
Simon
 
That is a lot of hours for a 2006 ( in water 2007 ) boat.

At some point it will have been a charter boat.

As for generator hours - they will be huge if charter ( the gen often runs 24/7)

The usual issues are

- cabin linings are falling off at that age
- the teak is shot or close to shot ( this one does not have teak side decks with is an advantage)

They have replaced the carpets and exterior covers.

They have no generic faults per se ( I have a 2004 S58).

There are often hours debates on here. Personally the hours are too hi for me. There was a hi hours one in Palma and it stuck for a long time.
 
jrudge said:
As for generator hours - they will be huge if charter ( the gen often runs 24/7)
Click to expand...

Agreed (per my other thread, I live in the US, so will need to convert to US, so maybe should factor in a new/refurbished US generator?)

jrudge said:
- the teak is shot or close to shot ( this one does not have teak side decks with is an advantage)
Click to expand...

Thanks… will keep that in mind and, perhaps, get a quote for Flexiteek replacement?

jrudge said:
There are often hours debates on here. Personally the hours are too hi for me. There was a hi hours one in Palma and it stuck for a long time.
Click to expand...

It’s always an emotive subject and I agree with your point. I will get a “tear down and rebuild” quote from Volvo here in the US so I go in with eyes wide open.

Really appreciate the help/perspective.

Thanks,
Simon
 
I have a boat in Altea marina, where this is based. Would you like me to take a quick look before you fly over? If so, let me know what in particular you’d like me to look at/for and anything you want photos of. I’m here until early June, apart from 5 days next week.
 
As a tester to see if it's worth going further you could ask to see any paperwork to back up the claim " service every 200hrs or year" which ever came sooner .
If it's true the broker should email the file by return as that's what every propect will be asking .
I viewed a high hrs " meticulous " owner described by the broker and to be fair in his office it took me nearly an hour just go a few years back - It was all there every bill .
Only after scrutiny of the history file we went to view .
Pointless with out as if there's no invoice it's not been done !
 
longjohnsilver said:
I have a boat in Altea marina, where this is based. Would you like me to take a quick look before you fly over? If so, let me know what in particular you’d like me to look at/for and anything you want photos of. I’m here until early June, apart from 5 days next week.
Click to expand...

That is an incredibly generous offer and, probably, yes... let me get the closing on my sale of my current boat behind me (closes on Monday next week), then I'll speak with my broker about what we'd like to see (I assume serial numbers of engines, generator etc..., so I can get quotes for refurb as needed)... PLUS, per jrudge above: "The usual issues are:
- cabin linings are falling off at that age
- the teak is shot or close to shot"

Thanks again for the offer... I'll PM you to see if we can coordinate with your (and the selling broker's) schedules?

Cheers,
Simon
 
Portofino said:
As a tester to see if it's worth going further you could ask to see any paperwork to back up the claim " service every 200hrs or year" which ever came sooner .
If it's true the broker should email the file by return as that's what every propect will be asking .
I viewed a high hrs " meticulous " owner described by the broker and to be fair in his office it took me nearly an hour just go a few years back - It was all there every bill .
Only after scrutiny of the history file we went to view .
Pointless with out as if there's no invoice it's not been done !
Click to expand...

I have retained a "buyer's broker" (pretty normal here in the US), so I will get him to dig into what you suggest... I agree with you, bills (for parts/components at least) should be available... I'm fine with competent owners doing their own work, as I do a lot of my own on my boat, as the first year I had my current boat I got a "reputable local yard" to do a bunch of servicing work and they did more harm than good... if I can do the work I would rather do it myself and know it's done thoroughly and completely.

However, to your point, I was able to provide every single bill for every nut, bolt, oil filter etc... to my buyer for scrutiny... same should apply here, I agree.

Many thanks,
Simon
 
Recharging voltage - this is not impossible of course but will cost.

The big boats are electric hungry. AC, hob, microwave, immersion heater, chargers, bbq grill etc.

You can of course put large transformers in - but I don't know how big 2 x 120 - 240v 32 amp tranfomers are Very I suspect. Changing all the kit to 120v wont be financially viable - so then you will need to source 240v stuff in the USA.
 
LI-Boater said:
In my search for a Fairline SQ58, this one caught my eye: https://www.yachtworld.com/boats/2006/fairline-squadron-58-3524175/
Click to expand...

I suppose this question is better addressed to other forumites who intimately know the Sq58 rather than to yourself, but I'd be curious to hear what are those two black things above the Separ fuel filters in the pic below (taken from that YW ad).
They remind me of e/r blowers, but I can't believe that's what they are... :confused:

Back to your point, in the past I digged into the AC conversion topic for a boat which I was considering to move the other way round, i.e. from the US to EU.
And my conclusion was that it was not only a job not worth doing, but also too serious to be handled by an electrician (no matter how good), so to speak.
If I would have gone that route, I would have fitted a step down transformer for connecting to dock 50Hz AC supply - nothing else.
And mind, what I was considering is much less risky than what you are thinking to do now, because for any given AC absorption, the cables size has to be larger in US boats.
So, unless Fairline used to size each and every AC cables also in their EU boats based on US requirements (which is something I doubt, but I actually don't know), you would be in for some major risks of onboard electrical fire... :ambivalence:
7031928_20190328100223188_1_XLARGE.jpg
 
There are 2 threads running now which is confusing !

If you are looking at 2002 boats bear in mind there was a 2004 facelift

- more square port holes
- the gold metal trim and knobs etc became chrome
- the tv became pop up ( this seems to vary by model a bit )
 
MapisM said:
I suppose this question is better addressed to other forumites who intimately know the Sq58 rather than to yourself, but I'd be curious to hear what are those two black things above the Separ fuel filters in the pic below (taken from that YW ad).
They remind me of e/r blowers, but I can't believe that's what they are... :confused:

Back to your point, in the past I digged into the AC conversion topic for a boat which I was considering to move the other way round, i.e. from the US to EU.
And my conclusion was that it was not only a job not worth doing, but also too serious to be handled by an electrician (no matter how good), so to speak.
If I would have gone that route, I would have fitted a step down transformer for connecting to dock 50Hz AC supply - nothing else.
And mind, what I was considering is much less risky than what you are thinking to do now, because for any given AC absorption, the cables size has to be larger in US boats.
So, unless Fairline used to size each and every AC cables also in their EU boats based on US requirements (which is something I doubt, but I actually don't know), you would be in for some major risks of onboard electrical fire... :ambivalence:
Click to expand...

Firstly, yes they are engine blowers.

Secondly, I tried to separate the 2 threads... the other one is a general ask about converting a SQ58 from European to US spec and this one is specifically asking the brain trust what they think of the high hours boat on the market in the Med...

Per my opening post in the other thread (and in an attempt to close out any residual noise on this one), I had similar concerns, which is why I sent the initial list of questions to Fairline's engineering department at the factory (and got excellent and detailed responses (per my post))... in fact my very first question was:
Q1. Will any (all?) of the core wiring need to be changed? I can’t believe Fairline would have different looms for US vs European build, but worth checking.
...and their answer was:
A1. The wiring after the distribution panel will be ok. From the shoreline inputs to the distribution panel will need to be looked at/changed

They also said it is "often done".

...and to put a bow on it, I would NEVER attempt this myself, or even ask a "qualified electrician" to do it... there are specific companies in the US who specialize in exactly this work (and certify it afterwards)... if this is the route I go, I plan to put the challenge squarely in their hands, however, before I go too far down that road, I wanted to provide them as much information as I can about what might specifically be required on a SQ58 (so they can quote for the work), hence the ask to the factory and the same here...

Thanks for the input, though... I know it's not simple, nothing worthwhile ever is... getting lots of food for thought.

Cheers,
Simon
 
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jrudge said:
There are 2 threads running now which is confusing !

If you are looking at 2002 boats bear in mind there was a 2004 facelift

- more square port holes
- the gold metal trim and knobs etc became chrome
- the tv became pop up ( this seems to vary by model a bit )
Click to expand...

My apologies... I did try to intentionally decouple the two threads... I'm trying to understand what's involved in converting from EU to US (other post) and I'm also interested to hear opinions on this specific boat (this post)... two separate, but linked, topics in my mind, but sorry if I managed to create more confusion than clarity... blame it on the new guy!

As for the facelift, I did know about the larger (squarer) portholes on the 2004 facelift, but the pop-up TV and gold-to-chrome fittings is news to me and very helpful. Thanks.

Cheers,
Simon
 
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With those hrs and suspicion of ex charter there may be oil analysis records ?
Not just for the operator/ owners on going benefit but obviously future resale ease .
Anyhow if not you could ( via your home agent and another local ) arrange a snapshot to ID any thing major as opposed to add another ( if they have not been done regularly?) .
As said earlier ordinarily if they have been text book maintained by a fastidious owner I would not be too put off by higher hrs .
As said no paperwork to substantiate that claim then buyer be ware.
It's actually lack of use low hrs imho with boats and cars that result in unscheduled big bills . Folks extended oil changes due to low useage , skipping " timed " stuff like valve clearance because it's not done the hrs etc .
The oil pans leak on those engines current thinking is the extra torgue increases over the years have exceeded the lower block webbing stiffness and it twists enough to open the pan gasket seal .
No biggie just messey part and parcel of D12 development.

Assuming the history is traceable,-step 1 oil analysis comes back within spec -step 2 , a third step long range could be a bora scope of the cylinders .

If it passes all 3 then as said no real no no s with high hrs .
As far a residuals are concerned you just carry on with the batton of good services timely etc and regular oil analysis use genuine parts and continue the history file for the next owner.
 
Feel like I'm punching above my weight here but I've just done some sums...
If a car has 2350 hours and averaged 30mph (this is a figure ive guessed) the total milaege would be 70500.
For a 12 litre engine, this seems like nothing to me.
 
colhel said:
Feel like I'm punching above my weight here but I've just done some sums...
If a car has 2350 hours and averaged 30mph (this is a figure ive guessed) the total milaege would be 70500.
For a 12 litre engine, this seems like nothing to me.
Click to expand...

True, except the boat engines are effectively driving up hill under load for the majority of the time, unlike a car.
 
See your point, but when you take into account berthing at each end of a trip, can't be a lot of difference. I don't know the med but around the South Coast you can easily be in a 6-10 knot limit for the majority of the time.
 
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