Athene V30
Active member
Had a hull survey this afternoon and to be honest I cried on the way home. The boat is not seaworthy and will cost several £k to make her so.
The hull was originally fitted out by her first owner. It appears that in areas the first owner did not put in enough strengthening. As a consequence most of the port side has delaminated and some of the starboard side too and it is this that has allowed the keel to move and now leak. The port side is very wet too so it has been going on for ages. The mast support is only on the port side so the deck is dipping on one side too.
I am awaiting the full report but verbally I have been suggested 2 options:
a) Sell the boat as a 'Project' listing the defects possible value about £5k (well there are new sails, rigging and wonderful upholstry!)
b) DIY fix. Take best part of a year.
I am not sure I have either the DIY skills or the heart to rip out the insides of Flipper and rebuild her so trying to sell he may be the only option.
Whichever way I feel totally let down by the surveyor I employed when I was looking to buy Flipper. Had he made me aware of the consequences of the self build I would have moved on and found another boat to nurture and love for 6 years. You would think that a so called expert should have given me the full story - after all that is why I employed him.
The only reference to self build and lack of strengthening in the survey says.... ' these by themselves would not necessary affect the overall strength of the craft' - if only. My only hope now is that I can get the insurers to pay up under 'latent defect in the Vessel' or 'negligence' of the initial surveyor.
BTW if you want a surveyor I would suggest without prejudice or making any comment on his ability that you do not employ Reg B Crawley an individual I have no desire to meet.
Now back to the brandy bottle.
The hull was originally fitted out by her first owner. It appears that in areas the first owner did not put in enough strengthening. As a consequence most of the port side has delaminated and some of the starboard side too and it is this that has allowed the keel to move and now leak. The port side is very wet too so it has been going on for ages. The mast support is only on the port side so the deck is dipping on one side too.
I am awaiting the full report but verbally I have been suggested 2 options:
a) Sell the boat as a 'Project' listing the defects possible value about £5k (well there are new sails, rigging and wonderful upholstry!)
b) DIY fix. Take best part of a year.
I am not sure I have either the DIY skills or the heart to rip out the insides of Flipper and rebuild her so trying to sell he may be the only option.
Whichever way I feel totally let down by the surveyor I employed when I was looking to buy Flipper. Had he made me aware of the consequences of the self build I would have moved on and found another boat to nurture and love for 6 years. You would think that a so called expert should have given me the full story - after all that is why I employed him.
The only reference to self build and lack of strengthening in the survey says.... ' these by themselves would not necessary affect the overall strength of the craft' - if only. My only hope now is that I can get the insurers to pay up under 'latent defect in the Vessel' or 'negligence' of the initial surveyor.
BTW if you want a surveyor I would suggest without prejudice or making any comment on his ability that you do not employ Reg B Crawley an individual I have no desire to meet.
Now back to the brandy bottle.
