Interested in a boat... But

[Sea Change]

Copper coating is quite appealing, not just for peace of mind but also for environmental reasons, although it would have to be done DIY as I imagine professional costs are high. Will it actually save money over a three to five year period?

We've just bought the Coppercoat to do a 47ft boat, it came to about £1600. I expect that to recoup itself fairly quickly.
Not everybody seems to get on with Coppercoat, but I think that's at least partially down to expectations. It doesn't stay as clean as conventional antifouling will in the first few months, but if you're able to scrape it easily enough every few months (either by jumping in with a scraper, or drying out somewhere) then it makes a lot of sense.

 

[sigma38dave]

Here's the ad if anyone wants to take a look. The interior looks nice. I wouldn't take on the teak deck personally, but it's a nice boat in many areas. The price is pretty punchy for the age and considering said deck, imo.

The seller has had another 100 views on his advert and is now reluctant to negotiate due to the recent interest…!

 

[mrming]

The seller has had another 100 views on his advert and is now reluctant to negotiate due to the recent interest…!

If only the market was that healthy.

 

[sigma38dave]

If only the market was that healthy.

Tell me about it!

 

[V1701]

Personally I'd walk away because of the screwed teak deck, the other issues can be relatively easily fixed...

 

[Tranona]

I’ve been on the Moody forums and it seems the chainplate issue is fairly fixable, unless there are other problems waiting to be discovered.

It’s true this could be an option for the first older boat I’ll be putting a lot more time and money into to get ready for a long trip, but the good thing is I’m prepared to put the work in. I’ve been missing some solid DIY since the house renovations dried up.

Would anyone know if the decks are entirely balsa cored on a Moody 419? If there is wood rot around the opening, I gather it’s best to scrape it away and fill with epoxy and then glass over it?

With the teak decks, the chainplate covers are embedded into the teak and sit directly on the GRP, right?

I’m revisiting the boat and have asked to unscrew the wooden trim so I can see where the chainplate meets the bulkhead and inspect it properly.

As for the teak, it doesn’t seem that bad from visual, but it does need attention and that will be high on the priority list.

Copper coating is quite appealing, not just for peace of mind but also for environmental reasons, although it would have to be done DIY as I imagine professional costs are high. Will it actually save money over a three to five year period?

I'd be happy to share an bunch of photos of the teak deck to see if there are visual telltales that its at the end of its life.

A

The chain plates will likely go through solid laminate not cored. Once you get the cover plates off you may find crevice corrosion where the plate goes through the teak and deck (classic case as sitting in damp oxygen starved area). The plate itself is bolted through the bulkhead behind the trim. This is the unknown as if water has got into the bulkhead there may be rot.

Looking at the brokerage photos there are areas on deck where the caulking has failed - the damp areas around the coachroof and inside the sailtracks. The deck is screwed down which in some ways makes it easier to refurbish if worn. Provided there is enough thickness left you can remove the bungs and lower the screws, dig out and replace caulking and then level. Some of the bungs in the dry areas look like they are damp which suggests they might be loose or thin. All typical issues with this type of deck and a good surveyor should be able to give you a fair idea of whether it is worth refurbishing.

On Coppercoating the big saving is in haulouts and annual/bi- annual conventional coating. If you are going long distance sailing then this pays off very quickly as you can wash off the slime while in the water and maybe go 4 or 5 years without a haulout. Good blasting is essential particularly on the keel (with immediate epoxy coating). Perfectly feasible DIY if doing outside in god weather (so not a winter job in Scotland!) but you need ideally 3 people to mix and roll the Coppercoat on in one day. Then 2 weeks for cure before launching.

 

[simonfraser]

What is the maintenance record for this owner, in no details def walk away

 

[Baggywrinkle]

It's a 40 year old boat, and Scotland isn't the driest of environments. That teak deck is a liability IMO.

From the advert ...



... the deck core is balsa which does not usually survive if water gets in over a long period. The state of that balsa core and the plywood pads needs to be established before even thinking about buying the boat IMO.

• Best case, core OK (unlikely) ... remove teak deck, fill screw holes, fill and fair and cover with textured paint, just replace the teak in the cockpit. Many Moodys of that era came with textured decks anyway so it would not detract from the value.
• Worst case, core rotten in multiple locations .... remove teak deck, remove fiberglass skin, dig out all rotten balsa and replace with closed cell foam, re-lay deck, fill and fair and cover with textured paint. The cost will be well into 5 figures.

It's a lot of boat for the money, and a lot of money to rectify whatever you might find. At this age it will need a comprehensive survey to identify any serious wallet busting problems. There are a few areas in the pictures which IMO need further investigation.

The chain plates are secured to marine ply bulkheads below the decks. The sealant used looks like it is no longer effective and has gone unattended. Water could have caused rot in the bulkhead, weakening the security of the chainplates - not to mention work hardening and corrosion of the plates themselves.

There are signs of water ingress/mould at the rear end of the front port berth. Also looks like water has been coming in at the rear end of the window above the galley, with water damage to the cabinet below - and for some reason the surfaces have been covered with metal ... bit suspicious.

There is also the bilge to consider, and the keel bolts.

This boat is desperately in need of a major re-fit IMO.

Here's another for comparison that has been cleaned up ... MOODY 419 Segelyacht zu verkaufen | De Valk Yacht Brokers

 

[garymalmgren]

My God! Baggywrinkle.
That is a beauty.

 

[Blueboatman]

With the exception of teak decks I have to say that this is a fine looking example with cared for interior and sensible replacements and upgrades along the way . And it’s a Moody of proven design and popularity.

I have a fair ammount of teak deck experience both maintenance, renovation and one whole removal ( a massive job to do WELL) and an awful lot of hands on wood experience so I would say that for the right person with the time, the skills, the patience and the willingness to commit, this is a very nice boat.

To anyone who thinks a bit of diy and sailing away into the sunset, I would urge caution and a pub chat with a very grounded friend.