Moody 346 keel issues

[MoodySabre]

I'm looking at a Moody 346 bilge-keeler.

The surveyor has found small (1" - 2" long) hairline cracks in the hull coming out from the corners of the keel recesses. He says this is not urgent but at will require grinding out and repairing. There was a very slight amount of movement in one keel with the boat in the slings - just enough to show a bit of water sqeezing out of the keel join. There has been no leaks up through the keel bolts. The boat does not live on a drying mooring or take the ground regularly.

The suggestion is that next year the keels should be dropped and the repairs carried out. The expression 'normal wear and tear' was used. Well it's not normal for me and there's no mention of it on the MOA website. What do you think folks. The boat is otherwise sound. Run away or get £3 or £4k off the price and sort it out next winter?

 

[ianfr]

Roger,

I can't help feeling that maybe the boat has been HARD aground at some time, but if the surveyor is convinced that its OK and all the other boxes are ticked then 6K - 8K off just in case, and see if you get a nibble.


Regards

Ian

 

[tidclacy]

I remember when I bought my 346 fin keel the surveyor telling me that the early bilge keelers did have a problem with not enough reinforcement and they tended to flex.

 

[ancientsailor]

I remember when I bought my 346 fin keel the surveyor telling me that the early bilge keelers did have a problem with not enough reinforcement and they tended to flex.

We bought a Moody 34 1984(?) version. Self-same problem, particulary on port keel. Local yard quoted £3000 incl about 3 yrs ago. We never got round to it.

Did grind out cracks (a very small area indeed), hack out loose mastic and made good. That lasted a couple of years without apparent problem.

I was never entirely at ease about the keels however. We did gently dry out a few times.

The surveyor thought the problem may have arisen from the previous owner replacing the keel nuts and

• not tightening up enough and
• using too thick a bedding of mastic on the nut backing plates

Buyer took the boat from us ... still with cracks - some of which came back

 

[vyv_cox]

Cracks at bends and corners often extend only into the gel-coat, which is often thicker at these points. I have many gelcoat cracks in the gelcoat on my decks, as has been said these coincide with places where slight flexing occurs. It's probably as your surveyor says but may be a good bargaining point.

 

[FullCircle]

Roger,
The Vrenys had this (small) issue with their recent purchase. The easiest way was to get a yard to quote for the job and make a financial agreement with the owner to get it sorted. Start new ownership with a level playing area, you will be happier.

 

[Bosun Higgs]

I'm looking at a Moody 346 bilge-keeler.

The surveyor has found small (1" - 2" long) hairline cracks in the hull coming out from the corners of the keel recesses. He says this is not urgent but at will require grinding out and repairing. There was a very slight amount of movement in one keel with the boat in the slings - just enough to show a bit of water sqeezing out of the keel join. There has been no leaks up through the keel bolts. The boat does not live on a drying mooring or take the ground regularly.

The suggestion is that next year the keels should be dropped and the repairs carried out. The expression 'normal wear and tear' was used. Well it's not normal for me and there's no mention of it on the MOA website. What do you think folks. The boat is otherwise sound. Run away or get £3 or £4k off the price and sort it out next winter?

It would seem from the above that it is normal wear and tear - or at least typical. It is , after all, a fairly old boat so you cannot expect "as new " condition.

If it will prey on your mind ( thats the way I'm built ) then get the money off the price and have the work done. Or better still, get the money off and DIY.

Personally I would look for another boat. In the last 4 years we have had three bilge keelers sink through keel problems - one Westerly 33 and two other makes who's name escapes me. Drying moorings , soft mud.

 

[Solwaycruiser]

I once had a drying mooring and was looking for a twin keel 34-35 footer. At the time I did some research into the different available models and the Moody was one of them. I decided against the Moody because of the reports I found of issues at the aft end of the keels due to lack of support in that area. Not sure that it was a major problem but felt it not worth the risk as the boat would be subject to bumping about at the rise and fall of the tide in the wrong conditions. Having said that it was not the only twin keel boat with issues around regular drying out.

 

[theoldsalt]

pm sent

 

[MoodySabre]

Some progress.

The vendor is having the cracks ground out and repaired to the surveyors recommended spec.

The surveyor, when spoken to, says the keel movement is not a problem and probably never will be. At worst the bolts might need nipping up.

Game on.

 

[GrahamM376]

Some progress.

The vendor is having the cracks ground out and repaired to the surveyors recommended spec.

The surveyor, when spoken to, says the keel movement is not a problem and probably never will be. At worst the bolts might need nipping up.

Game on.

That's what I did to our 346 and they never reappeared in the 4 years we had the boat.

I doubt you will have much luck "nipping" down the keel nuts, they are usually well rusted on to the mild steel studs. Very easy to replace, just wind the nuts and studs out in pairs, with the boat on hard standing. No need to drop the keels and re-bed unless leaking.

Check the water tanks, ours has osmosis to the point of leaking. Not too hard a job to repair but very time consuming.

 

[soapysam]

With a name like Moody Sabre, did you step up from a Sabre to the Moody. How did it work out for you in the end?

 

[PeteCooper]

With a name like Moody Sabre, did you step up from a Sabre to the Moody. How did it work out for you in the end?

He bought Moody 31 called … Sabre!

 

[soapysam]

Ah, a case of 2 + 2 = 5. Still interested to know how he got on with it though?

 

[jwilson]

We ( https://www.yachtsnet.co.uk/ ) sold one otherwise rather nice Moody 346 that had similar bilge keel movement problems found on survey: buyer got it done at I believe about £4K boatyard bill after some price renegotiation. That surveyor did regard any significant keel movement as a problem.