Moving up

[PowerYachtBlog]

Are you buying it privately?
For the HIN check with Fairline. Builders should have stamped a hidden hull number somewhere, and usually surveyors do know about this, and when there is some suspicion the boat is stolen etc they check with the builder to know where it is. Some builders also include this in the manual, eighter in writing and stamped. So this in the manual should match with the hidden HIN.

 

[Croozer]

Are you buying it privately?
For the HIN check with Fairline. Builders should have stamped a hidden hull number somewhere, and usually surveyors do know about this, and when there is some suspicion the boat is stolen etc they check with the builder to know where it is. Some builders also include this in the manual, eighter in writing and stamped. So this in the manual should match with the hidden HIN.

It is a private sale however I will employ a surveyor if I decide to proceed.

You have reminded me that the serial no is in the manual as well so it's just a matter of obtaining the location of the hidden HIN.

As suggested by private message, I will contact Fairline.

To be honest I do not believe the boat to be stolen but it is best to be 100% as there is a lot of money involved.

Does the finance company carry out any checks?

 

[PowerYachtBlog]

Finance companies should carry out checks. Sometimes they give you a list of their approved surveyors. In Italy and France with there leasing schemes if the boat is over two years old they send you two extra surveyors (mechanical & hull) themselves and is an extra bill. Mind you not all this, but the most important companies do it.

 

[Croozer]

Thank you PYB.

 

[Croozer]

I cant believe it has taken so long however I am pleased to say that subject to a satisfactory survey we will be the proud owners of a very nice 2006 Phantom 50 soon.

There were many delays from the difficult credit restrictions to the ash cloud which have delayed our search but in the end I managed to get there, well nearly there.

Price wise I managed to tempt the owner to reduce his price and I upped the deposit in order to close the gap for the finance house.

We had a lovely run out last weekend in perfect conditions however I am sure she will handle the rough stuff better than our previous boat which was excellent.

I am flying back to the UK to meet the surveyors and go through all the systems and send oil samples to be checked etc so subject to getting the all clear, I hope to announce the sale within the next couple of weeks and maybe get a chance to meet fellow forum members in and around the UK south coast.

 

[Croozer]

Back from UK yesterday and awaiting full report from surveyor and oil analysis.

As usual some niggly issues have come up which the vendor has agreed to put right but one obvious issue is evidence of oil under starboard engine.

The reason given is that an oil filter came loose and some oil was sprayed and dripped down into the bilge

We lifted the carpet and seating and had a good look and it the reason given seems to stack up as there is evidence of oil under the filter and also the nearby hull wall.

130 hrs logged since last service in 2008 so I'm not sure what the analysis will show

Comments invited

 

[Croozer]

also:

Engines pulling 2200rpm = 30.6knots GPS.

Engines are VP D12 715hp.

Hull is pretty clean with recent antifoul (March).

Fuel load = 50% and water = 25%. No serious clutter on board.

I was expecting 33knots + at 2350rpm?

 

[Deleted User YDKXO]

Back from UK yesterday and awaiting full report from surveyor and oil analysis.

As usual some niggly issues have come up which the vendor has agreed to put right but one obvious issue is evidence of oil under starboard engine.

The reason given is that an oil filter came loose and some oil was sprayed and dripped down into the bilge

We lifted the carpet and seating and had a good look and it the reason given seems to stack up as there is evidence of oil under the filter and also the nearby hull wall.

130 hrs logged since last service in 2008 so I'm not sure what the analysis will show

Comments invited

If I'd paid somebody to service my engines and they'd left a load of oil in the bilges, I wouldn't pay their bill until they'd cleared it up. The other thought I would have is if they're so cackhanded that they spill a load of oil in the bilges doing a filter change, then how well was the rest of the service done? And why was the owner so lazy that he couldn't be arsed to clear up the mess before a potential buyer inspected the boat.
An oil analysis is always worth doing and the longer the oil has been in the engine since the last service, the more valuable the result. Basically an oil analysis measures the quantity of contaminants in the oil and relates those quantities against the hours that the oil has been running in the engine (which is why it's vital to know this). The analysis will highlight any contaminants which are above average levels and a good engineer should be able to interprate any anomalies and possibly relate them to specific types of engine problems. It's not the be all and end all but an oil analysis gives an indication of the health of an engine so it's worth doing

 

[Croozer]

Mike, again thank you for taking the time to reply.

I might have given the forum a bum steer with my description of the problem. Let me try again.

Basically the owner, upon questioning from the surveyor regarding the evidence of oil in the bilges explained that the filter had come loose following the last service some 130hrs ago. The filter was tightened and the the oil topped up (a small amount apparently) and all resolved.

The bilges were cleaned but there is evidence that there was oil down there at some stage.

To be honest, it would be next to impossible to completely clean the oil stains.

I suppose it would have looked better if the owner had notified us of the problem in the first place?

Good info on the oil analysis, thank you.

 

[Deleted User YDKXO]

also:

Engines pulling 2200rpm = 30.6knots GPS.

Engines are VP D12 715hp.

Hull is pretty clean with recent antifoul (March).

Fuel load = 50% and water = 25%. No serious clutter on board.

I was expecting 33knots + at 2350rpm?

This boat is in the Med, right? March to June is plenty enough time in the Med for colonies of barnacles to take up residence on the sterngear and reduce a boat's speed substantially so a loss of 100rpm and 2 kts is par for the course. Was your trip designated the seatrial under a sales contract? I guess you need to get the boat lifted for a survey in which case you should get them to clean the sterngear during the lift and do another seatrial to see whether the boat will pull max rpm or slightly more, in which case you should see 32-33kts. Good idea to get a Volvo engineer along for the seatrial to inspect the engines under load

 

[Nick_H]

When I bought my D12 engined boat in 2007 I also found evidence of oil in the bilge. I spoke to RK Marine who had done the servicing and they told me that pretty much all D12's leak a witness of oil from the sump, but that it shouldn't get any worse. I bought the boat anyway, and so far they're correct, I get a tiny amount of oil leaking, but never enough that i've had to top it up, and 3 yrs on it hasn't got any worse. On the last service Volvopaul managed to get a quarter turn on the sump bolts so this may help, but it doesn't worry me anyway.

 

[Hurricane]

I did my own servicing on our old D12s on the last boat.
On one ocasion, I placed a bucket under the old filter when I was removing it.
I couldnt believe my eyes as the old filter slipped out of my hands and fell into the bucket. And then bounced clean out of the bucket!.
Thankfully, it was on the old Sealine which had moulded trays under the engines so cleaning up was easy but I can see that Deleted User is being a bit harsh by saying "cack handed" - these are Volvos we are talking about.

 

[PCUK]

On a different note, when you get her back to Ireland, think about visiting Watchet marina on the Bristol channel. The town is a small harbour town stuck in a 1950's time warp and although the marine is small they can get seventy footers in if you make arrangements in advance.
Might make a change to do 'quaint' rather than upmarket Howards Way (Now showing my age!)