New, seeing help & advice please!

[bmp1708]

Hi, I'm new on here and I'm in the middle of purchasing my first yacht. Westerly Longbow 1973. The survey has just arrived and the hull apparently has a 30%+ moisture reading. I'm young & I haven't got a lot of money. I've only got just the right amount for the boat, insurance and yearly mooring. Can anybody please give me some advice? even if it's to walk away and find my new home elsewhere? Thank you, Beth.

 

[Sandyman]

Is there a reason why no one has even bothered to reply ? I don't know enough about Plastic boats to give any advise.

 

[Tranona]

Welcome to the forum. Delay is because new members have to get their posts approved.

Poll won't help because there is never a yes or no answer. Osmosis is common on the sort of boat you are looking at. Rarely does it affect the functioning of the boat - it is mainly cosmetic. The negative aspect is that there is a reluctance among many to buy a boat with the condition. This is partly because of the hysteria that is built up about the issue and partly the high cost of professional treatment in relation to the market value of the boat.

There are, however, probably 000's of boats in use with osmosis at some level and owners live with it. There are alternative DIY treatments that keep the blisters at bay rather than more drastic treatment, that despite guarantees is not always successful.

As to whether you walk away depends on many factors. Clearly you will have difficulty in selling in the short term, but equally you will have difficulty in buying a similar boat without the problem. You have to look at the boat overall at what it offers in relation to your needs and its price. To put things into perspective, a new engine or new sails will likely cost more than professional treatment of osmosis - and both of those reduce the usefulness of the boat far more than a few blisters.

Perhaps have a talk with your surveyor about the options before you make a decision. If you are in for the long haul and everything else about the boat is right, use the survey as a bargaining tool to get a reduction, buy the boat and enjoy it. You can deal with the blisters at a later date.

 

[Gwylan]

A lot depends on how the measure was taken and needs a certain amount of interpretation.

First stop is your surveyor and what they think about this level of moisture and how widespread etc. It is a good lever in the price negotiation too, do not be afraid to use it.

As others have said, it generally does not cause boats to sink and can be sorted out with some time and effort. But it will make it harder to sell quickly if you need to.

I would be more interested in the engine, that can be a real money black hole!

Always expect that there will be another £500 worth of work that needs doing that you will discover as you go along. Budget for this and resign yourself to the little surprises that boats can deliver.

If you are time rich then you can do a lot of the work yourself. That's what I did in similar circumstances.

We beat the price down and after a few weeks of hard work and rapid learning and we were back in business. If you do go this route, take pictures to show prospective buyers at a later date. Also to remind yourself of just how much work you did.

Most of the knowledge here was acquired the hard way, by doing the job and learning. Also people are generally very helpful with hints and advice on specific matters.

 

[maby]

Agreed - you need to give us a lot more information including the asking price, how you intend to use it and the general condition apart from the moisture readings.

As Tranona says, osmosis isn't the death of a boat, but it does reduce the market value - when it's bad, it does make the boat heavier with a potential loss of performance and it can be unsightly - a buyer faced with two similar boats at similar prices but with one of them suffering bad osmosis is going to opt for the dry boat, so you need to take that into account when you decide whether or not to buy it.

Most boats of that age are going to be wet unless they have been recently treated. If it's the right boat for you apart from the moisture readings and the price is good in comparison with similar boats, then you are probably safe to go with it. An important consideration is probably how long you expect to keep it. The moisture figures are making you ask questions and the same will be true of the next buyer if you decide to sell it. If the price is good in comparison with comparable alternatives, then it should sell easily enough, but don't pay top dollar and expect to get a quick sale next year without losing money.

 

[ukmctc]

its not a dear boat buy it and enjoy, osmosis never sank a boat yet. give it a good scrape and paint and get out there.

 

[sailaboutvic]

if it your first yacht , do you really want to spend money on it before you start , there lots of yacht out there find one you can sail , keeping a yacht is expenses enough with out buying some thing you know you going to have to spend money on unless you rather work on a project then sail .

www.dufour385.webs.com

 

[bmp1708]

There is very little blistering, just a high moisture reading, that's what's confusing me a lot. The asking price is £10K but the current owner is paying £400 to get the sea cocks fixed as that was another point made on the survey.

 

[maby]

There is very little blistering, just a high moisture reading, that's what's confusing me a lot. The asking price is £10K but the current owner is paying £400 to get the sea cocks fixed as that was another point made on the survey.

well, they do seem to hold their value - £10k seems to be a fair price following an internet search.

I don't think high moisture content automatically means osmosis - a boat of that age will probably have soaked up a bit of water anyway. Osmosis is a reaction between the absorbed water and chemical residues left in the resin of the hull - if the resin was good quality and well mixed when the boat was built, I don't see why it cannot hav a high moisture reading but not be suffering from osmosis.

 

[bmp1708]

Thank you all for your advice. We are going ahead with the purchase and hope to get her insured tonight, then we'll paint her completely, a coat of anti-foul and get her back into the water where she belongs (after the sea cocks have been fixed/replaced) and then move on! It's all very exciting but I have a feeling I'll be consulting you all again for more advice very soon. As long as there is no blistering, I'm not too bothered. The current owner is a lovely guy and he will be out neighbor at the Marina, so he's on hand for any advice as well

 

[maby]

I'm sure you'll have a great time! Keep the expenditure to a minimum for the next six months - just get her sea worthy, then sail her... In the autumn, armed with a few months experience, give her a thorough clean-up and make her look really good. That way, you'll minimise wasted money - and actually get some sailing in. We bought our first boat one May, spent four months painting and refurbishing her, and launched just in time for the weather to turn foul!

 

[Bobobolinsky]

well, they do seem to hold their value - £10k seems to be a fair price following an internet search.

I don't think high moisture content automatically means osmosis - a boat of that age will probably have soaked up a bit of water anyway. Osmosis is a reaction between the absorbed water and chemical residues left in the resin of the hull - if the resin was good quality and well mixed when the boat was built, I don't see why it cannot hav a high moisture reading but not be suffering from osmosis.

High moisture contents are a precursor of POSSIBLE osmosis. If there are very few small blisters in a yacht of this age, it is not likely that it will end up with osmosis like dinner plates. Get it on the hard scrub it down, sand the underwater hull and coat with chlorinated rubber paint. Antifoul and put it back. Chlor rubber forms an effective vapour barrier (far cheaper than an epoxy coating) and the hull should dry naturally, as I assume you will be living aboard, the dry heat of a fan heater all winter will dry the hull

 

[snorkmaiden]

Hmm. Have a god look at the pattern of readings - that 30% has to be an average. Tends to be wetter in the areas where bulkheads etc meet hull. wet bilges will also give a high reading in that area. Has the hull been in the water for a long time? Have a good look and see if there are visible blisters? Signs of delamination? Find the Westerly owners group and see if you can find more detailed knowledge there. These old hulls were thick and strong. You really should budget for annual maintenance - you will find lots of other costs piling in - engine, rigging etc. Maybe go for something smaller that gives you more of a margin. unless they have had a GOOD epoxy job most hulls of this age will have osmosis. Talk to your surveyor - what does s/he recommend? How many other things need doing? In the end you have to make up your own mind - I really wouldn't go for the poll and clearly others agree. If you ask 10 boat owners the same question, you will be lucky to get less than 10 opinions.

 

[bmp1708]

She's out of the water still. she's been jet-washed and no visible blisters. This weekend we'll give her a scrub, paint and anti-foul (weather permitting) this weekend and then get her back in to the water in the next couple of weeks.