S37 from the Med - Help

[RDL]

The S37 is being surveyed today, and a problem has been found. There are slight cracks in the gel coat on one side, about 3 metres long by 15 cm wide. more than likely its had an impact at some point. This area is just above the chine and above the water line. The moisture level is quite high in this area due to water ingress.

The surveyor said that it can be repaired, but it would have to be done by a top guy in order that it could not be seen at a later date. Small gel coat repair has been detected on the other side, and one set of props badly pitted.

Please comment.





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[miket]

Sounds like a "leave well alone" job to me.

Must be plenty of good ones around.

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[TwoStroke]

As much as you are going to be disappointed, unless you know of some one that can carry out the repair to a high standard, it's time to leave this one alone. /forums/images/icons/frown.gif

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[boatone]

Move on and live to spend another day.....dont worry about wasted expense of survey, it wasnt wasted, was it?

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[gjgm]

did the surveyor identify whether the damage was only to the gelcoat or was more substantial and has affected the fibreglass? Either way, it is repairable... you just have to make sure that any "loss" you might have in the future when selling is paid for now by the present owner. Remember,even if the repair is a perfect colour match now, the old and new gelcoat will fade at different rates, so the repair maybe visible later. But hell, how often are you looking at that part of the boat!
Sounds like a good opportunity to see if you can get a bargain..after all seller will probably only have this problem with the next buyer. Oldgit seems to regularly get 33pct off, i recall from a previous thread.Send him down there!


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[oldgit]

Re chine cracks.

Aha.my name has been mentioned.For anyone interested in the way that modern boats are built,have a look on.www.yachtsurvey.com.Look at the section that covers the weight of different craft.From my reading of this article,as time has gone on some builders have constructed their craft in such a way as to cause them to weigh less and less as time as gone on.This could be effected by laying up the hull using smaller amounts of everthing in order to build to a budget.


<hr width=100% size=1>Two boats please one here n one in the Med

 

[gjgm]

RE oldgit

found the web page, but quite where is the article? There was an article in MBM couple of years ago about whether its possible to break your boat,although think it was limited to sea rather than pontoon. Think there have been only two cases in last decades that a manufacturer has been hauled up for making an inherently breakable boat. With better design analysis and modern materials I would have expected that modern boats get lighter- they are better able to identify what actually is needed in the construction. After all that then leaves plenty of scope available for several fridges,plasma tvs,heating,dozens of motorised winches,cookers,microwaves and all other absolute necessities .So many boats arent actually going to leave the marina,seems quite unnecessary to slap on an extra layer of matting,surely?

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[tripleace]

Move On

If its had that type of impact, what else has happened that has not showed up and will show up latter.



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[Deleted User YDKXO]

Its not the crack damage or repair that would worry me but the increased moisture content. You dont say whether this is localised or has spread out from the damage. If it has spread, I would be inclined to walk away from the boat but, if it is just localised, then a period out of the water should dry it out.
Your decision is really a personal one. If you are a bit ambivalent about the boat anyway and there others about that would suit you, this is a perfect reason to walk away and demand your deposit back. On the other hand, if you still really want the boat, then IMHO, it sounds like a simple grp repair for a competent bloke and you should demand that the damage be repaired and the moisture content reduced to the satisfaction of your surveyor before you complete the sale. I would also demand that the repair be completed within a certain time, say 14 days, but the reduction in moisture content may take longer than this. Also, it is correct that a grp repair may be detectable to the expert eye and, therefore, will slightly affect the value of the boat so at the same time you will have to negotiate a reduction in the sale price. I would start at £5k and see what happens but probably settle for £2.5k
If the vendor quibbles with this or offers to do the repair only if you complete the sale, then just walk away

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[RDL]

Yes Mike,

My worry would be - how will it affect the resale value, indeed when I come to sell it, I may have punters that will 'walk away'. My surveyor has reported to me that the moisture content of the whole hull is a little high. The owner of the boat is there at the moment and has said that It has been in the water all winter - this may be a satisfactory reason for it or it may be related to the 'dinks' that it has had and the water ingress.

I have not paid over any monies up to this point, so I can walk away cleanly if required. It just stands me at the Surveyors cost to date and a trip out there. These costs to date are not small - but this is what I am paying the Surveyor for - to find problems now.





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[Deleted User YDKXO]

It seems to be standard practice in the Med to leave the boat in the water all year round except for a quick lift for a scrub and antifoul and the moisture content may be a little higher than a UK boat which has been laid up regularly. The crucial question is whether the increased moisture content is more than would normally be found in a boat that had spent all its winters in the water. Your surveyor, who presumably is experienced in surveying Med boats should give an opinion on this and if you detect any doubt in his mind, then definitely walk away because reducing the moisture content throughout the hull could be very costly and time consuming
As I see it, you lose nothing by walking away. The survey cost is a sunk cost anyway and should not affect your decision as to whether to proceed and you have no deposit to retrieve. Like as not you could spend the next few weeks looking at other boats and this one will probably be still on the market next year. If you dont find another boat in the meanwhile you can probably go back to this one later and maybe even with a reduced offer

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[TwoStroke]

I take it you're not spending loose change here - so would walk away. Once you've bought it it's going to be niggling at the back of your mind if you've done the right thing and will worry you when you come to sell it.

Came across a similar scenario with a Ferrari that I found had been in a prang. Had been repaired by main dealer so all ok, however, when client tried to sell it later, no dealer would touch it as was worth 1/2 it's value. Client sold privately.

This boat is too much hassle and worry. Find another one in better nick and you'll sleep well too.

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[Jerbro]

Re: RE oldgit

http://www.yachtsurvey.com/Fiberglass_Boats.htm ?

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[oldgit]

Re: the elusive article.

.Basically it lists a number of similer length boats and lists the difference in hull weights.From memory the weight varied by 25% or so.Boats offering style as their main attraction seemed to be the most lightly constructed.
Another conclusion reached by the author basically states that any new boat selling at considerably less than its rivals has had corners cut somewhere.

<hr width=100% size=1>Two boats please one here n one in the Med