Sanity check please. A boat has caught my eye…

[fredrussell]

I’ve always had a bit of a thing for Ovni boats. I like lifting keel boats - have a great love of sitting up a muddy east coast creek, and currently have a Parker 31, which I love. I also have an ancient dog and when he goes to the great kennel in the sky I would love to live on a boat, so looking for a bit more room. Lifting keel boats in the mid - 30ft and upwards bracket are not too common, mostly Southerlies or French aluminium types. These boats are generally out of reach for me financially, but…

There’s a ‘cheap’ Ovni 385 currently for sale on Apollo Duck. It’s a fixer-upper, or perhaps a project boat (the difference for me being that a fixer-upper can be put in the water and used whilst work commences, whereas a project boat ends up in a boatyard for months or years). Here’s a link to boat ad:

Alubat Ovni 385 for sale UK, Alubat boats for sale, Alubat used boat sales, Alubat Sailing Yachts For Sale Alubat Ovni 385 - 1999 - 12m 40ft - REDUCED - Apollo Duck

I’m only currently at stage one of boat madness, ie repeatedly looking at the ad and thinking “hmmm”. Your job is to help me avoid stage two which means going to look at the boat. Thankfully the boat is bloody miles away, if it were local I fear I’d be at stage two already.

What do you all reckon? Any experts on painting aluminium decks out there?
It’s been on the market a while and the price has been coming down and I suspect may be reduced more.

 

[[70521]]

I like the Ovni boats. If I was 10 years younger I'd be on the phone today and driving up in the morning.

I'd be interested to hear @Wansworth's view, only because he has been looking for a new boat since Queen Victoria died.

 

[Obi]

Morning Fred,
I would probably go to stage 1.1 with this yacht. Stage 1.1 for me would be trying to learn about the yachts back story and how it came to be where it is and in the condition it is. I bought an old 40' in need of TLC and it took a lot of work and time but it was worth it for me. One thing I benefitted from whilst doing an extensive overhaul was that eventually I knew my yacht and it's bits and bobs very well. I also got to determine some key factors about what I needed and also how it looked. I was v happy ultimately.

The advert suggests a refit. Having had a quick look at the ad, to me it looks like the interior is mostly OK, possible damp/mould on one of the doors, water staining on saloon wood work which is sometimes difficult to clean up if a veneer.

I know nothing of alu or steel hulls, so would need to dig into the topic. I am quite surprised at the amount of paint that the exterior has lost.

I assume it is cheap compared to other similar yachts.

I'd probably book myself into accommodation for the night and enjoy the trip up there to go and have a good look at it. If I felt I could cope with the work, I'd be quite keen to explore stage 2 and later.

 

[[70521]]

I know nothing of steel hulls, so would need to dig into the topic. I am quite surprised at the amount of paint that the exterior has lost.

You will find that they are aluminium and paint has real issued sticking to that stuff.

 

[Boathook]

I've always liked them and Southerly's.

I suspect a bit cheaper due to not many buyers up in Scotland. A bit of staining on the wood round the galley otherwise the interior doesn't look to bad. I don't know enough about painting aluminium but could soon learn.

 

[Ribtecer]

I’ve always had a bit of a thing for Ovni boats. I like lifting keel boats - have a great love of sitting up a muddy east coast creek, and currently have a Parker 31, which I love. I also have an ancient dog and when he goes to the great kennel in the sky I would love to live on a boat, so looking for a bit more room. Lifting keel boats in the mid - 30ft and upwards bracket are not too common, mostly Southerlies or French aluminium types. These boats are generally out of reach for me financially, but…

There’s a ‘cheap’ Ovni 385 currently for sale on Apollo Duck. It’s a fixer-upper, or perhaps a project boat (the difference for me being that a fixer-upper can be put in the water and used whilst work commences, whereas a project boat ends up in a boatyard for months or years). Here’s a link to boat ad:

Alubat Ovni 385 for sale UK, Alubat boats for sale, Alubat used boat sales, Alubat Sailing Yachts For Sale Alubat Ovni 385 - 1999 - 12m 40ft - REDUCED - Apollo Duck

I’m only currently at stage one of boat madness, ie repeatedly looking at the ad and thinking “hmmm”. Your job is to help me avoid stage two which means going to look at the boat. Thankfully the boat is bloody miles away, if it were local I fear I’d be at stage two already.

What do you all reckon? Any experts on painting aluminium decks out there?
It’s been on the market a while and the price has been coming down and I suspect may be reduced more.

Seems to me;

A lot of Boat.

A lot of Work.

A lot of Money.

At half that amount I could get interested.

The way the engine has been spray painted doesn't suggest its had any proper love and care.

It would be lovely once properly renovated, but how much would it be worth?

 

[Stemar]

I can see why you're interested. They are a fairly specialised market, and, while popular with French blue-water sailors, aren't well-known in the UK, so I can see why a tatty one might be hard to sell.

She looks like a much-loved boat that's fallen on hard times. If the back-story confirms this, I'd find someone who knows ally boats and move to stage two.

I know little about Al boats, apart from that, if your enemy has one, go on board and drop a penny in the bilge - galvanic corrosion will make a hole surprisingly quickly. You also have to be very careful where steel meets aluminium, but painting doesn't seem to be too much of an issue, just use an etching primer as the first coat..

Addition, having seen Sandy's post: yes, If I were 10 years younger and a bit richer ...

If she passes stage 2, make a cheeky offer; since she's been sitting around for a while, costing storage fees, you might just get a pleasant surprise. If not you can always increase it.

 

[Obi]

You will find that they are aluminium and paint has real issued sticking to that stuff.

Yes noted that and corrected earlier but not quick enough. Thanks

Any ideas on the solution to the paint peeling?

 

[John_Silver]

Remember Little Wing from our Poole days (we left, for Kent, in 2016). We shared a similar taste in weekend anchorages: Redend Rocks, Blood Alley etc. Used to notice her because she was out every weekend and able to tuck right in - where we could not go!
Regular use often means kept in well maintained order…..not sure when she moved north, or her activity level thereafter…..

 

[Wansworth]

What about a puppy to keep you company inyou creek?

 

[Ribtecer]

Any ideas on the solution to the paint peeling?

Getting rid of whats already there, then a decent etch primer, should then last a few years.

The antifouling seems to be staying put ok so clearly it can work if prep'd properly.

 

[[70521]]

Yes noted that and corrected earlier but not quick enough. Thanks

Any ideas on the solution to the paint peeling?

Don't paint.

I lust for a Boreal 47 Mk1, they then got stupid and the Mk2 has twin wheels, they are not painted.

 

[John_Silver]

On getting paint to stick to ali:

I visited Alubat/Ovni, in Les Sables, for a look over the 370. Under new ownership, they were very proud of the steps that they had taken to improve quality. Particularly paint adherence.

The full details did not sink in (I was too busy clambering all over the boat). But they did set out exactly where the ‘old’ business had gone ‘wrong,’ on paint adherence. And why that was no longer a problem. Could be worth a call / email. They are very friendly folk. Denis Vanlaere, was the chap I dealt with.

 

[Fr J Hackett]

The only thing that would stop me buying that is if there was any evidence of galvanic corrosion anywhere, could be a superb boat and buy.

 

[Elessar]

I’ve always had a bit of a thing for Ovni boats. I like lifting keel boats - have a great love of sitting up a muddy east coast creek, and currently have a Parker 31, which I love. I also have an ancient dog and when he goes to the great kennel in the sky I would love to live on a boat, so looking for a bit more room. Lifting keel boats in the mid - 30ft and upwards bracket are not too common, mostly Southerlies or French aluminium types. These boats are generally out of reach for me financially, but…

There’s a ‘cheap’ Ovni 385 currently for sale on Apollo Duck. It’s a fixer-upper, or perhaps a project boat (the difference for me being that a fixer-upper can be put in the water and used whilst work commences, whereas a project boat ends up in a boatyard for months or years). Here’s a link to boat ad:

Alubat Ovni 385 for sale UK, Alubat boats for sale, Alubat used boat sales, Alubat Sailing Yachts For Sale Alubat Ovni 385 - 1999 - 12m 40ft - REDUCED - Apollo Duck

I’m only currently at stage one of boat madness, ie repeatedly looking at the ad and thinking “hmmm”. Your job is to help me avoid stage two which means going to look at the boat. Thankfully the boat is bloody miles away, if it were local I fear I’d be at stage two already.

What do you all reckon? Any experts on painting aluminium decks out there?
It’s been on the market a while and the price has been coming down and I suspect may be reduced more.

It looks like an opportunity to me. The cosmetic condition will put most buyers off.

If you like it (and I can see why you would) then figure the following.

Value in good condition.
Cost of repair in a good yard.

That will give a number much lower than they are asking.

Then bid that. They will say no. But they might change their mind when you up that just a little bit

 

[Boathook]

Remember Little Wing from our Poole days (we left, for Kent, in 2016). We shared a similar taste in weekend anchorages: Redend Rocks, Blood Alley etc. Used to notice her because she was out every weekend and able to tuck right in - where we could not go!
Regular use often means kept in well maintained order…..not sure when she moved north, or her activity level thereafter…..

I thought the name seemed familiar. Some of my haunts as well.

 

[wallacebob]

I’m intrigued by location: Silvers Boat Yard, Gare Loch?

 

[Sticky Fingers]

I’d be taking a flight up to have a proper look. Impossible to tell from photos whether that’s a DIY fixer upper or a project, and you really need to know. Then provided you’ve not been put off, come up with an offer per Elessar’s suggestion; consider an as-is / where-is basis no survey. My bet is they want rid.

The question of how to paint aluminium is easily solved and imho is the laser the things I’d be worrying about, not least because a lot of these boats that I’ve seen have been left unpainted.

 

[fredrussell]

Well, my initial plan seems to have failed - ie get some knowledgable forum boaty types to tell you to run, not walk, away. Damn…

 

[Steve_N]

I’m intrigued by location: Silvers Boat Yard, Gare Loch?

Creran Marine, Loch Creran.
I think she's been there a number of years now; seem to recall admiring her (when she was in much smarter nick) when I last had a boat there c. 2020.