Would you buy it?.

[aluijten]

A 13 year old Hallberg Rassy with a teak deck. Will the teakdeck empty out my pockets in let's say 4years. How long does a teak deck last, given proper care? Does it make much difference if the boat was laid ashore/sheltered at wintertime? What should l ask the previous owner?
Any thoughts much appreciated.
Thanks in advance,
Arno

 

[chippie]

There's nothing wrong with the pedigree, get a surveyor to check its condition.

 

[alant]

As previously mentioned, these have a good pedigree.

However, inspected a HR for sale in the UK last year with a teak deck which was starting to lift away.
Cost of stripping & renewing it was about 35000 euros, so can be an expensive 'barging' unless properly surveyed.
The broker in this case was honest & mentioned the deck problem (which was obvious when walked on).

 

[jjj]

Hi there. HR's generally have a good reputations as you probably already know. The advantage of this is that the quality of the teak and the caulking and general joinery would be of a high order.This would add considerable longevity to the deck, but you must bear in mind high traffic area's where deck thickness is below 5mms as this could lead to lifting and splitting, failing caulking and those demons should be in the forefront of your mind. The main benefits of winter storage from the decks point of view is that storage facility will protect the deck from winter extremes like continuous rain, ice and show and atmospheric pollution.When my boat was initially surveyed It was suggested that the life expectancy of around 20 years was reasonable for a teck deck if treated with respect. I would contact HR in Sweden for a quotation regarding deck work or renewal. JJJ

 

[pvb]

Things to check...

Hallberg-Rassy made a good job of laying the deck originally, but the life expectancy of the deck depends on how it's been treated. Regardless of what the previous owner tells you, you need to examine the deck yourself.

Take a careful look at the deck and check whether the teak is badly ridged (indicating excessive scrubbing). If it is, you'll need to consider how much teak would need to be sanded off to get back to a smooth surface, and what effect that would have on the deck's life.

Also look for height differences around the edges of fittings (eg fuel filler, shroud chain plates, etc) which will indicate how much teak has been eroded so far.

If there are numerous teak bungs missing from the screwholes, it indicates that the deck is quite worn, and it might be best to look for another boat.

You'll probably find that the caulking is standing proud of the teak - this can be a good sign, because it may indicate that the deck has not yet been re-sanded. It's possible to cut off the excess caulking and lightly belt-sand the deck as a DIY operation, with pretty good results.

Renovation work on HR teak decks is perhaps even more expensive than normal because the planking used originally is quite narrow, leading to higher labour costs for a given area.

Finally, if you do buy a Hallberg-Rassy and need to renew any caulking on the deck, only use silicone caulking (available from HR Parts & Accessories) because this is what HR used originally and. without a lot of extra preparation, ordinary polysulphide caulking won't stick in the grooves.

 

[iangrant]

Mine is 1989 and looks like new but then I guess it's been looked after by previous owners (2) who new what they were doing and left it alone.

I would say buy the boat if there are no big ridges as suggested by others. If the deck needs replacing then agree a new price..

PM me if you want to talk about specific HR "refurbishment" replacing what has worn out!


Ian

 

[aluijten]

Thanks all, for the tips
Some confidence has been gained now, survey will be part of the process.

Arno

 

[tcm]

friend had a 49 HR bout same age, resanded and all lovely.

For new-looking teak use the 2-part stuff from Wessex Chemicals, but not too often. Neve jetblast the stuff, never use a brush or broom- just a soft pad - and rinse gently.

I think you sort of need a teak deck with an HR - would you be looking if it didn't have teak?

 

[aluijten]

[I think you sort of need a teak deck with an HR - would you be looking if it didn't have teak?]

Fair point TCM, nevertheless I would become a bit depressed if I would buy a HR and had to spend xxxx within a short time to fix the teak teck. The teak is just a big uncertainty for me (as is the engine).
Thanks nevertheless for your input!

Arno

 

[tcm]

the major problem with a teak deck is if it isn't stuck down. So, tap it all over and check it sounds like it's stuck to the deck good and hard.

To sand it down, you can get someone else to do it, or do it yourself. The pro's will use 40 grit on a belt sander on the open areas, stopping the moment it seems all new wood, and then a vibrating orbital sander at 60 and 80. To make it silky smooth inthe cockpit you you might use 100. The sanders will be knackered at the end of it, but what the heck.

Pricewise, if the nitwit seller hasn't fixed up the deck - an easy and major selling point of a quasi-woody boat- then he really really doesn't want that boat, and will accept a lower offer than asking. After all, an HR is a massive dream innit? Except he doesn't want the thing, so it's a massive nightmare.