Boat Buying Checklist

[knottygurl]

moisture meter get them from hardware store, there around 200.00, i have a couple, if you cant find one mesage me and i can mail ya one that will do the job for ya.

[Gone2long]

Originally Posted by knottygurl

moisture meter get them from hardware store, there around 200.00, i have a couple, if you cant find one mesage me and i can mail ya one that will do the job for ya.

Thank you,

I assume that we are talking $200 since you do not mention the specific currency.

Will get back to you as the need arises.

Appreciate your help,

G2L

[Cheechako]

I've had surveyors use moisture meters. Frankly.... I'm not sure it's very effective. They seem to get quite different readings around the hull. Seems to me there is going to be moisture in the outside layer of gel/glass no matter what... on all boats. If the boat has been sitting in the water for years, it's either got blisters or it doesnt...? I just havent developed confidence that it's a great tool....unless the bottom has been stripped and sat exposed for some time.... then it might have value to see how much retained water is there...before you recoat it. (Did that on my HC38 bottom peel job) JMHO

[arjand]

Ask the owner lots and lots of questions:
when did he last clean/service the winches?
when did he last clean windlass?
did he replace any wires?
when did he replace hoses?
when did he last rebuild the head?
are there any spots that remain wet after the boat is put on the dry?
have there been any accidents on the boat?
when did he last replace the hoses to the oven/stove?
does he have a list of recent maintenance/upgrades?
when were the hydraulics services?

Write down the answers. This will get you a picture of how well the boat is maintained OR NOT.

Reading the previous posts: Take a ton of pics under the floorboards! take a little screw driver and if you can reach limber holes try whether they are epoxied, if not: what is the wood like?

Take a tn of pics under the floorboard around the mast foot/compression post. Keep an eye our for tearing. ANY tearing is a big red flag of water being somewhere and slowly sipping out.

[arjand]

one small add-on, write down the winch numbers and check if there are still parts available and what quality the crowns are. An expensive hobby to replace them. Actually: check of all systems if you can still get parts. Otherwise you are looking at replacement costs for complete systems sooner rather than later.

[Gone2long]

Originally Posted by arjand

one small add-on, write down the winch numbers and check if there are still parts available and what quality the crowns are. An expensive hobby to replace them. Actually: check of all systems if you can still get parts. Otherwise you are looking at replacement costs for complete systems sooner rather than later.

... invaluable comments by all. As per the above, it is an old boat with a lot of great stuff on it (radar, fish finder, etc.) much of which I fear will have to be replaced or simply done without : ) Furthermore, I don't think that I will be able to do all the necessary checks, since the owner wants to sell the boat "as is, where is" meaning on a trailer, out of water, through a relative while he is out of the country. "Due dilligence" is definitely the operable concept.

I will look at everything that I can evaluate while the boat is dry and make the owner an offer based on a worst case scenario of all the various systems and parts that I'm unable to check being potentially inoperable.

Thanks for all the help and keep it coming, if there is anything more that anyone might want to add.

Best regards,

G2L

[knottygurl]

there is no reason why you cant do a sea trial, it just means the owner whats you to foot the bill. If you really want the boat, then you must be prepared to pay for the launching in and out setting up and testing with insurance for the day.
If you like it and want it, why not do it, not sure its worth the 500 bucks to do it, which you could ask the owner to split if you purchase. If no then walk away knowing this is not your boat, and yours will be around the corner or across the state.

[zeehag]

what kind of boat is it--some of us are really smart in some kindsa boats.... might be able to help.....not all boats are same and helps to know quirks of specific makes and models, as all are different

[Boracay]

For mine, the real checking needs to take place before even looking at a boat.

Ask yourself:-
1) Why do I want to buy this boat?
2) What do I want to use this boat for?
3) How many people will be on board (Max/min).
3) What will the operating area be? Can I buy a boat close to my intended operating area?
4) What range is necessary under sail/power?
5) How much time/money do I have for upgrades/fixing/repairs etc.
6) What is my total maximum budget?
7) How long do I want to use this boat for?

My biggest gripe about boat buyers is that the dominant factor in their purchase is likely to be how nice the interior is.

As for the survey I've started to wonder just how relevant a traditional survey is. Would it be possible to find an experienced cruiser to take a look? Most who've been on a few boats could step aboard and know within seconds if a boat had any chance of being used for cruising.

[Gone2long]

Why I can't do a sea trial ... The boat is in SE Asia. The owner is in N. America. As noted earlier in the thread, he wants to sell "as is where is." That is, with the boat sitting on it's trailer, and him in his living room 6,000 miles away.

For Zeehag - Thanks. I'll pm you.

For Boracay - Thanks for the good advice. Those are exactly some of the questions I have been asking myself. Thanks also for your input on this and the other threads.

Glad to listen to any and all relevant advice.

Regards,

G2L

[Catamount]

I recommend Don Casey's book, Inspecting the Aging Sailboat.

Unless you have experience in interpreting the readings, I'm not sure a moisture meter is going to be all that useful -- it is too easy to be seduced by numbers, whether good or bad. Percussion sounding (tapping the hull and deck) also benefits from an experienced ear, but since it doesn't involve numbers it is easier for the novice to understand that it is just a qualitative assessment.

But here's my question: If there are no qualified surveyors in the area where the boat is, then what's the likelihood that you will find qualified workers to address any issues that turn up with the boat?

Boracay's questions are good ones, too.

What are your plans for the boat? That is really the ultimate factor that determines what it is you need to be inspecting.

[David_Old_Jersey]

If Vendor won't splash the boat (on your dime) then you have no choice but to treat that as meaning it is not seaworthy - up to you then to try and assess why not. Price should also reflect that you may miss things due to no seatrial. All sounds like a doer upper - don't underestimate the aggro and cost of trying to sort out problems overseas, whether from a distance or in person......Vendor knows more than you about the boat and has clearly decided sell is the best option - might not be your assessment, but a reasonable starting place to make your own decision.

Vendor might not want to play ball - but a non seaworthy boat half way around the world is his problem. Up to you whether it becomes yours.........

[Gone2long]

Originally Posted by Catamount

I recommend Don Casey's book, Inspecting the Aging Sailboat.

Unless you have experience in interpreting the readings, I'm not sure a moisture meter is going to be all that useful -- it is too easy to be seduced by numbers, whether good or bad. Percussion sounding (tapping the hull and deck) also benefits from an experienced ear, but since it doesn't involve numbers it is easier for the novice to understand that it is just a qualitative assessment.

But here's my question: If there are no qualified surveyors in the area where the boat is, then what's the likelihood that you will find qualified workers to address any issues that turn up with the boat?

Boracay's questions are good ones, too.

What are your plans for the boat? That is really the ultimate factor that determines what it is you need to be inspecting.

Good points. The boat will be used for coastal sailing and "camping". It is a 25 foot, full keeled, shoal keeled cruiser. There are qualified craftsmen within a day or two's sail, and, if needed, I could trailer the boat to a "repair shop". My best bet for a "surveyor" is that suggested by one of our threadmates above - get a local yachtsman to help me take a hard look at her.

Thanks for your note,

G2L

[Gone2long]

Originally Posted by David_Old_Jersey

If Vendor won't splash the boat (on your dime) then you have no choice but to treat that as meaning it is not seaworthy - up to you then to try and assess why not. Price should also reflect that you may miss things due to no seatrial. All sounds like a doer upper - don't underestimate the aggro and cost of trying to sort out problems overseas, whether from a distance or in person......Vendor knows more than you about the boat and has clearly decided sell is the best option - might not be your assessment, but a reasonable starting place to make your own decision.

Vendor might not want to play ball - but a non seaworthy boat half way around the world is his problem. Up to you whether it becomes yours.........

Yes. Your suggestions and inferences are well taken. As noted in my posts above, I hope to make a "worst case scenario" assesment, and to adjust my offering price accordingly. "Caveat emptor" is definitely the "word" of the day.

However, the owner's attitude may not be as sinister as one might assume. He is not a resident of the nation where the boat is currently stored (but I am) and his visa ran out before he could sell the boat. The boat is not particularly expensive and the cost to store it on its trailer is virtually "zero", so it is really not in the owner's interest to make a special, intercontinental trip just to sell it.

Of course, that does not mean that the boat is "problem free".

Best regards,

G2L

[David_Old_Jersey]

25 foot? I would check how she arrived in that country and how registered (and what you will need to do) - don't want to buy someone else's import taxes, unexpectedly.