Boat Survey Issues

[Fullmoon]

Boat Survey Issues
I just had the survey done on the 2004 Hunter Deck Salon 44 foot. The following is what concerns me. A thru hull ball valve in the bilge hatch near the aft head door was leaking, the shower was leaking inside the inside head wall without the shower running, the door to the forward head would not close because the strike plate had been lowered and did not fit into the cutout in the door frame, the keel had deep gashes in the front, and on the back of the keel where it attaches to the hull the gelcoat was separated for about 4 inches. My non-professional thought is that the boat went hard aground and flexed, causing the separation, the leaks, and the door issue. I am interested in anyone's experience relating to this issue. I have to respond to the broker in the next couple of days. The surveyor did not make any of the above an issue. The broker is Whiteaker Yacht Sales and the boat is the Nan Sea in Osprey, FL. All input is appreciated.

[Kefaa]

unless you were planning/willing to do a lot of work, and the boat is the deal of a lifetime, move on. Having been where you are, it is tough if you went as far as a survey, but it sounds like you have the potential for a lot of work - especially for all the things not found by the surveyor (no x-ray vision yet).

If you are looking for a potential project boat and the deal is great, well that's another story.

[ellisdee]

it sounds to me as if you have already answered your own question. if you suspect the boat was damaged by a grounding, you will always have a doubt about it's soundness. it is good that you know enough about boats to perform your own survey. there are good surveyors out there and some not so good, a friend purchased an atkins wooden boat in san francisco based on a good survey. we left san francisco heading south for long beach and the keel bolts broke the second day out, the keel dropped over a foot at the bow but remained connected at the stern, allowing what is supposed to stay out of the boat in. thanks to some quick action by all three of us on board we stuffed the gaping hole with cushions, plastic. clothing and anything else that would stem the flow. the coast guard reacted quickly and we were able to tow the boat in to monterey pumping the whole time. we were lucky as most of the keel boats were nearly rusted through, had the whole keel dropped off we would have turned turtle and sunk. we had the boat moved by land to san pedro and spent the next year replacing frames, etc. on the boat, we saved her at great expense and we did the work ourselves. the surveyor would accept no responsibility, but it was obvious that he did not check the keel bolts at all, if you really like the boat you are looking at try another surveyor and apprise him of your concerns. maybe it is nothing and maybe it isn't. point is, don't base your purchase on one man's word.

[btrayfors]

Keel damage from a hard grounding can be VERY expensive to fix, especially to have it done right and professionally. A friend and client just went thru that experience with a similar size boat. Cost: about $50,000.

Walk away. No, run!

Bill

[s/v Beth]

That the boat flexed under a grounding is scary enough, that things remained bent and inoperative is downright scary. What if it was just a soft grounding on some sand that did it? Then you will have a whole truckload of work everytime you sneak up on a sandbar. Get an old boat. Mine is built like a brickhouse.