Damaged bow pulpit

[fishbait58]

I'm looking a Beneteau with a damaged bow pulpit. What questions should I ask and what other damage should I be looking for? Thanks.


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[hellosailor]

Price of new pulpit. Price of deck repairs. And shock damage telegraphing through the hull. If they just crushed the pulpit, that may be all there is to fix. Odds are there will be some deck repairs at the mounts, maybe wiring if there are lights in it? Other stanchions all the way aft, and the lifelines, may have been pulled by the impact.

[bil56]

hi,
Beneteau, what model ?
apart from the price of the piece, the grp around the holes can be damaged.
ask the owner how this happened ...

[DeepFrz]

Inspect the hull and deck very carefully. If this is a newer Beneteau they are not known for the strength of the fiberglass. While you are having the boat surveyed check the rudder, rudder post and rudder post mounting in the stern of the boat. You might want to look at other threads on this forum about that.

[sardinebreath]

The thing that would make me pause is the fact that they didn't have it fixed themselves before putting it up for sale. Really dumb--unless they found out it was a much bigger deal than it seemed it would be.

[UNCIVILIZED]

Other than what's been said:
- Hull to Deck Joint (from stem to mast at a minimum, ditto on the next item)
- Joint of the 2 Hull Halves, along the centerline
- Wiring in the vicinity
- Bulkhead attachments, Ditto on internal furniture
- Printing or crazing on the hull or deck around the bulkheads & internal furniture
- Stem Headstay attachment, up to & including pulling a bolt or two for inspection

[hellosailor]

sardine-
Not that surprising. If the repair is done 100%, the next buyer may ask if the damage was hidden, because they can't see it any more. Which leads to other questions.


And more important, the next buyer gets no choices. Some folks would unbend [sic] a pulpit, weld as needed, and say "good enough" for a couple hundred bucks. Others might want to spend 2-3 grand for a whole new shiny one. Makes a big difference sometimes.


If the PO just got disgusted and wanted to walk away, leaving it "as is" gives the next buyer more options & fewer questions, so it isn't all that odd, even if it may deter some buyers.

[UNCIVILIZED]

One other thought on the pulpit. If it's truly thrashed/fixing it would equal or exceed the cost of a new one or close. Then the current owners may have left it in it's present state so that the new owners can decide whether to stick with the factory design, or perhaps choose to have something superior put together & installed.

[sardinebreath]

I agree that it might be better for the buyer that it hasn't been fixed. Not likely for the seller though. Most people are looking to get top dollar for their boat and the way not to do that, is to present a damaged boat. That's why I would suspect either a dumb seller or more damage than is immediately apparent.

[nicholson31]

Take along a shipwright if there is one around, or someone you may consider as equivalent in expertise. There is just too many variables to give a blind answer.