Feltz Skorpion ii - Worth it?

[denial54]

Hi all,

First post by a long-time snooper. Thanks for all the posts I've been browsing through for the past few years. After a long time of planning, I think the time has possibly come to move forward with making an offer on a boat; a Feltz Skorpion ii. It ticks my boxes for what I'm looking for in a boat as my plan is to be a solo liveaboard for a year while finishing up school, and then taking off with a small crew across the Tasman (from NZ) for as long as my will and bank account both hold up. It's a bit bigger and more money than I originally intended, but after visiting her I feel comfortable with the size.

There isn't a ton of information about these boats online and it's hard to get a feel for what a fair asking price is. That's where I'm hoping for some help from you all. I don't want to be blinded by the hearts in my eyes, maybe someone can talk some sense into me? It's hard to pull the trigger on something I've been saving for for a decade. I'm sure many of you understand.

Thanks in advance for all your input. Here is the link to the posting...

https://www.trademe.co.nz/a/motors/b...7?bof=KvcrOvZ0

[hpeer]

I have 2 steel sailboats. At first glance the price seems a bit high, it is an around $54,000 US.

The thing is local bias tends to be a big driver in steel boat prices. Here in the US steel had a bad reputation and thus they are cheap. In Western Europe they are more well regarded. Not a clue in NZ.

IMHO the ONLY way to value the boat, assuming you truly like it, is to first confirm the hull. Various survey methods are next to worthless because the rot can be very localized and easily missed on an ultrasound survey.

You get a get light, a big screw driver and a ball peen hammer and go through the interior of the hull. Pay special attention to places that are hard to get to. The lazerette and chain locker are usual suspects but also under or behind tankage. With the boat hauled out, OUT OF THE WATER, go poking aggressively with the screwdriver and tapping with the hammer, see what you can chip out.

It would not he unusual to have a bad spot the owner does not know about.

IF you find a bad spot the look at how hard it is to fix. Can you get good interior access? Steel repairs are relatively easy provided you can make the area safe on the inside, don’t want to set it on fire.

I have seen far newer boats bought for a song that, once a careful PRACTICAL survey, was done, turned into major repair projects, or scrap.

OTOH, if the hull is sound then it should have many years left. And then the decision becomes the same as any other boat.

Best of luck. Give us some feedback please.

[denial54]

Hi hpeer,

Thank you so much for your reply! It's really great to hear your thoughts. I ended up following your advice by lifting the hull out of the water but admittedly felt a bit over my head with what to look for so I had a surveyor come look at it. Was definitely worth it as he had significant concerns about the hull condition and pitting that the owner swore was just uneven antifoul. My untrained eye wouldn't have been able to tell the difference. In the end walking away from it was easy after this news and is another example of why pre-purchase surveys are so valuable. I'm now looking at a much newer, similarly priced, steel vessel the surveyor referred me to and feel like I dodged a bullet. A very slow, sail-powered bullet.

[temara]

Hi was the boat listed out of Nelson Nz by ANY CHANCE. TKS MARK
https://www.trademe.co.nz/a/motors/b...ing/4084600039