Should I buy this CHANCE 37 (WAUQUIEZ)

[_andi_]

Hi folks!

Today I looked at a nice CHANCE 37 by WAUQUIEZ. Has to be sold fast because of reasons, looked at it high&dry. Sadly, the owner passed away, so I couldn't ask a couple of questions.

I don't really understand the rigging. It's a top rig (is that the englisch word as well if the forestay is on the top of the mast) with a backstay and what looks like running backstays & checkstays. Never seen something like this before. I guess it'll interfere with a bimini, solar arch and with me being a lazy singlehander. Would it be possible to get rid of that stuff?

https://www.boat24.com/de/segelboote...detail/343505/

The compression post seems to have been fixed somehow, I can't really tell if this is considered an ok fix or a bodge job.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1T7N-BglftXO0XgSSYypOJxLiaruly_j_/view?usp=sharing

Another thing is the keel. The aft bit seems hollow and there is a gap between the keel and the hull. But it seems like it's supposed to be like that. Why?

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1FIb...ew?usp=sharing


Has anyone experience with a perkins perama m30? Sort of an odd ball for this area, never seen one before...


Thanks for any comments, I really appreciate it. Andi (who is pondering if/how much he should offer on this boat and why he always ends up buying sleek, fast boats instead of roomy)

[_andi_]

.... and are the rod stays original or maybe the reason why the compression post got "fixed"?

[MartinR]

Masthead rigg with runners to keep the mast pumping. I doubt you can easily get rid of these. The mast profile is probably not large enough. This boat is an IOR racer/cruiser.

Also, biminis, solar arches and laziness will probably not go well together with this.

The mast support job seems very amateur, this does not mean that it is not doing its job, but you would need somebody experienced ar a surveyor have a look at this.

The keel, I can see no rust weeping, so this might be OK, but I do not like any gaps between keel and hull.

Otherwise, the interior looks nice, and Wauquiez has built good boats. The price seems to be excessive.

[_andi_]

I looked at some other pictures of chance 37, seems these mostly have no checkstays/running backstays, one pair of spreaders instead of two and keel stepped masts instead of deck stepped. Supposedly there were different riggs for that boat. Or somebody did modifications to the boat.


Current price is 27500€ but guess I'm stepping away from this anyways, just was on the phone with a friend for half an hour and he cured my "I need a boat, now" lapse.

[MartinR]

I like sleek, fast boats myself, but sleek, fast and lazy single handing does not go well together

The IOR boats were definitely not very fast, nor very seaworthy. They are designed to cheat a rating rule. But you can have a lot of fun with them.

Buying a boat is very personal, and the best thing is to treat it like a relationship. If you fall in love with it, go for it, if not try to find something else. There are plenty of boats around.

[hellosailor]

It would not be unusual for there to be different rigs (a "tall rig" or a "performance rig" and a short rig or normal rig) for the same hull. Once you have a setup with checkstays and running backstays, you really need someone who knows their numbers if you want to change the rig while still making sure the mast will be supported. So, that can be a job.

You might contact wauquiez.com directly to see if they can give you some answers. They might also be able to tell you if it is feasible to convert the rigging to a fixed backstay. If you like the boat (and it does look sharp) then by all means, price things out, investigate, and you may still be the only buyer they find. Of course if they're simply asking too much compared to other boats in the area, you can always leave them with an offer such as "I really can't pay more than $$$, but I can make a fast closing and cash sale within thirty days" and THAT may change their price.

[_andi_]

Found another deck stepped Chance with running backstays, so yes, there are different rigs.



https://www.yachtworld.com/boats/197...e#.WzVFTByxU5k


My last boat was a IOR half-tonner (IW-31, S&S design #1899), perfect boat for lazy single handing and fast-ish, at least back at it's day and compared to many a cruising boat. And quite sea worthy... Maybe thats why I'm drawn to the one-tonner or similar boats. Let's see what tomorrow brings, got a date with a Hanseat 70...

[Greg Mason]

I would suspect as others have, the running backstays are used more for racing, or when running a staysail from the second spreader. I put them on my boat for offshore sailing to keep the mast from pumping when using the inner forestay. Yes, a masthead rig, as opposed to a fractional rig, or Marconi.

[KiwiKen]

Originally Posted by MartinR

I like sleek, fast boats myself, but sleek, fast and lazy single handing does not go well together

The IOR boats were definitely not very fast, nor very seaworthy. They are designed to cheat a rating rule. But you can have a lot of fun with them.

Buying a boat is very personal, and the best thing is to treat it like a relationship. If you fall in love with it, go for it, if not try to find something else. There are plenty of boats around.

I raced a Wauquier Chance 37 in the mid 70s, but it had a keel stepped mast.
I wouldn't think it is a boat for short or single handed sailing.
Downwind and broad reaching under spinnaker it has a tendency to start "Rhythmic Rolling" in winds over 15-20 knots, the amplitude of the rolling can quickly build up and become uncontrollable with expensive consequences, this is due to the hull shape and an inadequate rudder size and depth to give sufficient control to counteract the rolling. I don't know whether later built versions rectified this problem, but it is a nasty handling vice.

[Almost-There]

It's a beautiful boat and I can see why you're interested in it.

I do think the repair pictured was from a amateur and would need to be inspected. But I don't think its a deal breaker.

If the boat is new to market and you'll survive if someone else buys her,then it might be wise to wait a while. Chances are they would rather sell for less instead of paying for storage and maintenance etc.

As far as Perkins go,I don't know that particular model but I've had great luck with every one I've owned. The one little complaint I've had were oil leaks. But they all have been minor and to be honest there was virtually no rust even on a 20 year old engine. So whilst a little bit messy they rarely had any stuck broken rusty bolts to speak of lol.I just kept a absorbent mat in a plastic tray underneath and all was good.

No matter what, good luck.

[hellosailor]

My admittedly inexpert opinion of Perkins is that yes, folks will complain they are obsolete inefficient pieces of crude technology. And those complaints will still be made long after all the finely tuned high performance turbodiesels have long since been scrapped and replaced, twice.

They need fuel and air, not very fussy about the quality of either. And they will sometimes need mechanics, but what they will need is a good pair of hands and some wrenches, not the graduate of a terribly specialized maker that requires computers and diagnostic gear before they can figure out if it is running.

Sometimes, obsolete is not necessarily bad.

[Almost-There]

Hellosailor I couldn't agree more. The pair in my Gulfstar trawler where the most dependable engines I've ever owned. In 12 years of ownership all I did was maintain them. Outside of alternators and water pumps I never had a problem I did have the injection pumps and injectors serviced but other than cleaning they were in good shape. Oddly enough the guy I sold the boat to repowered it and he had quite a few issues and regretted it.

My uncle's marina also has the same 85hp Perkins's they salvaged from a boat that sunk at the dock. The motor was under water for about a day and was pickled and flushed with diesel fuel after being raised. They ended up with it since the guys insurance covered a new engine. They got it running and its been powering their welding rig ever since. It just won't die and its like they try. It sits outside uncovered, they use drain oil for fuel most of the time and the load on it is incredible.

I'll take a well cared for Perkins anywhere.