Dock Queen any good?

[bclaypole]

Hi All,
I'm a newbee and actively looking for a 40-45ft Sailing Cat and recently found one. It is, what I would call in the automotive world, a "garage queen". Rarely driven, always polished but the majority of the time just sits there. Does the same issues seen with garage queens (once run will have all kinds of mechanical issues like: rotting hoses, dead batteries, dry tires, cracking dashes, rust, etc.) plague a boat that routinely just sits at a dock?
I plan to have it surveyed if I'm pleased with the pre-survey inspection (boat is in another country).
Its a 2006.
Thank you,
Brad

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, Brad.

[MV Wanderlust]

Originally Posted by bclaypole

Does the same issues seen with garage queens plague a boat that routinely just sits at a dock?

Hi Brad. Welcome! Yes, the same issues often apply.

[letsgetsailing3]

Originally Posted by bclaypole

Hi All,
I'm a newbee and actively looking for a 40-45ft Sailing Cat and recently found one. It is, what I would call in the automotive world, a "garage queen". Rarely driven, always polished but the majority of the time just sits there. Does the same issues seen with garage queens (once run will have all kinds of mechanical issues like: rotting hoses, dead batteries, dry tires, cracking dashes, rust, etc.) plague a boat that routinely just sits at a dock?
I plan to have it surveyed if I'm pleased with the pre-survey inspection (boat is in another country).
Its a 2006.
Thank you,
Brad

Yes. Only more so.

[Shrew]

A variation of Newtons first law certainly applies to boats. Mechanical things in motion, tend to stay in motion. For some reason long periods of sitting have a way of making things that should move, get stuck and things that shouldn't move, become loose.

Replacing hoses is a given on any used boat, IMHO.

[Woodland Hills]

The sails should be like new with no degradation due to UV exposure. Running rigging maybe not as much. Standing rigging should be thoroughly inspected along with all mechanical systems.

[robert sailor]

In aviation we call them hangar queens, they look grand but once they start being used in ernest it's hard to keep up with the maintenance and replacement parts.
It's never a really smart buy, if you can find a boat that has seen regular use, has been updated and on a good maintenance program you have found a very smart buy.

[a64pilot]

I’d say it depends, my boat was definitely a dock Queen, only had 500 hours put on the motor in 27 years.
But as such the interior was almost like new, nothing beat up, cause it was never used.

I’ve owned her for 5 years so far and nothing has come up out of the ordinary, hoses etc will deteriorate if anything faster if heat cycled by the engine than they will just sitting, mine were original, and when they hit 30 years I finally changed them all, they were perfectly fine, but they had hardened from age.
All underwater hoses your going to want to change anyway whether a boat has been used weekly or not.
My personal opinion I’d rather have a low time engine and an interior that looks show room new as opposed a high time engine and a worn interior.

My boat had no electronics, the battery bank was a couple of Walmart batteries and had no autopilot or Radar or Windlass etc.
so I got to spec every single item and install what I wanted. Of course I discounted the purchase price some for the lack of installed equipment.
But here’s the best part, there was no buggered up weird “stuff” from a PO, you know lamp cord used to wire in a depth finder or wire nuts, and thankfully no bunches of dead wiring, cause whenever a new potter or Radar is installed new wire is run, the old wire abandoned.

[AndyEss]

Well, you definitely will want to change all those dry rotted tires.

I’m with The Pilot - might be a great buy.

[barnakiel]

No rules in stone but more boats die at the dock than sink while navigating. Same like a person - stop going and you may as well never get going again.


Inspect, beware, etc. Run if serious problem found.


b.

[billknny]

Well, there you go! In just a few posts, you have the perfect internet answer:

Yes, or
No, or
Maybe.

You get to pick the one that makes you happy.

[bclaypole]

Thanks to all that responded. Although I did see Yes No and Maybe, I didn't see 6 yeses. I'll take that as a positive and continue with a pre-servey inspection.
My last garage queen was the best, most reliable, car I've ever owned... Hopefully, I'll get lucky twice in a row!

Thanks community.
Brad

[slug]

Originally Posted by bclaypole

Hi All,
I'm a newbee and actively looking for a 40-45ft Sailing Cat and recently found one. It is, what I would call in the automotive world, a "garage queen". Rarely driven, always polished but the majority of the time just sits there. Does the same issues seen with garage queens (once run will have all kinds of mechanical issues like: rotting hoses, dead batteries, dry tires, cracking dashes, rust, etc.) plague a boat that routinely just sits at a dock?
I plan to have it surveyed if I'm pleased with the pre-survey inspection (boat is in another country).
Its a 2006.
Thank you,
Brad

You never know

Less hours of use is always a positive

Be alert when you survey the boat

Equipment that has been asleep for s long time may never re awaken

[bradfordharley]

Originally Posted by billknny

Well, there you go! In just a few posts, you have the perfect internet answer:

Yes, or
No, or
Maybe.

You get to pick the one that makes you happy.

you forgot the almight "It depends".
As several have said already, inspect and see what, if anything is neglected. We bought a dock queen and are happy, but we did repower, re-rig, and replace all electronics. You may find one that has been kept updated, and you just need to go through the plumbing system (house and engine), but you should be doing that regularly anyway......

Good luck and have fun!

[singlespeed]

Before the boat is hauled for the survey, find every through hull fitting and locate them on a drawing. Once the b o at is hauled for the survey, walk around the hull and make certain that every visible through hull is on your drawing. Surprising how many through hulls are hidden by owner modifications. Then follow the surveyor and personally check that each through hull is exercised and is non-binding. Better to find a seized or non-functional through hull while on dry land, not when breaking the fitting while trying to exercise it in the water.

If you purchase the boat. Remove all the cordage and put it on a fine mesh net bag and take it to a laundromat and wash it, adding copious amounts of fabric softener. Even being a dock queen, cordage picks up a lot of dust, dirt and salt. I removed all the halyards by replacing them with messenger lines. The first time you go out, after a period on the dock, the amount of dirty water coming off turning blocks and winches can be disheartening, especially when the crew steps in the dirty water and tracks it all over your decks and cabin sole.

Just replace all the black hoses and belts on the engine. Why wait until it breaks? Besides, it gives you the opportunity to create a log of all the hoses and belt sizes. Pull the raw water pump impeller and install new ones. Exercise the old impeller, if there are missing bits of rubber, cracks in the rubber or the impeller is too stiff, toss them, otherwise they "might" make it as a temporary spare. Better to know exactly what you need when you are holding a broken and frayed alternator belt in the chandelry/autoparts store, trying to figure it what the correct size is.

Really look closely at every component of the anchoring system. Not only the chain, rope(if applicable), windlass, windlass power connections and the system solenoid (you will want to keep applicable spares).

Treat this as an opportunity to learn more about your boat in a non-emergency situation. Once ended up towing a boat into a marina that shut down, due to overheating, on a mild summer day. The owner had the correct spare impeller, but had never done it himself, always relying on his mechanic to replace it on the maintenance schedule.
The more you know about your boat the better for you, your wallet and your fellow boaters.