Too much work?

[SeaRags]

I'm looking at purchasing my first "Cruiser". I'm looking at a very early model Bayfield 32. I've done some research but I would like some expert opinion on what kind of work / cost I will be looking at if I do purchase the boat. The things I'm concerned with are minor cracks in the interior coach roof near the mast entrance. (see picture). I know it's a keel stepped mast so not sure if I should be concerned with it or not.

Also read that there are sometimes issues with the wood support under the bowsprit. I can't tell from the pictures if rot is an issue, so an expert eye would be appreciated.

The teak deck is coming up on 50 yrs old, Concern? How much to replace or repair?

I haven't looked at the boat yet. It's about a six hour drive to the boat. So I'm trying to determine if it's worth the drive. The price is probably about 1/2 to 1/3 of what I'm seeing them go for.

Thanks in advance

[Cheechako]

Well, I dont know what the bowsprit support is. The bowsprit does not seem to be attached on top of the deck. You mean the bowsprit itself under the walking platform?

The teak decks look a bit unkept. But that in itself s not a huge deal.
The ceiling crack is not a big issue if it is not on the top side also. Probably just interior stuff. If the cabin top is flexing there then you need to check the fancy interior support for rot on the bottom or possible in the cabin top under the mast via a wiring hole or etc.

-Look for missing teak bungs in the deck planks when you go to the boat. If the screw heads show some places then the deck will need the screws removed, redrilled and rescrewed with shorter screws. When you do this you may as well have the deck resealed and sanded. This entire job is at least $5000 if you find an independent shipwright. I had it done to a much bigger boat 20 years ago. Through a yard or company far more. (you need to determine if there is any water in the deck core)
-The bowsprit, mast support and other wood work is 'suspect' until proven otherwise... but it's wood work. repairable/replaceable.

You say an "early" Bayfield....I assume this is a fiberglass deck , not glass over a plywood built deck.

If you are capable of doing this type of work then that's great. I would NOT buy a boat hoping to have all this done by someone else.

[psk125]

In another thread about S&S Swan designs a quote of $2000 per foot was quoted for re-doing teak decks, so they are definitely something you need to be alert to. 50 year-old teak decks typically needs to be replaced because they leak at the fastenings. The photo doesn't seem to show any bungs, however, so if if it is only glued down it could avoid that problem. Teak does wear down in any case though, and the caulking then starts to stand proud. The caulking might therefore need re-doing. Not as intensive or expensive, but not easy or cheap either.
The cracks at the partners - where the mast goes through the cabin or deck - are a concern. From the bolts through the cabin top it looks like there is no headliner. The cracks -which seem to go both fore and aft - are therefore in the cabin top itself. Do they go through to the outside? That would not be good. The partners have a role in holding the mast in place, so cracks indicate that it's not strong enough. We don't know exactly how it is constructed, but perhaps water has gotten into the core of the cabin top and weakened it by delaminating or rotting. It can be fixed - should be fixed - but will likely cost several thousand dollars to have it done. Rot or other problems with in the wooden spars or bowsprit is hard to tell from a photograph, but is very possible. If you go to see this boat, keep your eyes open and be wary. There must be a reason for the low asking price.

[Svsumurun]

My Dad had a 29 for years, and this is a very similar boat- the cracks wouldn't bother me as Cheechako said, that's just the liner - but , is the deck solid. The 30/32 came out in 73ish, so it's definitely glass over balsa in the deck.
The bowsprit is what it is, the support comes form the hull shape, the rest is just wood- either it's good or it isn't and hard to tell from a picture!
As much as I LOVE teak decks, you have to go into it knowing that it's a huge expense to replace/repair/upkeep them.
Looks like IL numbers on it? Which means it's only 1/2 life as it's spent that much time on the hard. But it still had to be maintained, so like all boats, how it individually was looked after matters more than anything.

As far as Bayfields go, they are good boats, if a little slow. I'm sure you are aware that they aren't as long as their numbers- the dealers wanted them to include the bowsprit in the 'length' so they tend to be smallish on the inside, but pretty!

[SeaRags]

Originally Posted by Svsumurun

My Dad had a 29 for years, and this is a very similar boat- the cracks wouldn't bother me as Cheechako said, that's just the liner - but , is the deck solid. The 30/32 came out in 73ish, so it's definitely glass over balsa in the deck.
The bowsprit is what it is, the support comes form the hull shape, the rest is just wood- either it's good or it isn't and hard to tell from a picture!
As much as I LOVE teak decks, you have to go into it knowing that it's a huge expense to replace/repair/upkeep them.
Looks like IL numbers on it? Which means it's only 1/2 life as it's spent that much time on the hard. But it still had to be maintained, so like all boats, how it individually was looked after matters more than anything.

As far as Bayfields go, they are good boats, if a little slow. I'm sure you are aware that they aren't as long as their numbers- the dealers wanted them to include the bowsprit in the 'length' so they tend to be smallish on the inside, but pretty!

Yes, I did read up on the boats. There's a pretty good write up in the "20 Affordable Sailboats" book. I think I might pass on this one. Although it comes with a Triad trailer, which I haven't yet seen the pictures of, but at $10k including the trailer, it's pretty tempting.

My wife is finally warming up to the idea of cruising. It doesn't sound like this would be an ideal boat to start off with.

[tkeithlu]

A mistake I see pretty frequently is a new cruiser buying a "fix-me-up" or "project" boat. They are looking for low cost, and vastly underestimate the time and money necessary to overcome the problems. If problems were simple/cheap, the owner would have made the repairs rather than lowering the price. The beginner ends up spending more money and most importantly, spends his early months as a cruiser working in a yard rather than sailing.

I recommend that you find a boat that is ready to sail. If that means less boat, OK, sailing in a 28 footer and in a 32 footer are quite similar, and will give you and yours experience up front. You just convinced the admiral to go cruising; don't now make "cruising" equate to "spending our weekends working on the boat."

[SeaRags]

Originally Posted by tkeithlu

A mistake I see pretty frequently is a new cruiser buying a "fix-me-up" or "project" boat. They are looking for low cost, and vastly underestimate the time and money necessary to overcome the problems. If problems were simple/cheap, the owner would have made the repairs rather than lowering the price. The beginner ends up spending more money and most importantly, spends his early months as a cruiser working in a yard rather than sailing.

I recommend that you find a boat that is ready to sail. If that means less boat, OK, sailing in a 28 footer and in a 32 footer are quite similar, and will give you and yours experience up front. You just convinced the admiral to go cruising; don't now make "cruising" equate to "spending our weekends working on the boat."

Thanks for this, and the other comments. This is kind of what I expected which is why I posed the question. I think we will start looking in the 30-40k range. Seems to be a lot of good entry level boats in that range. Think the "Admiral" will be much happier.

[Yellowtulip]

Even at that price point make sure you budget for upgrades and replacements. In other words, don’t spend your entire budget on the initial purchase. It’s likely you’ll spend that much again in the first five years of ownership.