Possibly buying a Morgan OI 41 but see red flags 🚩

[danapointsail]

Hello 👋
I am new to this forum but not new to sailing. I have been sailing for over 30 years and a 50 Ton Captain. I am looking at a Morgan Out Island 41 Ketch to purchase and on my first look today I saw a few red flags 🚩. I would love to hear from you all if you have seen these issues with the boat and can ballpark the repair.
1. Main mast step possible replacement (photo attached)
2. Rudder shaft seal (photo attached)

[psk125]

Mast step needs to be replaced and, depending upon how badly it's damaged, the bottom of the mast might need re-sleeving or building up of the step to compensate for what gets cut off to get it to undamaged material. The fixes might not cost more than $500, but our yard charges $20 per foot to pull & restep masts. The rudder shaft seal looks like it must be letting water in for there to be so much oxidation around there. Add maybe 1-2 thousand and change to drop the rudder and re-do it. Opening up these things is likely to uncover other items that also need attention. These boats are not reputed to be overbuilt. Are the decks all solid? Leaks around port lights? Standing rigging replaced since the '70's? Engine maintained properly? OI 41's have been around since the '70's, so keel damage from "navigational errors" involving rocks or shoals, along with hull issues from "operator errors" involving docks or pilings are things to look for.

[boatpoker]

Originally Posted by psk125

Mast step needs to be replaced and, depending upon how badly it's damaged, the bottom of the mast might need re-sleeving or building up of the step to compensate for what gets cut off to get it to undamaged material. The fixes might not cost more than $500, but our yard charges $20 per foot to pull & restep masts. The rudder shaft seal looks like it must be letting water in for there to be so much oxidation around there. Add maybe 1-2 thousand and change to drop the rudder and re-do it. Opening up these things is likely to uncover other items that also need attention. These boats are not reputed to be overbuilt. Are the decks all solid? Leaks around port lights? Standing rigging replaced since the '70's? Engine maintained properly? OI 41's have been around since the '70's, so keel damage from "navigational errors" involving rocks or shoals, along with hull issues from "operator errors" involving docks or pilings are things to look for.

Yup ! Except I think step and mast repair coyuld easily hit 10k

Walk away unless you are prepared to spend the next year dealing with this and read this before your next offer ...
Marine Survey 101, pre-survey inspection

[danapointsail]

Originally Posted by psk125

Mast step needs to be replaced and, depending upon how badly it's damaged, the bottom of the mast might need re-sleeving or building up of the step to compensate for what gets cut off to get it to undamaged material. The fixes might not cost more than $500, but our yard charges $20 per foot to pull & restep masts. The rudder shaft seal looks like it must be letting water in for there to be so much oxidation around there. Add maybe 1-2 thousand and change to drop the rudder and re-do it. Opening up these things is likely to uncover other items that also need attention. These boats are not reputed to be overbuilt. Are the decks all solid? Leaks around port lights? Standing rigging replaced since the '70's? Engine maintained properly? OI 41's have been around since the '70's, so keel damage from "navigational errors" involving rocks or shoals, along with hull issues from "operator errors" involving docks or pilings are things to look for.

I purposefully went on a day when it was raining. The mast boot was leaking. 4 of the deck hatches were leaking. All the portholes have already been replaced. All electronics have been removed except for dated VHF. Engine started up at first crank on a cold morning but is original and shows wear. There was standing water in bilge. Deck is solid. Some hardware looks like it needs to be reseated. Cavas is good. Sails not so much.