Re: Never Buy a New Boat?
Should we try to get some order in this?
The "misunderstandings"
We were presented with one story with gaps. Wide gaps. When pointed out, answers were not really satisfactory. After some digging more facts were reveiled.
Here I propose you, Frank and Helen, to give the complete story. If you want of course, not necessary at all. But would stop all speculations.
It simplifies.
Bying a new boat
A new boat is hardly ever perfect. I have never seen any new boat to be perfect. That includes boats from HR, Vindo, Nautor ... Always issues. Very irritating as the new owner has invested and then wants everything to be .. just perfect. However, a boat is not a car. Not at all. That's why we love the boats.
I see that you, Frank and Helen, have more than one complaints on your Hanse. Relax, fix the small ones yourself, and if there are any real biggies - do complain, but see to that all facts are in order.
Some few years there was an interesting case here in Sweden. A guy going into retirement wanted to upgrade from his old HR31 to a brand new HR 37. He had issues ... expected everything to be of the same quality as it was with his 40 year old Monsun (HR31). But the real surprise for him came when he installed some instruments, drilled holes in the hull and found that inner and outer skins were not attached to eachother. In my mind this is a typical fabrication fault. HR denied everything, it went to court, and all these things. Finally was settled, but the buyer did have a rough ride. Do not want anyone to go that route.
Maybe moral is, consider before you pick a fight with a large company.
The rudder damage
From the pics it is difficult to see exactly how the damage occured. There must have been some extrenal pressure, note that the crack is in the front.
At the same time, many manufacturers have had issues with their rudders. It could be a combination, or just external pressure.
Repairing the rudder
As usual, a repair depends on the damage. It is impossible to see in the pics how far the damage stretches.
A repair could be a surface / cosmetic thing, seeing to that the crack is closed, and kept together by strengthening the front part of the rudder.
Alternatively, the crack is investigated on its depth and nature. A repair could be to first widen/open the crack, investigation so the rudder has not been weakened by what has happened (this, I think, is what Paulo is hinting).
For €1000 you probably get the first kind. Consider what you want before going ahead. Had a surveyer looking at it.
I have done some repairs on my rudder and bearings myself. Worst part was digging the hole for dropping the rudder. I would gladly pay €1000 for just the digging ....
/J