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Cruising
My opinions are offered below:
How much does hull strength degrade with hull age? How much of the strength can be determined in a survey? I think all-glass hulls will serve indefinite if not fractured by impact. Rigging, steering, engine and most all hardware, definitely YES. These are areas where the surveyor need to earn his fee.
How much of a no-no are teak decks? We've seen articles on removing them - is this possible to do and should one plan to do it? Big No-No. Who needs the aggravation or the eventual prohibitive cost of replacment?
If a boat has had blister repair work (see Valiant) is this a permanent solution or would you expect to have to have it repaired again? Depends on what the underlying problem was and how if was repaired. For example, if problem was superficial osmosis and the repair was peeling the bottom and reglassing with quality materials, should be permanent. Another use for the surveyor. Get all the specifics on any repair you can, hopefully including the original survey and the repair order.
Are wooden masts a definite no? How much would replacing one likely be? Another Big No-No. My guess would be $25-35,000 to replace the rig and rigging...Just avoid 'em.
Is it normal for a broker to request an escrow deposit (and of what amount) while looking for boats for you? I never heard of such a request. I'd get a different broker. Brokers get paid when they sell someone's boat. Find one you can trust and let them do the work for you. All the questions you are asking here, and many more to come, can be better fielded by a knowledgeable broker. Chosing your broker is the third most important buying decision, after selecting the surveyor and of course the boat. I know no one to recommend on the left coast, perhaps other readers can chip in.
What are normal insurance costs? We heard 1% of the purchase price but haven't been able to verify that. Anyone have good experiences with an insurance company and/or know of an inexpensive one? My insurance runs closer to 2%, and thats for coastal use, May-October. Join Boat US and use CNA
Thanks for your time - Livia[/quote]
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