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Update!

3K views 13 replies 7 participants last post by  hellosailor 
#1 ·
OK, I looked at the boat I'm prospected to buy. If anyone has access to a site, check these numbers for me, please. I can't find much about the boat on the web. It's make is Columbia, LOA is 25' 0", serial CLYC60750875 (Which I can't look up). It was built in 1975- Idon't know where, commissioned in 1976. Hull is 1" fiberglass, small spider web on inside of cabin ceiling, no leaks except forehatch gasket. It is rigged for one man operation entirely from cockpit, and was used for a local regatta in Corpus Christi, Tx. It really just needs love, but one problem concerns me. The mast sits on a vertical beam(in the cabin) that goes to the floor. It is a little sunken in and now sits atop the keel. How critical is this to structure? That's all I KNOW about the boat. I was told by the owner it has a draft of 4' 6", but my research leans toward 3' 6"- could this have been changed for a racing type rig? Will it handle waves in the gulf?
 
#3 ·
Pretty close, but not as fancy, being an older model- The cabin only has two windows and the forward hatch is on the deck, not integrated like this one. It doesnt look as nice either, but I can fix the cosmetics myself. I need to find out the exact specs, though- like beam and draft. I have an old registration to it, but it only shows as a 25 foot Columbia, no model type.
 
#8 ·
No one has commented yet on the cracks in the cabin roof and the compression post having sunk a bit (as mentioned in a previous post). While this problem can be fixed, it is not insignificant. If you don't have the knowledge and skills to fix it yourself, it can be quite costly to have the pros do it.
Frank.
 
#9 ·
How serious of a problem is the compression post? I am a body man familiar with fiberglass and gel coat, so I can fix the spider cracks. I'm also a welder and an experienced carpenter. The ompression post is a concern of mine, mostly because I'm new to sailing. What are the dangers of sailing with it this way in- say 10ft waves?
 
#10 ·
The Compression post is supposed to transmit the load from the deck-stepped mast, to the keel. It sounds like the compression post has corroded and sunk. This is probably not very good for the boat. I commented on this in a different thread which the OP had posted questions about the compression post in...
 
#11 ·
heads up !

Plumcrazy said:
...What are the dangers of sailing with it this way in- say 10ft waves?
What you are talking about is failure of the support structure for the mast, so the whole rig could come down with even fatal results. Surviving that you've lost sail power too.

As previously stated, you need to get a professional opinion and estimate involved in this. You need to do that before the transaction proceeds to assess the financial viability including repairs.
 
#12 ·
Ok- will do. By the way, on the original thread topic: I know what kind of boat it is- finally! This is an almost identical boat from the same year, aside from owner mods: http://www.boat-world.com/boatads/1132776946.html Thanks for the advice, and I will seek professional opinion before going any further with the purchase, as of now we are settled at $2,350, but I haven't entered in to a written agreement or made a down payment yet.
 
#13 ·
maybe its just me.

there is no way on gods green earth i would even consider that boat, given what you've stated. run, don't walk.
 
#14 ·
The compression post, and associated areas, are like the chassis of a car. They are structural not cosmetic. The spider cracks in the deck indicate it has been stressed, and if there is a plywood or balsa center core (which is typical construction) that may have been water damaged or collapsed over the years, so a repair begins with some testing on the deck to see if deck repairs are necessary.
Then you'd need to find out the correct length for the compression post itself, to see if yours is original/correct/damaged.
Last there is the compression post's "step" where it sits on the keel, or on a support over the keel, and that has to be in proper order.
When those are all correct, and the rigging is in proper tension (too much being as bad as too little) then yes, you can probably take 10' waves safely but remember that "small craft warnings" are intended for boats under 26 feet, and that means this one. Waves that size can be dangerous for this boat if the crew does not know how to handle them.
And with an outboard engine hanging off the stern (even with a long-neck engine, which is the only correct one for a sailboat) you'd be porpoising so badly in 10' waves, that you'd have no engine effectively. Again, not a problem if the crew and boat are up to sailing...but more than that boat should be out in.
When the structure has been neglected (as shown by the spider cracks) you can be sure there are other problems you haven't seen, and the sails are probably so badly worn out as to need replacement if you want the boat to sail properly. That may already cost more than you think, so please, find someone local who knows boats, and have them check it over with you.
Some folks would say it is a waste to spend $400-500 on a surveyor for a $2500 boat...but that's one option.
 
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