What I learned about people today

davidpm · #1 (**permalink**) 11-21-2009

So my friend just bought the Morgan today. He would not hire a surveyor so I did my best. We spend about 4 hours aboard the boat with the owner. So it was me, friend and friends girl friend.

This is a 32' 1979 Morgan. The PO has had the boat 10 years. He has done massive abouts of work on the boat.
Replace cutlass and stuffing
All new wiring, duo charger etc.
Almost all new plumbing
Running rigging
Engine pumps etc
He even aligns the engine now and then.
Plus he has a 3 volume maintenance log with details.
In short he is an engineer.
The bilge is completely dry.

So I asked him what his winch maintenance schedule is, and he said he never did them. The are a little nasty looking and are kind of stiff but not making really bad noises yet.

I ask him about the engine zinc's. He shows me a new one and shows me where they are on the engine. I ask him when they were last changed. He said he couldn't remember probably years.

Lesson learned.
When folks say. If "X" was maintained properly "Y" was probably taken care of too.
They are flat out wrong.
You would think that a boat that shows as obviously well maintained would not have a couple of major service items ignored.
I know lots of guys ignore the winches but the engine zincs on a raw water cooled engine when the part you are protecting, the exhaust manifold, can not be purchased any more. Sheesh.

mitiempo · #2 (**permalink**) 11-21-2009

Congrats to your friend. No surveyor? I would think he'll need one anyway for insurability. Strange about the zincs but lots of people ignore winches.
Brian

davidpm · #3 (**permalink**) 11-21-2009

Quote:

Originally Posted by mitiempo

Congrats to your friend. No surveyor? I would think he'll need one anyway for insurability. Strange about the zincs but lots of people ignore winches.
Brian

This guy is going to low cost on everything to be sure.
He got his insurance for about $375 which makes me nervous as it was part of homeowners and umbrella etc.

I think I read a thread here that since they are not boat people claims are difficult to collect on.

NateCP16 · #4 (**permalink**) 11-22-2009

Quote:

Originally Posted by davidpm

I think I read a thread here that since they are not boat people claims are difficult to collect on.

I saw a video of a guy trying to make a claim after his anchor chain bounced out of the forward locker, fell over the side, and pulled the rode out with it, which fouled the prop, which damaged the bearings (if I remember correctly), which flooded the bilge. It looked like he was having a heck of a time explaining what had happened to the insurance company. I know if I called up my home owners insurance agent and started talking about a rode, fouled prop, hull damage and water in the bilge, the guy would have no idea what I was talking about.

davidpm · #5 (**permalink**) 11-22-2009

Lots of things happen on boats that unless you spent some time on them would seem impossible, thats for sure.

Quote:

Originally Posted by NateCP16

I saw a video of a guy trying to make a claim after his anchor chain bounced out of the forward locker, fell over the side, and pulled the rode out with it, which fouled the prop, which damaged the bearings (if I remember correctly), which flooded the bilge. It looked like he was having a heck of a time explaining what had happened to the insurance company. I know if I called up my home owners insurance agent and started talking about a rode, fouled prop, hull damage and water in the bilge, the guy would have no idea what I was talking about.

davidpm · #6 (**permalink**) 11-22-2009

I've been thinking about the engine zinc problem. This is a guy that replaced the binnacle with a custom unit. He calibrates his compass. He glassed in the companion way bulkhead after removing electronics and moving them to the binnacle. He adjusts the alignment of his engine on the motor mounts for gods sake.

Something is going on. He could have just lied and said he changes them every year, how would we know?
He said he changed them a long time ago, it was really hard and he didn't remember when.

What really happened?
Are the threads so corroded that the last time he got them out he considered himself lucky to get them back in?
If so why didn't he just use a helecoil? If it was not possible to get a tap in their the engine is only 200 lbs. Just slide it forward into the companion way and fix the threads and slide it back.

What is he not telling me?