help!! strange metal/fiberglass stuff, what is it?

[paulmeyer80]

hi. i "might" buy this 24' balboa sailboat. i found this pile of rusty old metal pellets/fiberglass beneath the V berth. anyone have a clue what it is or why its there? should i run?

besides this mound of weird crap the boat looks very clean inside and out and well kept. see pics. your response would be great. the price is $1900.
the average price for this 1970-1980's is $6000. he's selling for $1900 with good outboard motor.

since this is my first post it won't let me post a link or picture of what i found. please email me at ppmeyer@gmail.com or even repost this and i will email you the flickr picture link. it would be appreciated.

-Paul

[paulmeyer80]

post 2

[paulmeyer80]

pictures of the metal mound in V berth
weirdstuff-Vberth on Flickr - Photo Sharing!
weirdstuff-side on Flickr - Photo Sharing!
24-balboa on Flickr - Photo Sharing!

[speciald]

May have been extra ballast to keep boat on its lines or maybe someone was smuggleing bBBs

[paulmeyer80]

did you see the picture? does it look like ballast and is that an Ok thing?
it just looks like a pile of rusty bb's. can it be filled or cleaned up so I can actually use the storage under the V berth?

[scottyt]

ballast in nothing but weight. it can be metal, concrete etc. maybe the previous owner has some info, have you asked?

sometime when people remove something like a water tank that they dont plan on putting back in they add ballast to get the boat to sit on the proper water line. my boat floats about 4 inches higher with the water tank empty, so it can be important to some boats for looks and both handling.

[Insails]

Almost looks like welding slag...Also could be from an old rusted anchor or rode

[paulmeyer80]

thanks for the replies. I understand better now. so if i plan on adding two big tanks for water i could removed some of it. the previous owner said it was already in there when he bought it years earlier.

i'm in a mix of feelings to buy a bit bigger boat with new rigging for a few thousand more with much more extra room.

i want to turn it into a part-time liveaboard/coastal cruiser.

[Stillraining]

Buy it... its a great price...whatever is wrong with it can be fixed reasonably cheap...I would not even consider surveying at that price. I have spent more then that on beer in a summer.

[paulmeyer80]

stillraining,
so you think its better to buy the 24' 1981 Balboa for $2700 total (i have to pay past due slip fees)
then a 33' 1972 Pearson in excellent shape for $5000?