Buy a Boat with Hull Damage?

[CChelle]

Hello all.
I'm in the market to purchase my first sailboat. I've found my dream boat. A 1979 43' Pan Oceanic, and at a great price!
However (boy there always seems to be one of those), I've had the opportunity to speak with the original owner of the vessel and found out that it was up on jacks in a boat yard having some seacock work done when a storm came through and knocked it on it's port side. The fall resulted in a crack on the port side 8-10 feet long and cracked the fiberglass fuel tank.
Repairs were made and it is the opinion of some that repairs made in 2005 would be better/stronger than the original hull, created in 1979.
Eventually I would like to do some off-shore sailing and I was just wondering if any of you had any opinions or would have reservations of doing so in this boat based upon this information?
Thanks to any & all who can offer any advice/guidance/suggestions.

[treilley]

Why not? The repair is stronger than the original, right?

Hire a good surveyor. No one here can tell you what you want to know. Only opinions.

[SVPrairieRose]

I agree that if the repairs were done well that it would be solid. That said make sure your surveyor is aware of what happened and is searching for de-lamination as that could have occured throughout the boat, not just where it impacted. Hope this helps.

[hellosailor]

Surveyor. It certainly can be repaired (in 1975 or 2005) good as new, the problem is that aside from the obvious crack, the stress can cause other unseen damages throughout the hull. Bulkhead tabs may have broken, the keel may have been impacted, the rudder and rudder tube may have been damaged. The surveyor will need to check the entire boat with "other damages" in mind, not just the repair.

If the seller has the damage survey report or repair bill, that could also shed some insight on what was needed or done.

[Silvio]

+1 for the surveyor.
Talk about your plans and concerns with your surveyor and LISTEN carefully to what he/she says after the survey.

Good luck! Hope you get out there soon.

[Hudsonian]

Aside from the question of the seaworthiness of the boat, you should seriously consider whether you have the skill to operate and maintain a 43" boat. Sailing it will be akin to driving a Greyhound bus. Sure you can learn on it but would you really want to?

A very competent woman with ample personal resources, who has crewed with me for several years, just bought a 17" centerboard dinghy as her first boat. She's all grin when she's sailing it. It cost her a little over $3K and if it doesn't work out she won't be stuck with albatross. Perhaps you might consider a similar approach.

A smaller boat will be more responsive, therefore, you will learn quicker. The bigger the boat, the less likely to leave the dock.

[Minnewaska]

Any damage can be repaired, the question you are asking is whether it was done correctly. As all have said, you need a competent surveyor to say. However, they will not likely be able to do all the invasive testing/examining to know 100%.

The point is that anyone you sell the boat to will have the same questions. Therefore, this boat is slightly less attractive than its sister ship that didn't fall off her stands, ie less valuable. This has nothing to do with the correct assessment that a repair can be stronger than original. It is the emotional impact of the concern. Just buy it right and expect to sell her with the same discount.

[Ilenart]

+2 for a surveyor. I made an offer on a yacht last year which had the same issue, fell over and hull damage. That repair was done by an amateur and the surveyor took one look at the repair and advised me to walk away.

Ilenart

[CChelle]

Although I have 20+ years boating experience, this will be my first purchase, and my first experience with a sailboat. So truly, thank you all for your thoughts & opinions.
The boat had a survey, however it was done while in the water and I'm not certain at this point if the guy had a diver go down to check below. Based on what I'm reading from you all, it would be in my best interest to have it hauled out & resurveyed. So thanks for that.
I'll let you know, if for nothing other than informational purposes how it goes.
Thanks again.

[Minnewaska]

The quality of surveys are dramatically diff. There is no professional requirement to even have training to call yourself a surveyor. There are a couple of associations with their own standards, but I've found some of them to be questionable too. If the survey you have was done for their insurance claim, get your own!!