Hi,
I am new to sailing. Have only been on a boat once but have been reading a lot about it. I looked at a Catalina 30 and did a self inspection and would appreciate experienced advice and recommendation on purchasing a boat in this condition. I would like to know which of these are deal breakers and which are regular for an old boat and should be expected.
It's a 1979 and going for 10,000.
-- Current owner of 2 years has never sailed and doesn't know anything about sailing. He was only living aboard, as was the owner before him.
-- Boat has only motored around a few times in last several years.
-- Boat has not been taken out of water for years and has growth on hull and rudder from what I could see (slime and a few barnacles).
-- Owner wet suited underneath and says it's a solid hull.....
-- Deck does not feel spongy
-- The backstay was flopping around totally loose
-- The wind speed indicator at top of mast was not turning and it was really windy out.
-- Mast spreader bars did not look like they had protective boots to prevent sail chafing.
-- Mainsail is destroyed. Has another "unknown" sail inside in "good" condition.
-- No roller furling setup which I prefer.
-- Mast stays seem rusted because there is a protective boot material on it but is totally wore out but still holding moisture for rust to form.
-- Rudder handle is falling off
-- Universal 5411 motor starts up and runs good. 900 hours on it.
-- He only changed impeller once and didn't put a gasket on the cover plate so it started spraying everywhere when he started it up.
-- Lower part of engine has rust everywhere and oil.
-- He didn't know where the oil dipstick was when I asked him.
-- Oil level is ok but is really black. No water or milkiness in it.
-- All through-hulls are seacocks and no gate-valves
-- Could not see keel bolts because it was covered in black water which he said is "always there". Even after pumping the water out with manual bilge which he says has to be done every few months, there was still enough water I couldn't see anything except the very top surface of the keel bolts. Is always having water there normal?
-- I looked in another hatch near the keel and he looked in it and said: "oh, looks like there's a bilge pump in there, I didn't know that"
-- Chainplates looked good and rust free with a solid metal bar mounted to wood bulkhead.
-- Electrical system is functioning but sailing instruments in cockpit will need replaced/updated.
-- Two holes in the upper deck for previous location of heater and new location of heater, both are all caulked up and will most likely need fiberglassed again.
-- One window leaks
I am most likely not going to buy this because it's not worth my time to fix all of these issues just to get it barely ready for safe sailing but I was wondering how well this boat is priced at 10,000 for these issues. How normal is it that there is always water in the bilge and that the backstay is flopping around?
Thank you!!!!
I am new to sailing. Have only been on a boat once but have been reading a lot about it. I looked at a Catalina 30 and did a self inspection and would appreciate experienced advice and recommendation on purchasing a boat in this condition. I would like to know which of these are deal breakers and which are regular for an old boat and should be expected.
It's a 1979 and going for 10,000.
-- Current owner of 2 years has never sailed and doesn't know anything about sailing. He was only living aboard, as was the owner before him.
-- Boat has only motored around a few times in last several years.
-- Boat has not been taken out of water for years and has growth on hull and rudder from what I could see (slime and a few barnacles).
-- Owner wet suited underneath and says it's a solid hull.....
-- Deck does not feel spongy
-- The backstay was flopping around totally loose
-- The wind speed indicator at top of mast was not turning and it was really windy out.
-- Mast spreader bars did not look like they had protective boots to prevent sail chafing.
-- Mainsail is destroyed. Has another "unknown" sail inside in "good" condition.
-- No roller furling setup which I prefer.
-- Mast stays seem rusted because there is a protective boot material on it but is totally wore out but still holding moisture for rust to form.
-- Rudder handle is falling off
-- Universal 5411 motor starts up and runs good. 900 hours on it.
-- He only changed impeller once and didn't put a gasket on the cover plate so it started spraying everywhere when he started it up.
-- Lower part of engine has rust everywhere and oil.
-- He didn't know where the oil dipstick was when I asked him.
-- Oil level is ok but is really black. No water or milkiness in it.
-- All through-hulls are seacocks and no gate-valves
-- Could not see keel bolts because it was covered in black water which he said is "always there". Even after pumping the water out with manual bilge which he says has to be done every few months, there was still enough water I couldn't see anything except the very top surface of the keel bolts. Is always having water there normal?
-- I looked in another hatch near the keel and he looked in it and said: "oh, looks like there's a bilge pump in there, I didn't know that"
-- Chainplates looked good and rust free with a solid metal bar mounted to wood bulkhead.
-- Electrical system is functioning but sailing instruments in cockpit will need replaced/updated.
-- Two holes in the upper deck for previous location of heater and new location of heater, both are all caulked up and will most likely need fiberglassed again.
-- One window leaks
I am most likely not going to buy this because it's not worth my time to fix all of these issues just to get it barely ready for safe sailing but I was wondering how well this boat is priced at 10,000 for these issues. How normal is it that there is always water in the bilge and that the backstay is flopping around?
Thank you!!!!
