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I am in the process of buying a 1985 Hunter 28.5. Yesterday, the boat surveyor detected high moisture readings throughout the exterior of the bottom - except for a small section of the bow and stern areas.
The owner has disputed these findings, claiming that moisture readings are unreliable. The owner has since produced an "expert" to state that the moisture reading is suspect. The boat has been out of the water for the winter, and our spring season has been unusually dry. The moisture readings were done on a dry sunny day.
The surveyor says the moisture reading was fine, demonstrated the device to us where moisture was low on the sides of the boat, and then quickly shot up to pin the needle as it moved from sides to bottom. He both dragged the device across the hull, and placed it in various spots along the hull, and the needle was usually either pinned or nearly pinned. The surveyor says this boat is a ticking time bomb and I should walk away.
The surveyor examined another boat for me earlier in the year and the hull of that boat did not have this high moisture issue (that boat had a dying motor instead)
I am quite frustrated by all this as this is my 3rd try at buying a boat after a 6 month shopping odessy. I want to be sure that I am walking away for the right reason. I can''t take the owners word that all is well and my surveyor is nuts.
Any opinions.....?
Thanks
Mike
The owner has disputed these findings, claiming that moisture readings are unreliable. The owner has since produced an "expert" to state that the moisture reading is suspect. The boat has been out of the water for the winter, and our spring season has been unusually dry. The moisture readings were done on a dry sunny day.
The surveyor says the moisture reading was fine, demonstrated the device to us where moisture was low on the sides of the boat, and then quickly shot up to pin the needle as it moved from sides to bottom. He both dragged the device across the hull, and placed it in various spots along the hull, and the needle was usually either pinned or nearly pinned. The surveyor says this boat is a ticking time bomb and I should walk away.
The surveyor examined another boat for me earlier in the year and the hull of that boat did not have this high moisture issue (that boat had a dying motor instead)
I am quite frustrated by all this as this is my 3rd try at buying a boat after a 6 month shopping odessy. I want to be sure that I am walking away for the right reason. I can''t take the owners word that all is well and my surveyor is nuts.
Any opinions.....?
Thanks
Mike