[ChuckA]

I inspected a used boat today and the boat has potential to consider making an offer, but I'm trying to determine if a mismatch in the gelcoat indicates a major repair was done on the hull.

If you look carefully at the exterior, there is a large area on the port side between the bootstripe and the gunwale, directly below the two large windows, where the gelcoat doesn't match the rest of the hull. When I looked behind the port settee, in this area, the fiberglass is quite irregular, and isn't painted like most of the rest of the interior of the hull. Am I correct to assume there was a major hull repair in this area?

The small wood blocks glassed to the hull support the settee seatback.

I requested a copy of the most recent survey, which I was told was from 2004. What do you think? If there was a major hull repair, I'm pretty reluctant to go forward with an offer.

several more full resolution photos are posted at the link below: there is one photo in this set showing "cracked" blue/grey paint inside the hull that is present almost everywhere else the hull is visible from the interior.

more higher res photos

 

[Faster]

There's definitely been some work done in that area... and the "scar" is consistent with a boat having laid on her side for some time, perhaps being pushed around by wash and waves. On the other hand it may have been an extreme case of dock rash.... I think at the least you want to find out more about the whats and whys....

 

[merc2dogs]

May have been a serious scratch that was repaired. But the interior to me (from the pics) looks like it is all the same age and color, so I'd say the damage didn't extend into the actual fiberglass. Normally with fiberglass repairs there is some variation in the color of the resin, so they stick out.

Have to say it is impossible to make an accurate judgement from pictures alone. You have to be able to feel it, and look closely to see if there are any inturrupted strands of fiberglass that -should- run accross the damaged area.

Ken.

 

[midnightsailor]

Hard to tell from just these pictures wether the damage was more than just superficial surface damage or involved multiple layers of the hull laminate..It would be good to see comparison of other parts of the hullinterior, particularly the opposite hull side. Regardless, if the damage is properly fixed there is no reason to be concerned, the repair is just as strong , if not stronger than before the repair. I would still want to know what happened as my concern would be if the boat took on water and if it did, how that might have affected other systems and parts of the boat. IE: electrical, cushions, etc. Rick

 

[JimHawkins]

If they did a proper job on the repair, then it will be as good as new. It's what else that was damaged and maybe not repaired that you're looking for.

 

[ChuckA]

I didn't have access to the interior on the opposite side of the hull, but here is a picture showing the typical interior hull finish just about everywhere it was visible. I think the spot in question too high on the hull for the boat to have laid on her side. That would have been at or below the waterline unless the boat was almost horizontal which seems unlikely. Damage from a dock seems more likely.

more higher res photos are here.

 

[TSOJOURNER]

I inspected a used boat today and the boat has potential to consider making an offer, but I'm trying to determine if a mismatch in the gelcoat indicates a major repair was done on the hull.

If you look carefully at the exterior, there is a large area on the port side between the bootstripe and the gunwale, directly below the two large windows, where the gelcoat doesn't match the rest of the hull.

First I would look at the the rest of the hull. Are there similar variations in colour anywhere else. This discrepancy in shading can be the result of inconsistent cleaning. i.e.: parts of the boat were scrubbed with soap and parts weren't - (yes soap and no soap CAN look that different). If it is only that area then something has been done to the boat. When you look along the side of the hull - squint and try to sight longitudinally - is the surface smooth or are there a lot of irregularities and bumps ?

When I looked behind the port settee, in this area, the fiberglass is quite irregular, and isn't painted like most of the rest of the interior of the hull. Am I correct to assume there was a major hull repair in this area?

It doesn't look like it. The depth of the mat does not appear irregular and it is hard, if not impossible to marry the patch with the exisiting layup without creating a noticeable seam. In a properly constructed boat, the roving strips will terminate at different places in the hull in order to avoid weak spots.

Look on the starboard side and see if it is painted behind the furniture, or in areas that are not visible. Ask for permission to scrape a little bit of the paint off of the painted area and look at the colour of the glass and mat. Does it appear to be the same colour as the materials in the area that concerns you ?

The small wood blocks glassed to the hull support the settee seatback.

Do they look newer than the rest of the boat ?

I requested a copy of the most recent survey, which I was told was from 2004. What do you think? If there was a major hull repair, I'm pretty reluctant to go forward with an offer.

several more full resolution photos are posted at the link below: there is one photo in this set showing "cracked" blue/grey paint inside the hull that is present almost everywhere else the hull is visible from the interior.

more higher res photos

Looking at what you have provided I think that there has been a superficial repair to the boat - exterior gelcoat or paint. Is the hull still gelcoated or has it been painted. If painted - it is possible that the paint lifted in that area due either to improper application or due to improper storage and a retouch was done. If it is still gelcoat, then there may have been a case of the "pox" on that side or an unfortunate occurrence with a jetty. Ask for the 2004 survey and see if any mention is made of the area.

Ask the owner. If you like the boat a lot, and if there are no other units in your area in comparable condition then it is worth getting a survey done.

NOTE: If the boat was involved in a collision or some other traumatic incident, it is expensive to have the density and integrity of the hull sounded, but it can be done. There is a hand-held meter shaped like a brick that will read the varying densitiies of the hull, but even that is not 100% accurate.
IN order to purchase the boat with confidence I think that the owner should be able to provide you with a reasonable explanation for the discolouration, and any surface irregularities that may be present. This should be followed up with your own survey (imperative on any boat purchase). Personally, I would not buy the boat, as there are too many good boats out there for sale, and I would suggest you not even consider it if you are planning on venturing offshore at all, regardless of how infrequent those forays might be.

Good Luck

 

[cnc33voodoo]

If they fixed it right you wouldnt see it.
Someone chinced on the repair.
Should have painted the whole side vs blowing it in.
Looks retarded.
Buy another boat or lowball and get the boat fixed right.

 

[fullkeel7]

I don't know, if it is a repair, doesn't look too bad. Then again, could have been Ugh, the lay-up man, using up pieces of unused woven roving he was told to use in the layup. Some guys have different ways of doing things as apposed to the ones working the other half of the hull.?? Could it be that some dock rash occurred on the other side where Ugh went into business for himself??

At any rate, if the boat 'spoke' to me, I'd make an appropriate offer pending a survey and maybe a look-see by a good glass man. Then adjust your offer as needed. Good luck.

 

[SJ34]

Are my eyes playing tricks or is the lay-up thinner in the suspected repair area?

Damaged or not, if the repair is done correctly and there are no other flooding related issues, I wouldn't let it stop me from buying the boat. A phenolic headed mallet works great for finding weak spots in the hull.

My current boat was on the market for many months and many price reductions because of numerous color mismatches in the gelcoat from the bow, right to the stern. I did some research, located the original owner and found out that the anchor had come off the roller in severe weather, bounced down the hull and dinged both sides before being hauled aboard. The patches aged differently than the original gelcoat and didn't show until years later. I got a perfectly good boat at a right price. The ironic thing is, after wet sanding I discovered some of the patches had no damage under them.

Now, if I could just get the Admiral to decide on a new hull color.

 

[jimd333sail]

If I'm seeing the pictures of the inside of the boat correctly, the repair was made just below the gunwhale. You'd be surprised how many times racing boats get into collisions with other boats going around the course; just ask the insurance company. I would think that there is no structural integrity with the repair...it's above the waterline anyway and not near the chainplates. I would have no problem buying the boat pending the surveying confirming what I think and getting an honest reply from the owner. A good surveyor will also have a good feel for the present market and what you should pay.

 

[Gary M]

You could always ask the owner, if the repair was done properly he/she has nothing to hide and may have before pictures and maybe ones taken while the work was going on.

How does the reat of the boat look? A well cared for boat is likely to have been repaired properly.

Gary

 

[doubleeboy]

If its just a superficial wound to the gel coat, the current appearance is not suprising. No matter how good the gel coat match, when it oxidizes it will not match the surrounding hull perfectly. Our boat has a repair. Looks great for about 4 months then the gel coat oxidizes a bit and its obvious there is a repair. Rub it out with light compound and wax and it is undectable until it oxidizes again. If it were below the water line, or where a bulkhead attaches I would be very concerned, if not, just have the surveyor check it over well and get a satisfactory explanation from seller.

michael

 

[ChuckA]

Turns out the current owner didn't have the boat surveyed when he bought in '05. I was provided a copy of an '04 insurance survey from the previous owner. That survey was done with a winter cover on the boat and only says "Structural Strength of Hull: Appears original; acceptable." If it was there, and visible, at the time, the gelcoat mismatch could easily have been missed because there was a winter cover in place when that survey was done. Without any reason to go looking, the surveyor wouldn't necessarily have removed several screws to look at the hull behind that particular settee.

There is another fiberglass repair to fix a leak from the cockpit into the galley which appears completely unrelated to the hull photos I posted. Nearby wood indicates this 2nd area had been leaking for quite a while. I was told, the owner "doesn't have any more information about either area." The diesel is original, 32 years old, and showing its age, so... although she's a very nice boat, there are enough issues that I'm continuing my hunt. I'm a bit disappointed because I thought this would be the one.