[Icarus05]

Hello all,

What would your impression of the seriousness of below surveyor comments be? The survey also said the overall condition of the boat was very good and it was well cared for. I'm just curious if these are huge problems or typical and not necessarily needing immediate address....

1. The starboard side of the rudder has elevated moisture (20-25) on the top
two-thirds and a few vertical cracks with good sounds. These should be
inspected and repaired as necessary. The port side has good sounds and
good moisture (10-15) readings.

2. There is a two-foot by approximate 15-inch area of delamination or never-
bond on the port side of the hull bottom aft of the aft cradle pad and head
thru-hulls. This should be inspected and repaired as necessary.


Thanks....this is my first boat buy and I don't want to make a huge deal out of something that is not but also don't want to dismiss a potential money pit.

 

[barefootnavigator]

Is the hull balsa cored? What manufacture?

 

[smj]

I wouldn't worry much about the rudder. My guess is 90% of the rudders out there have some saturation in them.
I would definitely get the delam looked at priced out and repaired. Shouldn't be a big job and also not a deal breaker. Any sign of moisture around the delaminated spot?

 

[Icarus05]

Thanks. No the overall for the bottom was a good review. Good bottom paint, good soundings, and overall average moisture reading of 8-12%.

Any idea of what the repair would cost? It is likely that this has been like this since it was built? I'm a pretty handy guy, is this something that one could reasonably undertake?

 

[GeorgeB]

I would ask the surveyor to give you an estimate as only he knows the extent of the damage and probably has a pretty good handle on going rate for repairs in your area (remember that he does insurance estimates all the time)

 

[RainDog]

1. The starboard side of the rudder has elevated moisture (20-25) on the top
two-thirds and a few vertical cracks with good sounds. These should be
inspected and repaired as necessary. The port side has good sounds and
good moisture (10-15) readings.

2. There is a two-foot by approximate 15-inch area of delamination or never-
bond on the port side of the hull bottom aft of the aft cradle pad and head
thru-hulls. This should be inspected and repaired as necessary.

Total guess, assuming you are talking about a 30-40 foot boat:

1) Since it has "good sounds", I think it will need to be sanded down and re-glassed. I am assuming the cracks are more than hairline. $500
2) No way I would buy the boat without getting an estimate of the repair from a well qualified fiberglass person. This *could* be a major problem. And expert could tell you for sure.

It is very hard to answer this without knowing the size, age, and approximate price of the boat. If this is a $100K boat, I would make the seller pay for the second repair. If it is a $5K boat, that is a different story.

 

[Yorksailor]

We have just spent a month watching the psychological trauma of a family who planned to cross the Pacific as they discovered that a small delamination had become a big delamination with a very significant leak.

It took big bucks and a week of labor to fix.

There are lots of boats out there without delamination.

Phil

 

[jameswilson29]

1. The starboard side of the rudder has elevated moisture (20-25) on the top
two-thirds and a few vertical cracks with good sounds. These should be
inspected and repaired as necessary. The port side has good sounds and
good moisture (10-15) readings.

2. There is a two-foot by approximate 15-inch area of delamination or never-bond on the port side of the hull bottom aft of the aft cradle pad and head thru-hulls. This should be inspected and repaired as necessary.

They are serious considerations.

1. While many rudders have elevated moisture, few have vertical cracks. A sailboat rudder typically consists of a rudder post with attached/welded framework, encased in a fiberglass shell, with foam filling. Vertical cracks may indicate failure/corrosion in the metal framework. You can test the rudder by moving it around while the wheel/tiller is locked in place. You may have to drop the rudder, cut it into halves vertically, re-weld new framework to the post, add foam, and fiberglass halves back together.

The costs would include haul-out, raising and dropping boat to drop the rudder, time required to allow rudder to be dropped, which includes detaching the steering mechanisms, all materials and labor for repair. I'd say you are looking at $1K to $2K, depending on the size of the boat and whether you do the work yourself. A new rudder would likely cost you $3-4K or considerably more, depending on the age and popularity of your boat.

2. A delaminated spot near a pad might not be that big of a deal, particularly if the boat is solid fiberglass. Many boats can be damaged there by improper blocking and repaired fairly easily.

A spot that never bonded would be a big deal. That indicates poor construction of that particular boat, which might have been repeated elsewhere. I would be very concerned, particularly if your boat is made by one of the more questionable builders.

You should consult with a fiberglass expert for an analysis and cost estimate.

 

[Antibes]

A new rudder would likely cost you $3-4K or considerably more, depending on the age and popularity of your boat.

I decided to repair my rudder, but a brand new one on my 28 foot boot was about $1200 plus shipping. Foss rudders in California did a lot of boats over the years and has the specs in their factory

 

[miatapaul]

I think without knowing what kind of boat it is this is kind of shooting in the dark. Hull issue could be not a big deal or a huge one depending on the boat and location. Does it have a cored hull? If so it is likely a big deal. What kind of core? Where is the boat located? If not how is it delaminated? What kind of DIY skills do you have? How much of the work would you try to do yourself? It all can make a huge difference in the repair cost.

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[Icarus05]

Hi all

Thanks for the feedback. It is a balsa cored hull from a very reputable and high quality European mfg.

The entire rest of the hull was dry and solid. This was a small area and dry too. Being a small area and in a area of a lot of other structure makes it seem like integrity would not be too compromised.

Thoughts?

 

[azguy]

Hi all

Thanks for the feedback. It is a balsa cored hull from a very reputable and high quality European mfg.

Thoughts?

yes, what's the big secret about the boat manufacturer

 

[Siamese]

ditto that

 

[Cwhit767]

Curious....Were you with the surveyor when he did the inspection, and if so did you get any verbal help on these issues? I would have asked if this was a common issue on boats of the particular style/type you're looking at.

I've had several done on powerboats and I always cautiously chose the surveyors. And while I don't bother them while doing their job, I remain on or near the boat in case something comes up he wants to show me.

I've never had a sailboat surveyed, but I heard a good way to tell if the surveyor was good, was to see if he/or they climbed the mast. I guess there are some who won't.

Good luck! I'll be in the market soon myself and probably have lots of Q's for the forum!

 

[MarkofSeaLife]

I find survey reports written in that special language reserved for surveyors....

Ask him basic questions that can give you a yes/no answer:
Is it a deal breaker?
Will I die 10 miles from shore?
Will I die 1,000 miles from shore?

Instead of having him tell you what he thinks just get him to think about the problem and point to the face below. (It works for kids!)

 

[sailingfool]

...

I've never had a sailboat surveyed, but I heard a good way to tell if the surveyor was good, was to see if he/or they climbed the mast. I guess there are some who won't.

Generally vessel surveyors don't climb the mast or survey the engine, or at least none of my first eight have...

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