[eMKay]

In the hull of this vastly overpriced boat, the only spot with any cracks, it looks like an impact point, the boat has a barrier coat, with flaking anti-fouling over it. Cracks in the barrier coat? In the gelcoat? Or much worse? The boat is a 1994 Catalina 270, it's in rought neglected shape....and they want $35,000 for it! I'm tempted to let it sit for a year and offer half that (pending survey).

The cracks...

The poor neglected boat, love the name though, probably would keep it...

 

[eMKay]

Oh, and what is going on here? These spots that look like blisters are only about 1/8" big, too small to be blisters? Can a barrier coat get blisters? Or is it just poor adhesion of the barrier coat?

 

[codmander]

35k? I have a bridge for sale connects brooklyn to manhatten only 500k

 

[Freesail99]

35K, does sound high for the boat. I would keep looking.

 

[Gryzio]

Looks like V.D. to me, typical of stray cats. :laugher

It may be something you not want to get, considering the price.

I would not want to say 1/2 price is good either, there are a few boats around for less, though they may have a few more years on them.

Off hand, I think the logo (in vinyl) for both sides cost less than $50 in your choice of Font and Color.

I should mention; This something you have to feel good about. If the price comes down to what you are happy with. I bought a boat about 15 years ago that had blisters from a previous fiberglass repair. The price was OK with me and I not see the blisters sitting inside the boat.

 

[AjariBonten]

I think the OP made it fairly clear that he is not interested in this boat at this price-point; but was more interersted in finding out people's opinions on the visible damage.

I know that for myself; I will also often ask about things I've seen on boats I've looked at, even if I am not interested in that particular vessel any more. It's a great way to learn; and it makes the boat search process an educational one as well.

If he gets good information about this damage, then next time he sees the same he'll know better weather to look further or not.

I'm interested in the answer as well because I've looked casually at several boats with similar issues and wondered to what extent the damage might go beyond the visual.

 

[ckgreenman]

$35K? I want what they're smokin'

Average retail for that boat (excluding options) is only $29K according to Nada with low retail being $25K

I'd pass if it were me but then I'm no expert either.

 

[JohnRPollard]

emckay,

It's hard to say anything conclusive from those photos. An experienced surveyor might be able to give you some feedback. I was sort of hoping that someone like CardiacPaul would chime in here and give you his opinion.

Here's mine, for what little it's worth. I have seen "cracks" like those in your first photo on many boats, often in the vicinity of jack-stand or cradle pads. My understanding is that they do not represent a serious structural concern.

As for the "blisters" in the second photo, it would be helpful to know whether Catalina had made the switch to vinylester by 1994. But these look very much like paint blisters to me. This occurs when water gets trapped between the bottom's anti-fouling paint and the gelcoat. If that's what they are, it's a fairly simple remedy to remove the several coats of accumulated bottom paint and start over with fresh paint.

Sometimes, for a nominal cost, a surveyor will swing by a boat for a quick look-see (especially if they're already in the general vicinity for another survey.) If you are serious about the boat and have concerns about the conditions shown in these photos, this might be a good approach for you before getting too far along with it.

 

[k1vsk]

It is difficult to tell where on the boat these pictures (the close-ups) were taken. If they are of the keel, not the hull, I presume you know that lead doesn't blister and the apparent stress cracks (also on the keel) are a non-issue as it looks more like a bad barrier paint job than anything significant. If these pictures are of the hull itself, there are definitely lots of blisters under the barrier coat and the hull has been deflected causing the stress cracks. Neither is definitely a show-stopper but it sounds like you are looking for reasons to walk away anyway so now you have them.

 

[ckgreenman]

As for the "blisters" in the second photo, it would be helpful to know whether Catalina had made the switch to vinylester by 1994. But these look very much like paint blisters to me. This occurs when water gets trapped between the bottom's anti-fouling paint and the gelcoat. If that's what they are, it's a fairly simple remedy to remove the several coats of accumulated bottom paint and start over with fresh paint.

I was almost thinking that too. It's hard to get an idea of scale form the pic but I was almost thinking they look too small to be anything else. Did you, by any chance, try to press on the bubbles with your thumbnail or anything?

 

[eMKay]

I was almost thinking that too. It's hard to get an idea of scale form the pic but I was almost thinking they look too small to be anything else. Did you, by any chance, try to press on the bubbles with your thumbnail or anything?

I did, they are hard, but it's epoxy and the temperature was about 10f, so it may not tell me anything.

k1vsk: The pics are on the hull.

 

[sailingfool]

The blisters are in the barrier coat, not a good circumstance. At the very least the barrier coat should be removed and redone, a messy, but not so expensive job. Before doing so someone needs to figure out why there's moisture under the barrier coat, the explanation to that condition could be a very expensive problem...

 

[TSOJOURNER]

The top picture is a stress fracture, caused by something big, heavy, etc., falling on or hitting the glass. They usually go all the way down. They can be repaired, but it's a pain.

The third picture is just the paint cracking, and the only worry you'd have is getting it all off to repaint. Awlgrip has a good test for testing whether the paint is really stuck onto the substrate or not. You can find it on their website.

later,

 

[eMKay]

The top picture is a stress fracture, caused by something big, heavy, etc., falling on or hitting the glass. They usually go all the way down. They can be repaired, but it's a pain.

The third picture is just the paint cracking, and the only worry you'd have is getting it all off to repaint. Awlgrip has a good test for testing whether the paint is really stuck onto the substrate or not. You can find it on their website.

later,

I'm not talking about the cracking paint, that is obvious and easy to fix, I'm talking about the blisters.

 

[ckgreenman]

I'm not talking about the cracking paint, that is obvious and easy to fix, I'm talking about the blisters.

I'm thinking if they're hard it COULD just be that it's ice behind there. If you could get a hair dryer next to it and raise the temp of the area you would know for sure.. Otherwise I think the only way to be sure is hit it with an orbital

 

[sailingdog]

The want $35,000 for a 15 year old boat that is 27' LOA... yeah right... they're on crack. The damage looks to be impact damage from hitting something.

 

[TSOJOURNER]

Blisters don't look too scary but what would make me cautious is the brown colour edging some of the cracks. Could just be pond scum, or it could be oozing styrene which is exactly that colour. Given time, styrene will dissolve in water and will seep out of the roving which, needless to say, is a bad thing.

Not sure where you are, but if that boat were here in Toronto I would not think it would be worth much more than $7,500.00. There are too many good boats out there going cheaply right now.

 

[eMKay]

Blisters don't look too scary but what would make me cautious is the brown colour edging some of the cracks. Could just be pond scum, or it could be oozing styrene which is exactly that colour. Given time, styrene will dissolve in water and will seep out of the roving which, needless to say, is a bad thing.

Not sure where you are, but if that boat were here in Toronto I would not think it would be worth much more than $7,500.00. There are too many good boats out there going cheaply right now.

The 270 is in Minnesota and is not worth my time to have shipped unless they take a ridiculously low offer from me. I only went to look at it because I was there visiting family.

 

[mmazour]

Sailormann, are there seriously mid 90's 26-28ft sailboats in Toronto for around $7500??

 

[TSOJOURNER]

Sailormann, are there seriously mid 90's 26-28ft sailboats in Toronto for around $7500??

I just had a look at the local buy/sell site: boat for sale
and it appears that there are few mid-90's boats for sale - Catalina, Hunter and MacGregor. Some of the MacGregors are in that price range. The Hunter and the Catalina are listed in the 20k's

My comment regarding the value is based on the apparent condition of the boat in the picture, coupled with what I read in the OP's narrative.

I think that after about 7 or 8 years the maintenance that a boat receives starts to become far more important than the actual age of the boat. By that time, there are some things that need tending to and some things that need replacing.

If that is taken care of properly, and a high level of maintenance is ongoing, the boat will hold its value and could even appreciate, however, the boat in the picture does not seem to have had much care. I think it would probably be closer to one of the boats found on this site - where $7,500.oo is considered a handsome sum:
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