Katrina Boat

[Lance835]

I am in the market for a live aboard and stumbled on a boat which fits my bill. The broker was very up front and told me the boat was in New Orleans during Katrina and suffered only superficial damage which was professionally repaired. I saw the pics of the boat still in the marina after the storm and there were many upturned boats but this boat and others seemed virtually untouched.

The sides did suffer some chafe and the whole bottom was sanded and painted with imron. Is this a bad thing? A few stanchions had to be replaced. There where no punctures and no interior water damage.

The boat was new at the time and has not been sailed much since the repairs. I saw the bill and it was around $17K.

Would it make since to purchase this boat? I have owned several boats and incurred similar damage to mine just docking and weathering high winds.

What is your opinion on Imron paint?

Lance835

[capngeo]

As long as the wiring and machinery didn’t take a bath, I’d say you’re OK

[captain58sailin]

I worked on one charter boat that was imroned and it seemed to be a pretty good paint. I couldn't say about the application below the water line.

It the hull was not ruptured or crushed, it would be worth looking at, I would want a very complete survey before making any kind of offer on it. Most of the vessels that were in the area after Katrina were written off as a total constructive loss by the insurance company so the vessel owner was compensated and it should come in at a VERY reasonable price.

[zeehag]

paint is just paint. imron is a dupont paint used on many racing cars. sems to hold up ok. i dont know why it should be a problem. at least isnt latex house paint.
many kaatrina boats were decent pruchases-- ne was a durbeck 47 that was found waaaayyy inland and returned to point cadet-- beautiful boat--only missing sprit, small fee for a great boat.

[Matt Arian]

From my experience in aviation and racing, Imron is a great paint. Tough, durable and only gains in gloss over time. Impact and scratch resistant, but not sure on how well it does against fouling.

[ozskipper]

Originally Posted by Lance835

I am in the market for a live aboard and stumbled on a boat which fits my bill. The broker was very up front and told me the boat was in New Orleans during Katrina and suffered only superficial damage which was professionally repaired. I saw the pics of the boat still in the marina after the storm and there were many upturned boats but this boat and others seemed virtually untouched.

The sides did suffer some chafe and the whole bottom was sanded and painted with imron. Is this a bad thing? A few stanchions had to be replaced. There where no punctures and no interior water damage.

The boat was new at the time and has not been sailed much since the repairs. I saw the bill and it was around $17K.

Would it make since to purchase this boat? I have owned several boats and incurred similar damage to mine just docking and weathering high winds.

What is your opinion on Imron paint?

Lance835

Check bulkheads. If other boats had hit it where the chafe is, there may be some hidden damage. If it just chaffed do to the fenders rubbing like mad, it should be fine. good luck with it either way.

[minaret]

For me, assuming you mean the boat had an Imron job done on the hull above the waterline as noone in their right mind would paint a bottom with it, I would consider the paint job a red flag. If it was just "some chafe", why didnt they just spot repair it with gelcoat? You can hide a whole lot under a new paint job, and anytime someone paints a boat just before putting it on the market, I start looking real close. Look for failed bulkhead tabbing or any signs of damage/major repairs from inside the boat. Never trust a broker. And remember that "hurricane chasers" are some of the most immoral boatyard workers out there, I know because I got sucked into that scene for a couple of years long ago. It's all about make it look good quick, get paid and onto the next boat. Quality of work goes right out the window. These guys love Imron 'cause it's cheap. Do some research on who actually did the work. Just because it was a local yard doesn't mean they didn't sub it out, that's how it's usually done after a big hurricane because there is much too much work for the local yards to do without sub'ing jobs to traveling hurricane chasers. Could be it's all above board and a great deal, but caveat emptor rules the day...

[CharlieCobra]

Imron, cheap? On what planet. Imron usually runs $300.00+ per sprayable gallon. I love Imron but it's way too pricey these days.

[minaret]

Imron is a hundred bucks a gallon for base and 160 for activator. Heres a link. KetoneIndustrial.com : Imron® Coatings, Imron® 3.5 HG-D™ I actually pay less than this.
Compare to Awlgrip or Sterling. Awlgrip base is 150-200 a gallon depending on color and where you get it. Converter is closer to 200 a gallon, and you still haven't got reducer or Procure X-98, or considered that you must prime with 545, whereas most people painting with Imron are using a cheaper primer for the same reasons they went with Imron.
Imron and PPG are much cheaper and much more forgiving than LPU. I'd think as a yard manager you would know this...

[David M]

Imron is car paint which is a different formulation from LPU's made for boats. It may still be okay. My first choice for an LPU made for boats is Awlgrip.

[Cheechako]

i love imron paint, it's aircraft paint, which puts up with alot more abrasion than your average paint....but dont understand why they would put it on the bottom....?

[David_Old_Jersey]

Originally Posted by Lance835

The boat was new at the time and has not been sailed much since the repairs.

Given the boat's history that would be a red flag to me - not an automatic deal breaker, but a heavy caution. The good news is that at least you know this was a Katrina boat, I am sure plenty around with no idea of there boats past.

I saw the bill and it was around $17K

If the bill was not detailed (and no estimate held? or photos of the work being undertaken - some folks just don't think ahead )..........could get in touch with the yard (preferably in person) and ask exactly what was done. A detailed answer would be nice but not to be expected - more about seeing how the question is answered (body language / evasivesness) -folk know when a job was bodged - but being a proffessional means that more often than not you do what the person paying wants .

[easterly38]

Is the boat at Orleans? If it is, I might can get info on it.

[Lance835]

The boat is not in New Orleans anymore. It was recently moved to Mobile. I do have a detailed repair bill. The boat was purchased in 05 and was basically a brand new boat when the storm hit. I saw pictures of the boat in the marina after the storm and it was sitting as though nothing had ever happened. boats nearby had uprooted but did not hit the boat. some nearby boats looked unscathed as well but others were sitting atop the docks. I was told the uprooted boats were sitting outside a concrete wall which protected this boat..

The owner confessed that if the boat had not been brand new he would not have had it painted since the "rash" was only cosmetic. Since it was new he wanted it to look new. (I wish he had left it alone).

I am certain that if this is a scam they would have believable stories such as what has been told to me so I take these stories with little trust. The detailed bill could be made by anyone.

I paid to have "Boat History" run a report and there is nothing on record which tell me that "Boat History" is worthless or the repairs were not claimed on insurance and the damage was not reported. Hhummm!

It is a little comforting that the owner and broker were upfront about the damage and repair. I am certain many boats are sold and the new owners are oblivious to past history.

Does anyone have any suggestions for a good surveyor in the Mobile area? I need one. I really don't trust most surveyors but it is always a good idea to have one done.

[Blue Stocking]

Originally Posted by CharlieCobra

Imron, cheap? On what planet. Imron usually runs $300.00+ per sprayable gallon. I love Imron but it's way too pricey these days.

Must be somewhere in deep space.

My Imron topcoat and proper primer materials cost way more than AwlGrip and The new Interlux (can't remember the name).