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Old 07-06-2016, 17:09   #31
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Re: Buying a donated boat

And there's no batteries. If that's all it takes, plus what I mentioned above, we would be very happy.
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Old 07-06-2016, 18:37   #32
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Re: Buying a donated boat

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Originally Posted by NoQuarter79 View Post
And there's no batteries. If that's all it takes, plus what I mentioned above, we would be very happy.
The most active Watkins owners group is on yahoo.
https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/watkins/info

There are a number of guys who are very helpful (some in Maryland and Virginia).

I recently acquired a 1979 Watkins 27. I am new to sailing and this is my first boat. It has a re-built Yanmar and that is the main reason I bought the boat.

If you think you want to sell the boat, there is a guy that has been posting on craigslist that is looking for a 1981 and up Watkins 27. Do a search for Watkins 27 (site:craigslist.org) and you will find him.
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Old 07-06-2016, 19:31   #33
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Re: Buying a donated boat

I looked at the pictures in a previous post and the cabin interior looks pretty decent for a $1600 boat. Hopefully, you can get the diesel running.

I guess I would recommend a survey as well, you want to ensure you have a safe boat and prioritize any repairs based on that.

Just by the pictures:
1) I would check the compression post. The head bulkhead that has wood flooring on the bottom makes me think the bulkhead has rotted out at the bottom. My bulkhead was rotted out but the compression post looked good.
2) The mid-cabin hatch looks like it is leaking. Checkout Bruce's blog
Bigtooth - A Watkins 27 Journal
He is repairing this now (he is doing a lot of work, I wish I had his time, patience, and skill).

Mike
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Old 08-06-2016, 07:32   #34
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Re: Buying a donated boat

get a surveyor skilled in claims work.


the fact is your ship has sailed its may be too late
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Old 08-06-2016, 07:34   #35
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Re: Buying a donated boat

Caveat emptor.
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Old 08-06-2016, 07:48   #36
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Re: Buying a donated boat

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Originally Posted by Mike_NC View Post

I guess I would recommend a survey as well, you want to ensure you have a safe boat and prioritize any repairs based on that.
Now that I know the boat was only $1600 I will admit I never would have gotten a survey either. But I still don't believe I would have parted with 1/3 of my money without seeing it first!

Regardless of flack the OP receives on this thread, including mine, I wish them good luck.
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Old 08-06-2016, 08:23   #37
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Re: Buying a donated boat

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OK, look, we'll try to help here.

There is absolutely no such thing, categorically, as a boat with "nothing wrong with it". Does not exist! Not even a new one! That's why it's really important to have a good survey done before ever buying anything that floats, just to start out with a decent list of what needs fixing and improving.

An old boat which has not been used in a few years is just a project, I'm afraid, and you'll need to face that. I bad sea cock is going to be just the very tip of the ice berg. If you end up with a list of less than three or four pages of things to do -- count yourself lucky.

My advice is to get a survey done now -- better late than never. If the result is disastrous -- then try to rescind the sale and give the boat back. If the result is reasonable, then roll your sleeves up and start tackling it. Do the work yourself -- that will not only save you money, but will also get you familiar with your boat and her systems. This learning process is essential to happy boat ownership.

Get to know other sailors with similar boats and ask for advice. Ask for advice on here -- there is a huge wealth of knowledge here, and people will help you figure out how to fix this or that broken system much more cheaply and more efficiently than you could otherwise.

How to evaluate whether the survey is disastrous? Well if the engine doesn't run and doesn't look easily salvageable, then many old boats are not worth repowering. Other big ticket items are sails, rigging, teak deck, any structural problems. You will definitely have to replace all the electronics, so you won't care much about that. Your broken sea cock is par for the course -- if the boat is fairly old and hasn't been used in five years, you will in all likelihood need to replace all of them (unless they are Blakes or the like and can be reground).

When I bought my present boat in 2009, she was only 8 years old and hardly used, with 160 hours on the generator, and surveyed excellently. But after I started using her, one thing after another failed, and even now I still spend at least $10k -- $20k every year on different replacements and upgrades, and sometimes more (like when I replaced my sails last year). If your boat is smaller, it might be cheaper, but you can't just buy any boat and just sail away. Cruising sailboats are continuous projects. There is a pithy and all too true saying that the definition of cruising is "boat repair in exotic places".
Thank you DH, suffering from lousy coffee this AM. Your post moderated my urge to respond. It could be that three months in the yard (nearly done) has set me on edge. The only person who seemingly sailed through major repairs in good spirits was Joshua Slocum during the refit of Spray. All the rest of us are mere mortals.
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Old 08-06-2016, 08:29   #38
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Re: Buying a donated boat

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Originally Posted by NoQuarter79 View Post
We purchased our boat about a month ago from a non-profit organization site unseen. We were very excited at the time and there are a few major questions that we had forgotten to ask. Now we are aboard the boat, and we were informed by a neighbor who had sailed the boat that the motor hadn't been ran in 5 years. We were checking it out a little bit and messing with the raw water thru-hull valve when the handle broke off and the gear that turned the valve got all chewed up. Of course we need to change some filters and whatnot, but we messaged the donation organization to ask for the previous owners contact information to see if they had any issues with the engine and she informed us that the donor told her there was nothing wrong with it. To me, there is quite a big difference in "nothing wrong" and "had been sitting untouched for 5 years."

Our beef is not with the non-profit. I will just be upset if the donor hadn't been 100% truthful when donating the boat. I don't even think the non-profit had seen the boat for themselves when we snagged it up, so they only knew what the donor had told them.

We're not looking to weasel a lawsuit, we just want to know if there are any steps, if any at all, we could take in this situation? We were under the impression it was ready to go, and now after investing a third of our life saving into purchasing the boat, it appears the remaining two-thirds of our savings will go into getting it in running order.
I had donated a boat for health reasons. That non profit had a survey done before the deal so they didn't end up with a pig. Also for providing me with an instrument for taking a tax write off.

I would be surprised if the one you had dealt with hadn't. I guess that doesn't help you? You may want to contact them and ask. They may give you an adjustment. Doesn't hurt to ask.
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Old 08-06-2016, 08:33   #39
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Re: Buying a donated boat

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My fractions were wrong. We actually have about $1700 dollars. Losing this boat means losing our home. The motor is a Yanmar 2 cyl. Up until today we thought it was a 12hp, but an older guy here at the marina tends to think it's more. 18hp is what I think he said. We got it on craigslist from a non-profit called Agents of Faith. We did do heavy research on the organization to make sure it was not a scam. Their website states "Our hope is that most of the boats we receive are fair to great shape." and again the president of the organization was told there was nothing wrong with it. Really, we're hoping it's a matter of clean filters and fuel. For sitting for 5 years she could look a lot worse.
Lesson learned. I think you just have to realize that boats are a lot of work. Just focus on learning how to do that work and you will figure it out. All boats are a lot of work, and bits and pieces are expensive. You bought a bargain boat with no assurances. Not their fault. Now get to work!
GET A COPY OF NIGEL CALDER'S BOAT MAINTENANCE BOOK.
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Old 08-06-2016, 08:41   #40
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Re: Buying a donated boat

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Now that I know the boat was only $1600 I will admit I never would have gotten a survey either. But I still don't believe I would have parted with 1/3 of my money without seeing it first!

Regardless of flack the OP receives on this thread, including mine, I wish them good luck.
Your point is a good one, but usually in those situations the buyer performs a survey themselves.

I just bought a $1500 boat and had a survey. I did not go seethe boat because that would have been more expensive than the survey. I had seen sister ships, so I knew I liked the make and model. Because I had a survey, I now have a very complete list of what I need to address. I am sure it is more complete then I would have compiled.

Either way someone chooses to go- self survey or pro- can work. It's just the "sight unseen, no survey" that has a lot of potential to go south.

Sounds like the OP is getting over the initial shock and figuring out solutions. Good luck, OP!
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Old 08-06-2016, 09:05   #41
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Re: Buying a donated boat

CAVEAT EMPTOR!

Buying a boat from a charity organization is replete with potential hazards. Typically, a donation is usually made when the boat can't be sold for a reasonable amount. It provides a tax deduction at a favorable amount to the seller. The charity receives a donation when someone buys it. Of course, unless there is fraud on the part of the organization, your "as is" purchase is just that, at your peril.
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Old 08-06-2016, 09:26   #42
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Re: Buying a donated boat

That Yanmar is a good motor & is probably fine if it was OK when it was laid up. Change the oil & the raw water impeller before starting it. Go to your neighborhood auto parts store & get an electric fuel pump. Install it with a switch before your water separator & then change the fuel filters. Run the pump to prime the filters & check for water in the fuel due to condensation. If you release the compression before starting to build up oil pressure remember you are pumping raw water with no back pressure. Too much of that & it will back up into the cylinders. If you have the boat out of the water DO NOT hook the motor up to a hose. Undo the hose from your raw water filter, stick it in a bucket & run a hose to the bucket. If it turns over but doesn't fire you can try squirting some WD40 into the air intake & as a last resort you can squirt a little starting fluid onto a rag & hold it over the intake. If it starts keep the rpms low for a few minutes. If you run into a problem when you try to start it post another thread here & you'll get help. Boats are a lot of work. You might as well get used to it.
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Old 08-06-2016, 09:53   #43
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Re: Buying a donated boat

http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...eas-73045.html

This link should help..... utube is a great venue if you need to see to do.

John
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Old 08-06-2016, 10:02   #44
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Re: Buying a donated boat

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Originally Posted by Johnniegee View Post
http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...eas-73045.html

This link should help..... utube is a great venue if you need to see to do.

John
That links us to a boat that was lost, possibly due to an incomplete refurbishment.
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Old 08-06-2016, 10:07   #45
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Re: Buying a donated boat

Why is NoQuarter79 listed as a Marine Service Provider?

There should be nothing wrong with buying a boat by making a $1600 Donation to a charity. Since A marine service provider should have no difficulty turning a profit on that by repairing it? Considering that the whole thread seems to revolve around the engine: Why is there so much missing information?
Such as what make of diesel are we talking about?
Has any attempt been made to crank it over?
just because it has not been run in five years does not imply that it is useless. Some diesels have been fired up after sitting idle for decades. Replacing a valve to a through hull is cheap, That is what tidal grids are for. Putting cooling water to an engine just to test it can be done in many different ways with some ingenuity... but granted the rest could get expensive.
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