Well hi folks, I'm brand new here. I've read lots of posts about ferro all over the net, as I recently viewed a vessel here in
New Zealand a couple of weeks ago, with a view to
buying. However, I found several areas of concern the hull, which said to me to shy away for the moment, and seek advice. I'm not entirely new to ferrocement,- I bought a 55ft ferro Herreshoff about 20 years ago, way back when I was young and stupid. I knew NOTHING about ferro then, and that vessel never left the
mooring whilst I had it. I loved having it though, even just to row out to and potter about on it, fiddling with the
motor or painting the
interior etc. Oh, and to
fish off. I've aged, but like to think some wisdom has sunk in. I still don't mind ferro, but I won't be
buying another like that Herroshoff.- There were plastered-up ribs on the inside of the hull, which I didn't realise the significance of at the time, but which I have come to learn may be the sign of the armature having rusted and expanded. This is one of the things I think may be starting with the hull i viewed. The boat is a Hartley 39 at Tauranga Marina, $32,000.
Now I'm all old and clever, I've landed on your door with my cap in hand, hoping for some verification/explanation of what I saw on the boat I recently viewed. If i've done this right there should be some photos on this post. If not, then all i've done since being young and stupid is age some!
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Photos should show. Hopefully someone can give me some knowledgeable input...i've pretty much discounted this boat on the signs of deterioration, it's otherwise a beautiful yacht. I couldn't find many examples of similar problems shown on the
internet to compare these to. It would be good to know if these are indications of serious ill-health in a hull.
The cracks shown are vertical, centrally placed on the inside of the stern. They run about to about 150 to 200 mm. up from the base of the stern. There are another couple of not so bad cracks also bleeding rust running for'ard along the centreline from the stern.
The cement encasing where the
rudder shaft goes through the hulk is the square section pillar visible in another
photo. The pillar has a white crystalline fuzz on it, and its cement looks newer than the surrounding hulls cement. Rust is bleeding through at the base of the pillar.
Near the bow is multiple rust bleeds, the picture with the edge of the
blue water bladder shows this. The area shown is about 2ft x 1' 6". There are a numer of other running rusty water marks coming down the inside of the hull from the decking area round the boat.
On the
mast is significant underpaint
corrosion, by the look of it. There're pictures to show the bubbling
paint, and an area where the paint's come off the
mast. The bubbling runs up the seams of he mast, and gathers significantly about the fittings also. Is this salvageable at this stage (i sort of think it is, looking at the
photo which shows some of the aluminium of the mast exposed.)
Ahere's to sailing!
regards
John