Need opinions on this boat

[tropicalescape]

Originally Posted by Scout 30

I have to agree about varnish, especially on the exterior where the sun just eats it up. We're now using the oil based version of Australian Timber Oil which is a big step up from regular teak oil. I put on one thick coat with a brush just cut in without tape because clean up is easy with mineral spirits. It keeps it's color, never peals & prep is just a light wash. The lighter colors need a recoat about twice a year. The darker colors like mahogany need it once a year.

The teak on my boat when I first got her was so dry it turned gray..I didnt know what to do as I didnt want to varnish it but I wanted it to look good..I sanded a little spot put some Vasoline on it and waited to see what would happen..It looked great so I did the whole interior ! It looks like new and never dulls or feels greasy..I have never heard of anyone doing this and I am not advocating it but for me it made a world of difference and that was 4 yrs. ago and it still looks great..

[tdoster]

The cored decks are usually bad as the screws worked loose over a number of years on the teak decking.

The spars are normally wood - spruce and always suspect to what is going on beneath the varnish.

The ballast is normally suspect as a lot of the Taiwan boats re-used what they had available with old iron and concrete being popular. Not to pick on them as they were not the only ones to do it.

If the boat has the original iron tanks, you can plan on replacing those as well.

That being said, the CT's were great designs and some built very well. Finding one that has gone through a deck re-core and re-glass as well as conversion to aluminum spars will probably yield a good boat for years to come. Otherwise, those items are very expensive part of a refit and the boat is definitely close to a one to one boat (one hour of maintenance for every hour of sailing.)

If you go aboard an old Taiwan boat and it smells of rot and old diesel, be sure to pay extra and wait for a good surveyor.

[Island Time O25]

Originally Posted by reed1v

Well, that is just not true. If folks just asked around they would learn how to varnish which is actually easy to do. Most folks go gloss. Wrong. Go matte for interior and cut with tung oil. Or just skip the varnish and use tung oil. It will set up hard as varnish. That way you can just wipe it on. If you use varnish, quality brushes are essential. You also want to varnish into the wet and work it into the grains. Final brushing should be light and almost dry. For vertical, go down. For horizontal we go along and across with a final brush along the grain(one coat, three brush strokes). If the old varnish is still solid, then just wipe with a tack rag and then wipe with a lint free rag soaked in acetone. No need to sand. Works in our yards, should work for you.

Your second highlighted sentence repeats what I said. So how is it "not true"?

I did not say "any varnish" but "glossy varnish". It is the glossy type that should only be done by very qualified applicators. Most boat owners would not fall into that category as much as they wish themselves to be taken as such. Plus the issue of proper place and conducive weather to do it right, etc.

[Steve1944]

Originally Posted by LLCoolDave

Fiberglass hull

With regard to the masts I have it in my mind that 40 yo is old for any mast. Is this correct? The masts are keel stepped. Will a surveyor be able to check them for rot? I was reading another thread that mentioned that painted wood masts can rot from the inside and is difficult to detect.

The SA/D is 16.5 for this ketch version. The sailboatdata info is for the cutter only and the SA/D is less than 12. That seems rather anemic.

Don't fix the mast until it breaks. Tap the wood and the sound will tell the whole story.


It's not a cutter, it's a yawl. I'm suspicious when a boat is mid represented in any way. What else is missed?

[Connemara]

Keel-stepped mast will admit water; check the mast step for softening.

Connemara

[Connemara]

Ummm. From the pix it's, a cutter-rigged ketch. Yawl would have the mizzen aft of the steering position.

Connemara

[Muckle Flugga]

Originally Posted by Steve1944

Don't fix the mast until it breaks. Tap the wood and the sound will tell the whole story.


It's not a cutter, it's a yawl. I'm suspicious when a boat is mid represented in any way. What else is missed?

Connemara is correct. This is a cutter rig ketch. FWIW you could also cutter rig a yawl. But this is a ketch, to all appearances.

[Cheechako]

Staysail ketch.

[Terra Nova]

Originally Posted by zeehag

you have never sailed one at 8.4 kts in a chubasco(60+kts winds in darkness) when all other boats are heading back into a safe zone...these you do not turn back or go hide in 20+ kts winds. you SAIL em. with a smile on face. reef at 25 kts, first reef...

Interpretation for the OP--it takes a hurricane to make these boats sail.

[Simonsays]

Originally Posted by Terra Nova

Interpretation for the OP--it takes a hurricane to make these boats sail.

are you mistaking this for a racing forum?

like i said in the 3rd post in this thread, it's a lovely boat.
the OP obviously agrees or he would not have querried for advise.
the sound advice is to get a good surveyor.
anything else is worth exactly what he payed for. that includes your venomous posts.

[Scout 30]

After reading this thread & several others I wonder if it's really a good idea to ask about a specific boat on this forum before looking at it. While you do get some constructive advice there always seems to be a lot of derogatory comments about a design or builder no matter what or who it is. I think it would make it hard to be positive about any boat you're interested in.

[Simonsays]

Originally Posted by Scout 30

After reading this thread & several others I wonder if it's really a good idea to ask about a specific boat on this forum before looking at it. While you do get some constructive advice there always seems to be a lot of derogatory comments about a design or builder no matter what or who it is. I think it would make it hard to be positive about any boat you're interested in.

you have to weed out the posts with information and ignore the rest.
there are quite a few people on here with vast knowledge and many a different boat owners raise the chance to find one with experience with the model you are looking for to help get a first expression.

[LLCoolDave]

Originally Posted by Scout 30

After reading this thread & several others I wonder if it's really a good idea to ask about a specific boat on this forum before looking at it. While you do get some constructive advice there always seems to be a lot of derogatory comments about a design or builder no matter what or who it is. I think it would make it hard to be positive about any boat you're interested in.

It seems like just about every thread of CF has some forceful contrary opinions. Seems like nothing is simple when it comes to owning a boat. I've gotten something out of just about every comment. I'm glad I asked and didn't just rush in. Thanks to everyone.

[Scout 30]

Originally Posted by LLCoolDave

It seems like just about every thread of CF has some forceful contrary opinions. Seems like nothing is simple when it comes to owning a boat. I've gotten something out of just about every comment. I'm glad I asked and didn't just rush in. Thanks to everyone.

The question is did it dissuade you from inspecting the boat?

[reed1v]

Originally Posted by Connemara

Ummm. From the pix it's, a cutter-rigged ketch. Yawl would have the mizzen aft of the steering position.

Connemara

Most CTs were ketches with a double headsail rig. Not to be too pedantic, but a yawl is when the mizzen is aft the rudder post.