So there's this boat I am looking to purchase.... but it's filled with ice.

[sailorboy1]

I vote to pass on this Irwin. Was a boat with a low public rep to start with and now it has a water problem. Beyond fixing how the water got in the boat (while on the hard, which probably means something) and all the related damage what is going to be the state of the rest of the boat; engine, electrical etc. Unless you are more interested in being a boat mechanic than a sailor I think you can find a better deal overall. Will be more upfront but less to get though just the first season on water. I fixed on a Sabre yesterday that was in "excellent condition" and only needed "comestic work in the interior" to find out that the boat has been on the hard for 7 years and had gotten at least 6" of water in it. By the time I added up the things I would expect to have to fix I dfecided it was "cheaper" to be a Sabre that was already "nice".

[D.D.]

Run,baby,run......If the owner "showed" the boat in THAT condition, then he surely did not care to take care of it. Be prepared to invest much more than the boat will ever be worth....With that much mositure inside, there has got to be extensive electrical problems...and you haven't even checked the hull, deck, bottom for problems. It's a buyers market, hold onto your money and you will certaily find the perfect boat for you.

[Québec 1]

Offer 5K. If he comes back to you with interest, tell him about the water and offer 3,5K.
Q1

[Cadence]

Run away. Listen to all the negatives above. With that obvious problem, what else? Buying something maintianed is going to be cheaper than repair, in the long run. And You will be able to use it ASAP not waiting on repairs.

[Aquah0lic]

If you're just looking for a boat to go out and have fun with on weekends and such then I'm with Quebec up there. Make a low ball offer. It looked like a pretty nice boat at one time. Dry it out, fix the leak and see what you've got. I wouldn't put a ton of money into it, just get it to where you can use it. Other than the engine, which is a real concern, the water/ice likely didn't damage anything that would prevent you from using it. It looked like it had a furler and line control setup for cockpit which are nice features for a $5,000 boat this size.

If you were looking for a liveaboard/cruiser, I'd say walk away. If you're looking for your perfect boat, this ain't it. Wait and keep your cash handy and your ear to the ground and you'll get a great deal. (like me)

[hellosailor]

Freeze damage could include damage to the structural fiberglass in the hull, in the bilge area. Lovingly restored or not, bargain or not, if it isn't shipshape and ready for seatrials you are buying a pig in a poke. And, you have to ask how "loving" the owner who let the water accumulate and freeze in the boat was.

If it really seems like a bargain to you--make a deposit, make an escrow account, find some arrangement that gives you the right to wait until the boat thaws and you can sea trial it before everything is final and paid up.

If the owner really has done a 3-year refit, then they'll have no problem guaranteeing that the engine works, the keel bolts are OK, and there are no major problems that will need the escrow funds. Among other things--I don't think you could test the hull and deck for moisture problems until after it all thawed. That kind of damage can cost more than the sale price of the boat.

[Celestialsailor]

I agree with most of what has been said here. It's no deal and the fact water was allowed to accumulate in the sole is an indicator the owner was not good at maintaining her. You have to ask yourself what else is wrong with it? I just bought my Rawson Pilothouse in NY for 1/3 the cost it would be on the west coast. I know it is difficult to be patient when boat shopping. Look on craigslist also.

[speedoo]

Originally Posted by CruiserHopeful

I may not have been in the market all that long, but from what i've seen so far, this is scraping the bottom of the barrel (most others in the size range go for around 50k+).

Sure I could go down to Florida and pick up a sunken Katrina vessel for cheap, but I want to stay local (CT). :/ Dilemmas dilemmas....

Huh? For 50K you can get a much nicer, more substantial boat than this. 30 foot boats this old are not a bargain, IMO, unless they are substantially less than $10k AND are in good shape. This boat is neither, you should keep looking.

Plus IMO you are better off with a Hunter, Catalina, Islander and several other names than with an Irwin.

Also, a wheel on this size boat is NOT an advantage IMO. A tiller is preferable, because it makes for a more comfortable and roomy cockpit, and it's just unnecessary to add that complexity.

[Spammy]

"Lovingly restored"??? Huh?.....I don't think what you saw fits with that... Consider: cracked motor engine block, hull structural damage due to expansion of freezing water, extensive rupturing in plumbing, damage to bilge pump, sea cocks, wiring. The extensive frost and condensation suggests moisture has gotten to everything, Will the instruments work? You must consider that this is likely to be a project that will make your final cost and time investment much, much larger than the purchase price. I vote with the "run away from it" crowd.....At the VERY LEAST, let it thaw out and dry out before inspecting it in great detail. I would say a professional survey would be a mandatory condition to any consideration to purchase. Rocky

[Aqua Vitae]

I'm gonna agree with many of the points made here:
-Pictures and descriptions are usually the best possible interpretation of the vessel
-You think you found a good deal, but sit, wait, and keep looking, and you will find many, many more

On that note, I would like to add my own experience. If you buy the wrong boat, you will probably be set back at least a year before you realize it, and much longer before you are rid of it and in a new boat.
30 footers are not all in the 50k range. I got a Morgan 34 for 5,500 and I overpaid by a grand at least. You, even in this market, will almost always get what you pay for. I have heard of very few real deals being acquired in these hard times. Finally, if you want a cruiser, an Irwin is not it. I know when i first became interested in sailing, very few people would tell me what a good cruiser is. Hemming and hawing, the would say Westsail or something that is at least 35 feet. Buy Spurr's Guide to Upgrading your Cruising Sailboat. He will give you fifty good cruisers and why. Irwin is not in there. (Morgan isn't either, but I did learn quite a bit ) Practical Sailor and Good Old Boat are also excellent sources for this stuff. Before I even looked at any boat, I would buy the Practical Sailor write up on it.

-What happens when water gets in the cored/ laminated deck and freezes?