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S/V Willow · 12-01-2009, 23:48

Hi all - we need help urgently please. We are looking at buying a Peterson 44 for offshore cruising. Have found one but have heard a disturbing piece of information on this popular design. We have heard that there is a major design flaw with the skeg rudder being liable to total desertion and resulting in the sinking of the yacht. Obviously we don't believe this is a spontaneous event (well at least we hope not?)and must be set off by a knock/hitting something but what if you ground? Any and all advice would be appreciated. As is the norm for us we have spent so long researching this and finally put in an offer today. THEN we heard about this problem from a friend here in Australia. So urgency is the key here. Ray and Fiona

Celestialsailor · 13-01-2009, 00:26

Sounds like horse puckie to me. My friend has one and took his family from California to Mexico then to New Zealand over a period of 3 years. He is a really picky person and does his homework. If you private message me, I will put the 2 of you in contact.

BassAckwards · 13-01-2009, 00:41

<<A full-size molded-in skeg supports the rudder and provides good protection during the occasional grounding. Protected also is the prop, mounted in an aperture between the skeg and the rudder. Displacement of 30,000 pounds (10,000 of this is buried in encapsulated lead ballast) gives the Peterson 44 an easy motion at sea.>>

Cruising World - Peterson 44: Quick and Comfy

DeepFrz · 13-01-2009, 18:49

Have your surveyor check both inside and outside around the skeg for cracking and delamination. If there are no stress cracks or signs of delamination it should be good to go. There are ways to check the laminate for micro cracks but I'm not sure what they are. Possibly ultrasound but I'm not sure.

**Jim Cate** · 13-01-2009, 20:39

Moondust --
If you look around the anchorages in the south Pacific,perhaps the one commonestdesign is the P-44. Hell of a lot of themreally out there cruising, and I ain't heard of a single failure such as you describe.

Friends on a P-44 named Golly Gee sank east of Guam a few years back when they hit some unidentfied floating object at night, but the damage was forward, not in the rudder or skeg. The boats have been built by several yards in the Orient, and your quality of construction may vary, but I really doubt the spontaneous failure you describe.

Good luck

Jim and Ann s/vInsatiable II lying Gladstone Qld Oz

sabray · 14-01-2009, 05:36

I own one
Heres a great website Peterson Cutter Website - Welcome
Jim is right They were built in several yards and so quality varies. I have never heard of a skeg falling off.
between the kp .org web site and the yahoo group you should be able to generate a list of things to look out for that are known issues on some of these boats.
I love mine It aint the fastest but it sails quite well helm is easy as long as you dont over power the main.
When I bought mine I factored in my offer that I would need to replace the fuel tanks originally these were steel. Mine were not leaking yet but at 30 years old there time was due. Some had issues with the water tanks they are SS and are below the cabin soles so you want to check these. Its an older boat so how well maintained it is will play a huge role in its value and how much work you will need to do.

camaraderie · 14-01-2009, 09:21

Anything that happens to a skeg at this late date is a maintenance (or lack therof) issue rather than a design flaw. MANY older boats can have such issues and that is why we get surveys. Full speed ahead...fine boats!!

S/V Willow · 14-01-2009, 17:18

Thank you all. Well our offer was accepted so we are the owners now of a Peterson 44. She has been well maintained and in fact one of the water tanks has been replaced. The other one was left because there was nothing wrong with it at the time. So that could be a job in the future. She did have osmosis (show us a fibreglass one who doesnt) and in fact had a total peel, recoated with vinylesther twice and antifouled. All done by a professional who we have spoken too. He remembered the boat in question and was very proud of the work that they did on her and thought it was one of the best he had ever done. He also gave a 10 year warranty on her so he is happy with the results. So we will hopefully set forth sometime this year and will meet some of you along the way. Thanks again.

sabray · 14-01-2009, 18:04

Congratulations on the boat.
Getting away from maintenance. I bought mine a bit over a year ago. Re-powered with a Cummins did a fuel tank yaddahdah and on it goes. I launched very early spring and then was faced with gale force winds so I sat at the yard. The day rates were killing me and I departed a few days later for my first sail single handed. No auto pilot and winds at 35 pretty steady. Not a good way to learn the boat or maybe it was. The introduction was some what like taming a bull. The full batten main snagged in a lazy jack and the boom through me on the deck a few times. Really pathetic but after she broke me in. What a great feel the entry into the bay slop was firm without pounding and little spray, with a reef in the main the helm was easy I will never forget that sail and how smooth and fast the boat felt. It has impressed me more since that day.
Hope you enjoy yours as much as I am mine.

camaraderie · 14-01-2009, 19:44

Sweet! Congratulations and fair winds!

DeepFrz · 14-01-2009, 21:02

I am so jealous..<gr>

fair winds to you.

Kanani · 14-01-2009, 22:32

Quote:

Originally Posted by yacht_moondust

Thank you all. Well our offer was accepted so we are the owners now of a Peterson 44. She has been well maintained and in fact one of the water tanks has been replaced. The other one was left because there was nothing wrong with it at the time. So that could be a job in the future. She did have osmosis (show us a fibreglass one who doesnt) and in fact had a total peel, recoated with vinylesther twice and antifouled. All done by a professional who we have spoken too. He remembered the boat in question and was very proud of the work that they did on her and thought it was one of the best he had ever done. He also gave a 10 year warranty on her so he is happy with the results. So we will hopefully set forth sometime this year and will meet some of you along the way. Thanks again.

Congrats.......that's one fine cruising yacht. My Passport 45 is exactly the same hull with a different deck & cabin top. Finest sailing vessel, of their size, that I've ever sailed. Trust me......you won't be sorry.

The skegg thing?????? Not likely....have you seen the way that thing is designed???? Fall off????? I don't think so.

. Maybe someone hit an old WWII mine or something.

BassAckwards · 15-01-2009, 14:33

Congratulations! Post some pictures for us.

S/V Willow · 15-01-2009, 19:47

Now the sad news is that she is in NZ and we are in Australia so logistically this is a nightmare but we should fly over within the next three months once everything here is all wrapped up. Have to say the Marina and the Insurance company have been absolutely wonderful and helpful No problems with anything over the phone and so polite! Great service. We will post some photos when we get some cos quite frankly our camera has sucked the kumara and gone to the big camera shop in the sky. But as soon as we can buy one photos will appear. Can't wait to start sailing in NZ waters. Is anyone over there sailing at present? Tell us all the goss and good places and the bad ones.