Is 4 years on the hard a no no?

[Garymadhatter]

I am considering buying a 17 year old Hunter that is in great condition but has been on the hard for 4 years. Is there a danger in buying a boat that has been out of water for so long? I do intend to get a survey but, of course, the engine won't run until I do a sea trial. Is this one I should walk away from or am I exaggagerating? Thanks.

[dcstrng]

I’d be appropriately cautious, but if properly blocked and the stands monitored for settling, all may be well. On the otherhand a boat can be on the hard for 30 days and warped badly if not properly supported. The state of preservation on the interior machinery may tell you as much or more… Our ODay is awaiting keel-hull joint repair due to inattentiveness on someone’s part a few years back – has a substantial leak in the aft keel area that is really only visible when the boat is in the slings or otherwise suspended on the hull with minimal keel support (fin-keel ODays, and some others, will crack the joint at the front of the keel from grounding, but this is on the aft end), so I’d suggest looking for signs of the hull warped/in-distress and adjust offer accordingly…

Good luck...

[thomm225]

My boat was on the hard for 5 years basically unattended. The PO went home 600 miles North of the Yard and never came back

After I bought it, one of the first things I did was get the diesel running .......on the hard.

I ran a hose directly to the water intake which if I had it to do over I would have filled a bucket and let the engine draw in the water with a hose attached to the water pump

I've been sailing the boat now for 8 years and have just now started fixing it up a bit. The diesel and the boat were a 1974.

The diesel didn't last, but the boat is fine.

I have done no structural repairs

[Garymadhatter]

Thanks for the replies. I am feeling better about making an offer now.

[JD-Odyssey]

You want to take a good look at all the systems on the boat. Plumbing and electrical as well as the engine. Anything that was left sitting in tanks can get pretty nasty if they weren't well drained. Hunter had a recall on seacocks years ago on a number of boats so you may want to check to see if they had been replaced.

[Tillerjockey]

One way to check if she's been properly supported is open and close any interior doors. Any obvious misalignment such a a door that won't close or gaps in the door frame will give you some idea of any movement. Generally the boat will be fine but get a survey to check for moisture that you can't see and run the engine so you know what you're getting into.

[Chotu]

Better than four years unattended in the water. LOL

[odonnellryan]

Originally Posted by Garymadhatter

Thanks for the replies. I am feeling better about making an offer now.

You can run the diesel on the hard as others have indicated and that is what I did passing on the sea trial.

[barnakiel]

A (non wooden) boat on land get older much slower than her sister in the water ...


b.

[MJH]

Originally Posted by Garymadhatter

I am considering buying a 17 year old Hunter that is in great condition but has been on the hard for 4 years. Is there a danger in buying a boat that has been out of water for so long? I do intend to get a survey but, of course, the engine won't run until I do a sea trial. Is this one I should walk away from or am I exaggagerating? Thanks.

I purchased a boat in Florida that sat on the hard for four years and even had electronics installed that the owner didn't know anything about. A big plus was the new engine and new pair of 8D Gel batteries. So, there were tradeoffs to consider.

Get a vey good surveyor and be prepared for the things that age irrespective of use like hoses. Also consider having the fuel tanks drained and cleaned as they are most likely fouled...mine were even after fuel scrubbing twice.

Good Luck.

~ ~ _/) ~ ~ MJH

[fred4936]

I bought my boat that was sitting for a few years on the hard. There was one stand that was too tight, so the yard loosened it up and apologized. The issue was a hatch was proud of the bunk. Once it was reset, the hull sat fine. That was over 7 years ago, boat has been great! As others said, try to run the engine where it is, and look at everything. Drain the fuel tank if you buy it, don't take the chance of bad fuel getting to the engine. Look at everything first!

[basssears]

Won't repeat what others have said above, but one consideration is bottom paint... if it's hard paint it usually won't be any good at its antifouling job after any significant time out of water (few weeks from what I've read, much less four years) so you would have to do new bottom paint. Not sure what that amount of time out of water would do to a soft paint, should still be chemically viable but might have washed away in storms etc, so you might need to figure she needs a bottom job regardless.

[petermjdavies]

Ours was while we were working abroad. No problem except bugs in the diesel. Get rid of all fluids and start again. Clean tanks. Surveyor should find anything else.

[Garymadhatter]

Thank you to everyone who took the time to write a response. I really appreciate the wisdom and effort that went into each one.
Apparently, the time on the hard is not the problem that I once feared. (It doesn't help when your girlfriend is the primary naysayer)

Happy Sailing!

[Island Time O25]

If it was properly keel blocked and balanced, winterized and covered/shrink wrapped with good ventilation, should not be a deal breaker. But pay close attention to all the through hulls and work them free before you put her in the water.