Beneteau Idylle 13.5 Keel Issues?

[Buchido]

Hi,

We are looking at purchasing a 1985 Beneteau Idylle 13.5. It is an ex-moorings charter boat but was supposedly only in service for 2 years.

I had a look at it and it seems to be in fairly good shape. The foresail is toast and the running rigging is on it's last legs but the standing rigging, motor, hull, electrical and interior are all in good shape. So nothing that can't be fixed.

The only question I have is that the post stated that the "Keel Bolts were re-set in 2000". The broker and current owner (since 2007) have no idea about this so I'm not sure what this means. When they gave me bottom pictures there was a mysterious line about where the keel to hull joint would be (see picture)



The owner said that it was only some 5200 for cosmetic fairing at the turn of the hull. See reasonable but I'm concerned it is the keel to hull joint separating.

Does anyone have any knowledge about keel problems on these boats? Should I run away? I would think it would be easy enough to drop the keel and re-bedded. It is a cast iron keel (not ideal I know) but I believe I could then replace the keel bolts and be sure there is no problem.

If anyone has any further info on these boats it would also be appreciated. I couldn't find much on the web, which hopefully means that they have few problems!

Thanks in advance,

Steve

[boatman61]

Should be simple enough as you say.. check the bilge where the bolts are for signs of repair/cosmetic work..
If that looks as it should (no patching/filler to hide grounding clues) do a subject to survey offer..

[neilpride]

That's one of the strongest benes built for that era,, probably the meaning RESET is something about retorque the keel bolts,, lift the boat In the travelift and see if the gap open to much or is just cosmetic...

[Buchido]

Thanks,

Just wanted to make sure that these boats weren't lemons and something I should stay away from.

[sandy stone]

If the construction of this boat is similar to my First series of the same vintage (don't really know but it seems likely), the keel bolts are threaded into the keel from the top, allowing them to be pulled, inspected, or replaced with the boat in the water. "Re-set the keel bolts" probably means pulled a few for inspection and torqued everything up. But, as with any older boat, take a close look. Might have been precipitated by a grounding incident.

[Scaramanga F25]

There are many others on the market.

[donregan]

i have read of keelbolt issues with Idylles. Looked at an 11.5 a few years ago, didn't buy it. Keelbolts - and they were bolts, not SS threaded rod cast into the keel - were rusted and I wasn't sure if they would engage a socket. Either plated or galvanized (couldn't tell) bolts threaded into a lead keel made me nervous.

Now maybe there are tapped steel sockets cast into the keels, don't know.

Really liked the boat tho', otherwise looked like a good build.

Best, Don