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Gone2long · 24-06-2011, 07:20

Quote:

Originally Posted by David_Old_Jersey

25 foot? I would check how she arrived in that country and how registered (and what you will need to do) - don't want to buy someone else's import taxes, unexpectedly.

... Indeed. The boat was sailed in (making it duty free). I talked to customs about this and though the boat should have been sailed out by now, such regulations are not enforced. Local customs officials have given me a verbal verification that, if I were to sail her abroad, they would clear me out without a problem. Of course, one never knows ...

However, if I sail her only locally, as is my main intention, there should be no problems whatsoever regarding the local authorities.

Your concerns are indeed valid ones, which I have definitely considered. I appreciate the reminder, and I thank for your input.

See also my response to your earlier post, and please feel free to add any additional comments or related advice.

Thanks again,

G2L

Cheechako · 24-06-2011, 10:15

Buying a 25 ft boat on a trailer probably doesnt have to be as complicated as buying an expensive 40- 50 footer. On a trailer you can see if blisters exist, manhandle the rudder to see how well it's attached etc. You can check all the little things like bilge pumps etc. Problem is running the engine. is a hose available? Run the hose into the sea strainer and start the engine. If necessary, hire a local boy with 5 gal buckets and fill the seastrainer as it runs...at least long enough to make sure it does run and doesnt smoke a lot or knock etc. I guess it all depends on how good the price is..... but a 25 foot boat isnt worth much here in the US, much less stranded over there.

Gone2long · 24-06-2011, 21:06

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cheechako

Buying a 25 ft boat on a trailer probably doesnt have to be as complicated as buying an expensive 40- 50 footer. On a trailer you can see if blisters exist, manhandle the rudder to see how well it's attached etc. You can check all the little things like bilge pumps etc. Problem is running the engine. is a hose available? Run the hose into the sea strainer and start the engine. If necessary, hire a local boy with 5 gal buckets and fill the seastrainer as it runs...at least long enough to make sure it does run and doesnt smoke a lot or knock etc. I guess it all depends on how good the price is..... but a 25 foot boat isnt worth much here in the US, much less stranded over there.

Yes, that is what I was hoping. Actually, the boat is worth a bit more here because of the difficulty of delivering them here. Importing them costs a bundle, and there aren't many boats that get out here, "the hard way".

Great tips, however, that I shall employ if the owner can get off his you- know-what and reply to my inquiries soon.

Thank you for your suggestions,

G2l

Gone2long · 24-06-2011, 22:18

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cheechako

I have a list I made a while back, mostly to remind me to check some things....once you get to the boat it's easy to get distracted... you need Excel to open it...

I agree. Thanks for the list; it's got a lot of great detail that I'm sure I would have over-looked.

One thing I was wondering about was what exactly do you mean when you say "dead spot"? I have checked a couple of glass-over-wood boats and one solid glass boat and found "soft spots" on all of them; but I am not familiar with the terminology "dead".

Are you referring to the sound the hammer will make when it hits a soft spot? I noticed that on the wood boats, the spots were due to rot, but I did not use a hammer. I just knocked on them and jumped around a bit on the hull. When I knocked the soft wood, the sound was less "sharp" and lower pitched. Is this what a "dead spot" sounds like when you whack it?

Also, If I am going to use a hammer, how far apart should each hit be on the hull and rudder. After all, even on a 25 foot boat, it would take quite a bit of time to check the entire hull, pounding on it every six inches or so.

Give me a bit of advice here on how exactly to proceed, if you would.

Thanks again for the list, and thanks to you and the rest of the folks above for your invaluable tips.

Regards,

G2L

Catamount · 25-06-2011, 06:47

You don't pound, you tap. If you can, use a plastic-tipped hammer, not a metal one; you can use the back of a screwdriver handle in a pinch. I tap every inch or three. It goes quick: tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap.... just continuously moving your hammer over the surface area.

**boatman61** · 25-06-2011, 06:59

Also a hammer and long handled screwdriver are great for sounding the keelbolts...
Stick the blade on the bolt, your lug hole on the handle then tap the bolt with a metal hammer... if one or two sound different from the rest pull and check if you go through with the deal...
Its unlikely all will be shot...

Cheechako · 26-06-2011, 11:30

Yeah... a small ball peen hammer or hard plastic. Just tap rapidly in wide arcs...when you hear a change from a clean ring to a deader sound...zero in on that area and try to find out what's going on. Good solid glass will have a slight ring to it... a dead (or soft or water filled) spot will not ring as loud. This is primarily a technique for glass boats or cored glass boats. It's a bit of an art though. I think you need to compare different areas on one particular boat and try to hear differences. You will also hear differences where bulkheads are attached etc. If it's a solid glass boat, and if there are no big blisters, and due to the fact that it's out of the water, the hull may not be an issue...but wet rotten deck cores are common and this technique is good for that. You're not saying this a glassed over plywood boat are you? If so walk away unless he's giving you a gift.

Gone2long · 26-06-2011, 13:16

Good pointers, which I will bear in mind.

The boat is glass, not glass over wood, but, Cheechako, why walk away from the latter type boat? Is the boat's age the critical factor?

Thanks again,

G2L

Cheechako · 26-06-2011, 19:03

well.... just seen or heard of too many problems I guess. I think moisture is trapped under the glass..maybe even condensates in there and rots the ply. Really no way to fix it. Hard to find etc. The glass seems to "unbond" form the ply over time. Bottom line is they seem to unsellable on the market. I was very tempted by a 42 footer years ago. I like the concept but I guess it didnt work out very well for most builds over the long haul.... doesnt mean there isnt one out there built in Bruynzeel ply and epoxy that is good.. but still it's a bit of a "white elephant" in todays world. Even if the glass is strong enough/thick enough to not need the plywood... rot could be an issue.

Gone2long · 27-06-2011, 08:40

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cheechako

well.... just seen or heard of too many problems I guess. I think moisture is trapped under the glass..maybe even condensates in there and rots the ply. Really no way to fix it. Hard to find etc. The glass seems to "unbond" form the ply over time. Bottom line is they seem to unsellable on the market. I was very tempted by a 42 footer years ago. I like the concept but I guess it didnt work out very well for most builds over the long haul.... doesnt mean there isnt one out there built in Bruynzeel ply and epoxy that is good.. but still it's a bit of a "white elephant" in todays world. Even if the glass is strong enough/thick enough to not need the plywood... rot could be an issue.

Hi again,

Thanks for this note. I have researched the topic as an admitted novice, but the problem with older "glass-over-ply" boats seems to be that the old resins could not effectively seal out moisture. In other words, if one built a "glass" boat with critical structural elements made of wood, coated in glass, or, if one built a true, glass-over-wood boat with wood as the main material for the hull, sooner or later, the wood would rot, due not only to the infringement of "water", but due to the fact that wood absorbs "water vapor" as well as water.

Water vapor can penetrate traditional resins used to seal fibreglass boats with wood infrastructure, so the architecture of such a boat could be significantly impared, and, in true glass-over-wood boats, the hull itself could be seriously compromised.

At least, that is my current take. Tell me if this makes sense to you. Also, modern, West epoxy systems are supposedly very good at sealing out moisture vapor if applied judiciously in 3 or more coatings. Also, a layer of fibreglass to protect the hull seems to almost guarantee protection v. rot, as long as the original wood is worthy.

Tell me what you think, and thanks for your input,

G2L