So what exactly is a "refit"?
In true nautical style a proper "refit" means taking the boat onto the hard (dry dock) and going through it from stem to stern, removing each and every item or fixture, inspecting it thoroughly and doing
maintenance where necessary then "refitting" it properly and with new
seals (re-bedding) it where necessary.
At the same time, on wooden planked vessels, it also meant stripping all coatings, fitting in new planks where needed, re-calking the planks and re-coating. On
steel vessels it meant chipping the surface coatings, sand blasting the hull, adding new barrier coats and re-coating.
All hatches were removed, serviced and re-fitted, as were every other conceivable part on the vessel. It was a huge task - but at the end of the day the vessel was often in a better condition than the day it was originally launched.
The above said, a modern day "refit" is seldom a proper "refit" in the traditional meaning and is now, basically, a "fix the broken **** and hide as many faulty things as possible and sell the bloody boat" type of affair.
With modern construction methods, a
hatch for example, can only be removed with extreme difficulty and in most cases will result in a bent or damaged combing due to the excessive amount of bonding compounds used. In the old days this was never a problem - simply unbolt the combing, remove the rubber seal and replace it, ensuring that the hinges and
dogs are still serviceable and not worn. We live in a new era of cheaply (although not
cheap when having to replace) manufactured
equipment that often cannot be repaired or properly maintained and needs to be dumped and replaced when starting to age and become worn.
Looking to buy an old boat that has recently gone through a "refit"? - do yourself a favour and get a good
surveyor to go through it fully before even considering to make an offer. Have a read of
http://www.pcmarinesurveys.com/Marin...rvey%20101.htm pages - I have no affiliation with the
surveyor, but find a lot of his pointers very enlightening for somebody who is going to go through the process of
buying an old boat.
But remember, if a
broker advertises a boat as recently having gone through a "refit", ask them to send you a written report detailing what the "refit" encompassed before viewing the boat. It will give you an idea if it was just a patch job to sell the boat or a genuine "refit".