Quote:
Originally Posted by Ocean Girl
I bet someone with more knowledge will pipe up about the effects of a lightning strike, not just your electronics/wiring to explore. I could be wrong, maybe do a search on what to survey on a lightning struck boat...I'd worry about the metals (keel bolts if any, thru hulls, rudder pintal/gudgeons, chain plates) again I could be way off on this.
I think a boat refit is different than a house because NOTHING, and I mean NOTHING, is at a right angle  and murphy lives on a boat, and salt water eats that cheap zinc hardware in 3 months, so you have to buy "special" stainless or bronze fittings, they are priced like they are dipped in gold ( not an exaggeration), and they have to be a particular size, and did I mention nothing is a right angle?
But it is your boat, and you will love every corner of her, even though those corners aren't at true right angles
Have fun boat shopping you guys,
Erika
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Phil,
Erica hit so many nails on the
head she's a master
carpenter in my book!
only 1 exception in her summary is there ARE some (hopefully still) true right angles on sailing vessels...drawers & their drawer slides...beyond that if You're going to be re-habbing an
interior, BUY an Angle Indicator, worth it's weight in those
stainless steel fasteners!
Phil,
I've built boats (small & Large) from scratch, & it's best left to the pros. You'll spend twice as much for half as much. They make a profit, just not a huge 1, You can't compare. There is no way to "beat" the system when they are
purchasing in bulk and You can't. As a labor of love, or desire to Know that YOU did "IT" once in this life; so be it. As a "cost saving measure"? Fools play. I've bought a total of 9 unfinished (with everything needed to complete) "projects" from 62' down to 28' & completed them, EVERY Time the Owner had either
health problems or
lost interest/time available after 3-a dozen YEARS invested in the "project". Building from scratch will suck the life from Your SOUL...I swear, seen it too many times.
IF that there cat had a lightning strike and was properly grounded, AND it wasn't a severe storm, I'd invest in the
surveyor and trust his experienced eyeballs. I've seen point blank (& been on vessels) stirikes/struck and they can mean as little as a burned out light in a
compass & microwave, 1/2 the stereo speakers (port side only...don't ask me, or the owner, stumped us both) fried; in the other extreme, poorly maintained connections at ground plates caused a burned hole (more like blown) right thru the
hull. Lightning is like a car wreck. There are so many variables, the mere "stating a vessel was hit by lightning" means Nothing! Some suffer absolutely NO side affects, others SINK where struck. Nearly every inch of
wiring much be examined, burned jacketing is the visible target sought. Checking
fuses and operational status of each and every
electrical device on the vessel, 110v/220v/12v(<-or whatever series combination above that on the DC side). Yes, it's time & labor intensive. IF they know it was struck, AND they got a survey before now seeking to DUMP same on some unsuspecting victim...I'd ask for a copy of that survey from the
broker or them directly so You know Exactly(or thereabouts) what You're getting in to. IF that boat needed EVERYTHING electronic replaced, it could still be a deal, if priced right. FWIW,
electronics get outdated faster than any other component (eg:LORAN is getting "unplugged" this summer); like
computers, this years model does 2x(or more) what last years' did. If the
price is right, that's quite the boat. Don't be fearful of lightning (after the fact); be fearful of whether the Frenchies did a gr8 job on the ground plates (& thereafter the owners didn't slap 27 coats of
bottom paint on top of 'em) OR "Not so Much". Surveyors check
compression posts, foot, & the biggest problem w/Cats is the
deck stepped masts. IF not grounded to the lowest point below the waterline the
designer can get away with, You'll have arcing...arcing, with the right bolt will indeed burn holes right thru the
hull seeking "equilibrium". Remember we think it comes down...it actually goes UP. The big fat LIGHTNING ROD(s) on our vessels makes us prime targets. Grounding is everything.
Keep looking, figure out exactly Your intentions,
price range, skill set, tools available. Don't make an offer w/o a contingency for survey & check out the surveyors. As others have stated, the small investment in their
inspection is priceless for knowing "the rest of the story". They ALWAYS find things the existing owners didn't even know.
Good Luck & keep Researching.
BTW, BoatUS has some pretty good discussion boards too.
Most mfg.s owners have groups & websites where they have discussion boards too...when Your focus narrows, go to those sites and search the comments and input on/from every owner of a boat like You seek...You might just change Your mind...OR Not.
Hope this helped,
-Mick