Baba 40 what to look for

[Snyper]

Going in a few weeks to look at a baba 40 when the owner finds a spot for winter, was looking for any insite on things to look for with this model. I have just looked at a norseman 447 that was not in as good shape as led to believe by a Brooker long drive very disappointing we liked that boat but don't have 2 years to refit everything, to have a boat worth way less then the sum of its parts should have asked here and saved my disappointment how do you make an offer at less then half the asking price

[Kenomac]

Condition of the teak decks looking for leaks should be a priority, then the engine and condition of the fuel tank. Does it leak and what's it made of? How to replace when it does leak. I've always liked the Baba 40, but be prepared for lots of woodwork.

Get a good survey if the general condition looks good.

[Suijin]

What Kenomac said. If the decks have not been done already, you're looking at a big job. A friend of mine just finished his and it was a LOT of work. He ended up reglassing the decks and painting. Also the fuel tank is iron as I recall and a lot of them have needed to be replaced. I believe there is a Baba owners group over at Yahoo Groups. I would go ask your question in there. I bet you'd get a ton of useful info.

The interior of those boats is amazing. It's like being in the Russian Tea Room or something. Would cost a small fortune, or maybe a big one at this point, to build today. And the layout is just about the best and most functional you'll find. Amazing cabins.

[jamhass]

Baba 40s are great boats. One just completed a non-stop, unassisted single handed circumnavigation. Best to use a good surveyor, especially one with experience with Babas, Tashibas and (somewhat) Valiants.

Depending where you are, there is a truly excellent Norseman 447 currently for sale in San Diego.

[Baidarka]

If you are looking for a Baba/Tashiba 40, our 1986 will be for sale soon. We have lived aboard her in the eastern CArribean for the last 7 yrs, she has been a great boat for us. She's fully equipped as a comfortable cruising boat; solar power, new AGm batteries, good decks, low time 8 kw generator, good sails, new chainplates, heavily rigged w/ Norseman fittings, over $10k worth of spare parts aboard. We haven't got the website up yet, but we'll be listing her here in the classifieds here soon.

[NevisDog]

Originally Posted by Snyper

... worth way less then the sum of its parts ... how do you make an offer at less then half the asking price

You simply offer less than half the asking price - it really is that simple - sometimes a lot less than half. Asking prices are often a bad joke. We offered 50k on a lovely 39' steel yacht in mint condition, asking price 80k (looked to be worth 100 but two owners had fallen out, long story). Broker laughed at us, said owners wouldn't even consider our offer, already had a much better offer, etc, etc, etc. We walked away and had the broker chase us by phone for the next two weeks, asking if our offer still stood. Too late, we had moved on.

[Cheechako]

First, dont offer low ball on something you really dont want. A boat needing a bunch of work can easily be a 2-3 year project killing your dream. Hold the line at "the boat must be useable NOW".
On a Baba, I would look closely at the tanks and condition... which is hard to do. Any tanks under the floor are suspect and may be very difficult to replace. There are workarounds though. Plastic tanks inside the originals etc. Any tank that "just happens to be empty" treat with great caution.
Some Baba's didnt have teak decks. More Tashiba version of the Baba didnt also.
If it has teak decks, it's very hard to tell if they have water or not in the core. If I made an offer on a boat with teak decks that is very old, part of my offer would be to allow drilling a few holes (inside closets etc) from the underside to test for water and filling them with sealant.
I believe Ta Shing did the same thing as Hans Christian did, core the decks with individual squares of ply or balsa... so any water ingress (in theory) cant move more than an inch or two. Not sure about that though.

[Rorzech]

I offered a guy a fifth of his asking price then I forgot about it . A month and a half later, he called me and said it was mine ! How could I say no ?
I say , "if you don't ask , you don't get "

[UNCIVILIZED]

There's a Norseman for sale on CF, here --> http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...ht-187337.html

[rbk]

Deck coring, tanks and rigging are the top three as with any Taiwanese boats. Poor quality stainless fittings and welds are somewhat notorious so be suspicious of anything that fits that description. Check all rigging components, fittings, bolts and screws etc for evidence of crevice corrosion as failure of critical components could be fatal. Depending on tank location they may not be that difficult to replace or repair. Engines on any boat are a pain as is deck coring but most times not critical. As with any boat check the electrical twice. Positives are no apparent blister issues, solid hulls and some of the best joinery in the world and drive like a freight train in brisk winds. One negative is you'll never get anything done dockside as everyone will be stopping to talk to you about your boat.

[Snyper]

Oh uncivilized I saw that 447 the minute the pic were posted from the owner it is a little out of my price range and it is on the other side of the country but I keep looking at the pics

[Snyper]

Baidarka you will have to let me know when you get that for sale thank you

[UNCIVILIZED]

Snyper, if you haven't done so already, you can post WTB adds for the candidate boats on your short list. Here on CF in the classifieds, & on most every other sailing forum, & magazine/periodical out there. And given that it costs naught to do so, why not?

[Cheechako]

Also, if you are interested in the Baba 40, be sure to check out the Passport 40. Another very high quality boat.... and often less exterior wood.

[Baidarka]

OK Snyper. By the way, our fuel tanks have been replaced, no black iron, no leaks.