I think I’m back to square one…

[dlj]

Originally Posted by Thomas1985

Brass seacocks. It’s a classic offshore boat. Surveyor mentioned they may be serviceable.

Ya the owner is giving me really bad vibes at this point…

I would hope bronze, not brass...

dj

[MicHughV]

Did you say brass....or meant to say bronze ???

Brass one's are typically the house variety screw type brass gate valves...these are no good on a sailboat. Period. Time to walk.

Bronze seacocks are a different animal, requiring only a 90 degree flip of the handle to open/close, but these too require service and maintenance.
A bronze seacock that is stuck could mean pitting of the tapered plug and inside of housing. Boat would need to be hauled to address.
Don't try to force these seacocks open or closed as that can open another can of worms.

Regardless, have the owner or surveyor do the opening or closing, don't try yourself.

[donradcliffe]

If its a 40 year old boat with tapered bronze plugs, maintenance is DIY job. In any case, don't touch them until you get home, but buy some tapered wood plugs. Likewise, don't depend on the stanchions until you get home.

[Thomas1985]

Sorry gentlemen. Bronze!!! (serious typo on my part).

There were other things too… the surveyor popped open the galley sink and water came out (Michigan boat). Propane storage was in seriously unsafe condition.

At least one stanchion was actually fractured near the base. Couple bent. At bow pulpit it had been welded (this was all hidden with the shrink wrap on during my earlier inspections)

I’d be out the survey cost, but a thousand bucks isn’t worth proceeding with a bad decision. I’m scared I’m just being foolish because I think the boat is awesome…

Structurally the survey was great. They told me on site the hull, decks, spars, chain plates, and standing rigging are excellent.

[donradcliffe]

Just remember 40 year old boats are not normally in Bristol condition.

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by Thomas1985

Sorry gentlemen. Bronze!!! (serious typo on my part).

There were other things too… the surveyor popped open the galley sink and water came out (Michigan boat). Propane storage was in seriously unsafe condition.

At least one stanchion was actually fractured near the base. Couple bent. At bow pulpit it had been welded (this was all hidden with the shrink wrap on during my earlier inspections)

I’d be out the survey cost, but a thousand bucks isn’t worth proceeding with a bad decision. I’m scared I’m just being foolish because I think the boat is awesome…

Structurally the survey was great. They told me on site the hull, decks, spars, chain plates, and standing rigging are excellent.

I was able to break my old seacocks (Wilcox Bronze maybe) loose after I bought my boat in 2011. (a 1974 Bristol 27)

The boat had been on the hard unattended for 5 years when I bought it. It was parked on stands maybe 100' from salt water.

They are all closed now which is how I have had them for a few years.

I did sand into the skin fittings when the boat was on the hard last month to check the color, and the metal there looked exactly the color of the new seacocks that had just been installed in the boat behind me in the yard. (kind of a light shiny gold)

The old bronze seacocks are supposed to be very good.

My turnbuckles are bronze as well.

I bought a new stanchion base for a bent stanchion but still haven't installed it as of yet. I removed the old one and epoxied over the holes for now. (that was 5 years ago)

[Madehn]

Stuff you listed is pretty minor in my opinion. Easily fixed. Expect old boat to have issues. Question is do you have skills and or dollars to bring up to standard. Nothing you have mentioned is a real big deal. JMHO. Best of luck

[Thomas1985]

Agreed old boats need work, and that was my argument with my offer. This is all on top of a decent list of stuff I saw before I hired the surveyor.

I’m not gonna lie… I want the boat in a bad way, but I don’t want to get blinded by that sentiment either.

I’m also not in this at a restoration project price. I want to sail while I make improvements. I don’t want to rebuild a boat in the yard then go sailing in 2027.

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by Thomas1985

Structurally the survey was great. They told me on site the hull, decks, spars, chain plates, and standing rigging are excellent.

So basically a few socks need darning and a coupla elbow patches..
If the engine proves good on test your good to go if the price is right.. which I presume it was.

[Thomas1985]

Originally Posted by Madehn

Stuff you listed is pretty minor in my opinion. Easily fixed. Expect old boat to have issues. Question is do you have skills and or dollars to bring up to standard. Nothing you have mentioned is a real big deal. JMHO. Best of luck

Ya I’m abnormally advanced for a DIY guy. 15 years full time as a carpenter and currently an officer at a commercial contracting firm.

I’ve taken apart sterndrives, repaired holes in my fiberglass one design, gutted two houses.

That was all a lot of work though lol

[wholybee]

Nothing you listed is worrisome. Seacocks get stuck if not used for a long time. But you can often work them loose with some effort, and after exercising are just fine. You just want to make sure they are structurally ok and not about to break and sink the boat.

Lifelines are not a big deal, you can make new lifelines and replace them yourself. Stanchions might be a bit more expensive, but not a deal killer in any way.

[Thomas1985]

I’m feeling better hearing this guys.

Maybe I just needed talked back from the ledge…

[pdx_sailing]

If you like THIS boat, buy it. Every used boat has things that look ok then you find out need to fixed, and things that you find at the survey that do need to be fixed now for your safety or piece of mind. It sounds like you have some DIY skills, nothing you've posted about is that big of deal to fix. Yes your going to spend a few grand to get it square so you can go sailing, and you will know the boat a lot better. There is no perfect boat.

[MicHughV]

Well, once you buy it.....you are stuck with the problems. Remember, that in time, you'll probably want to sell the boat again. It will be that much older and worn by then.

But, I get it, many, if not most people " fall in love" with a particular boat for any number of reasons. Boats can do that to otherwise sane people.

You are, at the moment, some distance from the boat, hmmmm....which adds to the complication of getting things done or fixed.

Having walked this path, I have walked away from a boat, despite the cost of a survey and a haulout. Never an easy task for most people as you feel like you've spent a lot of time and money for nothing.
But just put it down to a "learning experience" and move on.

There are so many boats for sale currently on the market, that something is likely to be in better shape than the one you are looking at right now.

Lack of maintenance by the previous owner is often a clue as to most everything on the boat that will require attention down the line.
This would be red flag for me personally and give me pause to re-consider why I'm looking at a particular boat.

You are not on a ledge. This is not a life nor death situation for you. Take a deep breath and look at things subjectively.

A last word of caution, also based on experience. Fixing or trying to fix a problem, almost always leads to the discovery of other problems that need to be addressed before you can even start to fix the problem you started with.

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by Thomas1985

I’m feeling better hearing this guys.

Maybe I just needed talked back from the ledge…

But you have to remember, some of the folks here on CF live to fix problems on a boat which for some is why they are cruising sailors instead of racers.