Looking at a really nice boat, but those decks...

[Near2KR]

Originally Posted by Suijin

If it's an Alden and it's priced under $30k, then it probably has bigger problems than the teak decks.

If it's an Alden 44, I would almost be tempted. One of the most beautiful modern boats ever designed. The sheer, stern, and tumblehome make me swoon every time I see one.

I assure you, If it wasn't a 44 we wouldn't even be having this discussion.

I'm going to take a much closer look and I'll report back.

[Bill O]

Originally Posted by redsky49

Lots of negative responses.
Old boats deserve some love and attention.

Always love the debate of optimistic and pessimistic views. What I've learned in life, is big picture thinkers tend to be optimists (as they no nothing of the fine details needed to get the job done) viewing others with any neg. comments as pessimists. While this may be true for some, many have real experience in these maters and would call these people realists. Realists generally weigh the good w/ the bad and give you their opinion. IMO hard to get better advice.

I agree some old boats deserve to be saved from getting cut up, but then one must weigh out if they want to work on boats or go sailing at some point. (this is a realistic opinion!)

Bill O.

[Bill O]

Is it this one? https://www.yachtworld.com/boats/Sail/Cruiser/Alden

[Near2KR]

Originally Posted by Bill O

Is it this one? https://www.yachtworld.com/boats/Sail/Cruiser/Alden

It's the one in Newburyport.

[Greg4cocokai]

I just went through this and couldn't be happier. Cost me 11.8 K to remove the teak, grind all the screws down, two layers of glass ,rebed all the hardware after painting the whole top deck with awlgrip. We did it all in the slip in Mexico. Took three months. Because they were slow. I'm a boat guy and I removed all the headliners and helped get the hardware off and back on. While the two locals worked on the deck I replaced all my electronics at the helm and the nav station. Also replaced all the lenses in the hatches and a few other things. I'm still way under budget from what I would've paid for a complete Boat. I did all the deck work in Ensenada and now I am down in Puerto Vallarta doing an arch,solar, Davits, etc. all said and done I will have approximately 42K into her. I got her for a deal because of what she look like when I bought her. I will post pics before and after.

Sorry for any miss typos as Siri does not type what I tell her!

Greg

[Greg4cocokai]

Not sure why it put two sets of pictures in!

[Bill O]

Originally Posted by Near2KR

It's the one in Newburyport.

Sorry that is the one I thought you were looking at and put in the wrong link. This is the direct link. https://www.yachtworld.com/boats/197.../United-States

[Near2KR]

Originally Posted by Greg4cocokai

I just went through this and couldn't be happier.
Greg

Wow! That's beautiful.

[Greg4cocokai]

About the wet core. That is the big question??? I was prepared to replace balsa core where needed but it turned out only had small amount of rot on three of my eight deck fills. Took me a total of two hours to dig it out and backfill with epoxy. The rest of the deck was rocksolid! The teak turned out to be a b..ch to remove. It took the two workers two weeks to Chisel it off in little pieces. Sure glad I didn't do that part! Ta Shing built.

[redsky49]

Originally Posted by Bill O

Always love the debate of optimistic and pessimistic views. What I've learned in life, is big picture thinkers tend to be optimists (as they no nothing of the fine details needed to get the job done) viewing others with any neg. comments as pessimists. While this may be true for some, many have real experience in these maters and would call these people realists. Realists generally weigh the good w/ the bad and give you their opinion. IMO hard to get better advice.

I agree some old boats deserve to be saved from getting cut up, but then one must weigh out if they want to work on boats or go sailing at some point. (this is a realistic opinion!)

Bill O.

Yes. I am a proud card-carrying optimist. I am also a "realist", in that I suggested that the first step would be to obtain some factual data, and have an expert determine the actual condition of the vessel. It could turn out that rigging, osmosis or some other issue (or combination of issues) would make this vessel a poor purchase.


On the other hand, given a Survey Report in hand, detailing the issue(s) any potential purchaser would have to address, could go a long way to adjusting the purchase price, and resulting in a good deal for all.


All boats have issues. It is up to the OP to decide whether this boat deserves the time, attention and money. I think it is a beautiful boat and deserves a second chance under the ownership of a caring skipper.


But first get some factual data. Then proceed in an informed manner.

[Cheechako]

If it's that old, are you sure the decks are cored? Probably, but maybe not. It's a real conundrum. Most the time you will not need to add glass at all, just non skid. Many boats, especially the old ones they didnt need to save glass/resin cost on, had normal thickness of glass, instead of thin inner and outer layers. I doubt a soft core means much on many boats as the decks are thick anyway. Where it might mean something is at the shrouds and main bulkhead. The reality is that some early boats , like very early Rawson for one, had no core and the deck flexed a bit under your weight. But the boat was fine.
I had friends who had a 43 Ted Brewer asian built boat. They sailed the Caribe for 3+ years and were the type to do no maintenance on the hull and deck. One side the teak deck was buckled up like an inch! They sold the boat for what they bought it for after cruising so had almost no loss other than buying a new mainsail along the way. "Free sailing"

[Bill O]

An excellent review of the Alden 44. Alden 44


From the review article:
Construction
The boat’s fiberglass hull is vacuum bagged with a balsa core. The decks are similarly constructed as a sandwich of fiberglass and lightweight woods.
The hull can reach three-quarter-inch thickness in some places and is solidly constructed of hand-laid roving. Unidirectional fiberglass cloth has been added to reinforce high-stress areas. The deck is made with a similar sandwich construction and through-bolted to the hull. The deck-to-hull connection was made sturdier by an inward flange and 3M 5200 sealant.


Bill O.

[Don C L]

I wonder if anyone has ever just glassed over an old teak deck to make a teak cored deck?

[Cheechako]

Originally Posted by Bill O

An excellent review of the Alden 44. Alden 44


From the review article:
Construction
The boat’s fiberglass hull is vacuum bagged with a balsa core. The decks are similarly constructed as a sandwich of fiberglass and lightweight woods.
The hull can reach three-quarter-inch thickness in some places and is solidly constructed of hand-laid roving. Unidirectional fiberglass cloth has been added to reinforce high-stress areas. The deck is made with a similar sandwich construction and through-bolted to the hull. The deck-to-hull connection was made sturdier by an inward flange and 3M 5200 sealant.


Bill O.

Vacuum bagged in the 70's? at any rate I would never buy a cored hull boat from the 70's... if it really is.

[ZULU40]

Originally Posted by Greg4cocokai

I just went through this and couldn't be happier. Cost me 11.8 K to remove the teak, grind all the screws down, two layers of glass ,rebed all the hardware after painting the whole top deck with awlgrip. We did it all in the slip in Mexico. Took three months. Because they were slow. I'm a boat guy and I removed all the headliners and helped get the hardware off and back on. While the two locals worked on the deck I replaced all my electronics at the helm and the nav station. Also replaced all the lenses in the hatches and a few other things. I'm still way under budget from what I would've paid for a complete Boat. I did all the deck work in Ensenada and now I am down in Puerto Vallarta doing an arch,solar, Davits, etc. all said and done I will have approximately 42K into her. I got her for a deal because of what she look like when I bought her. I will post pics before and after.

Sorry for any miss typos as Siri does not type what I tell her!

Greg

Good example, and I guess there are lots of others
Thing is, this is what a year of hard work and long hours with the boat on hard standing, the problem is simply an accountants one.

How much does all that cost, what else is to be repaired
then all the 'normal things' to add on

At one time the apple of my eye was a Ron Holland Swan 39 in the Med. When new this boat had unrivalled beauty, with lack of maintenance typical of these boats and a wrecked teak deck, it would cost more than the thing is worth to ever put it right.

That and there are 32 others....