So there's this boat I am looking to purchase.... but it's filled with ice.

[CruiserHopeful]

For a pretty decent price. It's a 1973ish Irwin 30'. There are quite a few nice features it has (wheel steering, new plumbing, other odds and ends) - except for one GIANT issue.

When I went to look at it today for the first time, after much shoveling of snow to take a look at the interior, I was suprised and almost dissappointed with what I found. There was approximatly 3-4 inches of pure ice frozen at the bottom of the cabin (less at the fore and aft end due to the sloping of the floor), but the fact that it was there in the first place really had me irked .

There was frozen condensation over every square inch of the inside of the boat (even 1/4" stalagtights lol), so I wonder how "nice" this boat ACTUALLY is, since the owner cared so much about it to allow this to happen.

My question is this: is the ice really that big of an issue? What kind of damage could it POSSIBLY have caused? Don't get me wrong the price is pretty OK, but this whole ice thing is really turning me off to the whole thing

[CruiserHopeful]

BTW would be my first boat. I've been lurking these forums for awhile now and am pretty impressed with the amount of knowledge/helpfulness you guys have

Hope this is the right place for my question

[David M]

Wait till it thaws and the weather gets better and the owner makes the boat presentable. Otherwise, run away. I think that if someone allows this to happen to their boat then they probably never took care of it from the beginning. If you are not the type who wants to spend hundreds or over a thousand hours repairing woodwork or repairing other things then its probably not the right boat for you. Its a buyers market...be picky with which boat you ultimately choose. Chances are pretty high that there is a more suitable boat at the same price.

[CruiserHopeful]

Originally Posted by David M

Wait till it thaws and the weather gets better and the owner makes the boat presentable. Otherwise, run away. I think that if someone allows this to happen to their boat then they probably never took care of it from the beginning. If you are not the type who wants to spend hundreds or over a thousand hours repairing woodwork or repairing other things then its probably not the right boat for you. Its a buyers market...be picky with which boat you ultimately choose. Chances are pretty high that there is a more suitable boat at the same price.

https://www.yachtworld.com/boats/197.../United-States

It was pretty nice though. I understand what you're saying, but eh.... what a major bummer I'm scared that this will disappear soon at this price.

Great starter boat? Or great nightmare-at-sea-while-I-sink boat? You be the judge

[David M]

I don't think that is all that great of a price. Perhaps if the boat were dry and in excellent condition. It may be a steal, but you don't want to buy any boat that has not been thoroughly checked out.

[CruiserHopeful]

I may not have been in the market all that long, but from what i've seen so far, this is scraping the bottom of the barrel (most others in the size range go for around 50k+).

Sure I could go down to Florida and pick up a sunken Katrina vessel for cheap, but I want to stay local (CT). :/ Dilemmas dilemmas....

[sabray]

I kinda like it. The photos sure make it look sharp. So why is this boat priced at the bottom of the barrel? Ice damage? Not winterized engine shot sails okay? Could add up quick.

[CruiserHopeful]

Originally Posted by sabray

I kinda like it. The photos sure make it look sharp. So why is this boat priced at the bottom of the barrel? Ice damage? Not winterized engine shot sails okay? Could add up quick.

They must be old pics though (years possibly), cause it did NOT look that nice when I saw it. Good, but not THAT nice.

[Tempest245]

Cruiser,

I'm with David on this, This is a buyers market, there will be other boats.
This boat is on the hard and it's filled with ice....

Just a guess, but I think it will be there in the spring. I'd want to see it floated.
How can you survey a boat with ice above the floorboards?

Water is getting into this boat....mast? chainplates? ports? I get a little water in my boat over the winter through the chainplates, which I will remove this spring and re-chaulk. But I remove any water that gets in right away. This guy wants to sell this boat and can't take the time to keep it presentable?? David is right, what else has he let go? Why did he spend 10 grand and then put it on the market for 10 grand?

I'd keep looking.

[SabreKai]

This year is the year the economy really crashes. Boats will be $0.10 on the dollar. Be patient, keep your cash together and wait for a bit. I suspect by mid-summer the market will be flooded with low priced very expensive toys.

Sabre

[Randall]

that water is gong to melt into every part of that boat and mold will follow. good luch with that. you also may want to think where the leak is.

[SouthernComfort]

Never trust the pics online. After closing on my boat (althought in tip top shape, lucky was I) The previous owner left me all material (manuals logs and previous surveys) pertaining to the boat. The pictures I had seen on Yachtworld of it was from a survey done in 1996, I bought her in 2008.

My broker said some words that really rang true: "They all look good in the pictures"

Many lessons learned since then, My next and second boat search will be done with much more experience and knowledge. I was lucky, but, it made me aware of some of the realities of the used boat selling tricks.

[Mark424]

I've picked up a tradition when buying houses that I think applies to your situation. I see it as a good luck charm that I loose the first house I bid on (or want to bid on). There is a lot of emotion involved in buying things like houses and boats, and it takes a lot to get myself to "take the plunge". Once I make the decision that I want "this" house, boat, whatever, I'm likely to do something stupid to try to close the deal, e.g. pay too much, ignore red flags, rationalize some problem or defect, etc. So when I loose the bid, can't come to terms, or give up a deal I have my heart set on, I've learned to take that as a sign of good luck. Why?, because every time I've ended up with a better house at a better price.

If you hear yourself saying, "it's a deal, I have to jump on it", look out. That's your heart, not your head talking in a buyer's market. There is a reason it's a deal - I bought one of those boats once, and I paid and paid and paid.

[Joli]

I would not be too concerned about water frozen in the bilge or frost in the interior (condensate). This is typical in our neck of the woods, water gets through the openings in the spar and freezes in the bilge unless you pour a gallon or two of anti-freeze in the bilge. Frost is common since the hull is insulated and you get condensate.

All this can be avoided if you bring the boat south or pay $9.00 per sq/ft to store it heated indoors.

[Morgan Paul]

The boat has an old Atomic Four gasoline engine. Make sure it is running. If water froze in the engine it could be shot.

Here is one for 12,500 with a diesel thats only a few years old.
1975 Irwin Sloop Sail Boat For Sale - www.yachtworld.com