27' Catalina sunk at the dock?

[Cadence]

This has gotten on the ridiculous side.

[reed1v]

We bought a luders 36 that had sunk upon delivery. Someone forgot to glass in the washout plug. Anyways, we owned that boat for six years and never had a problem with it. Some of the veneer did start to peel, but the ply never fanned out. I did put the water pump seals in backwards and flooded the engine once. Suspect it was flooded when it went down the first time. Simply flushed it out, ran lots of oil through it, replaced filters and screens, and used a lot of mystery oil. Ran well afterwards. Boats, good ones, are sturdy things.

[Seeking Solace]

I would imagine for every horror story there is also a story about how things worked out better than planned. I'll give it some thought and unless they come way down I'm going to pass it up. Without an inboard, how much wiring is left? Mast, bow, stern, cabin lights and bilge. Doesn't seem to have any electronics onboard. I'm wondering if the inboard is still there. Maybe the transmission is still good.

[Don C L]

Originally Posted by hamburking

Seriously, now thats a plan I can get behind. Tear out the whole interior...you'll have a clean, super fast, lightweight boat. Throw a few bean bag chairs below for relaxing, a cooler for your favorite beverage. Inflate your dinghy where the vee berth used to be...bet it would be mighty comfy. Or maybe string up a hammock below if you want to spend the night.

A small electric outboard, like a minn kota trolling motor, would be plenty to get in/out of your dock.

I'm actually starting to really like this idea...might have to look for a good "sinker" around here in the spring.

Oars are cheaper than a trolling motor, no battery needed and they run on beer

[RebeccaM]

We had a 32' C & C that sank in a storm on Amistad Lake, near Del Rio, TX. During a storm. The cleanest water in the state of Texas flows into Amistad, the water is good, thanks to the limestone it sits on, a great filter. Our insurance company offered us a low price to buy the boat back after recovery, and they kept lowering the price until they wanted us to take it off their hands so they didn't have to haul it to a salvage yard. I would not suggest spending one dime for a boat that has been pulled from the bottom. All the issues noted above are valid, delamination, wiring, electronics, and the engine. I know there are success stories out there for buying a boat that's been underwater, but I always go back to my original statement...you need to trust your boat!

[Cadence]

Originally Posted by Don C L

Oars are cheaper than a trolling motor, no battery needed and they run on beer

You need a large fuel capacity and strokes/minute reduce during long voyages.

[Dirk Williams]

About five years ago I purchased a 27 foot, Union ? Forgot the second name, from a good friend for 200.00 was a shoal keel which I wanted as the lake is shallow.

Long story short she sunk in her berth. Luckily my associates are rescue divers and do salvage work on the side. We used my cataract 12 ft tubes to float the boat. Then a huge pump to free the cabin.

I hadn't even sailed the boat yet. Cost a thousand, to salvage. I handed my friend back his paperwork and told him the boat was again his. " he had assured me it was a solid SV"

That boat was floated to shore trailered and hauled to the county dump. The salvageable stuff was removed, and the cat driver had a ball making this boat into tiny tiny pieces.

I may be wrong, I often em, but floating and sailing this boat just felt like a bad karma kinda thing. The few times I did go to this boat I also got really really bad vibes. I'm

DW

[Seeking Solace]

Originally Posted by Dirk Williams

About five years ago I purchased a 27 foot, Union ? Forgot the second name, from a good friend for 200.00 was a shoal keel which I wanted as the lake is shallow.

Long story short she sunk in her berth. Luckily my associates are rescue divers and do salvage work on the side. We used my cataract 12 ft tubes to float the boat. Then a huge pump to free the cabin.

I hadn't even sailed the boat yet. Cost a thousand, to salvage. I handed my friend back his paperwork and told him the boat was again his. " he had assured me it was a solid SV"

That boat was floated to shore trailered and hauled to the county dump. The salvageable stuff was removed, and the cat driver had a ball making this boat into tiny tiny pieces.

I may be wrong, I often em, but floating and sailing this boat just felt like a bad karma kinda thing. The few times I did go to this boat I also got really really bad vibes. I'm

DW

Bad Vibes is exactly what I got when talking to the broker. He was quick to discount my concerns and simply wanted me to come to the marina. I was once in sales and I watched a lot of my co-workers use some very high pressure sales tactics. I never did and was always extremely honest with people. I'd find out their needs and wants and help them make a choice that wouldn't result in buyer's remorse.

At least the guy was honest about it being sunk. I would have known that had I gone to the marina first anyway. He told me it had a waterline on the boom. The pictures he sent were vague, but did show that the bilge was in desperate need of cleaning. I don't think I'd be interested in a never ending project that I don't plan to keep long term. It would be nearly impossible to get rid of when I was done fixing everything and likely was purchased as a salvage from the insurance company for nearly nothing.

If I'm going to sink money into something to keep I'm going to look for something more suited for blue water that hasn't been pulled off the bottom.

I really appreciate hearing folk's input and their experiences. I know you never get out what you put in as far as money goes, but sometimes you can get it back in the fun you have playing with it or the knowledge you gained working on it. It's not that I don't think I could make it seaworthy or replace wiring, fixtures, and even the engine, but that I think that money would be better spent on something that I was going to hang onto for a long time.