Buying a sailboat with broken strut

[Gonsena]

Hello everyone, I would really appreciate some opinion from someone with more experience than me on this aspect.
I found a sailboat with everything in good conditions (except mainsail) but has the propeller broke one fin (sorry if is not English) and the strut that was holding the shaft broke also due to use with the broken fin.
The shaft and engine are in good conditions and no damage to the hull ( besides where the strut was coming from)

The boat seems to be in optimal conditions and the price seems accessible for my budget.

I wanted to know what do you guys think this refit/repair should cost and if it is worthy for me to buy this boat at 1/5 of its actual value.

Hope you guys can help me make a decision

[Bill O]

What boat is this?

Never seen a strut glassed in like this one, but I'm old school. The ones I've seen are usually thru bolted.
Don't see why you couldn't replace the strut w/a bolt on type (depending on the hull backing where the old one was) and new prop. Check the shaft if it bent.

Seems like too good of a deal just for this small fix. Look around carefully for other damage.
Maybe you found a great deal if that is the only issue.

[sanibel sailor]

Everyone will say get a survey and you should

[sanibel sailor]

I would not let that stop me from buying a boat. Check engine mounts. Worst case, if you can do the work yourself, figure less than a couple of thousand dollars for a new Strut, prop and shaft, perhaps upgrading the coupler and stuffing box when you have it apart.

What size boat/engine/prop shaft? Prices go up pretty quickly as size increases.

[Training Wheels]

Replacing a strut not that big of a deal. We had a custom carbon fiber strut built with a NACA foil for our boat. Don’t remember what it cost, but not bad. Off the shelf struts are available. Probably should check if the shaft is straight. I think there might be an issue with the propeller, it looks a bit out of balance.

[IslandInfedel]

If it vibrated or impacted enough to blow the strut, that same force went through the prop shaft, cutless bushing, transmission, engine and engine mount.

I’d check the shaft runout, drain and check the transmission oil and engine oil filter for metal, look at the glass around the strut and bushing for any cracks.

Probably price it presuming a new shaft, prop, bushing, stuffing box, and a sooner than expected transmission, and engine rebuild.

[Gonsena]

Originally Posted by Bill O

What boat is this?

Never seen a strut glassed in like this one, but I'm old school. The ones I've seen are usually thru bolted.
Don't see why you couldn't replace the strut w/a bolt on type (depending on the hull backing where the old one was) and new prop. Check the shaft if it bent.

Seems like too good of a deal just for this small fix. Look around carefully for other damage.
Maybe you found a great deal if that is the only issue.

Originally Posted by sanibel sailor

I would not let that stop me from buying a boat. Check engine mounts. Worst case, if you can do the work yourself, figure less than a couple of thousand dollars for a new Strut, prop and shaft, perhaps upgrading the coupler and stuffing box when you have it apart.

What size boat/engine/prop shaft? Prices go up pretty quickly as size increases.

Originally Posted by Training Wheels

Replacing a strut not that big of a deal. We had a custom carbon fiber strut built with a NACA foil for our boat. Don’t remember what it cost, but not bad. Off the shelf struts are available. Probably should check if the shaft is straight. I think there might be an issue with the propeller, it looks a bit out of balance.

Originally Posted by IslandInfedel

If it vibrated or impacted enough to blow the strut, that same force went through the prop shaft, cutless bushing, transmission, engine and engine mount.

I’d check the shaft runout, drain and check the transmission oil and engine oil filter for metal, look at the glass around the strut and bushing for any cracks.

Probably price it presuming a new shaft, prop, bushing, stuffing box, and a sooner than expected transmission, and engine rebuild.

Thanks for the answer, this sailboat is a old (1980) Beneteau 30 feet.
As it is an online purchase i do not have much information besides the damage on it.
As i am in italy, do you have any suggestions on the budget and where i can find some replacements for this old Beneteau in europe (their webpage is not much help)?

I am attaching a picture of the engine for any information that can provide

[Danm1]

I had to replace a bolt on strut after the prop got fouled and strut sheared. Shaft was bent. Transmission was okay, but the new strut didn't line up exactly so the engine mounts had to be adjusted...and because they were old and bolts were stripped, wound up having to be cut out and replaced. Cost more than $6000. Bottom line, is if this is a long distance purchase from pictures, don't do it. May be a great deal, but no way to know without a survey.

[stormalong]

Originally Posted by Bill O

Never seen a strut glassed in like this one, but I'm old school. The ones I've seen are usually thru bolted.
Don't see why you couldn't replace the strut w/a bolt on type (depending on the hull backing where the old one was) and new prop. Check the shaft if it bent.

That strut is probably bolted on and then the fiberglass is faired over it. Mine is made that way. From the outside all you see it strut entering the hull. On the inside you see that the hull was laid up with space to do the fairing and the bolt ends, washers & nuts that hold the strut in place.

[Don C L]

Originally Posted by Gonsena

Thanks for the answer, this sailboat is a old (1980) Beneteau 30 feet.
As it is an online purchase i do not have much information besides the damage on it.
As i am in italy, do you have any suggestions on the budget and where i can find some replacements for this old Beneteau in europe (their webpage is not much help)?

I am attaching a picture of the engine for any information that can provide

I hate to be negative, but what you wrote here is of more concern to me than a broken strut. And if it is truly for sale at 1/5 of its value? Something is fishy. I'd really avoid buying any boat sight unseen unless you have a good surveyor you know in the area who can survey it for you.

[IslandInfedel]

Originally Posted by Gonsena

Thanks for the answer, this sailboat is a old (1980) Beneteau 30 feet.
As it is an online purchase i do not have much information besides the damage on it.
As i am in italy, do you have any suggestions on the budget and where i can find some replacements for this old Beneteau in europe (their webpage is not much help)?

I am attaching a picture of the engine for any information that can provide

Boat wise 1980 isn’t really old, actually a good decade for tuff hulls.

That said, the photo does nothing other then it looks clean?

Straight internet sail, can put hands on the boat first, with that damage, shy of it being a very rare and/or desirable boat, which this is not, I’d walk away.

Sorry
Lots of fish in the sea though

“The bitterness of poor quality remains long after the sweetness of low price is forgotten.”

[Gonsena]

I decided not to but this one and keep searching.
Thank you guys for the advices and sharing your experiences

[toddster8]

Almost did a spit take - I took almost the identical photo of a broken strut on a boat I looked hard at. Once I started looking, there was a WHOLE lot more wrong with it. I imagined a whole story: line wrapped in the prop > broken strut > run aground on lee shore > pounded on the rocks > bulkheads delaminated > keel wobble.
I did make a low-ball offer: The sales manager almost threw me out the door. After many months, they ended up giving it away for much less than my offer. Man, I'm glad they didn't take me up on it. What was I thinking?

[JPA Cate]

I like how you thought about the process of why the strut was broken, and agree your second thought may have been a little rash.

One wonders why the owner didn't fix it if it were so easy....

Ann

[PaulBck]

Weld a plate to the one thats there and through bolt with 4 countersunk bolts, looks like it has corroded through...