BUYING! H34! (my boat thread)

Feb 26, 2009
716
Oday 30 Anchor Yacht Club, Bristol PA
Surveyor bless his heart is going back to try and confirm where the water is coming in. everybody keeps thinking it's the paddle wheel transducer location. I keep saying "I just want to know where and how" this will was to be my third sailboat I've been around boats allot, studying them even longer I'm a builder restorer of small wooden craft, and I'm someone doesn't don't buy a boat of size without a survey!
 
Jun 21, 2004
2,532
Beneteau 343 Slidell, LA
Surveyor bless his heart is going back to try and confirm where the water is coming in. everybody keeps thinking it's the paddle wheel transducer location. I keep saying "I just want to know where and how"
Seems that for $600, the surveyor should tell you what's the source of the leak, repairs necessary to fix, and estimated cost. That's his job.
Any idiot can note a bilge full of water and state that there is a leak! Seems that the owner would be very motivated to get to the bottom of this (no pun intended) and get it fixed to complete the sale of the vessel. Boats can develop leaks, old ones & newer models, the only thing that would be a deal breaker for me is a hard grounding with keel displacement & grid fracture and that should be obvious. As others have mentioned, sea water leaks could be found in the stuffing box or stuffing box hose, rudder seal, thru hull fittings & hoses, leaking hose in engine room, muffler, keel bolts, transducers, etc. If the transducer is suspect, that should be easily detected and repairable. Fresh water leaks from fresh water tank & lines, stanchion bases, hatch seals, chain plates, and mast seal. My 33.5 leaked after rains, and the leak was under the mast plate causing the compression post to deteriorate and allow water ingress.
If the boat is still in the water, and the bilge repeatedly fills, the problem has to be external.
I wouldn't give up on this boat yet, when looking at 35+ years old boats, there are going to be few, if any, that are perfect.
 
Nov 26, 2012
1,653
Hunter 34 Berkeley
Share the survey with the owner.. ask him to pay for the survey.. If he won't, it's your prerogative to publish the survey and spread the word long and wide about the boat. The boat's value will plummet. By him reimbursing you, he can now fix and sell with a good conscience. BUT, should he decide to sell the boat without disclosure of the survey, he is setting himself up for a fraud complaint.
Maybe get him drunk and take pictures of him passed out with a prostitute. Kidnap his dog. Spray paint his house. Whatever it takes.
 
Sep 30, 2017
69
Hunter 34 Gunpower Neck - Aberdeen, MD
Everything fell into place. broker showed, up surveyor showed, up, pre-inspection went well. It was splashed, we took it for a run! Perfect day for it (Monday August 2nd) everything works, sails nice, points well, GPS, autopilot, refrigeration, air conditioning all work,

At the end of the day, watching the bilge fill & pump about every 2 minutes, owner said it's probably a through hull.
Personally I have my doubts and believe it's the keel joint!

Owner went back that night and worked on. (Like I believe that?) Yesterday I went back to the boat, the bilge still fills up to about 4" in 10 -15 mins, too much for my comfort level!

The soap bottle is holding the float switch down.

So unless they find some magic fix after they pull the boat I'm probably going to walk away from this. Sadly I get to lose a substantial amount for the survey, I'll probably get all my deposit money back, sometimes you just have to cut your losses.
what is that part in the top-left of the picture in-line with the bilge hose? on my H34, the bilge drains directly to starboard from the bilge under the after end of the salon. The picture seems to show the hose wrapping around the bilge, exiting towards the forward end of the bilge to starboard. Seems like excess hose. Where is the check valve?
 
Feb 26, 2009
716
Oday 30 Anchor Yacht Club, Bristol PA
You're looking at the air conditioner pump and the intake hose.

the bilge pump convoluted hose is not actually showing. You don't have a check valve on your pump do you they are always discouraged because they fail
 
Sep 30, 2017
69
Hunter 34 Gunpower Neck - Aberdeen, MD
yes I do. there are a couple viewpoints on the bilge check valves. well maintained they rarely fail
 
Sep 30, 2017
69
Hunter 34 Gunpower Neck - Aberdeen, MD
How does one maintain a check valve?
always make sure the bilge pump screen is attached and clean to prevent debris from making its way past the pump. inspect the valve to make sure it functions properly, both opening and closing fully. keep it clean
 
Feb 26, 2009
716
Oday 30 Anchor Yacht Club, Bristol PA
Here is a better photo I'm waiting for a final report for my surveyor today.

Would you all say there is room in there for a second pump or high water alarm apparatus? by cutting more of the false bilge edges? (not sure what to get just yet)

I am a strong believer in redundant systems
 

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Sep 30, 2017
69
Hunter 34 Gunpower Neck - Aberdeen, MD
Here is a better photo I'm waiting for a final report for my surveyor today.

Would you all say there is room in there for a second pump or high water alarm apparatus? by cutting more of the false bilge edges? (not sure what to get just yet)

I am a strong believer in redundant systems
yes, remove the entire false bilge. there are several good project reviews online with pictures
the float should be at same level as pimp
 
Feb 26, 2009
716
Oday 30 Anchor Yacht Club, Bristol PA
Got a good report today it's on again I'm going to close the deal the book should be mine by the 15th maybe sooner
 

Artey1

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Jul 18, 2019
165
Hunter 34 Oklahoma
Maybe get him drunk and take pictures of him passed out with a prostitute. Kidnap his dog. Spray paint his house. Whatever it takes.
You made it much funnier than I would have - I had to stop myself from telling the poster blackmail is a bad look - I guess its effective though?:huh::facepalm:
 
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Feb 26, 2009
716
Oday 30 Anchor Yacht Club, Bristol PA
Surveyor stayed with the boat 4 hours they tightened the transducer through hull and they insist that the packing box stuffing box was leaking, which I didn't see the other day but could have missed it because I only glanced at it, I believe there was a lot of standing water in the bilge from rainwater but at this point it's all the elementary it's going to be my boat, worse of the worst I could be sitting in the air conditioning watching my pump go on and off but I don't think it's going to happen very much, not to mention the pump float is too high, which will leave more water in the bilge than necessary
 
Feb 26, 2009
716
Oday 30 Anchor Yacht Club, Bristol PA
Changed the title! Don't want to junk up the forum with multiple threads on the same boat.

Assuming people are still reading

Questions about the driveline,does the rudder need removed for the shaft to come out? What puller have you used on the prop since it's close to the rudder?
Shaft is 1 in Cutlass bearing 1 x 1.25?
Thank you thank you very much
 
Nov 6, 2006
9,884
Hunter 34 Mandeville Louisiana
Yes, the shaft will not clear the rudder.. some folks have loosened the strut (and re-sealed after checking its alignment) , some have jacked up the engine, some have removed the rudder, and you may be able to remove it after removing the Cutless (1" X 1.25" X 4" long code name "BACK") There is plenty room on my 34 for a prop puller.
New Prop.jpg
 
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Oct 22, 2014
20,991
CAL 35 Cruiser #21 moored EVERETT WA
1. does the rudder need removed for the shaft to come out?
2. What puller have you used on the prop since it's close to the rudder?
1. Standard answer, probably. When you remove the prop, and detach the shaft from the motor, the shaft may slide by the rudder. Murphy and his law always seems to follow my boat repairs. I would remove the rudder in anticipation of Murphy's helping hand.

2. Often a block and hammer is all that is needed to remove a prop. Some times they are stubborn. Rarely is a puller needed.

The Cutlass bearing is different. A puller is designed for removal and reinserting the bearing. They can be sawn out in a pinch. The pullers are easy to operate. Just be sure you release any set screws first, and align all the parts or you can mess up the strut.
 
Feb 26, 2009
716
Oday 30 Anchor Yacht Club, Bristol PA
I'm actually experienced in this routine we did it on my Oday 30 and I helped do it on three or four Catalina 30.
Possibly rudder bearings also, there is a slight looseness in the bottom bearing on my boat probably not enough to worry about.
Digging a hole, I know that routine also! But with the rudder tube so high inside the transom it is possible to remove the rudder when she's hanging in the slings if you prepare in advance, no?
 
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Oct 22, 2014
20,991
CAL 35 Cruiser #21 moored EVERETT WA
I'm actually experienced in this routine
That is interesting information. Was the question redundant or just making conversation.
Sounded like this might be a first time event and the concern was a lack of familiarity or any experience in these matters.