Boat Inspection Trip Tips

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Oct 22, 2008
3,502
- Telstar 28 Buzzards Bay
I posted this to another forum, and a friend of mine, Maine Sail, asked me to post it to this forum as well, so here it is.

Please note
: This thread is about going to visit a boat to see if it is worth looking at further. It is not designed to replace a proper survey and sea trial. This type of trip is what you should do to see if it is worth making an offer on a boat and spending the money on a survey and sea trial. IMHO, you really need to have a survey done by a competent surveyor. YMMV. Also, this post is actually in two parts, and the second part is the first reply in the thread... please read both parts

When you're going to look at a boat, as a possible future purchase, I would make some recommendations about what you should and shouldn't do. I would ask that anyone else chime in with recommendations they have as well. I'll edit this post to add the ones I think are most important. :)

Basic Inspection Kit

First, put together a kit of tools for your boat visit. The kit should include the following:


Small Notebook—reporters notebooks or pocket-sized Moleskines are excellent choices for this.
Pencil—for making notes and sketches in notebook.
Small tape recorder—preferably with a lapel mic with windscreen, to record your visit to the boat, as it is often easier to make notes by speaking than writing when looking at a boat.
Digital camera—I prefer the small pocket sized Olympus Stylus SW series, as they are waterproof, shock proof and have a decent lens on them.
Tape Measure—Preferably a 25-30' tape
Small Flashlight—Preferably LED, like the Gerber Omnivore or Firecracker
Pocket Multitool—Get a good one, like the Leatherman Surge
Phenolic Resin Hammer (phenolic=plastic)—a small one will do.
Small Magnet—preferably one with a lanyard attachment.
Inspection Mirror—preferably one with a telescoping handle.
Small Volt-Ohm multimeter—preferably digital with a rubber casing.
Moisture Meter—see section below.
Additional Supplies: Clean White Rags, Awl, Waterless Hand Cleaner Wipes, Spray Cleaner Burgundy Scotch Brite Pad

The Trip

First Impressions

Now, when you get to the boat, take some photos of the boat as you approach it... Turn on the tape recorder and speak clearly about your first impressions of the boat. Make sure you get your first impressions down.
The human brain is a weird thing and often the first impressions are the best ones... and there's usually a reason for them.

Systematically go through the boat from bow to stern, from top to bottom, recording what you find either on the tape recorder or as sketches and notes in the notebook, and document everything with photos using the digital camera if at all possible. If you have specific requirements, use the tape measure to take measurements.

Don't forget to note the make and model of the various equipment and parts aboard the boat. Some pieces of equipment, like specific models of engines and such have known weaknesses and specific problems to be aware of.

The magnet is to be used to check stainless steel hardware. If the magnet sticks, it ain't marine grade stainless. Austenitic stainless, which covers most marine grade stainless steel, is non-magnetic and includes 304 and 316 grades of stainless. The cheaper martensitic stainless is magnetic.

The flashlight and inspection mirror are used to look in nooks, crannies, deep unlit lockers, the bilge, engine compartment, etc. Looking in lockers and such can often tell you a lot about a boat's true condition, since many people will spruce up and clean the interior of a boat for sale, but will often forget to do the same for the less visible spaces.
A good example of what you may find is traces of a visible waterline in the higher lockers may indicate that the boat was sunk at some point.

Tapping the deck with the phenolic hammer near stanchion bases may give you an indication if the deck has started to delaminate or has a wet core.
Most boats have a cored deck and stanchions are often places where the water intrusion can start due to the loads that they're often subjected to. Caution: If you are not skilled with a phenolic hammer please DO NOT go pounding on an Awlgriped deck!! They are used for TAPPING not pounding.

Most manufacturers do not do a very good job of potting the fasteners or deck area around the stanchions or other deck hardware, especially on older boats, made when the water intrusion problems weren't well understood.

Look for cracks in the gelcoat—most spider cracks are normal and often due to the gelcoat being laid too thickly. Parallel cracks in the gelcoat, which often indicates stressing of the fiberglass there. Star-shaped cracks in the gelcoat are usually the result of an impact.

Look for flat spots in the hull or places where the hull doesn't follow a natural curve. These can often be indicators of previous damage or bad construction. Often, places where the hull isn't following a fair curve are due to bulkheads being improperly glassed to the hull and causing a hard spot—which can cause the laminate to hinge along the hard spot and results in the laminate fatiguing prematurely there.

Check mechanical systems to see if the parts that should move do, and that the parts that shouldn't move don't. :) If something sticks, like the tiller, and shouldn't—it is probably an indicator of something wrong or about to go wrong. Excessive play is often an indicator of wear and that something may need to be repaired or replaced soon. If a cabin door or cabinet door doesn't open or close smoothly, it may mean the hull and deck have changed shape and causing it to bind—this can often happen if a compression post has started to weaken.

The multimeter can be used to do some quick checks on the electrical system. If you don't know how to use one, take a class at a local vocational/technical school and learn—you need to know how to trouble shoot electrical problems using one if you're going to own a boat.

Go through the boat and open every locker if at all possible. Lift settee cushions. Look in the bilge. Photograph the rig. Get detailed photos of the chainplates, the rudder attachment points, the steering quadrant and other important pieces of equipment.

As for the pocket multitool... you'll figure out why I included it in the kit... they're just too damn useful not to have one around. I carry the Leatherman Surge with me almost 24/7, except when I know I'm going through airport or federal building security. The blades on it are just about long enough to qualify as a felony if carried in a federal facility. :)

Going Aloft

I generally won't go aloft on a boat that I'm a complete stranger to, unless the rig is vouched for by someone I know and trust.
Also, I doubt most owners would let you go up the rig given the liability issues if the rig should fail and you get injured. Finally, many boats are on the hard when up for sale, and going aloft on the hard is a really, really bad idea IMHO.

That is why I recommend taking photos of the rig from the ground. The amount of detail you can pull off of a 8-10 MP image nowadays is astounding, even if the camera only has a fairly short focal length lens.

Moisture Meters*

If you are in the market for a 10k+ vessel do yourself a favor and invest in a moisture meter. It will pay for its self the first time you use it and rule out a boat!!

Surveys run $600+ clams, moisture meters are $169 clams. If you found a boat you really loved but the surveyor came out and found moisture your out $600 if you do your own "checking" you can rule out many boats safely without a survey and with each boat you rule out die to sever moisture the meter costs less and less until it's free! When you are done simply sell it here on Sailnet to another member or keep it which is what I'd suggest!

Please do NOT listen to the neigh Sayers like David Pascoe on this subject. He is a surveyor who DOES NOT want you to own a meter. He uses scare tactics and discuses how "difficult" it is to use one. That is complete BUNK! Using a meter, to a level where you can rule out a boat with severely wet decks, takes about a half hour to learn! More accurate and detailed use takes more time but that is not what you are after in this stage.

Trust me he and his cohorts WANT to survey three or four boats for you before you find one to buy. My buddy Eric surveyed five boats before finding one in salable condition. He spent over 2k in surveys. He could have ruled at least four of these boats out, if not all five, with about a half hours worth of reading and a $300 meter saving $1700.00....

I use an Electrophysics CT33 moisture meter. This is basically the same meter as the $325.00 J.R. Overseas GRP33. The only difference I know of are the graphics on the analog display and the fact that it does not come standard with the $10.00 calibration block. As long as you don't mind ordering from a Canadian company you can save lots of money. The current price for the CT33 is $160.00 plus shipping from Canada. Oh and don't forget to order the calibration block @ $10.00..

So $160.00 - CT33 Moisture Meter
$10.00 - Calibration block
$9.00 - US Shipping
Total $179.00 Delivered

$160.00


Electrophysics CT33 Moisture Meter Ordering Informationn (LINK)

If you want fancier analog graphics $325.00:


As Maine Sail says: "When you DIY the tools are FREE!! There is NO excuse for anyone investing more than 10K in a new boat to NOT own a moisture meter.." I agree with him. Owning the right tools makes almost everything you do easier. :)

*FYI—Most of the Moisture Meter and Inspection Area sections were written by Maine Sail in response to my original post on sailnet, and hijacked by me with his permission. Any errors found in these two posts are probably mine... Use this information at your own risk... boat ownership is an expensive and addictive avocation.
 
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Oct 22, 2008
3,502
- Telstar 28 Buzzards Bay
Boat Inspection Trip Tips, pt. 2

Specific Inspection Areas:

#1 Sails & Canvas
- If the sails are on board find the UV cover or luff end of the head sail and scratch the threads with your fingernail. If they fail or break the sails need at a minimum re-stitching. If you can find the head board of the main sail,it sees lots of UV as it's not folded into the sail when flaked do the same here. Do the same for any canvas..

#2 Driveline - On inboard powered boats grab the prop and wiggle it back and forth up and down. If there is any play the cutlass bearing is mostly shot and will need replacement.

#3 Driveline - Inspect the strut, prop shaft (if bronze) and prop for any signs of dezinctification. This will appear as areas of discoloration more pinkish or coppery in color as opposed to the gold hue of bronze. A Scotchbrite pad is a good thing to add to the inspection kit as it will allow you to get down to bare bronze.

#4 Rudder -Grab the rudder and move it from side to side and fore and aft. If there is significant play the bearings or bushings may be past prime.

#5 Rudder - Move the rudder by hand from full port to full starboard. If you feel any difference in resistance it could be a bent shaft or steering gear issues.

#6 Steering
- Inspect the entire steering gear assembly and look for excess play or "meat hooks" on the steering cable. Make sure the wheel brake works. A broken wheel brake, or one that does not have adequate locking to prevent you from turning the rudder by hand, means the rudder was allowed to move freely at the dock or mooring. This is BAD and adds to unnecessary premature wear and tear on the entire steering system.

#7 Steering
- Inspect the rudder stuffing box. You are looking for signs of drips or leaks. they will usually run from the top of the rudder packing gland down and will be green in color if it has a bronze rudder packing gland.

#8 Rudder - Look for any rust colored drips emanating from the rudder. This is a good sign of water intrusion.

#9 Keel - Look for any signs of water seepage or discoloration stains along the keel to hull joint. Leaking keel joints lead to crevice corrosion of the keel bolts and can be a bad situation.

#10 Keel - Look in the bilge for any signs of un-sealed screw holes, possibly left over from a float switch or bilge pump, with brownish rust stains around them. This could mean the boat has a plywood laminated keel stub that has been moisture saturated. If the stub has wood and it's wet the keel bolts will likely be suffering from a good deal of crevice corosion.

#11 Keel - Look at the keel bolts and make sure they are no circular stress cracks emanating outward from the backing plates. This is another sign of a rotting and compressing keel stub. Solid fiberglass does not compress enough to create circular stress cracks.

#12 Bulkheads - Using a Awl (please be courteous and do this in an inconspicuous area that can not be seen) poke the areas around the chain plates lightly. If the wood is rotten the Awl will sink in. Do the same around the bottoms of the bulkheads where they meet the bilge.

#13 Glassed in Bulkheads - Inspect all tabbing and make sure NONE of it is peeling or broken free from either the hull or the bulkheads. Do your best to look at the entire mating surface and this will usually require the flashlight and inspection mirror. If you notice any discoloration of the wood lightly poke at it with the Awl. Look for any signs of the teak veneer bubbling or lifting. This is always a red flag for moisture in the bulkheads.

#14 Screwed in Bulkheads - Many production boats used bulkheads that are screwed in place. Make sure the screws are entering at a 90 degree angle to the wood. Screw heads that are cocked or off the 90 degree angle, and if there are more than just the occasional one, are a good indication the bulkhead has been over stressed and has moved. Awl same as above and PLEASE be polite about your use of the Awl!

#15 Deck (Under-side) - Do your best to remove anything that will get you to the backing plates of deck hardware. Please do not dismantle the boat! This is only for areas of easy access. If you can unzip a headliner for example, and the zipper does not stick, visually inspect deck penetrations for any signs of "coffee drips". Any brownish drips or brownish colored stains dripping from through-bolted hardware or any holes on the underside of the deck are signs of a seriously deteriorating rotting deck. If you see "coffee drips" in more than one location walk away and find another boat..

#16 Seacocks - Visually inspect the "balls" from outside with a flashlight and look for any signs of corrosion. If they have handles that turn like your hose spigot at home know that they will need to be replaced because they are gate valves. Real seacocks should have handles that turn only vertically to be in-line with the valve and horizontally to be in-line with the hull only. Turn the handles and visually make sure the balls are opening and closing from outside the boat and make sure they turn freely.

#17 Seacocks - Check for a UL Marine rated listing and dezinctifacation (coppery pinkish coloring)

#18 Seacock Backing Blocks - Poke these with the Awl. If they are soft they are wet and will need replacement. The Awl should not "sink in" under light pressure.

#19 Hoses - Visually inspect hoses, including exhaust hoses, for any signs of dry rot, cracking or reinforcement wire bleed or break through. If you see rust spots mid hose this is a good sign that the reinforcing wire is rusting inside the hose. Check for double hose clamps at all below water fittings. Also check to make sure there is no clear, un-reinforced hose that leads to any through hull fitting.

#20 Seacocks - Check for a UL Marine rated listing and dezinctifacation (coppery pinkish coloring).

#21 Engine - Check the oil and make sure it was recently changed and that it is clean and not black. An owner that puts a boat away, or lists one for sale, with dirty oil, is also an owner that does not maintain the vessel to a good standard!

#22 Engine
- If you've checked everything else, and are a VERY SERIOUS BUYER, remove the engine/heat exchanger zinc and make sure there actually is one and that it is in good condition. DO NOT do this with the boat in the water and the seacock open and do not do this if you are tire kicking this vessel. Ideally this should be left to the surveyor but most don't do this!

#23 Engine - Using a clean white rag run it under the engine any where you can reach. If you find a drip record it in the notebook and jot down it's location. Turn the rag to a clean spot and continue. Many owners will spot clean an engine to hide oil leaks. The rag trick usually finds them.

#24 Engine - Wiggle the engine and visually inspect the motor mounts for dry rot or oil degradation. make sure the motor mounts are still working and not cracked.

#25 Engine / Fuel - If the boat is equipped with a fuel/water separator device such as a Racor. Use an empty Coke bottle to crack the pet **** and drain off just a touch of fuel. If it is laden with sediment or all you get is water this is a bad sign. Do NOT drain the entire bowl just a quick crack of this pet **** will show you what you need to know and won;t require the owner re-bleeding the engine. Be polite and clean up ANY fuel drip with the spray cleaner you brought. Even ONE drop is being impolite and rude diesel stinks!!!

#26 Winches - Rotate the winches and make sure they rotate freely and smoothly. Wiggle them side to side, especially if they are aluminum. There should be NO play in the drum. Any play in an aluminum winch is a good sign that the bearing mating surfaces are worn or corroded due to dissimilar metals corrosion. DO NOT overlook this, winches are big $$$$$$$!

#27 Blocks Sheaves - Make sure all blocks and sheaves rotate freely and are not frozen.

#28 Running Rigging - Look for any signs of chafe and wear especially halyards. Scratch the surface of the lines jacket with your fingernail and if threads give way or break it is time for new running rigging.

#29 Portlights
- Look for any visibly signs of leaking.

#30 Lifelines - Look for rust / corrosion at the fittings and between the white jacket of the wire and the swaged fitting.

Warning Signs:

If the boat owner doesn't want/allow you to do this... it may be that they are hiding something. A boat owner who is proud of how well kept and maintained his boat is should have no problem allowing you fairly complete access to the boat and its systems.

Walk the Docks

Once you've gone over the boat with a fine tooth comb... walk the docks and talk to the other marina residents. They can often give you a lot of information about the boat.

  • Was it used regularly or was it a dock queen?
  • Did the owner come out to check the lines and fenders before and after a storm?
  • Did the owner have regular maintenance done to the boat?
  • How long has it been for sale?
All this stuff can often be discovered just by being friendly and talking to other people at the boat's marina.

When you get home

Put everything aside for a day...and then come back and look at it... this gives your subconscious mind a chance to process what you've seen and things that you may have not realized on the initial trip may jump out at you.

If you get a hunch about some equipment or part on the boat, look at your photos and notes about them and see if you can figure out what your subconscious is trying to tell you.

Don't forget to do a bit of research on the various pieces of equipment you saw on the boat to find what specific problems are common to them.

What to do next:

If you really like what you saw and didn't come across any glaring warning signs, it is probably time to make the offer. When you make your offer, ask for maintenance records, and make the offer subject to survey and sea trial.

Remember, if you're married or have a significant other... GET THEIR INPUT. If you don't, you probably will regret it in the long run. :)

I hope this helps.
 

Tim R.

.
May 27, 2004
3,626
Caliber 40 Long Range Cruiser Portland, Maine
Drive up test and some other stuff

I can add a little here but otherwise a great list.

Bring your significant other if you expect them to back you on this purchase. We have what is called the drive up test. If you don't like what you see from the ground(if on the hard), then the rest of the boat likely isn't going to meet your standards either.

Sometimes the boat is a distance that requires expensive travel. Look very closely at the broker photos and verify all specs with the broker first.

2 stories. One time I traveled about 600 miles to look at a boat that clearly had internal water damage. The broker did not think this was relevent. There was a distinct waterline stain on all the wood work about 2 inches up from the sole. Later I noticed that I could have seen that on the YW photos had I looked close enough.

Another time I was getting ready to make the same trip for a boat that the broker swore had a 6'2" fin keel that was moored fairly high up in the Chessapeak. I asked him to verify and he continued to stick with his story until 2 days befoer I made the trek. He called the owner and found it was a wing keel.
 
Dec 1, 1999
2,391
Hunter 28.5 Chesapeake Bay
Very nice, and useful post, Sailingdog. Having owned 5 sailboats over the past 35 years, I've always "pre-inspected" all of them myself prior to having a professional surveyor look at them. If the boat passes my own muster, I then compare what I've found to what the surveyor finds when he looks the boat over. I've rejected two boats prior to engaging a pro using this system.

In addition to the iinformation contained above, I also recommend Don Casey's excellent little book "Inspecting the Aging Sailboat."

Finally, I have never bought a new sailboat and doubt I ever will. But if I did, or if any of you are anticipating buying a new boat, I would also go through the very same procedure used to evaluate a used boat, to include having my own surveyor look it over, before I accepted it. I have been amazed at how few people I know every consider having a new boat surveyed -- and all of them have regretted it after the fact. Sad as it may seem, we have all become our own Quality Control people for everything we buy....
 
Oct 22, 2008
3,502
- Telstar 28 Buzzards Bay
Re: Drive up test and some other stuff

As I said... first impressions count a lot in my book.
 

Tim R.

.
May 27, 2004
3,626
Caliber 40 Long Range Cruiser Portland, Maine
Re: Drive up test and some other stuff

Thanks Dog. My point being the boat had to pass the drive up test for my wife as well.
 
Feb 6, 1998
11,665
Canadian Sailcraft 36T Casco Bay, ME
Thanks Dog!!

For those that don't know Sailing Dog, SD, Dog or Dawg he is a ver thorough contributing member to another forum I visit. When I saw his post I asked him to please register here and also post it on SBO so others could benefit.

This information can literally save you hundreds in failed surveys. It is good to keep in mind that you are looking for deal breakers, not every little item though the little items added up can become deal breakers.

Often times a boat will be "cleaned" prior to being listed for sale in an attempt to hide or minimize other issues. SD's post should help you eliminate a boat that will blatantly fail a survey..

I've taken the liberty and made this great post a "sticky" as it clearly deserves it. Please add any advice you feel he missed and this will become one of the best resources for a new boat buyer to consult..
 
Oct 22, 2008
3,502
- Telstar 28 Buzzards Bay
Re: Thanks Dog!!

thanks for the invite and recommendation. I'll be glad to help where I can. :)
 
Jul 20, 2005
2,422
Whitby 55 Kemah, Tx
If the water is warm enough, don't forget your swimsuit and gogles. I dive on my boat about every 2-3 months to clean hull (sometimes), clean prop, and check zincs. I also dive after every ground bumping to check the keel. It's a good thing if anything to see what the keel looks like on a new purchase and how well the rest has been maintained.
 

Ross

.
Jun 15, 2004
14,693
Islander/Wayfairer 30 sail number 25 Perryville,Md.
I think that this is the most comprehensive outline for a detailed look at a boat that I have seen. I would suggest that sometimes the house keeping ways of the owner can bias your impressions and it is worth being objective about what is just untidy and what is neglect.
 
Sep 25, 2008
7,075
Alden 50 Sarasota, Florida
Recommending that new buyers follow a checklist may well be a disservice.

Although checklists are good if in the right hands, there are a number of books on the market that provide background and explanation far better than any checklist and would therefore be my recommendation for essential reading prior to anyone thinking of hiring a surveyor in anticipation of buying their first boat (based on a list).
I recognize people often come here asking generic questions such as "what should I look for..." but simply providing a checklist or a direct response to that specific question only serves to provide a false sense of security. After all, someone who asks such a question can't conceivably know how to inspect a rudder post, delamination, core rot, stuffing, electronics, sails, etc...

It would be FAR preferential if we could start a volunteer location-specific prelim inspection cadre when someone comes here interested in a boat who has little to no experience or for that matter, a boat distant from their location but close-by one of us. I infer there are a wide variety of experienced folks here with some spare time who might be interested in forming such a "list".
 
Oct 22, 2008
3,502
- Telstar 28 Buzzards Bay
This post wasn't meant to be a "checklist" for people inspecting a boat they may want to buy, but more a set of guidelines for them to follow. Much of inspecting a sailboat for possible purchase doesn't require any specialized knowledge, but does require one to actually look at the boat thoroughly and have some common sense about what they're seeing.

This isn't meant to replace a professional survey by any means. It is meant to help people, even relatively unexperienced newbies, determine if a boat is worth proceeding further with. If there is a clear indication of a waterline inside the lockers of a boat, yet the owner/broker says nothing about the boat having been sunk—you really have to ask what else are they hiding/lying about.

Recommending that new buyers follow a checklist may well be a disservice.

Although checklists are good if in the right hands, there are a number of books on the market that provide background and explanation far better than any checklist and would therefore be my recommendation for essential reading prior to anyone thinking of hiring a surveyor in anticipation of buying their first boat (based on a list).
I recognize people often come here asking generic questions such as "what should I look for..." but simply providing a checklist or a direct response to that specific question only serves to provide a false sense of security. After all, someone who asks such a question can't conceivably know how to inspect a rudder post, delamination, core rot, stuffing, electronics, sails, etc...

It would be FAR preferential if we could start a volunteer location-specific prelim inspection cadre when someone comes here interested in a boat who has little to no experience or for that matter, a boat distant from their location but close-by one of us. I infer there are a wide variety of experienced folks here with some spare time who might be interested in forming such a "list".
 
Oct 22, 2008
3,502
- Telstar 28 Buzzards Bay
I don't generally recommend people go aloft or in the water on a boat inspection trip. The reasons for not going aloft have a lot to do with basic safety. You don't know the rig, you don't know if it has any hidden defects that would make going aloft dangerous and it is pretty easy to get badly injured by going aloft.

The same applies to going in the water. Some marinas may have an electrical problem that may make going swimming in them very dangerous. For that reason, I generally avoid having people go swimming in an unknown marina. If a boat or the marina has an AC fault of any sort, the amount of current needed to kill you is probably present. So, why risk it. The zincs can always be inspected when the boat is hauled out, should you decide to proceed further.

If the water is warm enough, don't forget your swimsuit and gogles. I dive on my boat about every 2-3 months to clean hull (sometimes), clean prop, and check zincs. I also dive after every ground bumping to check the keel. It's a good thing if anything to see what the keel looks like on a new purchase and how well the rest has been maintained.
 
Jul 20, 2005
2,422
Whitby 55 Kemah, Tx
...If a boat or the marina has an AC fault of any sort, the amount of current needed to kill you is probably present...
ummm...I've heard of electrical leaks in the water but nothing dangerous. If it were that bad, I think it would be condemn as a hazard to people because people always fall into the water in a marina....ok...sometimes they are pushed :)

You're just afraid of the water :)
 
Oct 22, 2008
3,502
- Telstar 28 Buzzards Bay
Totally up to you...but you might want to read this website first.

ummm...I've heard of electrical leaks in the water but nothing dangerous. If it were that bad, I think it would be condemn as a hazard to people because people always fall into the water in a marina....ok...sometimes they are pushed :)

You're just afraid of the water :)
 
Jul 20, 2005
2,422
Whitby 55 Kemah, Tx
"Upon entering the marina boat docks, a sign is posted that warns people of no swimming due to possible electrocution. "

Sounds to me like the marina knew it had bad boats in it's slips but refused to kick them out because then they wouldn't get paid, so they put up a sign so they wouldn't be responsible. A case of lazyness combined with greed. I would bet this is the exception, not the rule but I guess it would be good to test the water first.
 

TimCup

.
Jan 30, 2008
304
Catalina 22 St. Pete
Sailing Dog- have enjoyed reading your stuff

for quite a while on the other site. I like any post I can pick something up from, and the sometimes the simplest is the best. Why not buy a moisture meter? Helps when shopping, helps my buddies when they're looking, and I'm sure every guy that has one has been through his own boat looking for trouble spots. I know alot of guys with old boats that would like to know before the rot gets too bad!

good post.


cup
 
Aug 3, 2007
59
Catalina 22 Milwaukee WI
Sailindog

thanks for the information. I will use it when my wife and I are shopping for boats. We have already looked at a few and this would have helped alot. I also like Don's idea of experienced people helping out looking at boats but not replacining a surveyor. Thanks again for posting this to the site. I hope you come back often and share your knowledge.
 
Oct 22, 2008
3,502
- Telstar 28 Buzzards Bay
Glad to help Wayne... thank Maine Sail, he's the one who asked me to come over here. :)
 
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