Evaluating a South Coast 26

[etown88]

Hi everyone. My husband and I have some sailing experience but have not owned or maintained any boats. We’d like to start with a trailer sailer that we would keep at a lake in Indiana, at least to begin with. Mostly day sails or weekend overnights. Looking for comfort and ease of use over speed.

This boat came up locally and seems like a decent deal that fits our use case, but not sure how to evaluate any serious condition issues. It’s a 1978 Seacraft South Coast 26. Wondering if any red flags come up for folks here based on the photos/description, and if you have any advice for how to cover our bases as much as possible. For example, is it a thing to hire someone to come inspect for us? Anyone have any connections in Indianapolis that could point us in such a direction? We understand there will always be maintenance funds needed, but we’d like to at least have a sense of what any immediate major repairs would be before purchasing.

It seems like which sails are included and their condition would be one thing to follow up on.

First time posting. I hope I’m following correct protocols in how I’m posting this - please let me know if not!

Thank you!

 

[shemandr]

Welcome! You're doing find protocol wise. Pictures are a big help. Someone to inspect the boat would be called a surveyor. There is a National association for surveyors which also credentials them. If you go that route make sure the surveyor knows sailboats. Most but not all on this forum would recommend a survey. Your insurance company will require an insurance survey, which is a less extensive and cheaper version.
I would not recommend buying a 1978 boat that needs major repairs - upgrades, yes but no serious repairs. You'll be throwing your money away.
So what are "Major repairs?" Replacing or repairing deck softness is a major one. Replacing rotted bulkheads would be another. Repairing blisters on the bottom is another. Replacing a mast would be one. Re-powering an inboard is another.
Other jobs which can be DIY but are a lot of work would be painting the topsides, deck or bottom. If the bottom has peeling paint, or painted over peeling paint it is a big and/or expensive job to have it restored to a smooth surface. Any damage to the lifting keel mechanism, or fiberglass around it is a walk away situation. New sails, which are really, really nice to have, can equal the price of the boat. So take the time to unroll an inspect the sail. Limp cloth means the sail is tired. Used sails are available.
New standing rigging is something you should consider for a 44 year old boat even if it has been in fresh water all its life. Sailboatdata.com shows the SC26 as a cast iron keel. That can be DIY but can be a lot of work. Look carefully at the keel for signs of rust. It will likely be there.
Others will have other opinions.

South Coast Owners Association

South Coast Seacraft Owners Association

southcoastus.tripod.com

 

[etown88]

That is all super helpful thank you @shemandr !

The hyperlink has photos - did you mean they were helpful, or would it be helpful to include the photos as attachments here instead?

 

[shemandr]

Sorry. Photos of your boat would be helpful to forum members looking for potential problems with your particular boat.

 

[Timm R Oday25]

Welcome ,I believe that posting photos here was what was meant .Bulkheads are structural interior walls . Any water leaking onto them
will often cause them to rot out . The same goes for the deck and the transom . The transom is the very end of the boat . This is where
the rudder attaches . Often the outboard mount is attached here as well . This presents potential for leaks .
We've owned our "trailerable " sailboat for almost 18 years . As long as the boat is physically sound, the trailer in roadworthy condition , the outboard is reliable and there are sails included ,you are .now at a starting point Trailers,sails and outboards can easily cost several thousand each .
It's a buyers market . Take your time and have fun window shopping . Keeping your boat in a slip our on a mooring will make it much more likely you will use it .

 

[etown88]

Got it, thanks! Here are the photos from the listing.

 

[Siamese]

Online, you should be able to get yourself some instructions for a do it yourself pre survey/inspection. Do it, and be thorough. That's an old boat, and there are a LOT of expensive things that could be wrong with it. One of the first that comes to mind is water infiltration into the deck's wooden core material. That's a real Achilles heel of boats.

If it passes your thorough pre inspection, then hire the best marine surveyor you can fine. It's going to be 100's of $, and if they find some fatal flaws, you won't be buying the boat, but you WILL be paying for the survey. That's why you want to do as much inspection as possible, first.

Even if a boat is free, I would recommend a survey. It's what you don't know that will drain your wallet. Even on a free boat. Get a survey.

When you get the results of the survey, hope you'll come back to this forum with any questions you might have about which deficiencies are acceptable, and which will cause you grief and despair. Any old boat will have issues, but for an example, it's much easier to replace all the standing rigging than it is to replace the deck coring.

I'd also want to know as much as I could about the swing keel as possible. It's probably a ballasted swing keel, and it's not like you can unbolt it and drop it in your lap to inspect it. It could be a pitted mess. And, who know what kind of shape the pivot bolt is in. Think about it...if the pivot bolt is almost worn through, and finally breaks, how much is it going to darken your day when your keel suddenly parts company to rest on the bottom of the lake.

Not trying to scare you, but boat buying calls for a lot of sobriety.

That's a pretty little boat, and while I'm somewhat familiar with that maker, I'm not familiar with that model. I'm a big fan of that size boat, as it's big enough to allow a lot of comfort while having fun. A good head below, and enough accommodations to allow it to be your little cottage. Room for friends and family. Anchor out and enjoy it as a swim platform. Sail it. And, use it like a pontoon boat. The upsides are many and wonderful, and the downsides are many and devastating. Due diligence is your friend. Good luck to you.

 

[Orbweaver]

Thanks for putting pics up here. I don't do facebook, so I can't see the original ad. Looking through the pics it appears the outer cover of a solar vent is missing (port side of companionway). There's a couple boat bucks right off the bat. (by the way: 1 boat buck =$100, unless vessel length is greater than 30, then 1 boat buck = $1000. At least, that's my understanding of the conversion rates). The forward hatch looks like it might need replacing also, there's another couple boat bucks.
I do like the looks of her, and the topsides color works very well for me. I'm told I'm colorblind though, so maybe that's just me. Absolutely follow previous advice about doing your own inspection first. Open EVERY little thing you can, have a couple good flashlights and really look at everything. Even better if you can do that while on the trailer. Look in underneath all the cabinetry first with the flashlight, then turn the light off and see if you can see light coming through the hull. Light in itself isn't bad, fiberglass is translucent unless it's REALLY thick. But you're looking for signs of damage that will be revealed by the light showing through. If the paint (inside or out) is thick, or there's carpet inside then you may not be able to see any light, and that's OK. Lots of online resources for inspection checklist, just take your time and be thorough.
While you're spending time inspecting you'll also find out if the boat feels right. If it sings the song of your people, and any issues found aren't serious then don't let minor issues dissuade you. There's no such thing as an old boat with no problems. In fact, I don't think there's such a thing as new boat without problems but my budget doesn't include new boats so I can't say for sure.
In the end, If the price is right and condition acceptable she looks like a very fun boat to putter around, and as the saying goes: There's nothing in life worth doing half so much...

 

[kappykaplan]

1 boat buck =$100

More like $1000! (Bring On/Break Out Another Thousand)

 

[PaulK]

Just a boat handling point-- the side decks seem quite narrow, which might make going forward to hoist or drop the jib less easy than it could be. A roller-furler would avoid this problem, but would add costs: (the roller-furler and changing the jib luffs to work with it).

 

[AaronD]

Just a boat handling point-- the side decks seem quite narrow, which might make going forward to hoist or drop the jib less easy than it could be. A roller-furler would avoid this problem, but would add costs: (the roller-furler and changing the jib luffs to work with it).

Good observation, and an important consideration for potential shoppers. In my limited experience, this applies to most boats in this size range (wide side decks and an 8-foot beam doesn't leave much cabin space).

On our C-22, I ran our jacklines in a centerline V, and I nearly always go forward over the cabin top rather than along the side decks. That works for me - YMMV. And I may have to rethink that when my knees have a few more years on them...

 

[sesmith]

Even if you don't spring for a survey, bring along a friend that knows more about boats than you. Hopefully this person would know how to tap the deck to look for soft spots, know something about motors, drive train, electrical systems, rigging and sails. If you buy it and have problems, don't let your friendship suffer. It's a 45 year old boat and even a surveyer won't find it all. looks pretty nice in the pics, FWIW. A good wet sanding and buff would make her pop (assuming that's yellow gel coat). A good cleanup and treatment with acrylic floor polish would do the same.

 

[sesmith]

More like $1000! (Bring On/Break Out Another Thousand)

Yes, there is only 1 definition. However, with inflation maybe it should be more. How about you Canadians? Is it still 1000 little dollars or do we have to look at the daily conversion rate and correct for it? Not so smart US citizen wants to know.

 

[sesmith]

Oops. I see you either bought it or lost it to someone else.

 

[SailingLoto]

As a previous southcoast owner, I had a 22. Build quality was lackluster. Check decks and cockpit floor for soft spots. Otherwise, if it's affordable and solid, sail on.

 

[Project_Mayhem]

On the surface the boat appears to be in average condition for its age. You really need to dive into the depths of the boat to look for signs of damage, wear and water intrusion. To properly inspect the keel you would need to have the yard or marina haul it out with a crane, forklift, hoist, travelift, etc. If memory serves me correctly, it was about $600 in Michigan City. You can also go for a swim to get a rough idea of its condition (best to do this away from docks with electrical). I had to choose between a surveyor or haul out, I'd pick the surveyor. Most boat shops can also do an inspection but it's best that you choose one that's familiar with sailboats or at least fiberglass work.

How long do you plan on having this boat? If it's a stepping stone, then I wouldn't worry as much about fixing every last item. If you plan on having it 5+ years then take a closer look. Some of us have had boats that we considered stepping stones but have taught us a lot. Nearly all old boats will have issues and it all depends on how long we own them, how much we want to put into them and what we expect to get out of them. If you and/or your husband are interested, I'd be happy to guide you through a DIY inspection over Zoom or Facetime. Send me a private message if you're interested

 

[Crazy Dave Condon]

Not sure if 26 Southcoast had straight grain balsa in the decking. If so, take someone who knows sailboats first and if still interested, get a surveyor. @shemandr @sesmith and others gave you excellent advice. I am a former sailboat dealer now retired.
Crazy Dave