earlier 320's? I'm about to make an offer on a 94 320 and the broker told me a little about the problems with the shallow bilges on the early boats preceding hull NO. 356. In researching this it seems that it's a bit more of a problem than the broker alluded to. While I'm still interested in the boat,I'd like to find out if this is something that can be remedied easily before each sail or if it is much more involved. Thanks in advance for any comments,
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Check the Bilge
Bill, If the boat already has a PSS shaft seal and the bilge and underneath the sole is dry it should be no problem. If there has been water sloshing around where is doesn't belong all these years there could be sole and other rot problems. Stan "Christy Leigh" c320 #656
Bill, If the boat already has a PSS shaft seal and the bilge and underneath the sole is dry it should be no problem. If there has been water sloshing around where is doesn't belong all these years there could be sole and other rot problems. Stan "Christy Leigh" c320 #656
Good Choice!
Bill, I own a 1994 C320 hull # 70. When I purchased this boat I was aware of the problems associated with the shallow bilge. The floor boards where stained in a couple of areas but I found no rot. After reviewing the survey I went ahead and purchased Seaquin. Best decision I have ever made! After bring the boat home I worked on drying the bilge and eliminate any source of water except the refrigerator and the air conditioning condensate. I found that the emergency tiller deck plate leaked so I resealed it. I noted that the gasket on the port lazarette was shot and it will need replacing. I performed maintneance on the PSS. (It was missing the second set of locking set screws) Long story short that I now have a dry bilge and water does not slosh around. The key thing is to work on drying the bilge and keeping it dry by eliminating any source of water that is not supposed to be there. This is a minor issue. The boat is a great couple boat. My wife is very comfortable in docking and manaevering this boat is close quarters. It sales great in light and moderate air. We have been caught out in thunderstorms and we feel very protected. We have looked at other boats as comparisions and we keep coming back to the fact that this is a great boat
Bill, I own a 1994 C320 hull # 70. When I purchased this boat I was aware of the problems associated with the shallow bilge. The floor boards where stained in a couple of areas but I found no rot. After reviewing the survey I went ahead and purchased Seaquin. Best decision I have ever made! After bring the boat home I worked on drying the bilge and eliminate any source of water except the refrigerator and the air conditioning condensate. I found that the emergency tiller deck plate leaked so I resealed it. I noted that the gasket on the port lazarette was shot and it will need replacing. I performed maintneance on the PSS. (It was missing the second set of locking set screws) Long story short that I now have a dry bilge and water does not slosh around. The key thing is to work on drying the bilge and keeping it dry by eliminating any source of water that is not supposed to be there. This is a minor issue. The boat is a great couple boat. My wife is very comfortable in docking and manaevering this boat is close quarters. It sales great in light and moderate air. We have been caught out in thunderstorms and we feel very protected. We have looked at other boats as comparisions and we keep coming back to the fact that this is a great boat
Thanks Mike, I feel better now....................
I've already arranged for the survey and I'm planning to remove the entire sole during so that the surveyor can see what's under there and give me his best opinion but I'm sure it'll be ok. I also noticed that the previous owner had recaulked (badly) the large plexiglas windows so he must've had some leaking. I did notice some dampness on the bulkhead inside the aft stateroom hanging locker (backing up to the head)and am thinking that the window is leaking again. I'll probably remove and replace all 4 of them as I know I won't like lookin at the lousy caulking job (had he never heard of masking tape?)Have you had any leaking windows on yours? Thanks again for your response. Bill
I've already arranged for the survey and I'm planning to remove the entire sole during so that the surveyor can see what's under there and give me his best opinion but I'm sure it'll be ok. I also noticed that the previous owner had recaulked (badly) the large plexiglas windows so he must've had some leaking. I did notice some dampness on the bulkhead inside the aft stateroom hanging locker (backing up to the head)and am thinking that the window is leaking again. I'll probably remove and replace all 4 of them as I know I won't like lookin at the lousy caulking job (had he never heard of masking tape?)Have you had any leaking windows on yours? Thanks again for your response. Bill
Leaking Windows
Hey Bill, After two years of near misses with Hurricanes (rememeber Floyd) none of my windows leak. Most of my water that gets in the boat was from a leaking PSS, the seal on the emergency tiller deck plate and the lazarrette gasket. After I purchased my boat I went through all the settee storage areas, under the aft bed, and forward storage area under the V-berth cleaning and wiping these area dry. I have also pulled up the floorboards and clean them and dried them and the area underneath. When I have to pull the knotmeter to clean it I take the time to get the water out of there and dry it . I carry a meat basting geezmo that sucks up small amount of fluid in the bilge. Plus I have some sponges. One story about what could happen it you let referigerator condensate or air condition condensate build up in the shallow bilge. My wife and I where crossing the St. Andrew Sound with a nice 18 kt breeze. We were heeled over at 15 degrees and moving right smartly. But that morning I did not remove the AC condensate like I should have. I went to below get something stored under the starboard settee. I found bilge water in the area under the holding tank and it was not pleasant smelling. The previous owner had not been to carefull with the holding tank and their was dried crud under the tank. Well, all this bilge water re-liquidfied it. Yours truly had to get out the rags and buckets and clean this mess up while my wife continued to sail the boat across the sound. The wind keep picking up so we keep heeling more and more which my my job eaisier but my wife's harder. When I finally finished I came up top, I noticed we were healed way over and my was wife gritting here teeth. I asked if she thought I should reef. She said it would be nice since we are heeled over at 30 degrees. But she did say " Man I hit 8 kts back there for a while" I know this sounds like a headache but I see other people contend with problems on their boat that not only inconvient but unsafe. This boat is safe and enjoy
Hey Bill, After two years of near misses with Hurricanes (rememeber Floyd) none of my windows leak. Most of my water that gets in the boat was from a leaking PSS, the seal on the emergency tiller deck plate and the lazarrette gasket. After I purchased my boat I went through all the settee storage areas, under the aft bed, and forward storage area under the V-berth cleaning and wiping these area dry. I have also pulled up the floorboards and clean them and dried them and the area underneath. When I have to pull the knotmeter to clean it I take the time to get the water out of there and dry it . I carry a meat basting geezmo that sucks up small amount of fluid in the bilge. Plus I have some sponges. One story about what could happen it you let referigerator condensate or air condition condensate build up in the shallow bilge. My wife and I where crossing the St. Andrew Sound with a nice 18 kt breeze. We were heeled over at 15 degrees and moving right smartly. But that morning I did not remove the AC condensate like I should have. I went to below get something stored under the starboard settee. I found bilge water in the area under the holding tank and it was not pleasant smelling. The previous owner had not been to carefull with the holding tank and their was dried crud under the tank. Well, all this bilge water re-liquidfied it. Yours truly had to get out the rags and buckets and clean this mess up while my wife continued to sail the boat across the sound. The wind keep picking up so we keep heeling more and more which my my job eaisier but my wife's harder. When I finally finished I came up top, I noticed we were healed way over and my was wife gritting here teeth. I asked if she thought I should reef. She said it would be nice since we are heeled over at 30 degrees. But she did say " Man I hit 8 kts back there for a while" I know this sounds like a headache but I see other people contend with problems on their boat that not only inconvient but unsafe. This boat is safe and enjoy
Thanks again Mike............
Yoyr information is very helpful and I sure appreciate it. I'm waiting to hear back from the seller about my offer and if I get the boat the first thing I'll do is pull up the sole and anything else I can get up and clean and dry all the areas I can get to. I'm wondering if I should plug up any holes that lead from the bilge pocket into the areas below it in order to keep water out in the future as I'm guessin that the water in these areas gets there thru the bilge pocket. I'm also going to add sound insulation to the engine compartment as there is none now, it's quite noisy. In addition, I'm going to remove all the berth and setee cushions and have them steam cleaned as they are kinda musty smelling after 6 years. All in all, the boat is pretty clean compared to some I've seen so I'm really looking forward to getting it. Thanks again for your help, I'm sure I'll be back to ya again
Yoyr information is very helpful and I sure appreciate it. I'm waiting to hear back from the seller about my offer and if I get the boat the first thing I'll do is pull up the sole and anything else I can get up and clean and dry all the areas I can get to. I'm wondering if I should plug up any holes that lead from the bilge pocket into the areas below it in order to keep water out in the future as I'm guessin that the water in these areas gets there thru the bilge pocket. I'm also going to add sound insulation to the engine compartment as there is none now, it's quite noisy. In addition, I'm going to remove all the berth and setee cushions and have them steam cleaned as they are kinda musty smelling after 6 years. All in all, the boat is pretty clean compared to some I've seen so I'm really looking forward to getting it. Thanks again for your help, I'm sure I'll be back to ya again
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