Making offer on a H 25.5

[Bill]

(Our first boat) ;DI expect to make an offer on a H 25.5 shoal keel. I've looked over the boat and it seems pretty good. Bone dry inside, good complemenet of sails (haven't actually seen them), needs bottom paint (VC tar chipping a little, rust on keel but not bad), no obvious blistering, deck feels solid (no soft spots), a few very small chips in gelcoat in cockpit and aft topsides, some minor spidering on sides of deck and cockpit, exterior wood need refinishing. Opened up pop-top - need to reglue gasket. Minor water staining on the forward side of the starboard bulkhead (wood still seems solid). All cushions clean and in good shape, interior clean, interior wood in excellent condition. Cabin sole in very good shape and solid. The boat seems pretty well cared for.Its out of the water (about 2 years on the hard). What else should I look at?Are there any special showstoppers with H25.5s or boats this size that I should take into consideration?Thanks in advance for any comments.Bill

 

[David Foster]

Line up a good surveyor

And include a survey clause in your contract.Also, check the owners' reviews on this site for issues.Good Luck!DavidLady Lillie

 

[Dave Weir]

25.5 Offer

Bill:The 25.5 is a great boat for its size, and as far as I know has no serious flaws. Still, there are some things to look at that might affect your ultimate cost and/or expenditure of elbow grease: - You checked the cabin sole. Good move, it is sometimes a problem area. The underside was not epoxy-sealed so check the underside for water aborption especially forward of the bilge sump. - Look at the rudder. Cracks around the pintles are common. Look for water invasion where the lower transom gudgeon is bolted (inside). - Check the wood where the chainplates are fastened for water stains.All else is routine. I don't know that I would pay for a survey if you found no soft spots in the deck or hull. Your insurance company will probably give you a self-survey to do (BoatUS did). If the boat has an inboard, having a mechanic check it out is a good idea.Good Luck,Dave Weir