Most all calls for assistance requires two things from on lookers.
Help, or get out of the way.
If you can help, great, if you can't, that seems to leave one option.
Joe, you have 3000 posts here, does this really seem like an odd request? Really? Are you one of those Catalina owners that can't understand why people sail anything other than a Catalina? Were you once overtaken by a CM4 and have never forgotten it? lol
Yes, Gary... it is an odd, and presumptious, request. I can't, in any way, see what the Catalina owner comment has to do with anything.
As a long time sailor, of various makes and models of sailboats, I would never purchase a boat unseen without a minimal survey from a 3rd party source that has a fiduciary responsibility to you.... i.e. your own agent.
The fact that you even asked the question shows a lack of experience on your part, and that is the primary reason I made the original comment. No offence intended, sir.
On top of all that, you've indicated you're buying the boat anyway.... so all this hemming and hawing and asking others for help after the fact is unnecessary.
Think about it...... let's say I volunteered to take a few hours off to look at this vessel for you .... and I wrote back that I thought it will cost way more to restore than it's resale value. Let's say I couldn't give you any kind of info on the motor cause I couldn't find it or the lot owner didn't know how to start it. Let's say that I thought a 32 foot boat that was only 8 feet wide could have some design issues and the draft may be excessive for an 1800acres lake. Let's say that there must be a reason the vessel has been sitting a trailer, for sale, for well over 5 years. Let's also say that I told you there was delamination near the keel and hull joint, and that it appears the deck has numerous soft spots, and that it looks like the rigging is incomplete ..... but I don't really know because I am thoroughly unfamiliar with this boat... but it looks like a previous owner added something to the boat (show me a boat that old that hasn't been modified, in some way, by a previous owner) And this is important because you said:
"One thing I DO NOT want to be surprised by is anything stupid in the lines of additions. Looking for an original boat, with as few alterations of dumb stuff as possible" WTF is "dumb stuff"? You mean, like a dodger or a bimini or an electric windlass, or a working head, or ........ huh?
So, Gary, since you've already made the commitment to purchase the boat....how on god's earth does this unqualified report from a perfect stranger benefit the process? And if you haven't made the commitment to purchase, or settled on price.... how on god's earth could an unqualified report from a perfect stranger carry any weight in a negotiation?
So basically, you're asking someone you don't know to give up their time for no other reason than to benefit your insecurity. Sorry, man, I don't mean to be too critical.... I'm just hoping you'll get the gist of my position on the "anonymous inspection" scenario.
