Survey-moisture readings cockpit floor and deck

[DENNIS]

We are in the process of purchasing a 30", 77 srfk. We had a survey doneSaturday and in the process the major item of concern was:"Elevated moisture readings and slightly dull soundings were noted in the following areas."A) The cockpit floorB) The port side cabin top around the mainsheet turning block. (also signs of interior leaks)C) Both side decks along the cabin sides.My question is: Should I stay clear of this boat? Or is there a rule of thumb as to some cost of repairs? How difficult is it to fix? Other than the above, the boat got a fairly good report for being an older boat.

 

[Mike]

Can be fixed

I had the same on a boat I bought. I am not criticizing surveyors but you are paying them to discover all problems no matter how small. I have seen surveys on brand new boats that have problems. I would never buy a boat without a survey but I use the survey as a negotiation tool. If you like the boat and there is no major problems try to get a better price to fix the problem. There are many products that you can buy to inject into the decks to fix the moisture. I did this on my last boat, a C27. If you don’t feel like doing it yourself get some estimates and try to get the price reduced by that amount.

 

[Mark]

Deck Core Moisture Problems

I strongly suggest you get a firm, fixed price quote for fixing the deck and cockpit sole problems before you put in an offer on this boat. It can be very, very expensive to do a good repair of these problems. Get a boat yard that has nothing to do with your surveyor to give you a firm, fixed price quote. Look at asample of the quality of fibergalss repair work the yard does. Get references from people you trust on the yard. Some surveyors grossly understate the cost of professional repairs, some understate the costs.