dcliveaboard
Cadet
- Joined
- May 24, 2005
- Messages
- 14
Hi, everyone. I'm back on the forums after a break and on the West Coast now, so ignore my user name. I just bought a new old boat and hope you'll give me the benefit of your collective wisdom as I work on this huge project. I'm not afraid of hard work and I know it'll cost me, so this is going to be a labor of love.
The boat is a 50 ft. 1943 WWII Coast Guard Harbor Patrol Boat. After serving in the San Francisco Bay Area during the war, it went into service as a Sea Scout Ship. The guy I got her from bought her from the Sea Scouts. I'm posting a pic of her from the Sea Scout days.
At one point, she was sunk and destined for a salvage yard, but was rescued and revived. The engines (twin Detroit 4-71 marine diesels) and transmissions were rebuilt. The entire electrical system was redone and the back bulkhead was replaced.
Fast forward to present day and I have a big boat that needs a whole lot of love. I had the boat hauled and surveyed and to say the surveyor was not positive is an understatement. I think his attitude was that for the amount of money I'm going to put into it, I could just buy a newer boat in better condition. I'm sure that's the case, but for me it isn't just about value ... it's about ultimately getting the boat I want.
Here are the issues cited in the survey report --
-- extensive dry rotting woods (decks, cabintops, cabinsides, corner of transom)
-- rusting fastener heads bleeding rust into topsides
-- anchor rode lacks proper length of chain
-- fractures and cracks in fiberglass overlay of cabin structures/decks
-- mooring cleats and loose/secured to rotting lumber
-- marine grade wiring aboard, but need to be loomed and secured, as well as sections of solid core wire replaced with stranded wire
-- several issues with thru-hulls [I already had all the thru-hulls replaced]
-- bilge needs to be cleaned [This is my current project]
-- batteries are in questionable condition
-- fuel tanks need to be cleaned
-- helm wheel assembly needs securing nut; does not fit tightly to its respective shaft
-- port engine is "stuck" in forward gear
-- propeller shafts and rudders packing glands need repacking and adjusting
-- rusting hose clamps need to be replaced with all stainless
-- marine grade mechanic should go over both engines
-- fix galvanic "burns" in two spots of hull planking [Just had the boatyard do a fix for this]
-- reef and recaulk weeping hull seams and butts [Currently being done]
-- starboard shaft log backing plank needs to be dried out and epoxied
-- redo poor fix of hull leak (canned expanding foam was used) [Being done]
-- replace four mounting bolts at rudder thru-hull post/gland assembly
-- rebed and resecure lower hull guard on port side
-- install and fair in missing hull fastener head plugs on topsides
-- missing caprail across transom
She's still up on the rails but will need to go back in the water in the next week or so and I'll need to get her ready to move to my marina. I know some will say run while I still can, but I'm committed.
My first (of many, I'm sure) question for you is -- how would you prioritize the issues above in light of the facts that I need to move the boat (it'll be about a 9 or 10 hour trip out of the bay and up the coast) and that I only have about a week of time left on the rails.
Thank you!
The boat is a 50 ft. 1943 WWII Coast Guard Harbor Patrol Boat. After serving in the San Francisco Bay Area during the war, it went into service as a Sea Scout Ship. The guy I got her from bought her from the Sea Scouts. I'm posting a pic of her from the Sea Scout days.
At one point, she was sunk and destined for a salvage yard, but was rescued and revived. The engines (twin Detroit 4-71 marine diesels) and transmissions were rebuilt. The entire electrical system was redone and the back bulkhead was replaced.
Fast forward to present day and I have a big boat that needs a whole lot of love. I had the boat hauled and surveyed and to say the surveyor was not positive is an understatement. I think his attitude was that for the amount of money I'm going to put into it, I could just buy a newer boat in better condition. I'm sure that's the case, but for me it isn't just about value ... it's about ultimately getting the boat I want.
Here are the issues cited in the survey report --
-- extensive dry rotting woods (decks, cabintops, cabinsides, corner of transom)
-- rusting fastener heads bleeding rust into topsides
-- anchor rode lacks proper length of chain
-- fractures and cracks in fiberglass overlay of cabin structures/decks
-- mooring cleats and loose/secured to rotting lumber
-- marine grade wiring aboard, but need to be loomed and secured, as well as sections of solid core wire replaced with stranded wire
-- several issues with thru-hulls [I already had all the thru-hulls replaced]
-- bilge needs to be cleaned [This is my current project]
-- batteries are in questionable condition
-- fuel tanks need to be cleaned
-- helm wheel assembly needs securing nut; does not fit tightly to its respective shaft
-- port engine is "stuck" in forward gear
-- propeller shafts and rudders packing glands need repacking and adjusting
-- rusting hose clamps need to be replaced with all stainless
-- marine grade mechanic should go over both engines
-- fix galvanic "burns" in two spots of hull planking [Just had the boatyard do a fix for this]
-- reef and recaulk weeping hull seams and butts [Currently being done]
-- starboard shaft log backing plank needs to be dried out and epoxied
-- redo poor fix of hull leak (canned expanding foam was used) [Being done]
-- replace four mounting bolts at rudder thru-hull post/gland assembly
-- rebed and resecure lower hull guard on port side
-- install and fair in missing hull fastener head plugs on topsides
-- missing caprail across transom
She's still up on the rails but will need to go back in the water in the next week or so and I'll need to get her ready to move to my marina. I know some will say run while I still can, but I'm committed.
My first (of many, I'm sure) question for you is -- how would you prioritize the issues above in light of the facts that I need to move the boat (it'll be about a 9 or 10 hour trip out of the bay and up the coast) and that I only have about a week of time left on the rails.
Thank you!
