On Dec 1, 2004, at 8:37 AM, Mary,Robert,Lena wrote:
> Is anyone capable of, or knows someone who can do an independant
> survey of a corsair 24 thats for sale in saint james NY, (north long
> island). i believe the boat is presently nested on its trailer. I am
> just looking for a second opinion before investing.
> Thank you
> robert Kansa and Family.
I'll make my periodic mention here that I think the critical difficult
to determine question when buying an F-boat is the condition of the
cored construction.
No need to ask me how I know this. Make sure your surveyor is familiar
with cored construction and willing to examine the hull bottom. This
can not really be done well with the boat folded on the trailer. It can
be done with a moisture meter or a tap hammer- both requiring skill and
experience.
I think 90% of what a surveyor can tell you, you can do better
yourself, unless the surveyor is familiar with folding cored composite
trimarans. You can determine the condition of all the equipment- sails,
gear, outboard and the like. Get the age of this stuff from the current
owner and spend some time looking. Take the cover off the outboard,
pull the sails out of the bags. Look look look. I would not buy another
F-boat without going through the launch/haul mast up/down process,
preferably with the current owner showing me how it is done. Use Ian
Farrier's posted guides of what to look for to examine beams, joints
etc. for stress or damage. Make sure the amas fold so that the pins
easily line up.
To get to this stage may require a deposit or something to prove to the
owner that you are not wasting his time. Once you have done this level
of examination, then hire your surveyor, and tell him/her what to look
for. Surveyors usually work on solid laminate monohulls. Their scope of
work generally runs to looking for blisters, thru hull problems,
electrolysis and electrical and mechanical systems. None of this stuff
is critical to our boats. We have outboards and simple electrical
systems. Thru hulls are few, zincs and complex grounding and bonding
not there. Galvanic action not usually an issue. What we do have is a
complex folding structure that is unique and a cored hull that can
conceal significant problems if the integrity of the outer skin has
been compromized and repair was not done with knowledge and care.
Especially on a boat that has been subjected to below freezing
temperatures, moisture in the core is a significant issue.
If a survey is not required for insurance or a loan (and none was
required for my insurance), I would be more inclined to try and find
someone with experience- a dealer or owner of that model, and pay them
to go through the launch retrieve procedure with you and the owner.
Then I'd hire a cored laminate repair person to specifically examine
the cored areas of the boat for integrity and moisture penetration. I
think you would get more bang for your buck and better information this
way than hiring a professional surveyor used to conventional auxiliary
monohulls.
Thats my rant and I'm sticking to it- the lesson cost me several boat
bucks.
Jesse Deupree
F-27 ION
Portland Maine
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