Sticker Shock
Well, repairs are underway and I’m having sticker shock!
There were certain things that needed to be taken care of that I didn’t think I was quite ready to handle, so I’m having them done before I take the boat out. The general repairs were about what I expected. But that soft spot on the deck was more extensive that we originally thought and that’s going to be a killer to cover!
Sorry Megan and Lissa – not only will I have to sell my firstborn, but my second born, too, to pay for it.
Not really. But, well, I did know I was buying a sink hole.
🙁
It’ll all be worth it!
Good news was that the steering column isn’t as bad as we thought. That is, the fiberglass around it is sound, so that will just require replacing the backing plate, not repairing the deck as well.
It’ll be a week or two before the plumbing and electrical work is done. In the meantime, I’ll see if I can get a better price on the fiberglass (deck) work.
I did get some pics of the boat before the work started. I’ll add to it as things are getting done:
New Boat Owner
Well, it’s official! I’m a boat owner!
Now I need to get it into better shape and make it mine. I’ve made two trips to remove ‘old’ food. My tastes for boat food at the previous owners aren’t the same: I removed alot of raman, some Hormel Chili stuff, rice, and spaghetti. I also found a hidden cache of fabric paints. Tomorrow, I’ll take in some camping dishes. I’ll wait a bit on the food.
The first repairman has been on the boat and gone. I no longer have a coolant leak. Tomorrow, I’ll meet with the persons who can fix the rigging and do the odd jobs: put an anti-siphon valve in the line for the head, replace the ‘house’ electrical wiring with something more appropriate for a boat, and fix my steering pedestal. The person to fix the deck will meet with me next week. I’m hoping to get all the major items taken care of before I move the boat to its permanent slip. The rest, I should be able to do myself.
The new slip is close enough to home that I can take the bike. Haven’t figured out how to tie it onto the boat yet. 😀
[Top]Survey Report
I received the boat survey report this morning and have just finished pouring over it. No surprises. Most of what was in the report the surveyor and I discussed at the time we were on the boat. Today, I’ll try to get some estimates on repairs, then tomorrow I’ll negotiate with the broker to see if we can shave some more off the price. Ah! I must be related to Benton!
Not too worried about the negotiations, though. The value of the boat came in at $1500 more than what I offered for it.
I’ve attached a picture of the boat taken in her dock. Isn’t she a beauty?
Boat Inspection
Had the boat survey done today. For those land lubbers among you, it’s equivalent to the house inspection you have done before you purchase a home.
Overall, the survey looked good. There were, however, a couple of items that will need immediate attention: there’s a ‘soft spot’ in the deck, with an equally soft spot underneath in the cabin. That means that water has gotten in at one time or another. Depending on how bad the damage is between the layers, I may need to cut out the fiberglass and replace the core (wood or balsa), or I may need to just drill some holes and get the water out. Either one will require drilling a hole to determine the interior damage, which I don’t think the present owners will appreciate right now. The other item is the mount for the (steering) wheel. The backplate is corroded and will need to be replaced. Neither item is a show-stopper. But both will give me some room for negotiations.
My contract with the owner says that I’m to give a final decision by Monday, the 4th. But I’m trying to get hold of the broker and ask that date be stretched until I can see a final copy of the inspector’s report.
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