I am not a C-Dory owner yet. I'm looking at a 16 Angler. The boat was built in 1985 but is in very nice shape based on my initial cursory examination. I'm reading on the forum a lot about saturated balsa cores and having to re-core and it seems many find it's from poor initial build practices and quality. Is it safe to assume that I will find issues with a boat that age once I take a closer, more in depth look?
Balsa core water intrusion
- Thread starter RCCRanger
- Start date
Not necessarily. A lot depends on how things were attached to the boat. Typically only the cabin and cockpit sole, the transom and sometimes parts of the roof were cored. Depending on how things were attached to those areas and how the boat was stored, there could be anything from major problems (rare) to no problems (not that rare but probably also a little unusual for a boat this age). Typically, the problems one does find, do not extend very far and can be easily fixed. Occasionally one finds a large problem that requires re-coring of a large area (most often the transom).RCCRanger":2mwxv81x said:
OK, so a boat from 1985 in very nice shape, didn't just happen. here are some questions that will have a baring:
1. Is the current owner the original owner?
2. Is the current engine, the original one? If so, how many hours?
3. 1985 to now = 30 years. If the answers to #1&2 are yes? did that O.O. live in the same place that whole time?
4. If so, I'm going to guess it was stored inside, not just covered.
5. Was there a restoration done by the current owner if he/she were not the O.O. and when and how did they do it? and what was done?
6. Check the trailer tires for the manufacturer dates, and see if that goes along with the owners comments about their age.
7. Check the engine hours and maintenance records against the appearance. (At this point, I would also be having a good mechanic evaluate the OB.)
As Roger said, it could be that there is very little damage, or considerable. My guess is that if this is an owner who has had the boat for a long time, then it has been taken care of. Look at any hull penetrations, either inside or out and see that they are solid and sealed.
As a last resort, it may be worth it to have a survey done. In some cases that is required, others not so.
Some owners are very much more careful in taking good care of their boats than others.
Harvey
SleepyC:moon
There are plenty of early boats which have minimal or no problems. Roger and Harvey have addressed this well. I would use a cheap moisture meter (I have a Ryobi, which gives good relative readings. (not as good as a Tramax Skipper) but it will give enough information to lead you to determine if the boat is going to need a lot of work.
Generally a well cared for boat, which has been kept covered and no extra fittings into the floor, without proper epoxy potting, will be OK.
What other 35 year old boat has the same relative value?
Generally a well cared for boat, which has been kept covered and no extra fittings into the floor, without proper epoxy potting, will be OK.
What other 35 year old boat has the same relative value?