Cracked tabbing on 52c

[Craigswardmtb]

I am looking at 52cs and one shared a recent survey. There is some minor stuff with this boat which make it at the right price a good deal. Some of the soft spots have me a bit concerned but I can get around to fixing those at some point. What has me most concerned are the referenced cracking on the tabbing on two stringers in the lazarette area, and at a bulkhead in the engine room. I attached the survey and pictures. Would you be concerned this boat took some serious abuse at some point? Is this normal for boats of this era?

 

[Craigswardmtb]

More pictures from report

 

[Craigswardmtb]

More.

 

[rsmith]

Run forest run! Unless it’s repowered with Cummins or Cats it better be cheap.

 

[Craigswardmtb]

It's 8v92s w/ 1000 hrs. The boat has been totally refit so all else is positive outside of this. New interior, paint thats 5-6 years old, genny, ac's, electronics, new davit, etc. I'm guessing the soft spots weren't discovered until recently. Otherwise why wouldn't you address it prior to paint. Although the more I read about these moisture meters the more they seem unreliable. It came from an active user on here that spent quite a bit on her for what that's worth. But these issues make me wonder if it's worth the risk. Particularly the tabbing cracking. That survey was from early 2021 and most issues addressed by the new owner, except those big ones being cracking and soft spots. I'm guessing they won't go below 190ish at this point. I have a line on a qsm boat but this detroit boat was on the visit list while in FL.

 

[rsmith]

The pinholes in the exhaust worry me that there could be further electrosis problems. Realize too starting in about 87 to the end of the run in 91 they jacked the HP up from 650 to 735 which made the boat competitive with Oceans of the day. Naturally that gives you shortened life and reliability problems. That and these are wet liner engines that if they have more than 10 years on the last overhaul the liner seals could start leaking coolant into the oil. QSM11 have their own problems. They have manifold and Head warping problems if operated over 1900 rpm. What’s the point of an engine that can’t run continuously at close to max RPM? IDK that glommed on paint screams lipsticked pig to me.

 

[rsmith]

Realize also boat prices like everything else have been at a ridiculous high. There'sa perfect storm that’s going to hammer values. Fuel prices interest rates insurance premiums after Ian losses sink in and general lack of availability of dockage are going to skyrocket ownership costs which will impact values. In 08 during tha last recession I looked and some mint 52’s under 100k and they were 14 years newer.
Personally if I were shopping I’d keep my powder dry for a while until this all sinks in.

 

[ian w]

Realize also boat prices like everything else have been at a ridiculous high. There'sa perfect storm that’s going to hammer values. Fuel prices interest rates insurance premiums after Ian losses sink in and general lack of availability of dockage are going to skyrocket ownership costs which will impact values. In 08 during tha last recession I looked and some mint 52’s under 100k and they were 14 years newer.
Personally if I were shopping I’d keep my powder dry for a while until this all sinks in.

These are very wise words Never buy a boat unless you have the next year’s dockage sorted
Most economists think the USA is heading for a crash.

 

[cww]

If they haven't fixed this kind of obvious stuff, what else is hiding that you don't know about? Nobody who takes good care of their boat would have let this slide. When buying you have to remember the owner is a lot more important than the boat.

 

[doc g]

Termite trail ?? try water mark from nasty water draining along that cracked tabbing when the boat gets on the step, I'd be more worried about missing bonding wires. That access plate for the shaft ?? as long as the hole in the transom is sealed - BFD?? Is the "cracked tabbing" saturated ?? I am no so sure about this boat or the surveyor. Just my opinion ...........Pat

 

[jmooney]

The only place I would expect loose tabbing is where wood (ie bulkhead ) is tabbed to fiberglass and then it would be the joint between the wood and not the fiberglass to fiberglass joint . This is why mechanical fastening is recommended when fiberglass is tabbed to wood. I realize that sport fishers are run harder than motor yachts, but I have never seen stringers with cracks in the joint at the hull .

 

[jim rosenthal]

I'd worry. Cracked tabbing seems to indicate either habitual hard use, or a few very violent impacts at some time. Although it seems to me that the surveyor has been pretty thorough.