The wait is over!- Now What?

[cjd]

Finally pulled the trigger.
After almost 2 years of forum lurking, soul and boat searching then waiting one looooong week after writing contract, offer has finally been accepted and wait is over now pending survey and sea tial.

Subject in question is a 1985 36 sf, galley up, 2 staterooms, 454 crusaders.Looks to be all original well kept, cruised mostly, standard issue un-molested Hatteras.ER is clean, nice paint, oven has never been used. Just needs personalization, current electronics and minor upgrading like carpeting/upolstry. Engines show 1400 hours. Most likely plan to repower to diesels in 2-3 years with the Ethanol issue and to bring up to speed and economy.

Now what? Survey and sea trial should be late March.
I found this one on my own so I am not using a broker. What should I be looking for specifically during final negotiations and the survey that might be overlooked? What things should I expect the seller to pay for after a survey in defects? Whats expected, whats not?
Anyone use Jack Horner for survey in the Annapolis Area? Should engines be surveyed or is compression test enough?

I also need slip rental recommendations around the Annapolis MD area and who still sells E 10 Free fuel close by.

Thanks to all members here for helping me choose a Hatteras, especially Dr. Jim, SeaEric and Maynard for all your input and in choosing a 36 specifically. This board has been wealth of information. I am very excited! More questions to come I am sure.

CJ

 

[SeaEric]

Jack Horner is a good guy. He should do a good job.

On the engines, a compression test is about all there is to do, other than a seatrial. Get the owner to run the boat for a good one hour trial, at speed. You can tell an awful lot about a pair of engines by running them reasonably hard for an hour and just LOOKING at them very closely. This means hatches up, out of the way and good lighting available. Look for vibrations, leaks of oil, water, antifreeze, trans fluid, etc. Listen for unusual noises.

Good luck with her. Although, I thought there was a broker listing that boat? It's the one in RH, right?

 

[Maynard Rupp]

Congratulations...I hope you enjoy your series II 36 as much as we do. Regarding the engines, (my speciality), Do a compression check and look for 140 to 150 lbs. @ good crancking speed, (charged batteries). Allow the engine to rotate until the cylinder with the gage comes up 4 times. Look at all the sparkplugs as you remove them. They should be light tan. If they are all black and smell of gas, that is probably just due to hours of idling. If you find one or more that is oily and wet, that is a problem. All plugs should look the same and preferably tan. Now remove the oil fill rubber caps. take a bright light and look through the holes at the rocker arms. They should be clean and light brown. If they are caked with black deposits, the owner neglected his oil changes. Ask the PO when he last changed the seawater impellers. These Sherwood Brass Co. impellers are good for no more than 3 years. If one looses a rubber vane, it must be found or it will plug something up. best to change them every 2 years, I do. If in doubt remove the impeller from the port engine pump. This one is in the middle snd far more convienent than the starboard one. Bend the impellers backward and check for cracks. If cracked or if a blade is mising, you must find the missing blade and change both impellers. Look at the fuel pumps. If they say "AC' on them, they are old and @ 1400 hours are overdue to be changed. The replacement pumps are Carter and require a complete kit with all new fittings and new steel lines as the lines are a larger size. if they say "Carter", they are probably newer, but try to find out if and when they were replaced. these things are a 1000 hour max item. Are the distributers the original ones with points or have they been upgraded to electronic. Ours were changed to Prestolite by the PO, but I think the originals are OK. I guess I know more about the originals. The flame arrestors should be clean and no black soot should be evident in the carburators. Now look for oil, water, anti-freeze leaks. The pads under the engines should be clean except for the area below the starboard bell housing. This is the "backward from a car" engine and the crankshaft grooves push oil to the rear seal. they all seem to leak a little because of this. Try to find out when these items were changed: sparkplugs, caps, rotors, plug wires, all hoses, anti-freeze, pencil anodes, fuel pumps, and pump impellers. Any of those items that are original are long overdue. Put any specific questions here on the forum and I will try to answer them for all of us.

 

[cjd]

Thanks Maynard. I will be making a checklist.

Eric, your right it is listed by a broker in RH. What I meant to say was I wasnt using the services of a buyer broker and was on my own in that department so I will be soliciting some help till its inked.
I looked long and hard on YW and kind of knew what I wanted and could afford. I started with champaign tastes then beer budget reality set in. I think I can make her shine real nice in a few years.
Hopefully all checks out at survey with all the mechanicals.

 

[JTS]

This is what I found when I repowered and carefully checked all thru hulls, penetrations, fasteners, sealants, etc.

The transom is cored above and below the water line. Check behind the cockpit scupper flaps. Look for crack or opening around scupper where water could run into the core. If you have a transom door look for small cracks at the door opening sill and sides. If you have a swim platform and you are out of the water you could ask permission to remove one of the bottom bronze machine screws from the bracket. Poke in the screw hole and look for moisture. Sealant could have failed and let water seep into the core.

The center bilge pump is screwed to the bottom of the sump which is fiberglass over plywood. If it has had continous water and has not been resealed & reinstalled water could have seeped into the keel.

On the bridge the console and flybridge are screw fastened to the deck which is fiberglass over plywood. If the sealant has failed over time water could seep in at the screws and rot the wood.

Good luck!