USED SPECIAL The checks to make to see if you’re getting a dud

Are you considering buying a secondhand boat? The secondhand market has regained its lifeblood; there are really a lot of bargains to be had today (by the way, take a trip to www.topboatmarket.com, you might find the boat you’re looking for). The important thing is, once you are in front of the model you intend to buy, to check it thoroughly in order to avoid nasty surprises. That’s why we’ve compiled a bullet-point vademecum of … do-it-yourself checks to be performed aboard a standard fiberglass boat. But first we offer an indicative chart that will help you calculate the value of the model yourself based on the natural depreciation of boats.

ASSESS FOR YOURSELF THE VALUE OF THE USED

After the first year of life it loses 25/30% of its value, then until the fifth/sixth year of life it depreciates by an average of 5%. Thereafter the boat, until the tenth year, loses an additional 2% per year. After 10 years it is the condition of the boat that really matters in assessing its value.

VADEMECUM: DO-IT-YOURSELF CHECKS TO AVOID NASTY SURPRISES
1. Blanket Walk leaning your weight well along the entire blanket, if there is flexing there could be delamination.

2. Rigging, sheets, halyards Check all metal cables for “thorns” that show strand breaks. Check that the threads of the arriders are intact. If the sheathing of the textile sheets and halyards is worn out it is better to replace the whole line.

3. Sails For “white” dacron ones check the seams, but the real risk is that the fabric is “baked” by the sun and salt. For laminate ones if there is delamination the problem is serious.

4. Hull The main problem is osmosis, and that is the absorption of water into the laminate that can be seen with the naked eye by the presence of bubbles when pulling the boat dry. Problem number two: delamination at the highest stress points.

5. Hatches and portholes Mandatory check for seals. If the glass is damaged, intervention is expensive.

6. Winch Almost always if the winch “turns bad,” these are just trivial problems.

7. Teak deck It is necessary to understand what the thickness of the slats is, whether the black rubber is coming off or no longer covering the joint between slats. Pay attention to the condition of the caps covering the screws.

8. Electrical system Check whether the batteries still reach a high degree of charge, check whether it charges the alternator well.

9. Water system Turn on the autoclave and check that it does not turn on even with all faucets closed. If it starts it means there is a leak in the circuit.

10. Reinforcement bones Eye the joint of the reinforcing members and stringers with the body. If there are cracks there may have been abnormal shock or stress.

11. Rudder The blade may have water seepage (a small hole with the drill is enough to tell). Axle bushings may be worn.

12. Engine It should be started cold to observe the smoke and the amount of cooling water coming out of the muffler. If, even when hot, the smoke is white, there is a problem with the bands: expensive intervention.

13. Toilet If there are problems do not be alarmed, you can easily replace pump and diaphragms.

14. Keel Verify well bulb attachment with the hull fore and aft. Too much grouting could be an indication of violent impacts with a shoal.