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Inspecting the Aging Sailboat PDF

". . . the perfect place to begin, or continue, your education." --Sailing Whether you are shopping for a used fiberglass boat or prioritizing maintenance tasks on the one you already own, this book saves money--and perhaps even disaster. With clear step-by-step drawings and instructions, Don Casey explains how to recognize problems--both surface and hidden--and how to separate cosmetic flaws from serious faults....

Chapter List (81 chapters):

• Chapter 1: Cover Page
• Chapter 2: Inspecting the Aging Sailboat
• Chapter 3: Copyright Page
• Chapter 4: CONTENTS
• Chapter 5: INTRODUCTION
• Chapter 6: SURVEYING A BOAT FOR PURCHASE
• Chapter 7: DETERMINING THE NEEDS OF YOUR OWN BOAT
• Chapter 8: HULL
• Chapter 9: FAIR AND TRUE?
• Chapter 10: SIGNS OF STRESS OR TRAUMA
• Chapter 11: DELAMINATION
• Chapter 12: GELCOAT PROBLEMS
• Chapter 13: BLISTERS
• Chapter 14: MOISTURE CONTENT
• Chapter 15: KEEL
• Chapter 16: RUDDER
• Chapter 17: CUTLESS BEARING AND PROPELLER
• Chapter 18: THROUGH-HULL FITTINGS
• Chapter 19: DECK
• Chapter 20: HULL-TO-DECK JOINT
• Chapter 21: SURFACE DAMAGE
• Chapter 22: NONSKID
• Chapter 23: CORE PROBLEMS
• Chapter 24: HATCHES
• Chapter 25: PORTLIGHTS
• Chapter 26: DECK HARDWARE
• Chapter 27: CANVAS
• Chapter 28: RIG
• Chapter 29: MAST AND BOOM
• Chapter 30: STEP
• Chapter 31: CAP
• Chapter 32: SPREADERS
• Chapter 33: GOOSENECKS, SHEETS, AND VANGS
• Chapter 34: Stays and Shrouds
• Chapter 35: ROLLER FURLING
• Chapter 36: SAILS
• Chapter 37: INTERIOR
• Chapter 38: BULKHEAD ATTACHMENT
• Chapter 39: STRINGERS AND FLOORS
• Chapter 40: INTERIOR PANS
• Chapter 41: DISTORTION
• Chapter 42: SIGNS OF LEAKAGE
• Chapter 43: TANKAGE
• Chapter 44: HEAD
• Chapter 45: GALLEY
• Chapter 46: SEACOCKS
• Chapter 47: BILGE PUMPS
• Chapter 48: COMFORT AND SAFETY
• Chapter 49: DECOR
• Chapter 50: ENGINE AND STEERING
• Chapter 51: ENGINE ACCESS
• Chapter 52: VISUAL CLUES
• Chapter 53: MOUNTING AND ALIGNMENT
• Chapter 54: STUFFING BOX
• Chapter 55: EXHAUST SMOKE
• Chapter 56: RUNNING THE ENGINE
• Chapter 57: OIL
• Chapter 58: STEERING GEAR
• Chapter 59: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
• Chapter 60: BATTERY
• Chapter 61: BREAKER PANEL
• Chapter 62: WIRE AND CONNECTORS
• Chapter 63: ALTERNATOR
• Chapter 64: PUMPS AND MOTORS
• Chapter 65: LIGHTS
• Chapter 66: ELECTRONICS
• Chapter 67: OTHER CONSIDERATIONS
• Chapter 68: DESIGN
• Chapter 69: REPUTATION
• Chapter 70: PERFORMANCE
• Chapter 71: ACCOMMODATIONS
• Chapter 72: EQUIPMENT
• Chapter 73: VALUE
• Chapter 74: BOAT-BUYER’S 30-MINUTE SURVEY
• Chapter 75: HULL
• Chapter 76: DECK
• Chapter 77: RIG
• Chapter 78: BELOW
• Chapter 79: IMPRESSION
• Chapter 80: HIRING A PROFESSIONAL
• Chapter 81: INDEX

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• Sails & Canvas
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Don Casey’s Complete Illustrated Sailboat Maintenance Manual: Book Review

Posted by Durkee Richards | Book Reviews , Dogwatch

This is really six books in one. Five of them represent Don Casey’s considerable expertise in inspecting, maintaining and enhancing the mechanical and electrical systems of a sailboat. The sixth, a 160-page book on troubleshooting marine diesels by Peter Compton, was added for completeness. All in all, it makes a great addition to any sailor’s library.

Appropriately enough, the first “book,” titled “Inspecting the Aging Sailboat,” concludes with a nice recap on how to be your own surveyor and how to choose and work with a professional if you decide to proceed with a purchase. I really like the content and presentation of this book; it would have helped us to be better prepared for the first inspection of our boat, even though she was relatively new.

The next “books” on hull and deck repairs and refinishing are quite complete and very well illustrated. They should help give any owner the confidence to take on more and more boat projects. We all expect some age-related deterioration in our vessels and thus will expect to benefit from the sections on refinishing. We may not expect to need the stuff on major repairs to hull and deck, but it’s all there if and/or when needed.

The “book” on electronics is appropriately called “Sailboat Electrics Simplified.” Don leads off with a good note on safety and then delivers a fine primer on the basics. He continues with more details on batteries, wire and circuits, troubleshooting, charging systems and, finally, AC systems.

Peter Compton’s “book” on Troubleshooting Marine Diesels is as comprehensive as one could ever expect in a 160-page treatment. He begins with a short section on surveying the engine that will again be a great help to a first time boat buyer. The basic sub-systems of the engine are nicely treated and integrate well into the section on routine maintenance. The section on troubleshooting includes some very helpful flow diagrams to guide the reader through a logical work process.

Since the focus is on sailboats, Don finishes off with a nice section on canvaswork and sail repair.

This book will be a great addition to any sailor’s reference library. It will help any first time boat buyer be better prepared for that first detailed inspection. The clarity of writing and excellent illustrations will be appreciated by owners who want to take on more of their boat’s maintenance needs. By giving an owner a good understanding of all the steps involved in a project, this book may also help some owners decide which tasks they would prefer to hand over to a professional.

Don Casey’s Complete Illustrated Sailboat Maintenance Manual  by Don Casey (International Marine/Ragged Mountain Press, 2005; 896 pages)

About The Author

Durkee Richards

Durkee Richards’ sailing adventures began in high school with the Sea Scouts on the Columbia River. Later, he and his wife, Mary, chartered boats on Lake Superior until they bought their J/32, Sirius, and retired to the Olympic Peninsula in Washington State. They have since sailed Sirius more than 20,000 nautical miles exploring the coast of British Columbia to Haida Gwaii and the west coast of Vancouver Island.

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Inspecting the Aging Sailboat

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Don Casey's Complete Illustrated Sailboat Maintenance Manual

Including Inspecting the Aging Sailboat, Sailboat Hull and Deck Repair, Sailboat Refinishing, Sailbo

Don Casey's Complete Illustrated Sailboat Maintenance Manual : Including Inspecting the Aging Sailboat, Sailboat Hull and Deck Repair, Sailboat Refinishing, Sailbo

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The Boat Galley

making boat life better

Sailboat Maintenance Manual

Published on May 18, 2014 ; last updated on October 28, 2020 by Carolyn Shearlock

I’ve always loved Don Casey’s boat books, and his Complete Illustrated Sailboat Maintenance Manual is no exception.

I’ll get into what’s covered in the book in a minute, but the big thing to know is that his books are wonderful for any topics where you find yourself feeling totally lost. He doesn’t assume that you already are familiar with a system. He tells you what to look for, why you should care and what various things are telling you.

He leads you through troubleshooting in a step-by-step fashion and provides basic definitions of terms you may be unfamiliar with. In short, his books are understandable for the newbie, yet give sufficient detail for identifying and fixing problems. Further, his liberal use illustrations really helps me — and they’re usually large enough to see what’s being shown without resorting to a magnifying glass.

Simply put, Don Casey makes you feel like you can understand your boat and its systems and that you can tackle most problems.

We used his Boat Electrics Simplified  extensively on Que Tal and found that it often allowed us to solve a problem or if not, that it provided enough basic information that we could then understand more advanced information in another book. We had three different “electric” books on board, and it was always the one I’d reach for first.

A little over a week ago, I received a review/boatwarming copy of Complete Illustrated Sailboat Maintenance Manual from International Marine. Full disclosure: they are the publishers of The Boat Galley Cookbook, too, and I’m one of their blogger/reviewers.

Don Casey’s Complete Illustrated Sailboat Maintenance Manual includes 5 of his other books plus one by Peter Compton on diesel engines. There is no new material in this book — important to know if you already own several of the included books. But if you don’t already own several, this book is both a space and money saver, costing about 40% of the combined cost of the six books.

And I prefer hard copies of reference books — I find it easier to flip through and find the info I’m looking for than with an electronic copy. So space is a concern. Combining six books into one saves five covers and about an inch of bookcase space.

Totaling 880 pages, these books cover much of the typical maintenance and repair on a boat (actually, any boat, not just a sailboat). If you have a real fixer-upper, however, his This Old Boat will provide far more information on a total restoration project.

The included books (I’ve linked each to Amazon if you want to buy just one):

• Inspecting the Aging Sailboat  — a do-it-yourself guide to boat surveying. In addition to providing pre-purchase information, this is a great reference when you spot something on your boat and want to know how serious a problem is before talking with a professional. Don’t get talked into a major “repair” to fix something that isn’t really a problem and don’t pass something off as minor that needs to be taken care of immediately.
• Sailboat Hull and Deck Repair — even if you don’t plan to do major repairs yourself, this book is full of invaluable information. There are numerous useful charts on the differences between various materials and where they should be used — I never remember which sealants to use where and always have to look them up, for example. He gives detailed information on most of the more common repairs; while I doubt that we’d do some of these ourselves, again I find it really helpful to know the correct way to do something before talking with the yard. And in some cases, reading how to do something made me realize that should we ever need it, we could do a lot of repairs ourselves (the longer we’ve owned boats, the more we’re willing to try as we realize that sometimes we’ll do a better job than a “professional” simply because we care a lot more).
• Sailboat Refinishing — this is an area ripe for DIY-ers as you can make huge improvements in the appearance of your boat without any risk of structural damage. Painting, varnishing, repairing gelcoat, and applying hull graphics are all covered with step-by-step illustrated instructions. I love his product guides as they often make me aware of properties I need to double-check. Dave and I are planning do the bottom paint for Barefoot Gal ourselves, and we’ve been comparing Don’s recommendations with those of the paint companies. While the paint company info is good for the specifics of working with a particular product, I find that he gives a far more detailed view of the entire process, not just applying the actual bottom paint.
• Sailboat Electrics Simplified  — this was the first Don Casey book I used and it really helped Dave and I to understand the electrical system aboard Que Tal . We knew almost nothing when we started and we came to understand the 12 volt side of things — charging systems, inverters, batteries and so on — better than most. We managed to solve problems that professionals had a hard time diagnosing.
• Troubleshooting Marine Diesels (by Peter Compton) — finally, a diesel book that is simple enough for a non-motorhead like me. There’s first a section on routine maintenance and then 12 troubleshooting charts to allow you to pinpoint where a problem is. The remainder of the book explains all the systems in far more detail with an emphasis on maintaining it.
• Canvaswork and Sail Repair  — this is a beginner’s book, starting with small projects and building skills as you go along. As with the other included books, it’s great for helping you understand the concepts if sewing is totally foreign to you. I’ve sewn since I was a kid, and I found that I could jump right to the more involved projects and that his directions and illustrations again made it easy to understand the process.

Bottom line is that I highly recommend this book for just about everyone but particularly if you are looking for basic “101” type books on your boat’s systems. We carry more than one reference book for each major system on the boat as no one book will cover everything you need or perhaps in as much depth as you need. Sometimes one drawing or photo will show something that another won’t. So I’m not going to call this (or any other) book the only one you need. But as far as being a fantastic basic reference — usually the first one we pull out to learn about something — it’s perfect.

• Complete Illustrated Sailboat Maintenance Manual  on Amazon

And check out our other courses and products

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Reader Interactions

Verona says

May 19, 2014 at 10:32 am

Hi. Because of your review I just ordered a copy for the boat and obtained the last copy from Amazon.ca until they get more! I will give it to my captain for father’s day but I have a feeling it might be something I will use more than him! We used to keep the old Time Life series on boating (dates back to the 70s) on the boat, but they took up so much room. I like the idea of having one concise all around maintenance book! Thanks for reviewing it! Your site has given us some great ideas and we received our port visors just the other week! Another useful find from your site.

Ron Dionne says

August 3, 2015 at 9:31 pm

Materials composition and suitability of bonding is the trick. Or you could hand carve a cork.

Danielle Beaty says

August 3, 2015 at 9:45 pm

I’m interested in these compositing toilets. What are the advantages aside from not having to deal with a holding tank I reckon. Lol

August 3, 2015 at 10:09 pm

The Boat Galley says

August 3, 2015 at 10:08 pm

The big one for us is that the size of our holding tank (18 gal.) means that we have to get pumped out every three days. That really limits our cruising if we have to go to a pump out station that often! Second is the smell. The vent from our head makes being in the cockpit when someone flushes downright obnoxious — being in the boat isn’t that much better, either. Third: no thru-hulls. Fourth: no replacing that #$)(* joker value or rebuilding the pump.

Lori Steinbrunner says

August 4, 2015 at 3:55 am

We installed a composting head on our Gemini and converted one of the thru hulls for a saltwater wash down pump at the bow. Very handy.

Sterling Kennedy says

August 4, 2015 at 11:45 pm

What about the smell??

August 5, 2015 at 12:05 am

Virtually none. Much, much less than with the holding tank. I’ve used several on different friends’ boats and it was never even noticeable.

Fred Facker says

February 19, 2016 at 1:26 pm

It even has canvas patterns for sewing stuff.

Ana Paula Ribeiro says

October 4, 2017 at 8:50 pm

This book is the best!

Julia Weeks says

October 5, 2017 at 7:42 am

Love this book!

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Inspecting the Aging Sailboat (The International Marine Sailboat Library) Kindle Edition

". . . the perfect place to begin, or continue, your education." -- Sailing

Whether you are shopping for a used fiberglass boat or prioritizing maintenance tasks on the one you already own, this book saves money--and perhaps even disaster. With clear step-by-step drawings and instructions, Don Casey explains how to recognize problems--both surface and hidden--and how to separate cosmetic flaws from serious faults.

• Part of series International Marine Sailboat Library
• Print length 145 pages
• Language English
• Sticky notes On Kindle Scribe
• Publisher International Marine/Ragged Mountain Press
• Publication date August 17, 2004
• File size 14100 KB
• Page Flip Enabled
• Word Wise Enabled
• Enhanced typesetting Enabled
• See all details

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Editorial Reviews

From the publisher.

Don Casey abandoned a career in banking in 1983 to devote more time to cruising and writing. He is the coauthor of the bestselling Sensible Cruising: The Thoreau Approach and the author of the universally praised guide This Old Boat .

From the Inside Flap

Don Casey is one of today's best and most trusted do-it-yourself boating writers. His nine books include the bestselling This Old Boat and Sailboat Electrics Simplified. He writes the long-running "Ask Don Casey" column for BoatUS.com and is a monthly columnist for Sailnet.com and a regular SAIL magazine contributor.

From the Back Cover

About the author.

When not writing or off cruising, he can be found sailing on Florida's Biscayne Bay.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

Inspecting the aging sailboat, the mcgraw-hill companies, inc..

The hull is the most important component of any boat. It keeps the water out andthe boat afloat, and it provides the foundation for all other components. Acondemned mast, engine, or deck can be replaced, but a condemned hull dooms theboat. Always start your survey with the hull.

A fair number of wood hulls are still around, but the number gets smaller everyyear. While well-cared-for wood hulls are remarkably long lived, such care issadly rare. An aging wood hull is infinitely more likely to have seriousproblems than one constructed of fiberglass. Effectively surveying a wood hullrequires specialized techniques not covered here, but some guidance in probingwood for rot can be found in "Interior."

Metal is primarily a custom boat material in the United States, but a number ofEuropean production boats have been constructed of steel or aluminum. The mainrisk with metal hulls is corrosion. Determining their condition essentiallyrequires examining every square inch for telltale signs—pitting andscaling, bubbled paint, or a powdery coating. A surveyor will bang suspiciousspots vigorously with a hammer.

Fiberglass is the construction material of virtually all production sailboatsbuilt in the United States. If you own a sailboat or are looking to buy one lessthan 35 years old, there is an overwhelming likelihood that the boat's hull willbe fiberglass. Unlike wood or metal, the troubles found in fiberglass hulls arerarely natural decomposition. More often they stem from poor constructiontechniques or impact damage.

Determining with a high degree of certainty the condition of a fiberglass hullrequires little more than good observation skills and a basic understanding ofthe conditions you're looking for. Laboratory tests to determine the internalcondition of the laminate are rarely employed, even by professional surveyors,because they rarely reveal conditions inconsistent with the surveyor's fieldobservations.

Look, listen, and wonder. Sharp eyes, sensitive ears, and a deductive mind arethe most important tools in the fiberglass-boat surveyor's kit.

FAIR AND TRUE?

Fair means smooth and regular—without humps or flat spots. True meansaccurately shaped—true to her designed lines. Both are good indicators ofquality and may also reveal repairs.

Standing at the stern, position your eye near the hull, then slowly movesideways so you see more and more of the hull. Concentrate on the "horizon" ofthe hull, watching for it to jump or dip instead of move away smoothly. Glossyhulls are more revealing; wet the hull if it is dull, but don't confuse waves inthe layer of water with irregularities in the hull. A flexible batten can helpyou position a flaw precisely.

Hardspots. Hardspots reveal themselves as bumps or ridges in the hull. Insidethe boat you will generally find a bulkhead or other structural member at thehardspot. The hardspot is caused by the hull flexing over the rigid member. Mostboats reveal hardspots to the observant eye, but if the bump is pronounced, thehinging may have broken the glass fibers. Suspect some weakening of the hull.

Flat spots. Because thin fiberglass depends upon curvature to make it stiff,designed flat areas of the hull will be thicker and/or stiffened to compensate.Flat spots in the curved parts of a hull indicate trouble. They occasionallyoccur because the manufacturer removed the hull from the mold too soon, but moreoften they indicate weakness, damage, or a poorly executed repair. Riggingtension can dimple a flimsy hull around the chainplate attachment points. A weakhull may permanently deflect if stored in a cradle or supported by screw standsfor a long time. Any impact that flattens the hull has broken or delaminated thefiberglass. Amateur repairs often "bridge" a hole rather than matching theoriginal contour of the hull. All of these require corrective measures.

Print-through. Often the weave of the underlying fabric is visible in thesurface of the hull, especially if the gelcoat still has its gloss. Dark colorsshow print-through more. A light print-through is probably not serious, butanything more than that suggests poor layup technique. Hull construction beginswith a layer of gelcoat sprayed into the polished mold, then one or two layersof chopped-strand mat (CSM) begins the laminate schedule. Mat is importantbecause it is the most watertight fabric and it provides the best foundation fora strong gelcoat bond. That it also yields the smoothest surface is an ancillarybenefit, so if you see significant print-through, the manufacturer failed to putsufficient mat between the woven fabric and the gelcoat. Premature gelcoatfailure is a likely consequence.

Walk (or row) away from the hull, then circle it slowly, looking at the shape ofthe hull.

Symmetry. From directly forward and astern, the hull should appear symmetricaland the keel perpendicular to the deck. Sighting the hull through the gridworkof a plastic plotter simplifies this determination. Any detectable differencefrom one side to the other suggests major trouble.

Distortion. From either side, look for any change in the flow of the sheer.Overtight stays can permanently distort the hull, revealed by a break in thesheerline, usually at the mast station. Improper support during storage can alsocause permanent hull distortion.

Older fiberglass hulls are generally of consistent thickness, but hulls built inthe last 15 years are likely to be thinner above the waterline than below. Thislowers costs and may improve performance, but it makes a weaker hull. Currentmodels may be more than 1 inch thick near the keel and less than ¼ that at therail. Whether or not the loss in strength matters depends on how the boat willbe used.

Without special equipment, you need a hole in the hull to determine itsthickness. Any through-bolted hardware on the hull provides an opportunity toobserve the hull thickness because you can extract a bolt. You can measure thethickness at through-hull fittings by dismantling just the hose connection.Hulls sometimes have extra thickness at through-hull locations, but you shouldbe able to determine this by examining the inside of the hull around thethrough-hull. Except in extreme cases, determining the hull thickness haslimited absolute value, but comparative hull thicknesses can be useful inevaluating boats from different manufacturers.

SIGNS OF STRESS OR TRAUMA

Fiberglass generally reveals stress problems with cracks in the gelcoat. Thecracks can be very fine and hard to see; get close to the hull and lay yourfinger against the spot you are examining to ensure that your eyes focusproperly. A dye penetrant such as Spot Check (available from auto-partssuppliers) can highlight hairline cracks.

Don't confuse stress cracks with surface crazing; crazing is a random pattern ofcracks—something like the tapped shell of a boiled egg just before youpeel it—that occurs over large areas of the boat. Stress cracks arelocalized and generally have an identifiable pattern to the discerning eye.

IMPACT DAMAGE

A collision serious enough to damage the hull usually leaves a scar, butsometimes the only visible record of the event is a pattern of concentric cracksin the gelcoat. Impact with a sharp object, like the corner of a dock, leaves abull's-eye pattern. Impact with a flat object, like a piling or a seawall, tendsto put the stressed area in parentheses. Tap the hull with a plastic mallet or ascrewdriver handle in the area of the impact and listen for any dull-soundingareas, which indicate delamination. Examine the hull inside for signs that theimpact fractured the glass.

Panting occurs when poorly supported sections of the hull flex as the boatdrives through the waves. This problem is also called oilcanning, taking itsname from the domed bottom you push in and let spring back on a small oilcan.Panting usually occurs in relatively flat areas of the hull near the bow, but itmay also occur in flat bilge areas and unreinforced quarters. The classic signis a series of near-parallel cracks, sometimes crescent shaped, in the gelcoat.If you can move any portion of the hull by pushing on it, the hull lacksadequate stiffness. Left unchecked, panting can result in fatigue damage to thelaminate and eventually a hinge crack all the way through the hull.

TRANSVERSE DAMAGE

An impact on one side of a boat often results in damage to the opposite side asthe force is transferred by some rigid member or just by the boxeffect—push on one corner of a box and all corners are distorted. Becausehulls are designed to resist outside assault, the damage to the nonimpactedside—where the stress is applied from inside the hull—is oftengreater than to the impacted side. When you find any evidence of impact damage,always check the opposite side of the boat for collateral damage.

Any spot on the hull that remains damp more than a few hours after the boat ishauled indicates water has penetrated the surface of the hull. Scrape away paintand you are likely to find a crack that requires repair. Weeping from anencapsulated keel can indicate a serious problem if the ballast is iron; waterincursion causes the iron to rust and swell, distorting and even bursting thefiberglass. Examine the bottom of the keel and the rudder most carefully forsigns of weeping.

Done well, a repair is almost impossible to detect, but this is not a concernbecause a proper repair will be just as strong as the original laminate.Inferior repairs are generally easier to detect. We have already mentioned flatspots. Also look for variations in the color and texture of the hull surface. Itis hard to match gelcoat exactly, and careful observation will usually revealany patching. Gelcoat paste used in a repair can also develop a porous lookcompared to the billiard-ball smoothness of the original gelcoat. If the hullhas been painted, look for a crescent-shaped ridge that will mark a less-than-perfectly-sandedpatch.

Repairs are more visible inside the hull. Any signs of lifting around the edgeof a patch suggests grinding—essential for a strong repair—wasinadequate. The repair shouldn't be trusted. Where you find evidence of arepair, sound the hull in a regular pattern over the entire repair area todetect voids or delamination.

DELAMINATION

Delamination in fiberglass is the functional equivalent of rot in a wooden boat.Well-constructed solid-fiberglass hulls (meaning not cored) almost neverdelaminate unless they have suffered impact damage or unless water haspenetrated the gelcoat (see the next section). This is because proper hull-constructiontechnique—adding each layer before the previous one hascured—results in the resin linking chemically into a solid mass.Occasionally a manufacturer defeats this by leaving an uncompleted hull in themold over a weekend; but most know—and do—better.

Introduce core into the formula and the likelihood of delamination increasesdramatically. A core divides the hull into three distinct layers—the outerskin, the core, and the inner skin—with the bond between them strictlymechanical. Polyester resin adheres chemically to itself with amazing tenacity,but it has never been very good at adhering to other materials. At the slightestprovocation it will release its grip on the core material, regardless of what itis.

PERCUSSION TESTING

Tapping a fiberglass hull is akin to spiking a wooden one. Use a plastic malletor the handle of a screwdriver to give the hull a light rap. If the laminate ishealthy, you will get a sharp report. If it is delaminated, the sound will be adull thud. Your hull is sure to play more than two notes, but map all suspectreturns; then check inside the hull to see if a bulkhead, tank, or bag of sailis responsible. If not, it is the laminate.

It is essential to do a thorough evaluation of a cored hull because coredelamination is unfortunately common and robs the hull of much of its designedstrength. Tap every 2 or 3 inches over the entire surface of the hull. Beespecially suspicious of the area around through-hull fittings and near signs ofskin damage or repair. Percussion testing can also reveal filler patches.

GELCOAT PROBLEMS

Most gelcoat problems are cosmetic, but a few suggest underlying structuraldefects.

Well-applied gelcoat will last a decade with little or no maintenance, perhapstwice that long if protected with a regular application of wax. Eventually theexposed surface erodes and the gelcoat loses its gloss. To determine whether thegloss can be restored, buff an inconspicuous area with rubbing compound(formulated for fiberglass). If the gloss returns before the gelcoat becomestransparent, you may get a few more years from the surface; otherwise, paintingis the preferred way to restore the gloss.

If scratches don't penetrate the gelcoat, they can usually be buffed out withrubbing compound. Deep scratches are easily repaired with gelcoat putty.

Close examination of the gelcoat, especially on boats built in the '60s and'70s, may reveal a random egg-shell-like pattern of fine cracks which is usuallycaused by temperature expansion (and contraction) of the hull. It is prevalentin older boats because the gelcoat was thicker and thus less flexible.Correcting this condition requires filling the cracks with epoxy and paintingthe repaired surface.

STRESS CRACKING

Unlike crazing, stress cracks are usually localized and exhibit a discerniblepattern. As previously mentioned, stress cracks can indicate impact damage orpanting. They are a valuable clue for a number of other conditions detailed inthis chapter. If you find cracks in the gelcoat, figure out why they are therebefore moving on.

The reluctance of glass fabric to take a sharp bend causes it to pull away fromthe gelcoat on inside corners during the layup process, creating voids. On ahull, this condition is generally confined to the stem, the corners where thehull sides intersect the transom, and the turn of the hull flange. Percussiontesting reveals voids and may break them open. Voids are a cosmetic flaw andeasily repaired with gelcoat putty.

Blisters reveal themselves as bumps in the surface of fiberglass and are easilydetected by simply examining the hull. A blister can be as small as a ladybug oras big as your hand.

GELCOAT BLISTERS

Blisters occur because free water-soluble chemicals inside the laminate exert anosmotic pull on water outside, and some water molecules find a way through theslightly permeable gelcoat. As more water is attracted into the enclosed space,internal pressure builds. The water molecules aren't squirted back out the waythey came in because they combine with the attracting chemicals into a solutionwith a larger molecular structure. Instead, the pressure pushes the coveringgelcoat into a dome—a blister.

Break a sample blister to assess the condition. Wear goggles because pressurescan exceed 150 psi and the liquid that comes spraying out is acid. Scrub out theblister with water and a brush and examine the underlying laminate. If thelaminate is perfect—the usual finding—the blister is primarily acosmetic flaw, although taking steps to prevent water from reaching the laminatemay be prudent.

LAMINATE BLISTERS

If the laminate is damaged, repairs will be more extensive, but this is stillnot a dangerous condition as long as the number of blisters is small. Use aknife point to find the depth of the damage. Laminate blisters most often occurbetween the initial layer(s) of mat and the first layer of wovenroving—probably because the manufacturer was religious about getting theinitial mat laid into the mold while the gelcoat was still chemically active,but was less exacting about the timing for completing the layup. Or it may bedue to a failure to roll the roving sufficiently against the resin-stiffened matto eliminate all voids. Whatever the reason, laminate blisters below the firstlayers of mat are no more dangerous than gelcoat blisters.

If additional layers of the laminate are involved in the blister, the area willhave to be treated like any other delamination. How serious the problem isdepends on the number and size of the laminate blisters.

For pox, examine the bottom as soon as it comes out of the water. In the earlystages blisters can shrink and even disappear altogether. If the bottom iscovered with hundreds of blisters, the boat has pox. Boat pox is a much moreserious condition than a handful of blisters scattered over the bottom of a 15-year-old hull. It is a systemic condition and will only worsen unless remedialaction is taken.

To cure boat pox you must grind away all the gelcoat below the waterline. Justopening and filling the blisters won't do because a hull with pox is saturatedthroughout and won't dry out unless the gelcoat is removed. Once the hull isdry, which can take several months, the usual process is to apply a new barriercoat of epoxy. The cost to have this done professionally is between $300 and$400 per foot of boat length. Most of this is labor, so the cost if you do ityourself is much more modest, but it is a nasty job at best. (Continues...) Excerpted from INSPECTING THE AGING SAILBOAT by DON CASEY . Copyright © 1997 by International Marine, a division of The McGraw-Hill Companies. Excerpted by permission of The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher. Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.

Product details

• ASIN ‏ : ‎ B006M4CM4K
• Publisher ‏ : ‎ International Marine/Ragged Mountain Press; 1st edition (August 17, 2004)
• Publication date ‏ : ‎ August 17, 2004
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• File size ‏ : ‎ 14100 KB
• Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Up to 4 simultaneous devices, per publisher limits
• Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
• Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
• Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
• X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
• Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
• Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
• Print length ‏ : ‎ 145 pages
• #153 in Sailing (Kindle Store)
• #178 in Boating (Kindle Store)
• #212 in Ships (Kindle Store)

About the author

For the last three decades Don Casey has been America’s most consulted authority on care of and outfitting cruising sailboats, an unlikely evolution for a motorcycle and sports car devotee growing up 1,000 miles and more from an ocean. What initiated this trajectory was a 1970 National Geographic article. Don was in his last year at the University of Texas when the October issue landed in his mailbox. In text and stunning photos, it narrated the last leg of Robin Lee Graham’s five-year solo circumnavigation aboard a 24-foot sailboat.

Don rode his BSA immediately to the University library to read the previous two articles National Geographic had published recounting the rest of the voyage. Graham was younger than Don, yet he had already experienced so much of the wider world. Suddenly a skinny black necktie and a metal desk at IBM or EDS seemed less appealing to Don than it had before the postman passed by. He began reading and acquiring books about sailing.

Seven months later, the day after his last final exam, he loaded his car with those books and his clothes and drove to Miami, where he immersed himself in everything nautical. He soon purchased a sailboat and began frequently crossing the Gulf Stream to the Bahamas islands. There an event Don was not even aware of would nudge him toward a writing career. A long-lens capture of Don on board in the far Out Islands published in a regional sailing periodical triggered an exchange of correspondence with the editor that resulted in Don penning an article for that magazine. Soon he was writing for nearly all boating magazines across the country. A book followed, then another, and so on.

Sensible Cruising: The Thoreau Approach has done for innumerable readers what the National Geographic article did for Don—revealed a previously unknown or unimagined possibility. It is a book that has changed many lives.

This Old Boat has long been the undisputed bible for selecting and outfitting a capable sailboat, and for lowering cost and improving safety by teaching the concepts and skills necessary to do most required maintenance, repair, and improvement. The Second Edition is providing the same benefits for a new generation.

Don Casey's Complete Illustrated Sailboat Maintenance Manual is actually a library of six books covering virtually all common sailboat maintenance issues. It has been described as “The definitive guide from the world's best-known sailboat maintenance expert.” Generously illustrated, it shows as well as tells. If reader reviews are to be believed, almost every owner of this hefty volume finds it indispensable.

There are eight other Don Casey books, all but one about sailing or sailboat care. That one requires special mention.

Before internet, cell phone, and DVDs, almost every cruising sailboat carried around a bag of paperback books which were traded whenever you arrived in a new anchorage or a new boat arrived in yours. Over thousands of nights at anchor, Don read scores of mystery novels, with the mediocrity of many making him wonder if he could do better. Between publication of his first marine book and his second, he gave it a shot and quickly found an enthusiastic New York publisher. Unfortunately, turmoil in the publishing industry at that time caused the manuscript to move from imprint to imprint until it disappeared altogether, never making it into print.

Having continued reading mystery novels, and having pretty much said all he has to say about sailing, Don recently returned to the idea of writing a mystery. The happy result is Marjoram & Mace, to be published in early 2024. It has garnered enthusiastic pre-publication praise, and it will be available in a Kindle version at a 1980’s paperback price. Don hopes you will take a chance on it.

Customer reviews

• 5 star 4 star 3 star 2 star 1 star 5 star 72% 22% 4% 1% 1% 72%
• 5 star 4 star 3 star 2 star 1 star 4 star 72% 22% 4% 1% 1% 22%
• 5 star 4 star 3 star 2 star 1 star 3 star 72% 22% 4% 1% 1% 4%
• 5 star 4 star 3 star 2 star 1 star 2 star 72% 22% 4% 1% 1% 1%
• 5 star 4 star 3 star 2 star 1 star 1 star 72% 22% 4% 1% 1% 1%

Customer Reviews, including Product Star Ratings help customers to learn more about the product and decide whether it is the right product for them.

To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. It also analyzed reviews to verify trustworthiness.

Customers say

Customers find the book very informative, providing a good overview of what's important when buying a boat. They say it's an excellent book that provides basic level information for someone wanting to buy a used boat. Readers also say it represents an affordable investment that can save time and money. They appreciate the understandable style and helpful illustrations.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

Customers find the book very informative and helpful in creating a personal checklist. They say it provides a systematic approach to judging various components, sails, and hulls. Readers also mention the book provides dozens of practical, easy-to-understand ways to inspect a boat.

"...I am a fan of Don Casey's books. They are informative and easy to understand for the DIY person with limited experience." Read more

"...The book seems to have a lot of good information , which is complete with illustrations...." Read more

"...The information is not only great for buying but what to look for and maintaining potential trouble spots...." Read more

" Very helpful . Full of information especially for someone that is a 1st time sailboat purchaser...." Read more

Customers find the book excellent and useful for buying a used boat. They say it's worth the money and an affordable investment.

"...another expert to test the engine, this book represents a very affordable investment to make sure you don't waste the cost of a survey on a boat..." Read more

" Great book " Read more

"The book is great at telling you where and what to look for but it doesn’t tell you how to rate it...." Read more

"...For this class of sailboat at that price point it's great ...." Read more

Customers find the book's language understandable, concise, and useful for anyone buying a used boat. They appreciate the helpful illustrations, diagrams, and tips. Readers also mention the book is easy to read and follow, explaining a thorough and realistic process.

"...Luckily I bought this book. It includes many illustrations which added greatly . As informative as it is, it is also very quick to read...." Read more

"...The book seems to have a lot of good information, which is complete with illustrations ...." Read more

"An excellent how to guild with illustrations for surveying a sailboats yourself." Read more

"...is simple to understand and the kindle edition actually has the photos in the right place so you can see what they are talking about easily as you..." Read more

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(EBOOK Don Casey's Complete Illustrated Sailboat Maintenance Manual Including Inspecting the Aging Sailboat Sailboat Hull and Deck Repair Sailboat Refinishing Sailbo READ PDF

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DescriptionDon Casey is the author of the universally praised This Old Boat, which has helped tens ofthousands of boatowners turn their rundown production boats into first-class yachts. A regularcontributor to SAIL and Good Old Boat magazines, he combines more than three decades ofsailing, an innate curiosity, a knack for clarity, and an eye for the telling detail to deliver reliableexpertise. He and his wife, Olga, cruise the Caribbean aboard their 35-year-old, much-modifiedAllied Seawind. Read more The definitive guide from the world's best-known sailboatmaintenance expertDon Casey’s Complete Illustrated Sailboat Maintenance Manual combinessix core volumes into a single, utterly dependable resource that answers every frequent question,explains every major system, and helps you keep your boat and its components shipshape.Morethan 2,500 clear and detailed illustrations guide you step by step through every procedure.Casey’s technical virtuosity, his user-friendly explanations, and Peter Compton's diesel engineexpertise make even the more complicated repairs and improvements easy to understand. Thismust-have guide saves you time, money, and grief as you learn the fastest, easiest, most effectiveways to:Evaluate the condition of your boat or one you’re about to purchaseRepair structuraldamage to your fiberglass sailboatImprove or repair your sailboat’s electricalsystemTroubleshoot, maintain, and repair your boat’s diesel enginePut a professional-lookingfinish on your boat’s hull, deck, spars, wood, and trimMake and repair sails, sail covers, dodgers,awnings, sailbags, and bimini tops'Astoundingly clear text and line drawing illustrations. Thereader can almost feel the hand-holding this book provides through each step of arepair.'—DocksideDon Casey is the author of the universally praised This Old Boat, which hashelped tens of thousands of boatowners turn their rundown production boats into first-class yachts.A regular contributor to SAIL and Good Old Boat magazines, he combines more than threedecades of sailing, an innate curiosity, a knack for clarity, and an eye for the telling detail to deliverreliable expertise. He and his wife, Olga, cruise the Caribbean aboard their 35-year-old, muchmodifiedAllied Seawind. Read more See all Editorial Reviews

• Page 1 and 2: Don Casey's Complete IllustratedSai
• Page 3: Step-By Step To Download this book:
• maintenance
• illustrated
• refinishing

Description

Don Casey is the author of the universally praised This Old Boat, which has helped tens of

thousands of boatowners turn their rundown production boats into first-class yachts. A regular

contributor to SAIL and Good Old Boat magazines, he combines more than three decades of

sailing, an innate curiosity, a knack for clarity, and an eye for the telling detail to deliver reliable

expertise. He and his wife, Olga, cruise the Caribbean aboard their 35-year-old, much-modified

Allied Seawind. Read more The definitive guide from the world's best-known sailboat

maintenance expertDon CaseyÂ’s Complete Illustrated Sailboat Maintenance Manual combines

six core volumes into a single, utterly dependable resource that answers every frequent question,

explains every major system, and helps you keep your boat and its components shipshape.More

than 2,500 clear and detailed illustrations guide you step by step through every procedure.

CaseyÂ’s technical virtuosity, his user-friendly explanations, and Peter Compton's diesel engine

expertise make even the more complicated repairs and improvements easy to understand. This

must-have guide saves you time, money, and grief as you learn the fastest, easiest, most effective

ways to:Evaluate the condition of your boat or one youÂ’re about to purchaseRepair structural

damage to your fiberglass sailboatImprove or repair your sailboatÂ’s electrical

systemTroubleshoot, maintain, and repair your boatÂ’s diesel enginePut a professional-looking

finish on your boatÂ’s hull, deck, spars, wood, and trimMake and repair sails, sail covers, dodgers,

awnings, sailbags, and bimini tops'Astoundingly clear text and line drawing illustrations. The

reader can almost feel the hand-holding this book provides through each step of a

repair.'—DocksideDon Casey is the author of the universally praised This Old Boat, which has

helped tens of thousands of boatowners turn their rundown production boats into first-class yachts.

A regular contributor to SAIL and Good Old Boat magazines, he combines more than three

decades of sailing, an innate curiosity, a knack for clarity, and an eye for the telling detail to deliver

reliable expertise. He and his wife, Olga, cruise the Caribbean aboard their 35-year-old, muchmodified

Allied Seawind. Read more See all Editorial Reviews

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• Sailboat Reviews

DIY Survey Checklist for Used-Boat Buying

Before hiring a professional surveyor, look for these danger signs..

Boat buying is an exciting, maddening exercise that can test the tolerance of even the most patient sailor. Much of the maddening part has to do with trying to ferret out a boat’s problems before buying (and making them your own). Obviously, you should consult a reputable surveyor prior to purchase, but who can afford to have every promising boat surveyed?

The easiest way to narrow down the list of potential deals is by doing your own pre-survey inspection. Below are some of the major areas of boat inspection any buyer would want to become intimate with, as well as some common problems associated with each.

As the single most expensive piece of gear onboard, the engine deserves particular scrutiny. It is a hard lesson to learn that after purchasing that deal of a lifetime, the boat requires an engine rebuild or replacement.

How an engine looks can offer valuable clues about its overall condition. That’s not to say a shiny, seemingly new engine will be trouble free, but if it’s a real mess on the outside, chances are the owner hasn’t exactly been a stickler for regularly scheduled maintenance.

Start by looking for obvious problems such as leaks, excessive rust, broken or missing components, and other signs of neglect. For freshwater-cooled systems, check the coolant level and properties. Lack of antifreeze should raise red flags (due to possible leaks) as should coolant with a rusty color or an unusual amount of solids.

A lot can be told by simply pulling the dipstick and checking the oil. A slightly low level might be OK, but higher than normal levels could indicate trouble, particularly if milky or frothy; both are an indication that water, antifreeze, or transmission fluid is present, signs you could be facing anything from a blown gasket to a cracked block.

Rub a little engine oil between your fingers. If it feels abrasive or has a burnt odor, be concerned about bearing wear; however, it could also simply mean the oil hasn’t been changed regularly. Wipe the dipstick on a clean white cloth or napkin. Oil thats thick initially, but then starts to spread out over the cloth is an indication of fuel contamination.

Taking oil samples to a lab for testing is a more scientific way to analyze oil condition, but it’s normally most useful in tracking issues over the engine’s lifetime, rather than for spot-checking. Still, a one-shot oil analysis can show unusual wear and the presence of water, antifreeze or diesel fuel. Think of it as a blood test for the engine—it may not predict a heart attack but it can indicate the high cholesterol that could lead to engine failure.

As for transmissions and reduction gears, dark and sluggish fluid or oil with a burned smell may indicate drive cone problems and a costly rebuild in the near future. After running the engine in gear a bit, use the dipstick to get a transmission fluid sample. Put this on a piece of paper and inspect it under a bright light or in direct sunlight for metallic specks—a sign of significant transmission wear. Inserting a long, thin magnet (the kind mechanics use to retrieve dropped bolts) through the dipstick opening and sweeping the bottom of the gearbox may produce interesting results as well.

Note how difficult the engine is to start. Depending on whether it’s gas or diesel, hard starting could be a sign of weak batteries, faulty plugs or even a bad fuel pump.

Does it run smoothly at idle and under load, or does it idle unevenly and stall out when placed in gear? Rough running can be caused by anything from clogged fuel filters to compression problems, and engines idling at more than 800 rpm may have been intentionally set to idle high to mask problems.

Verify proper oil pressure and operating temperature while the engine is running. Low oil pressure could be due to anything from faulty oil pumps to cam bearing failure. High water temperatures may be something as simple as a bad impeller, but could also be caused by corroded manifolds or exhaust risers.

Finally, read the smoke signals the engine is sending. A well-maintained engine may smoke when initially cranked or while idling, but not when warmed up or under load. Smoke color can also provide an indication of problems (blue for burning oil, black for incomplete combustion, white for water vapor, etc.).

Bottom line: Remember that hour meters mean nothing (they can easily be swapped out by an unscrupulous seller) and that an owner should eagerly provide invoices if claiming overhauls or major work has been done. Engines are a big-ticket item, so always weigh the cost of repair or replacement versus walking away.

Water intrusion into cored decking likely causes more boat damage every year than sinkings, groundings and fires combined. Cored construction simply describes an inner and outer skin of fiberglass with some other material sandwiched between them. Most decks will be cored, typically with end-grain balsa, plywood or maybe one of the more high-tech foam variations.

The prime directive with cored construction is keeping water out. Wet wood coring can rot, which allows the cored deck to separate and drastically reduces its structural integrity. Long-term water exposure causes problems with foam-cored decks as well—core separation, freeze damage (due to expansion and contraction) and even disintegration in some cases.

Moisture intrusion into cored decking is typically caused by a combination of failed caulking and improper installation of deck-mounted hardware (cleats, lifeline stanchions, winches, etc.). Any penetration into a cored panel must be properly sealed to prevent water entry and the damage it can cause.

The first step (literally) in finding deck problems can be as simple as walking on the suspicious spots. Soft spots, oil-canning (flexing) or even water squishing from deck fittings are all indicators of a potentially expensive repair. Drips and brownish stains belowdecks are also common signs of water-soaked decks and rotting core.

Sound out the decks by tapping them with a small, plastic-headed hammer or the end of screwdriver handle. Sharp, crisp sounds while tapping are what you want, while dull thuds can be an indication of delamination. Moisture meters are also a helpful tool for sniffing out soggy decks—we reviewed our favorites here . Make sure to check out the updated moisture meter recommendations from our knowledgable commenters there as well.

Repair options are based on the core’s condition, which is determined by taking a core sample (ideally by drilling a small hole in an inconspicuous place from the inside) and looking for moisture or rot. If the coring is rotten or damaged, it must be replaced. If wet, but not damaged and there is no delamination, attempts to dry out the core can be made. Just keep in mind that it is very difficult to remove all water and that any remaining moisture will likely cause future problems. Core replacement is the only sure cure.

Bottom line: While repair costs will be directly related to the size of the delaminated area, even a minor core replacement is a time-consuming project. If faced with a large amount of deck repair, move on to the next boat or be prepared to expend a significant amount of time, money, and effort to make it right.

STANDING RIGGING

Most sailors immediately think wire when they hear the term standing rigging, but that’s only one part of the story. Your pre-survey inspection should encompass several different components, from chainplates and turnbuckles to cotter pins and terminal ends. Here are three primary standing rigging components along with possible issues to watch out for.

Wire : Broken yarns or strands (aka fishhooks) are a clear indication that rigging wire is nearing the end of its service life, even if the other strands appear good. You can check for broken strands by wrapping toilet paper around the wire and carefully running it up and down while looking for snags or shredding of the paper.

Nicks and scratches that affect multiple strands or one strand deeply should also be noted as possible cause for replacement, as should kinks, flat spots, proud strands and corrosion, particularly where the wire enters a swage fitting.

Floppy shrouds or stays should also be inspected to determine the cause of the looseness, which can indicate anything from a much-needed rig tune-up to a failed mast step.

Terminal fittings : Of the various wire terminal fittings found on sailboats, swage fittings are the most common source of terminal failures.

Each should be checked carefully for signs of fatigue, proud strands (a common indication of broken strands in the swage), cracks and corrosion. A small, handheld magnifying glass can be very helpful during this inspection. Pay close attention to lower terminals, which are particularly susceptible to corrosion as a result of salt-laden water running down the wire and inside the fitting.

Bent or banana-shaped fittings (the result of improper compression of the fitting onto the wire) are also items of concern that will need to be addressed.

Chainplates : Chainplates should be checked carefully for issues such as movement, rust, cracks, deformation of the clevis pin hole and improper lead angle. Chainplates that penetrate the deck will often leak (due to movement and/or caulking failure), and the damage this causes, both to the interior of the vessel and the chainplate itself, can be significant.

Where chainplates are bolted to a bulkhead or other interior structure, look for discoloration, delamination and rot due to water intrusion. Chainplates can also be compromised due to crevice corrosion, even though the metal above and below the deck appears to be in excellent condition. Crevice corrosion occurs when stainless steel is continually exposed to stagnant, anaerobic water, such as that found in a saturated wood or cored deck. This is one reason why chainplates that are glassed in or otherwise inaccessible for routine inspection are undesirable.

Bottom line : While the life expectancy of wire rigging is determined by a myriad of factors (where the vessel is located, type of stainless, amount of use, etc.), the general rule of thumb is that it should be replaced every eight to ten years, sooner if extenuating circumstances such as offshore passages, extended cruising, racing, etc, are in the mix. While an owner may offer assurances or hazy recollections of rigging replacement, unless these improvements are properly documented, the best policy is to assume the rigging is original and plan your purchase strategy accordingly.

While steel hulls rust and wood hulls rot, blisters are what make a fiberglass boat owner’s hair stand on end. The Cliffs Notes version of how blisters form is simple: Water-soluble chemicals inside the laminate exert an osmotic pull on water molecules outside the hull, drawing them through the gelcoat. Once inside, the water molecules and soluble chemicals join to create a solution with larger molecules that are unable to pass back though the gelcoat. As water molecules continue to enter, pressure increases to the point that the gelcoat is pushed outward, forming a blister.

Some makes and models seem to be more susceptible to blistering than others (presumably due to factors ranging from resins used to layup schedules), but all fiberglass boats are at some risk. Location also plays a factor in some cases (i.e. relocating a vessel from cool to tropical waters, fresh to salt, etc).

The best time to spot blisters is just after the boat is hauled, preferably after the hull has been power washed and is still wet. Blisters can depressurize in a matter of hours once the vessel is hauled (minutes in some cases), making them all but impossible to spot (something to consider if inspecting a boat thats been hauled for a while).

Blisters will typically appear as circular bumps or dome-like protrusions while sighting along the hull. Sometimes water trapped between the bottom paint and gelcoat forms bumps that can be mistaken for blisters. With the owners permission, try pressing a suspected blister with a rubber gloved finger (wear goggles, as they can be under considerable pressure). If the fluid that comes out has a chemical smell, chances are it’s a blister.

Although hull blisters are often viewed with much dread, finding one or two blisters on an older vessel is no more serious than the occasional gouge to the hull. In these cases, spot treatment of individual blisters as they occur (grinding out to good material, barrier coating, and filling in and fairing with a suitable epoxy mixture) will normally suffice.

Far worse is the dreaded pimple rash or boat pox, where the entire bottom is covered with hundreds or thousands of blisters. Repairs in this case can involve removal of the entire gelcoat and the outermost skin-out mat to reach good laminate, then adding additional laminate to return the hull to original strength. It’s an expensive repair that many yards will gladly perform, but rarely guarantee will prevent future blister formation.

Bottom line: Although rarely structurally significant, blisters may very well have a negative impact on a vessels resale value, depending on the knowledge and perceptions of a potential buyer.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS

After years of additions, removals, misguided MacGyver-like installations, and overall abuse, probably no other system harbors greater potential for starting a fire on a used boat than the electrical system. This is just one reason both DC and AC systems deserve a thorough inspection.

Start with the batteries, which should be located in liquid tight / acid-proof containers (to contain electrolyte spills) and secured against movement (no more than one inch in any direction). Be on the lookout for equipment hard-wired without any fuse directly to the battery (a potential fire hazard) as well as crowded post syndrome (more than four wires connected to a single battery post).

Verify AC wiring is multi-strand, marine grade wire, not residential style, solid strand wire (aka ROMEX). Solid wire is not recommended for use onboard, as it is susceptible to breakage due to vibration. Your inspection should also verify that AC outlets located in the galley, head, machinery spaces, and on all weather decks are protected with ground-fault circuit interrupt (GFCI), another important safety requirement.

Check the condition of wire runs for both AC and DC systems. They should be neat, well organized and labeled. Problems include unsupported wires, dead ends (cut wires no longer in use), corrosion and lack of chafe protection (especially where wires pass through a bulkhead).

You’ll also want to keep an eye out for electrical tape joints and household twist-on type connectors, two sure signs that a novice has been doing a little weekend electrical work.

Bottom line: If the electrical systems are maxed out or rife with problems, play it safe by getting an estimate to make it right from a competent marine electrician before negotiating with the owner.

The more you know about potential problems and how to spot them, the more comfortable and productive your boat-buying experience will be. While the above inspection list can’t replace the practiced eye of a professional marine surveyor, it can help the average person make an informed decision on whether to pass or pursue the purchase of that potential dream boat.

• Society of Accredited Marine Surveyors
• National Association of Marine Surveyors
• “Inspecting the Aging Sailboat,” by Don Casey

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You made a great point when you said that I should be on the lookout for any boats with some amateurishly fixed wiring. What with how old some used boats can be someone may have thought it better to fix old electrical components themselves rather than hire a professional which could be a potential hazard. I’m buying a boat for our family trips, and since kids will often be on board I wouldn’t want any wiring to stick out and potentially harm them or even worse, start a fire on the boat. Hopefully, I can find a good dealer that will provide me with quality used boats for sale where I won’t have to worry about matters like that.

Thanks for the informative article, Darrell.

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