[navynarc]

Hello everyone,
I am looking at buying my first yacht, probably some sort of day cruiser in the mid 20 ft range, and I have a few questions that I was hoping I could get some help with. Does anyone know (or know where I can find out) good resources to see how old is "too old" for a yacht. At some point in its hull life, I am sure the maintenance for an older boat really begins to take off, not to mention that at some point the hull integrity will begin to degrade more rapidly.

As an example, I can get my hands on a 23' O'Day for what appears to be a really good price, but it was built in the late 1960's. In the reading I have done so far on the internet, it seems that O'Day built a fairly sturdy boat, but even a sturdy boat will give me pause after 40 years.

Any advice on this issue would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

[AMG]

Hi, sometimes an old boat is better taken care of than a more recent, it also depends on how and where it is used if the material have started to deteriorate.

I have come across Bertrams from the sixties that are like new, but also some where the hull is beginning to disintegrate into powder...

Hiring a surveyor is therefore the best investment you do in an old boat before purchase...

[sailronin]

A small fiberglass boat (like the ODay 23) has a very good lifespan. Loads are fairly light on the boat and chances are the boat was dry stored for a good portion of it's life.
Look for blistering on the hull, delamination and cracking in the fiberglass. Surface stress cracking is not usually serious but any crushing, or deep cracks into the cloth or mat is a bad sign. Check any wood for dry and wet rot, there isn't much wood on an O'Day so you are in pretty good shape.
Check all the metal fittings and rigging for cracks and signs of deep corrosion. The aluminum mast and boom will most likely have to be sanded and painted, check spreader roots and tips. There won't be much of an electrical system on a boat like that and can be redone fairly low cost. Unless the outboard is perfect, toss it and get a new 4 or 5 HP. Sails will most likely have to be replaced, again on that size boat not a major investment.

Chances are for the price of a good used car you can have a daysailor that will last until your kids want it instead of a car for summer dates.

Dave