Now this is a wet stringer! Mushrooms anyone?
Fuel Fill Hose. Cracked and single clamped.
Here's a spot you always want to check. The entire deckhouse was full of excessive moisture and delimitation
Lots of dangerous issues here. Note the compression fitting for the fuel line filter and the hand primer.
FRP Keel bottom
What's for dinner?? Spaghetti.
Please don't do this.
Loose motor mount bolt.
Rotted stringers to the right. Same boat as picture to the left. When I felt up in the weep hole with my finger there was nothing there.
I stood outside this Catalina 30 for quite a while trying to figure out what was odd??? I should have noticed right away that about eight inches of the keel had been cut off in an effort to produce a shoal draft keel. Just when I thought I'd seen everything. They then put the cut off sections of lead on top of the keel bolts. Notice the keel bolts.
Vessels left on the hard uncovered lead to problems.
These pictures came from another web site. Cored hull with resin issue.
This is another example why boats sink!!
The transom is mush under this cracked gel coat. The owner had recently purchased the boat and was having an Insurance C&V Survey performed. I had to inform him that no insurance company would insure the boat in it's present condition. I see a fair amount of boats that have serious problems when doing a Survey so the new owners can obtain insurance. Bad engine stringers are another common issue that an untrained new boat owner would not likely notice.
If the boat is priced below market value there is usually a good reason. Internet advertising is often misleading.
A Gate vale with nothing attached. Well below the water line in an area where access is difficult.
The float switch for the bilge pump is not secured. Note the plastic bag by the bilge pump that is limiting the water intake.
Mapping the hull with tape of the moisture in the cored hull of this 48' vessel. A Pre Purchase client was very eager and excited at the prospect of owning this boat. Excessive moisture was present between the two dotted lines of red tape.
Same boat only the port side. Moisture is below the yellow line. The same condition exists on the starboard side. Extreme care must be taken when examining cored hulls. My only regret is that I was not in possession of my Infrared camera at the time. This is a very popular manufacturer who generally makes a quality product.
Scupper hose to the left is in poor condition. Both hoses are single clamped with corrosion evident on the clamps.
Bilge pump and Keel bolt. A few different issues working here.
Windless. Entire area above this was delaminated, soft as a pillow. Wires to such were all tangled in the anchor rode. Notice the one fastener nut is about off.
Some nasty looking exhaust hoses. Also, notice the in line automotive fuel filter. As soon as I touched it for inspection the automotive fuel hose broke spilling out gasoline.
Outdrives need to be monitored closely for corrosion.
The Ugly...
Digital cameras are a great tool to access areas that are difficult to inspect otherwise.
ABYC recommendation H-
Broken motor mounts caused this entire engine to shift. Notice it's sitting at a slight angle.
Raw water cooling intake hose cracked.
Both of these gate valve were frozen in the open position from lack of use. Clamps have corrosion. Double clamps would be nice. Make sure you have enough room/length on the receiving fitting for two clamps.
No explanations needed.
As soon as I touched this packing gland to see why it was against the propeller shaft water started leaking in.
Rotted wooden bulkheads.
This is one reason boats sink. This water intake hose is in very poor condition.
These are also ventilation hoses that have disconnected from the cowl vent fittings above. These are located in a cockpit locker. Stored gear has pulled these of the fittings.
Notice the patch on the muffler.
Lots of issues here
I could devote an entire web site to the electrical issues I routinely encounter. Here is an accident waiting to happen. Also there is a gasoline fuel tank in this compartment.
This is just an example of a common finding. Notice the number of fasteners that are securing all these various items into the cored deck.
Hull to deck joint where a backing plate has been added. Notice the crack and caulk.
While the wiring had been updated, the battery charger was an automotive unit. Notice how it was hooked up???
Damaged AC breaker.
While inspecting a wiring harness I discovered two loose unplugged ends???? I left them as discovered and alerted the seller and potential buyer.
This is a rodents winter nest on top of an exhaust muffler. There is a large engine room vent behind the nest. I actually see this quite frequently on boats that have been on the hard for more than just the winter. Also, I frequently see debris in the transom exhaust exits from birds and ???.
Always watch out for excessive moisture and delamination under large windows in the deckhouse verticals.
Not the condition a surveyor likes to encounter on a routine C&V Insurance Survey.
Many boaters just don’t understand the importance of fire extinguishers. This extinguisher was one of two, on a 30’ Charter boat. Both had gages that showed they were near empty. The extinguisher in this picture is held in place by a wire tie which had to be cut to remove the unit!! Having experienced a boat fire, time stands still.... Every second is precious... Make sure you don’t have to go searching for the extinguisher. Next time you renew a fire extinguisher take the old unit and discharge it while timing the event.Very scary and educational. Have at least one LARGE TYPE A/B/C fire extinguisher mounted in plain view .
What about that 1301 Halon system in the engine room? When was it last weighed/inspected? Probably never..????
Ira Jones AMS
Lake Ontario -
Findings Photo Gallery
