seven_magnum
Petty Officer 2nd Class
- Joined
- Oct 4, 2011
- Messages
- 127
Hi,
I am glad I have found this website! I have done a little reading and it seems to be a wealth of information! I have been looking for a project boat for a few months now, but have not been having much luck. I found an Islander hull I have another thread about, but ran into problems trying to purchase it. I like that boat a lot, but am open to other options as well. Recently, I was looking at a Chris Craft Sea Hawk 21' cuddy cabin. A few things I liked about it was the deep V and the flare in the front. I imagine it helps direct water away from the cabin. It looked good in craigslist, but after I saw it a few red flags went up. The first thing I noticed, and probably the biggest issue was the obvious repair done to the hull at one of the flares. There is an area about 2 feet long and a foot high that you can see was patched and a different color gel coat was used to patch it. When I examined it closely, I could see some type of indented line in the center of the repair, but it was hard to make out. I guess they must have hit something and had it patched? There was an inspection port right there, and I could kind of look in and see there was a piece of wood put in the hull and glassed over. The owner says it was that way when he bought the boat. Also, there were two repairs in the gel coat at the rear of the boat between the waterline and a rub rail. Above the rub rail, the gel coat is cracked pretty badly at the rear corners. Also, around the vents are cracked too. Some of the cracks were large enough I could make out the fiberglass inside. I wasn't sure what would be causing this kind of cracking, but now I am thinking this may be an indication of a bad transom? I assume the cracks come from the hull flexing, and why else would it flex there? The other problem I noticed was the engine. It started right up and ran fine, but it was a merc. 190. I read this is also known as the 470 and I should avoid it. It had 800 hours on it, but ran well. (well in the yard on muffs) Other than that, the boat wasn't too bad. It looked like it spent some time outside, and the bottom paint wasn't in good shape. He had some new cushions for it, and everything seemed to work ok. (Trim, radio, fish finder, ect.) It was sitting on a year 2000 tandem axle roller trailer that wasn't bad. One of the plastic fenders was cracked but that was the only problem I saw with it. I imagine the damage to the hull should be all I need to see, but I am trying to learn what to look for with a used boat. The cracks in the gelcoat im sure can be sanded out and patched, but it has to lead me to believe there is an underlying problem there as well. The hull its self anywhere near the waterline looked fine, however. It was just cracked at the top above the rub rail mainly. I thank you guys for bearing with me and helping me with my questions! I want to buy a boat that will not be dangerous, and something I can get parts for and make reliable. I am pretty sure this boat isn't the one for me, but I do like it's design. It seems like it would be fine in bigger water and had a fair about of fishing room all around. I attached pictures because they say more than all of this rambling! Any input is appreciated!
You can see the rear patch here
you can see both patches well here
I thank you for bearing with me. The more I learn the better prepared I will be when the right boat decides to come along. The total asking price is 2200, with the trailer.
I am glad I have found this website! I have done a little reading and it seems to be a wealth of information! I have been looking for a project boat for a few months now, but have not been having much luck. I found an Islander hull I have another thread about, but ran into problems trying to purchase it. I like that boat a lot, but am open to other options as well. Recently, I was looking at a Chris Craft Sea Hawk 21' cuddy cabin. A few things I liked about it was the deep V and the flare in the front. I imagine it helps direct water away from the cabin. It looked good in craigslist, but after I saw it a few red flags went up. The first thing I noticed, and probably the biggest issue was the obvious repair done to the hull at one of the flares. There is an area about 2 feet long and a foot high that you can see was patched and a different color gel coat was used to patch it. When I examined it closely, I could see some type of indented line in the center of the repair, but it was hard to make out. I guess they must have hit something and had it patched? There was an inspection port right there, and I could kind of look in and see there was a piece of wood put in the hull and glassed over. The owner says it was that way when he bought the boat. Also, there were two repairs in the gel coat at the rear of the boat between the waterline and a rub rail. Above the rub rail, the gel coat is cracked pretty badly at the rear corners. Also, around the vents are cracked too. Some of the cracks were large enough I could make out the fiberglass inside. I wasn't sure what would be causing this kind of cracking, but now I am thinking this may be an indication of a bad transom? I assume the cracks come from the hull flexing, and why else would it flex there? The other problem I noticed was the engine. It started right up and ran fine, but it was a merc. 190. I read this is also known as the 470 and I should avoid it. It had 800 hours on it, but ran well. (well in the yard on muffs) Other than that, the boat wasn't too bad. It looked like it spent some time outside, and the bottom paint wasn't in good shape. He had some new cushions for it, and everything seemed to work ok. (Trim, radio, fish finder, ect.) It was sitting on a year 2000 tandem axle roller trailer that wasn't bad. One of the plastic fenders was cracked but that was the only problem I saw with it. I imagine the damage to the hull should be all I need to see, but I am trying to learn what to look for with a used boat. The cracks in the gelcoat im sure can be sanded out and patched, but it has to lead me to believe there is an underlying problem there as well. The hull its self anywhere near the waterline looked fine, however. It was just cracked at the top above the rub rail mainly. I thank you guys for bearing with me and helping me with my questions! I want to buy a boat that will not be dangerous, and something I can get parts for and make reliable. I am pretty sure this boat isn't the one for me, but I do like it's design. It seems like it would be fine in bigger water and had a fair about of fishing room all around. I attached pictures because they say more than all of this rambling! Any input is appreciated!
You can see the rear patch here
you can see both patches well here
I thank you for bearing with me. The more I learn the better prepared I will be when the right boat decides to come along. The total asking price is 2200, with the trailer.
