Requesting Input

[Apathetic]

Hi Everyone,

I have found a boat I really, really like. The price is right and it looks fantastic. I have had it surveyed and am putting down below the notes from the survey. The survey was done in the water and dry.

The boat is a 34' Scarab III

1) Bottom of the starboard outside bulkhead in engine room appeared soft in a small area. (This one is the one that worries me most, what are your thoughts?)

2) Swim platform port side is pulled out at center stanchion.

3) Skeg on bottom of starboard outdrive has a minor chip.

4) Port strake on bottom of vessel has two small chips in gel-coat misdship.

5) Planing fin on starboard outdrive is chipped.

6) Minor scratches and scrapes to the hull surface apparently from docking.

7) Both propellers have minor dings.

8) Various wall liners in compartments in cabin are seperating. (No big deal, my wife and two girls are anxious to do this kind of stuff).

9) Various trim in cabin area is seperating. (Again, same not as before with wife and girls).

10) Radar arch appears to have been painted.

11) Various snaps on boat cover are broken and worn. (I'll be replacing this).

12) Various screws for for starboard and port transom grill covers are missing.

13) Paint on cosmetic grill cover on transom is worn starboard and port.

14) Starboard midship hull has various minor scratches in gel-coat.

15) Rub-rail has various minor dings, scratches and scrapes.

16) Starboard midship toe-rail has minor damage in a small area.

17) Port bridge windshield is cracked and has a large scratch.

18) The port forward hull below rub-rail has various minor blisters.

19) Halon test switch on dash is inoperative and should be checked.

What is the verdict from you all? Thank you in advance for taking the time to respond.

 

[gcboat]

Re: Requesting Input

First off, I very much congradulate you on having a survey done. Now you know your problem area's instead of guessing. Is there anyway you could possibly post a pic of that damaged area you are concerned about? Just having one 'soft' spot does not necessarily indicate immediate failure of your boat but it is indeed a cause for concern. If not now then it will bite you in the future. Wellcraft makes some mighty fine boats, but they are still boats and failures of all kinds can, and will occur. You didn't mention the year - just curious. Everything you have mentioned is pretty much all cosmetic repairs. The engines and drives O.K.? No reason to patch up a boat if it don't run ! Did your surveyor mention anything about oil analyses? Did he do one? Have you had it out for a test run? Be interesting to know.

 

[scoutabout]

Re: Requesting Input

It would help if you could supply info such as model year, number or hours and such. Has the owner offered any maintenance records? Offhand I'd be concerned with items 1 and 18 mostly, although that painted radar arch sounds kinda funny. Other than that it sounds mostly like relatively minor fixup items.

Someone more paranoid than me (probly hard to find...) might suggest that all that chipping and dinging is indicative of an owner who didn't give much of a rat's arse about maintenance, leading one to question did he spend any money where it counts, like in the engine room and on the outdrives. Got any pics?

 

[Apathetic]

Re: Requesting Input

Sorry, I forgot the year...

1987

Hours:

Stbd: 762
Port: 459

Engine and drives checked out okay per surveyor. Surveyor is ACMS, ABYC, MAT. Also Licensed Marine Adjuster.

Boat appraised at $40,000.00. I am getting it for much less.

scoutabout, I am told from owner that the rubrail damage is due to a storm that came in. I talked to surveyor about that and he believed that was likely.

I'm guessing there was no oil survey as I do not see anything negative mentioned about it on my survey report. He did run the motor for certain and it is listed as "okay, good condition."

 

[luckyinkentucky]

Re: Requesting Input

He might have run the engines, but was a compression check run? Has it been checked for water in the oil, are there water/fuel serparators installed, and has the boat ever been refitted with new engines. For example ... the boat is a '87 model, but are the engines 2001? Is this the first owner and only owner of the boat? A lot of these questions could help you determine whether or not the boat & engines were properly maintained. Don't just take his word for it ... ask for documentation. Anyone can tell you anything. I would advise the adjuster to look into the engines more. Do a compression check, and have the cylinders scoped for ring wear, cuts, etc ...

You mentioned that you were getting the boat for much less than $40k. The owner might know something you don't. You might get out on the water, and the first day out need to buy 2 new engines. That would change your mind on a 'Good deal'. Just looking out for you is all.

 

[Apathetic]

Re: Requesting Input

Believe me, I appreciate postive AND negative input luckyinkentucky. So, definitely am listening to you.

Per your points, I have the receipts for the engines which were replaced in 1996. The boat is a two owner boat. Compression was checked, but the cylinders were NOT scoped.

 

[EricR]

Re: Requesting Input

I recognized that avatar pic from somewhere.......

If you can maintain a fleet of thirdgens, Traxions old car included, then this boat should be a cakewalk. Just hope you can afford the fuel those twins will suck down!

Eric (eric17422001) from TGO and sethirdgen.org

 

[Nova II 260]

Re: Requesting Input

Having done a survey is great and a necessity for a larger boat of that age.
Soft spots are a warning of possible other hidden damage. You are right in the area of your motor mounts, not a good place to be soft. pics?
#2 Is the swimstep bracket screw pulled out of the transom? That could well indicate a soft transom. Can you fish around in that screw opening and grab some pink wood? pics?
#8 #9 The delamination(s) and/or bulkhead separation of the cabin panels could be due to a prior flooding and water retention. pics?
Nothing on any mechanicals from the surveyor?
You might go to OSO and ask some questions before you lay your money down.

 

[Apathetic]

Re: Requesting Input

Hi Eric. Yep, you definitely know me. We can afford the gas as long as it stays beneath $4 a gallon, after that it will cut into our trips. I'm selling my fleet of thirdgens, though.

I can't make it to the boat, it's too far away. That's why I picked a surveyor that was recommended by several boards I have been checking with. I'm going to check with this surveyor tomorrow and check into your suggestions Nova II 260. As for the the # 8's and # 9's that worried me, too, but what it is "seperating" is from wear, again, according to the surveyor. I have some pictures of it and I'm okay with that.

Believe me I take the "soft spot" EXTREMELY serious. But this type of boat has been my dream boat since they first came out and I was junior high and high school. What I'm saying is, if I get it, it's the type of boat that when the time came for it, I would restore it. It may not be a boat others would crave, but it's a dream come true for me. I'm leaving cars to return to boats full time for this.

I'm very appreciative of all the input I'm getting.

 

[luckyinkentucky]

Re: Requesting Input

I know what you mean about the boat. I about bought this one a month ago, before my better half talked me out of it.

Miami Vice Stunt Boat


If you think the boat is a good deal then you should by it. If it costs you $5k to get it 'right' then you've got a deal.

Scarabs are good for customizing. There is a guy that runs the river around here with his late '90s Poker Run style Scarab. He has a pirate flag painted on the side with 'Surrender the Booty' on either side of the boat. Pretty funny stuff.

 

[Apathetic]

Re: Requesting Input

I don't know how you could have been talked out of that, lol.

If it only costs me $5k to get it 'right' I'll be okay with that, lol.

When I was a teenager in the '80's I used to buy BOATING magazine and read about Scarabs and Formula's. I always prefered the Scarabs so I dreamt of one day buying one. At the time all I had was a 1969 15' West Wind with a 1969 40 HP Johnson. I worked summers as a waterman for a neighbor (now past away) down the street. I never believed I would have a chance to fulfill this, though. I wouldn't take a new Scarab over an '80's Scarab II or III for anything.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Requesting Input

i see a lot of deferred maintainance, as long as you are prepared for that, go for it.

 

[Nova II 260]

Re: Requesting Input

.. It may not be a boat others would crave, but it's a dream come true for me...

In 1980 I saw a boat at the Long Beach CA. boat show, that I just had to have. I still have the pic I took. It took 20 years, but now I have it. So, I know exactly what you mean. It irks me now that I can no longer enjoy mine, but it's been fun. What TD said is fact, it may make it worthy and enjoyable for years to come.
Everything man-made breaks, but everything is also repairable.

 

[Apathetic]

Re: Requesting Input

Well, I have a lot of negatives, no doubt, and my wife would be happy to start pointing them out...but as far as keeping up with mechanicals I enjoy doing that. Routine maintenace are "fun" for me for some reason. I think it's just always been the satisfaction of doing it myself and getting it done. So, I can take care of that. Carpentry OTOH... well that is why I have a concern about the soft spot.

BTW, I tried to get in touch with the surveyor to ask him some of the questions you all have pointed out, but he is out on, you guessed it, survey. If it's pertinent I'll add it here.