Theoretical what would you do?

[25thmustang]

So I have the 34'er that we use all season. The negatives are it's just not practical for early or late season runs (when she's out if the water) and there have been a few times the big hit and the boats on land. So my thought was to pick up a smaller trailer boat. I have the make/model I am interested in... Wellcraft 248/250 sportsman/offshore. The cabin layout is perfect and the size + outboard power is what I want.

The vintage wellcrafts (who are we kidding, any boat this age) run the risk of rotted transom, stringers, etc... You can snag these boats for prices all over the map, from free projects, to $15,000 clean examples.

Here is the question. Let's say you check out one and it looks to be solid. Stringers, transom, bulkheads (you can see) fuel tank... Survey shows it's alright. How much faith do you put in that the boat truly is not wet anywhere and that your going to get 5-10+ years out of the hull?

My thoughts are the only real way to be certain, is to rip into one of these projects with the thought that your doing it all from scratch. New stringers, bulkheads, transom, check it replace fuel tank, wiring...

One thing to note, I'm more experienced on the larger boat where you an really check the structure well, and my transom isn't wood verse something where floors and decks block most of your view. If your survey says stringers he can see are good, do you assume everything you can't see is also good?

Feel free to chime in however you see fit!

 

[Silverton34c]

Re: Theoretical what would you do?

So I have the 34'er that we use all season. The negatives are it's just not practical for early or late season runs (when she's out if the water) and there have been a few times the big hit and the boats on land. So my thought was to pick up a smaller trailer boat. I have the make/model I am interested in... Wellcraft 248/250 sportsman/offshore. The cabin layout is perfect and the size + outboard power is what I want.

The vintage wellcrafts (who are we kidding, any boat this age) run the risk of rotted transom, stringers, etc... You can snag these boats for prices all over the map, from free projects, to $15,000 clean examples.

Here is the question. Let's say you check out one and it looks to be solid. Stringers, transom, bulkheads (you can see) fuel tank... Survey shows it's alright. How much faith do you put in that the boat truly is not wet anywhere and that your going to get 5-10+ years out of the hull?

My thoughts are the only real way to be certain, is to rip into one of these projects with the thought that your doing it all from scratch. New stringers, bulkheads, transom, check it replace fuel tank, wiring...

One thing to note, I'm more experienced on the larger boat where you an really check the structure well, and my transom isn't wood verse something where floors and decks block most of your view. If your survey says stringers he can see are good, do you assume everything you can't see is also good?

Feel free to chime in however you see fit!

Short of tearing the boat apart, do the hammer test where possible....tap tap tap and pray your do not hear a thud...where the water travels thru the bilge holes is the main place to look and or feel with your fingers...there should be at least resin located there...I personally would be more worried about the cabin top/stansions/anchor holes etc...I have owed 3 wellcrafts in my lifetime and do not have any complaints about them

 

[INJUN]

Re: Theoretical what would you do?

When you said 'vintage', you gave no year. I looked around and it seems the 248 was built beginning in the early 1980s.

If the surveyor has a good/excellent reputation, I'd go with what he/she reports, AND do a thorough look & poke for myself. Even then you never know, but you did all that you could.

Even a new car can be a lemon. Good luck.
I like that model of boat too.

 

[Scott Danforth]

Re: Theoretical what would you do?

if a survey shows no moisture, and their FLIR thermal imaging camera shows everything to be sound (no voids, delaminations, water pockets, or bad wiring). I would have no problem getting 5-10 years if not more out of the hull.

 

[dingbat]

Re: Theoretical what would you do?

if a survey shows no moisture, and their FLIR thermal imaging camera shows everything to be sound (no voids, delaminations, water pockets, or bad wiring). I would have no problem getting 5-10 years if not more out of the hull.

+1.....

 

[25thmustang]

Re: Theoretical what would you do?

Seems the consensus is trust and verify? More or less how I did it with my past two boats, however both seems to allow more access. This boat would be an 80s model and the one I looked at already had warning signs from the get go. However my thought was it seems straight forward enough to rip up a project and replace the bad wood, when thinking even one with a clean survey could be hiding damage.

I like the older wellcrafts and love the aft cabin layout for my two boys. Well one son and one on the way.

 

[r.j.dawg]

Re: Theoretical what would you do?

There is a resore thread on a Wellcraft 248. It may give you an idea of what to look for.
http://forums.iboats.com/boat-topic...85-wellcraft-offshore-248-restore-379456.html

 

[Scott Danforth]

Re: Theoretical what would you do?

with the FLIR camera technology today, you can see a turd buried in between 3 layers of fiberglass, not to mention any and all wires with bad connections. not sure much can hide these days from a quality marine survey with the exception of mechanical issues such as a seal on the verge of leaking, or a nicked o-ring on a plug about to let go.

in addition to structural issues, you can see if a bearing is running warm, your gear lube is low, you have restricted flow to the port manifold or if a cylinder is running lean or rich

 

[gddavid]

Re: Theoretical what would you do?

My father has had a 248 sportsman for 16 years now and it has provided pretty remarkable value over the years. That said due to the age and quality of construction I doubt you are going to find any of them in perfect condition at this age. Overall it is a pretty well made boat, as you dig deep into it you will find similar to any production boat that build quality is adequate but not admirable. The construction techniques generally provide solid components but the weak link is in the assembly. By this I mean the hull, cap, and deck layup is good and consistent because a low skilled workforce can get pretty good at laying glass into a mold and wetting it out, they don't have alot of judgement calls or specific skills needs for laminating parts. Glasswork of the stringers into the hull boat is probably the weakest point. Like many decent quality production boats they are a little overbuilt so there is a pretty decent factor of safety for everything, but what you will find in this boat and most other production boats is not so perfectly encapsulated stringers or deck core which are bound to be slightly weakened if the boat was allowed to sit with too much water in the bilge at any point in it's life.

Any make boat of this age is likely to have some deteriorated structure. My father has been pretty lucky with his, the transom is still solid, we had to repair one motor mount (i/o) and recore the center section of the aft deck and I'm sure some stringers hidden deep below the fish hold and gas tank aren't perfect but for a boat that cost $10K 16 years ago it has provided a ton of value. As you have found they can be picked up for next to nothing, I would find as solid of one as you can and still factor in some repair work and do yourself a favor and just rewire the thing as the non-tinned wire used in the boats is bound to have some electrical gremlins.

 

[JoLin]

Re: Theoretical what would you do?

The guy who does my surveys doesn't use FLIR imaging. He does extensive tap testing followed by a moisture meter on any spot that didn't sound perfect. The combo works if the surveyor is a good one. Here's what he's spotted in boats he's checked for me

1. A 1' square area to the left of an outdrive that was wet. The rest of the hull was dry.
2. A chunk of wet 2x4 that had fallen underneath an engine and was resting against a stringer. That was a half-hour head scratcher until I crawled into the bilge to try and figure out wtf was going on.
3. The transom on my Four Winns showed 'slightly elevated' moisture readings, but in his opinion not enough to worry about. I bought the boat.
4. The Carver I just bought tested dry as a bone throughout. I'm very confident that it's fine.

If you aren't going to trust the survey, just buy a cheap project boat and have at it. Why pay for something you aren't going to use?

My .02

 

[greenbush future]

Re: Theoretical what would you do?

I agree with just about everyone here, finding one that's water ready, will be the exception. Is that your goal, or are you willing or looking for a project? You could spend some serious time finding the one that is above average condition, but I think it's worth the time personally. Project boats usually aren't planned, they seem to be discovered as you dig around. What kind of budget are you thinking? or is that not the issue?