I'm currently in the proccess of buying a 1979 CD30 ketch. My question for the group is just how common are serious blisters on this boat? I've read several post from another NG, stating that blisters are common on CD's. I also got an e-mail today from someone saying the ballast had shifted 18 inches aft, on a CD30 he was looking at.Is this even possible without serious hull damage? I thought the ballast was encapsuled in fiberglass as an integral part of the keel? I had a survey done on the boat but the marina was unable to get the boat out of the water enough for a close inspection of the hull.Thanks for any replys. JD Johnson
JDJOHN001@worldnet.att.net
CD30 Ballast Shift??
Moderator: Jim Walsh
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Matt
Re: CD30 Ballast Shift????????
JD,
Ballast shift? If the ballast is encapsulated how would you even detect the problem? With X-ray? If the boat were bow down or stern down I would guess that it is due to how the boat is loaded, not a ballast shift. Could you get the person who wrote you to document the problem? If there were some sort of defect that allowed for a ballast shift (I seriously doubt that there is) then other CD owners may wish to understand the mechanism.
Blisters are not unknown to CD's. My boat had them until I barrier coated it. My general impression is that the blistering is on the minor side, and is dependant on the year of manufacure and how much time the boat spends in the water. I have seen other brands of boats with far worse blistering problems than any CD that I have ever even heard about. You can use the search feature on this page to look at previous posts, but beware that the people who are writing in are a small percentage with the problem, not the majority who don't have a problem.
Never buy a boat without having it pulled for a survey out of the water and never buy a boat without having tested it in the water. You can negotiate on price if it has blisters etc. and you can't check out the systems without taking it for a drive. I bought my CD36 while it was out of the water. The previous owner told me that the head and air conditioner worked well. He lied. The air conditioner compressor was trash and the head intake foot operated valve didn't work. Shame on me. It is only money, right? If the marina can't get the boat out of the water have the owner take it to another marina that can. Otherwise, wait for a boat that you can survey properly.
Matt
Mcawthor@bellatlantic.net
Ballast shift? If the ballast is encapsulated how would you even detect the problem? With X-ray? If the boat were bow down or stern down I would guess that it is due to how the boat is loaded, not a ballast shift. Could you get the person who wrote you to document the problem? If there were some sort of defect that allowed for a ballast shift (I seriously doubt that there is) then other CD owners may wish to understand the mechanism.
Blisters are not unknown to CD's. My boat had them until I barrier coated it. My general impression is that the blistering is on the minor side, and is dependant on the year of manufacure and how much time the boat spends in the water. I have seen other brands of boats with far worse blistering problems than any CD that I have ever even heard about. You can use the search feature on this page to look at previous posts, but beware that the people who are writing in are a small percentage with the problem, not the majority who don't have a problem.
Never buy a boat without having it pulled for a survey out of the water and never buy a boat without having tested it in the water. You can negotiate on price if it has blisters etc. and you can't check out the systems without taking it for a drive. I bought my CD36 while it was out of the water. The previous owner told me that the head and air conditioner worked well. He lied. The air conditioner compressor was trash and the head intake foot operated valve didn't work. Shame on me. It is only money, right? If the marina can't get the boat out of the water have the owner take it to another marina that can. Otherwise, wait for a boat that you can survey properly.
Matt
Jon-David Johnson wrote: I'm currently in the proccess of buying a 1979 CD30 ketch. My question for the group is just how common are serious blisters on this boat? I've read several post from another NG, stating that blisters are common on CD's. I also got an e-mail today from someone saying the ballast had shifted 18 inches aft, on a CD30 he was looking at.Is this even possible without serious hull damage? I thought the ballast was encapsuled in fiberglass as an integral part of the keel? I had a survey done on the boat but the marina was unable to get the boat out of the water enough for a close inspection of the hull.Thanks for any replys. JD Johnson
Mcawthor@bellatlantic.net
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Geoff Safron
Re: CD30 Ballast Shift????????
JD:
Another wacky idea, given that we're getting into the temperate season: put on the mask and snorkel and go look for yourself; once you've seen blistering, you'll easily recognize it, even with some bottom growth; Some surveyors also dive, and offer it as an add-one service.
My '30 is clean, but was seasonally-used and in fresh water at that, so perhaps I'm lucky. As for ballast-shift, from what I understand of how they made these boats, that's a bunch of hooey. If the ballast is not where it was supposed to be, something grave and nefarious happened to her.
If your survey passes, buy with confidence; I've got quite the fixer-upper, but she's worth every dollar and every hour. Good Luck!
Geoff
Commedia
Detroit
Brainstorm@unidial.com
Another wacky idea, given that we're getting into the temperate season: put on the mask and snorkel and go look for yourself; once you've seen blistering, you'll easily recognize it, even with some bottom growth; Some surveyors also dive, and offer it as an add-one service.
My '30 is clean, but was seasonally-used and in fresh water at that, so perhaps I'm lucky. As for ballast-shift, from what I understand of how they made these boats, that's a bunch of hooey. If the ballast is not where it was supposed to be, something grave and nefarious happened to her.
If your survey passes, buy with confidence; I've got quite the fixer-upper, but she's worth every dollar and every hour. Good Luck!
Geoff
Commedia
Detroit
Brainstorm@unidial.com