Gas locker and overplating

[Liv_is_on_a_boat]

Hello forum, 

We're just in the process of buying a boat and everything looked really positive from the survey and the ultrasonic readings are good for a 20 year old boat (isolated areas of pitting no more than 1.5mm).

 

The gas locker was checked and rust identified as an issue so we arranged for it to be cleaned and repainted. When cleaning the rust, it was worse than we first thought, and where the base of the gas locker floor meets the hull sides there was considerable corrosion.

 

We've now been recommended to overplate along the full width of the gas locker floor on the hull side (1000mm x 200mm plating on each side). 

 

We would really appreciate some advice on this, as although we trust the vessel, and know that there isn't an issue with the hull, we know that overplating for whatever reason will affect the resell value of the boat. How much does overplating put off future buyers and should we walk away... ?

 

Liz

[Alan de Enfield]

3 minutes ago, Liv_is_on_a_boat said:

We would really appreciate some advice on this, as although we trust the vessel, and know that there isn't an issue with the hull, we know that overplating for whatever reason will affect the resell value of the boat. How much does overplating put off future buyers and should we walk away... ?

 

 

Not doing the recommended overplating work will have a much more serious affect on the resale price.

 

If you are buying a boat and worrying about its resale value, then maybe you should reconsider boat ownership.

[David Mack]

Or instead of overplating, cut out the thinned section and let in new plating. It will cost more but will be a better job.

[Quattrodave]

6 minutes ago, David Mack said:

Or instead of overplating, cut out the thinned section and let in new plating. It will cost more but will be a better job.

Second that...

[Liv_is_on_a_boat]

1 hour ago, Alan de Enfield said:

 

 

Not doing the recommended overplating work will have a much more serious affect on the resale price.

 

If you are buying a boat and worrying about its resale value, then maybe you should reconsider boat ownership.

We can still pull out of the sale at this point, so it's more a case of should we walk away if its a bad bet!

 

 

[Tony Brooks]

Mine was similar except the surveyor missed it. I had the bottom and 6" up the side plated with 6mm steel, far better at resisting 19Kg bottles being dropped on it and with little maintenance will outlast the hull.  Very happy with the concept but shoddy work caused  number of problems like the drain was bodged so it leaked gas into the hull and for the sake of removing a bolt the bottom was set too high so only a 13Kg cylinder would fit at one end. The drian was easily rectified by a competant yard.

 

Boat sold over 20 years later with no problem.

Edited March 25, 2021 by Tony Brooks

[Mike Hurley]

If you can get the price negotiated to cover a replate, not over plate, then why walk away. Gas lockers are always wet thats why they corrode, no reflection on the rest of the hull. If this is THE boat then go for it, if you dont then someone else will by the weekend i guess, looking at how boats are selling now.

Edited March 25, 2021 by Mike Hurley

[Tony Brooks]

I don't understand this anti-overplate the gas locker PROVIDING thick enough plate. Even if the original steel totally rusted away under the over-plate the tank will still be gas tight. Different if we are talking about a front locker in the forepeak where the hull is part of it but not for a "traditional" pure gas locker.

[Liv_is_on_a_boat]

3 minutes ago, Tony Brooks said:

I don't understand this anti-overplate the gas locker PROVIDING thick enough plate. Even if the original steel totally rusted away under the over-plate the tank will still be gas tight. Different if we are talking about a front locker in the forepeak where the hull is part of it but not for a "traditional" pure gas locker.

 

The gas locker is in the hull peak so the overplating will be on the the outside of the hull where the floor of the gas locker joins the hull sides. 

 

[Mike Hurley]

6 minutes ago, Tony Brooks said:

I don't understand this anti-overplate the gas locker PROVIDING thick enough plate. Even if the original steel totally rusted away under the over-plate the tank will still be gas tight. Different if we are talking about a front locker in the forepeak where the hull is part of it but not for a "traditional" pure gas locker.

Back in the days when rust repairs was big business on cars, i would always chop out the rusty panel and fit/fabricate new, if you can get to good rust free material then do that. If it was my boat i would replace the floor. Overplating if not done right just hides the rust, replating cures it. Without seeing it, hard to advise.

[Liv_is_on_a_boat]

3 minutes ago, Mike Hurley said:

Back in the days when rust repairs was big business on cars, i would always chop out the rusty panel and fit/fabricate new, if you can get to good rust free material then do that. If it was my boat i would replace the floor. Overplating if not done right just hides the rust, replating cures it. Without seeing it, hard to advise.

 

We are going to see if we can replate rather than overplate it! Thanks for the advice

 

[Alan de Enfield]

 

 

Having a corroded gas locker is a BSS fail so if you don't do it now you are going to have to do it in the near future. Get it done as part of the agreement to buy it.

[Liv_is_on_a_boat]

7 minutes ago, Alan de Enfield said:

 

 

Having a corroded gas locker is a BSS fail so if you don't do it now you are going to have to do it in the near future. Get it done as part of the agreement to buy it.

 

Thanks for the advice! The gas locker base is welded to the hull sides, so we will need to sort it before it goes back in the water  because we have some low readings where the gas locker rust has damaged the hull proper (this is if we go ahead with the sale)

[Tony Brooks]

31 minutes ago, Liv_is_on_a_boat said:

 

The gas locker is in the hull peak so the overplating will be on the the outside of the hull where the floor of the gas locker joins the hull sides. 

 

So in that case I agree that cutting out and fitting new plates is the way to go otherwise you risk the hull perforating.

[ditchcrawler]

I have seen the hull of a boat with a slot cut out above and below the gas locker floor and the gas locker floor pulled out, a new floor slid in and the filler put bck into the slot. @Rose Narrowboats may have more information

[Liv_is_on_a_boat]

16 hours ago, ditchcrawler said:

I have seen the hull of a boat with a slot cut out above and below the gas locker floor and the gas locker floor pulled out, a new floor slid in and the filler put bck into the slot. @Rose Narrowboats may have more information

 

Thanks! Good to know how another boater has dealt with the problem.

[blackrose]

17 hours ago, Liv_is_on_a_boat said:

 

Thanks for the advice! The gas locker base is welded to the hull sides, so we will need to sort it before it goes back in the water  because we have some low readings where the gas locker rust has damaged the hull proper (this is if we go ahead with the sale)

 

I'm not a welder, but why can't it be overplated from the inside without cropping out anything? It just seems simpler. Is it just a case of difficulty of getting in there?

Edited March 26, 2021 by blackrose

[Liv_is_on_a_boat]

2 hours ago, blackrose said:

 

I'm not a welder, but why can't it be overplated from the inside without cropping out anything? It just seems simpler. Is it just a case of difficulty of getting in there?

 

I suspect so, but will check with the boatyard when we go why it can't be dealt with from the inside. It may be because the line of corrosion extends the length of the locker floor to the bulkhead? 

 

Thanks for the replies, we do appreciate the advice  

 

I think after some agonies, we are going to go ahead with the sale. We'll have to have it overplated for now as the boatyard don't have capacity for a replate until June and it needs to go back in the water. Next time we have the boat blacked in 18 months, we will have it replated. We've negotiated some money off our original offer and according to our surveyor, it won't affect the valuation of the boat (this is where I was sceptical). We've also had a second opinion via pics from a second surveyor who advised a replate too.

 

In the end the boats for us, and we're happy with the condition of the vessel. But fully understand that there may be a stupidity tax to pay later down the line.... 

Edited March 26, 2021 by Liv_is_on_a_boat