Been a classic silly newbie :(

[Myself]

I have been oh so silly and when I brought my lovely boat. I did what I, at the time, thought was good for both parties (Doh!)

 

Other party wanted a quick sale and I was eager to get on board. Other party assured me that the boat was sound and needed no work, and he only needed a quick sale for family illness reasons, but I thought I had some safety as in the contract of sale was a clause..... That as long as I got the boat surveyed within the first year then previous owner would pay for any important hull work if any was needed.

 

Cut a long story short I had a survey done as soon as all the snow and ice cleared,(within 3 months of purchase) only to find out it needs lots of work, costing lots and lots of pretty money.

 

Felt safe and went back to the previous owner, who said ...yes yes get some quotes and we will sort it.

 

Quotes came in much more than he expected (as I say it needs loads, tut) now I will have to pay over half the cost as he won't pay all.

 

Moral.... ALWAYS get a survey BEFORE buying a boat.

 

I guess I am lucky as I could have been caught for the whole lot, but still not the best way to start life on a boat.

 

I am also learning that saying Bung On Another Thousand is oh so true

[bizzard]

I have been oh so silly and when I brought my lovely boat. I did what I, at the time, thought was good for both parties (Doh!)

 

Other party wanted a quick sale and I was eager to get on board. Other party assured me that the boat was sound and needed no work, and he only needed a quick sale for family illness reasons, but I thought I had some safety as in the contract of sale was a clause..... That as long as I got the boat surveyed within the first year then previous owner would pay for any important hull work if any was needed.

 

Cut a long story short I had a survey done as soon as all the snow and ice cleared,(within 3 months of purchase) only to find out it needs lots of work, costing lots and lots of pretty money.

 

Felt safe and went back to the previous owner, who said ...yes yes get some quotes and we will sort it.

 

Quotes came in much more than he expected (as I say it needs loads, tut) now I will have to pay over half the cost as he won't pay all.

 

Moral.... ALWAYS get a survey BEFORE buying a boat.

 

I guess I am lucky as I could have been caught for the whole lot, but still not the best way to start life on a boat.

 

I am also learning that saying Bung On Another Thousand is oh so true

Oh dear.So i gather it is all hull work?. Or plus other work?

[Myself]

Yes, sob sob, all hull work. Not good

[bizzard]

Yes, sob sob, all hull work. Not good

Its probably not as bad as it might sound as surveyors tend to go over the top a bit and exaggerate slightly to protect themselves.Can you give us an idea of whats wrong and how much, over the internet ?

[Myself]

Reading from the survey -

Fully re-shoe the port and starboard base plate.

Fully over plate the hull sides to a height of 3inchs above the water line from bow stern post to stern post, all rubbing strakes that fall within that area will need to be removed prior to over plating.

Fully over plate the counter turn from the counter floor to the top of the counter removing any rubbing strakes that fall within that area prior to welding.

will pm you the quote

[bizzard]

Reading from the survey -

Fully re-shoe the port and starboard base plate.

Fully over plate the hull sides to a height of 3inchs above the water line from bow stern post to stern post, all rubbing strakes that fall within that area will need to be removed prior to over plating.

Fully over plate the counter turn from the counter floor to the top of the counter removing any rubbing strakes that fall within that area prior to welding.

will pm you the quote

Quite a bit. I don't quite understand the Port & starboard base plate bit,they are usually full width plates but however it looks like the whole base plate needs replating. ''I can imagine the cost''.

Oh dear,if you can get half the cost from the previous owner and as i doubt very much if this plating is dangerously bad,so would give you time to save up and have it done in the near future.Did the surveyor give any hint as to how bad it is and how quickly it needs to be done?

[Myself]

He said it should be done ASAP as without it, if i change insurance company, it would most likely be un-insurable.

 

Huge lesson learned, won't be bitten again.

[bizzard]

He said it should be done ASAP as without it, if i change insurance company, it would most likely be un-insurable.

 

Huge lesson learned, won't be bitten again.

Ah the port and starboard side plating i suppose means that the base plate edge overlaps have been worn away,which is not too serious usually.

[OldGoldy]

I don't quite understand the Port & starboard base plate bit,they are usually full width plates

 

snip

 

Springer/V bottom?

[Chris Pink]

Reading from the survey -

Fully re-shoe the port and starboard base plate.

Fully over plate the hull sides to a height of 3inchs above the water line from bow stern post to stern post, all rubbing strakes that fall within that area will need to be removed prior to over plating.

Fully over plate the counter turn from the counter floor to the top of the counter removing any rubbing strakes that fall within that area prior to welding.

will pm you the quote

 

What you are talking about here is more or less a new hull. Without seeing the boat it is difficult to gave an opinion but there is always more than one approach to these things.

 

Patch and mend is a perfectly respectable approach and should be considered before leaping into remedial work of this scale.

[Myself]

Dave, it is a flat bottom.

Chris, that's from the survey, the scale is what is needed.

I know, I been slapping myself daily.

[Chris Pink]

There are all sorts of ways of dealing eith problems and surveyors have different approaches. Overloading a large area of steel can bring its own problems of trapped corrosion and work of this extent is generally last resort stuff to get a few more years out of a worn out boat.

 

If it was my boat I would be looking to localise issues rather than condemn very large areas of what is a very substantial material.

 

As you say you are inexperienced I would advise against making another leap in the dark without considering all possibilities.

 

Especially if you can find a solution that falls within the amount the seller is prepared to pay

Edited April 6, 2012 by Chris Pink

[rubblequeen]

Hi this is really an awful situation for you,however, you will come through with loads of support from other boaters and people on here.

 

I would grab the money he offers you, see if he will put anything in writing about only paying half. Don't say anything yourself agreeing with him. Then when you get the final bill ask him again - in writing nicely to pay the balance. If he refuses write and tell him you plan to apply to the small claims court and he will end up with a CCJ against his name. It will cost you a £100 which if found in your favour he'll have to pay and can all be done on the internet. I just feel he has took you and that is not how things should be done.

 

When it's all over relax and enjoy your boat, it's great.

[dor]

Hi this is really an awful situation for you,however, you will come through with loads of support from other boaters and people on here.

 

I would grab the money he offers you, see if he will put anything in writing about only paying half. Don't say anything yourself agreeing with him. Then when you get the final bill ask him again - in writing nicely to pay the balance. If he refuses write and tell him you plan to apply to the small claims court and he will end up with a CCJ against his name. It will cost you a £100 which if found in your favour he'll have to pay and can all be done on the internet. I just feel he has took you and that is not how things should be done.

 

That's all very well if you can prove he agreed to pay for the repairs before the boat was bought. Otherwise I think the court would throw it out.

 

ETA: Re-shoeing the baseplate may just mean welding strips along the side if it is the wear plate that is gone rather than the baseplate itself being too thin.

 

Replating the sides is not too difficult - lots of boats have been done. If you do it, at least you know the hull is sound - there are a lot of boats out there with owners blissfully unaware of how badly corroded their hulls are.

 

Depending on where you go, you could probably get the side plating done and wear strips added for about £3K.

 

And yes, some surveyors are very pessimistic, but you might need a sound survey for insurance.

Edited April 6, 2012 by dor

[Richard10002]

That's all very well if you can prove he agreed to pay for the repairs before the boat was bought. Otherwise I think the court would throw it out.

.

 

There is a clause in the contract.

[Rich]

Be careful as to whom you entrust with whatever work you have done. Personal recommendations are best but even then you can come unstuck. The more satisfactory comments you get the better.

 

Some years ago I was charged £125 for replacing the bottom rudder bearing when the boat was already out of the water. It was a "standard charge", I was told when I queried it.

 

This was a well-known boat concern whose owner is frequently mentioned favourably in the waterways press. Of course, since then I have come across a number of other people with less than complimentary tales to tell.

[Myself]

Thanks Guys, It's my own silly fault really, when the contract said he will pay for urgent repairs to the bottom plating I thought that meant all below the water, as in bottom half of the boat. Now he says that means just the base, no sides included. Most of the work seems to fall into the sides of the boat so he has a great argument that what he has offered is fair for what he said he would do. I should have got a survey

[bizzard]

Thanks Guys, It's my own silly fault really, when the contract said he will pay for urgent repairs to the bottom plating I thought that meant all below the water, as in bottom half of the boat. Now he says that means just the base, no sides included. Most of the work seems to fall into the sides of the boat so he has a great argument that what he has offered is fair for what he said he would do. I should have got a survey

It sounds like he new an issue with the bottom plating was likely to arise and so covered himself a little.

[grahame r]

Thanks Guys, It's my own silly fault really, when the contract said he will pay for urgent repairs to the bottom plating I thought that meant all below the water, as in bottom half of the boat. Now he says that means just the base, no sides included. Most of the work seems to fall into the sides of the boat so he has a great argument that what he has offered is fair for what he said he would do. I should have got a survey

 

I think you are being a bit soft here. The bottom of a boat is everything under the waterline, if you get your bottom blacked (I know!) and they didn't do the sides everyone on here would tell you to take them to court. You bought the boat on the understanding that any work required to the bottom (including the sides) would be paid for by the vendor, if he hadn't given that assurance you wouldn't have bought the boat. Don't mess about with with county courts on the internet, go to a proper solicitor with your contract and get him to write a letter to the vendor explaining his obligations, then have the boat fixed properly at the vendors expense.

[bizzard]

My first port of call would probably be a Citizens advice bureau.

[Myself]

Your right there Grahame, that is exactly what I thought when I signed the contract, think I might just look into it a little and see what I can find. Think I will follow Bizzards advice. Maybe nothing will come of it, but it's worth a try.

[cotswoldsman]

My first port of call would probably be a Citizens advice bureau.

 

Would that be on the visitor moorings?

[bizzard]

Your right there Grahame, that is exactly what I thought when I signed the contract, think I might just look into it a little and see what I can find. Think I will follow Bizzards advice. Maybe nothing will come of it, but it's worth a try.

Take all paperwork and evidence ect appertaining to the boat there and they should put you on the right track.

[grahame r]

Your right there Grahame, that is exactly what I thought when I signed the contract, think I might just look into it a little and see what I can find. Think I will follow Bizzards advice. Maybe nothing will come of it, but it's worth a try.

 

By all means take advice from a CAB, but entering into any correspondence yourself will only give the impression that you are trying to resolve the situation on the cheap. Solicitors do tend to be more confrontational but that's exactly what you want to convey. You should get an initial consultation free of charge and you will be advised as to the likelihood of success. If the solicitor is confident of success then a firmly worded letter will probably be all that is needed and the solicitors fee will be the best investment you ever make. Should you need to take it further then you will win costs. Above all, do not negotiate, stick to your agreement that the boat must be properly repaired at the vendor's expense and don't give an inch. Good luck.

[Myself]

Thanks everyone, I will be pursuing it further after the bank holiday (at least its a holiday for some!)