If you were buying a second-hand boat...

[whitty1]

Would you want the rust spots covered or left so you could see the extent of the problem?

 

I ask this as we are putting our boat up for sale in a couple of weeks. At the weekend we cleaned the roof (we actually cleaned the whole boat!) and there are a number of rust spots. I think it's better to leave them as is - there is a fair amount of scraped paint etc on the boat anyway and we're not planning on paying for a repaint before we sell, so I think it's sold as seen.

H thinks it might be better to put a coat of paint over the whole roof so it looks better. But I think that this will actually look worse and put anyone who knows what they are looking at as they'll think we are trying to hide something and therefore might be hiding a whole range of problems (we're not).

 

So, wise ones, what is the consensus?

 

[matty40s]

I think most boats are better sold as seen, covering up the roof might be a good idea if you could guarantee the boat being on sale for a few weeks onky, but if not done properly, would soon show through.

[Laurie Booth]

Paint the boat yourselves and do a proper job.

[Rickent]

I will be looking for a boat imminently and if I thought things were being covered up it would put me off but if you did a good job painting the roof I wouldn't see it as a problem.

[zenataomm]

Likewise if you're selling your house make sure the dustbins are overflowing and the garden unweeded. Although you really should think about tidyiing up the old sofa and freezer over by the climbing frame and put an old carpet over them, but only think about it though. That way you're letting potential buyers see the potential.

 

Whenever I sell a car I always wait until the MOT has just expired and all four tyres are bald. Leaving the seats muddy and covered in dog hair highlights I'm not hiding anything. When they come to view I find they can't wait to rush off, probably to talk to their bank manager ..... probably eh?

 

As for selling your boat .....

I don't understand anyone who would go to the bother of sanding back any rust and treating it with one of those rust treatments that are so hard to find in any car spares or ironmonger's shop you see on most high streets. They'd have to then rub it back, prime it and paint the panel properly. Pointless in my view, I mean it's not as if seeing a little rust on top of the boat is going to raise the question in their mind ("If they can't be arsed to look after what everyone can see, what are the chances of them maintaining the hidden bits") I mean it's just not going to occur to them is it?

It's daft to think they're not going to offer the very most they can.

 

Sit back, relax and let your boat sell itself. It's not as if there more than a few of them on the market is it?

 

ps Do you want to buy my car?

[FadeToScarlet]

It's a reasonably simple job to do, using a flap disk on an angle grinder remove the rust and use a decent high build, zinc rich primer like International's Yacht Primer, or Galvafroid. Then undercoat 24 hours or so later, then rub back gently and top coat.

 

If I were to see a boat with obvious rust spots coming through the paint, I'd wonder what else the owners hadn't maintained, and probably use the cost of sorting that to reduce my offer accordingly.

[whitty1]

Thanks for the sensible answers. No need for the hugely sarcastic response zenataomm.

 

I wouldn't want to do a poor cover up job which is why I was asking if it would put you off buying a boat with rust spots showing.

[FadeToScarlet]

Thanks for the sensible answers. No need for the hugely sarcastic response zenataomm.

 

I wouldn't want to do a poor cover up job which is why I was asking if it would put you off buying a boat with rust spots showing.

I think it's really quite hard to do a poor cover up job. You could just slap some Hammerite direct to rust over it, but that would be poor. If you get rid of the rust and paint over it properly, it won't be a poor quality job.

 

Though you might need to overcoat the rest of the roof to match the new, unfaded patches!

[BrumSaint]

Surely this is an issue of cost and/or time. If you can afford to have someone else paint the roof properly, and you think that will help sell the boat, then do it but don't expect to get back the whole cost of the paint job in an increased selling price. If you've got the time to strip back the roof and paint it properly you might get back the cost of the materials in the increased selling price, but if you are not very good at painting (like me) then the job may not be good enough.

 

The best way forward in my view is to sand back the rust spots and then treat/paint with anti rust. This shows the boat as it is, but also shows that you've taken the necessary action to stop the rust getting any worse.

[Neil2]

I don't think it matters much either way but if you decide to repaint the roof be honest about it and admit to any prospective buyer that you thought the boat might present better as a result. It might even be worth taking photographs so you can show what she looked like before. You are more likely to gain the respect of a buyer that way rather than leaving them to draw their own conclusions.

 

Unless the boat is almost brand new I think most buyers expect to see some surface rust on a steel boat, where it is and how bad it is will determine whether it's a relevant factor.

Edited March 10, 2015 by Neil2

[whitty1]

Some really helpful replies there - thanks guys.

[Laurie Booth]

Thanks for the sensible answers. No need for the hugely sarcastic response zenataomm.

 

 

True though

[Ray T]

This was the state of the roof of our boat when we bought her:

 

random 081

 

It didn't put us off purchase as we saw her as she was "warts and all." We could see that the rust was surface rust only, not got a hold to any great depth. We intended to get the boat repainted, a) because she needed it and b.) we didn't like the name, it meant nothing to us.

 

As has been said above if the roof only had been painted and not the sides, as in our case the sides were similar to the roof, we'd have thought "what's being covered up?"

 

This is my thoughts only, others may differ................. it's up to you really.

 

Edited to get rid of unwanted smilie i,e,

Edited March 10, 2015 by Ray T

[whitty1]

This was the state of the roof of our boat when we bought her:

 

random 081

 

It didn't put us off purchase as we saw her as she was "warts and all." We could see that the rust was surface rust only, not got a hold to any great depth. We intended to get the boat repainted, a) because she needed it and b.) we didn't like the name, it meant nothing to us.

 

As has been said above if the roof only had been painted and not the sides, as in our case the sides were similar to the roof, we'd have thought "what's being covered up?"

 

This is my thoughts only, others may differ................. it's up to you really.

 

Edited to get rid of unwanted smilie i,e,

Thanks for that Ray. Ours isn't as rusty as that (no offense!) - it's more, speckley I suppose is the word. Not big patches at all. You seem to have the same train of thought as I had though.

Will show this thread to H and come up with a plan.

Thanks all.

[zenataomm]

If you're "chuffed" with it as it is that's fine.

[Laurie Booth]

If you're "chuffed" with it as it is that's fine.

Groan

[Paul C]

To paint a roof properly can be a pain in the arse, because of the grip coating on it. By all means paint over (and over) it, but it will lose its effectiveness. Try to sand down to decent bare metal and you'll discover the most efficient sandpaper/wire brush wearer in the world. Then you're into doing it with a scabbler...... If its not too bad, then my all means do localised touch ups but it won't be possible to make them invisible - BUT it will show that you care about the cosmetic apperance of the boat AND arrest the rust for a little longer.

 

Worth also mentioning, if you're about to completely repaint a boat roof and its a dark colour, making it a light colour (eg cream, white) will really help with keeping the cabin not-too-hot in the summertime.

[FadeToScarlet]

To paint a roof properly can be a pain in the arse, because of the grip coating on it. By all means paint over (and over) it, but it will lose its effectiveness. Try to sand down to decent bare metal and you'll discover the most efficient sandpaper/wire brush wearer in the world. Then you're into doing it with a scabbler...... If its not too bad, then my all means do localised touch ups but it won't be possible to make them invisible - BUT it will show that you care about the cosmetic apperance of the boat AND arrest the rust for a little longer.

 

Worth also mentioning, if you're about to completely repaint a boat roof and its a dark colour, making it a light colour (eg cream, white) will really help with keeping the cabin not-too-hot in the summertime.

On the flip side, a light coloured roof makes it very hard to see forwards because of the reflected sunlight at certain angles, I'd go more for a light to mid grey colour.

[craftycarper]

Would you want the rust spots covered or left so you could see the extent of the problem?

 

I ask this as we are putting our boat up for sale in a couple of weeks. At the weekend we cleaned the roof (we actually cleaned the whole boat!) and there are a number of rust spots. I think it's better to leave them as is - there is a fair amount of scraped paint etc on the boat anyway and we're not planning on paying for a repaint before we sell, so I think it's sold as seen.

H thinks it might be better to put a coat of paint over the whole roof so it looks better. But I think that this will actually look worse and put anyone who knows what they are looking at as they'll think we are trying to hide something and therefore might be hiding a whole range of problems (we're not).

 

So, wise ones, what is the consensus?

 

. When I buy anything boat,car,house,horse or dog I want to see it :warts an all: not covered up in a vain attempt to make it like new, if I can see the faults I can then decide A if i can fix them , orB if they are financially viable to get repaired within the budget, if you are selling an honest boat at an honest price why try and hide things, good luck with your sale

[Athy]

Thanks for the sensible answers. No need for the hugely sarcastic response zenataomm.

 

 

No need perhaps, but it was very entertaining. His underlying point was serious though. It does not take very long to get rid of the rust patches and doing so will improve the look of your boat.

[Laurie Booth]

. When I buy anything boat,car,house,horse or dog I want to see it :warts an all: not covered up in a vain attempt to make it like new, if I can see the faults I can then decide A if i can fix them , orB if they are financially viable to get repaired within the budget, if you are selling an honest boat at an honest price why try and hide things, good luck with your sale

Repainting the roof to a good standard is not hiding anything. It is good practice to make what you are selling as pleasing as possible purchaser. Imagine you are selling your house and the front door is rotten and falling apart. First impressions mean a lot.

[craftycarper]

Repainting the roof to a good standard is not hiding anything. It is good practice to make what you are selling as pleasing as possible purchaser. Imagine you are selling your house and the front door is rotten and falling apart. First impressions mean a lot.

i don't diagree with what your saying but if that same front door had a bucket of filler in it and a coat of paint I would still walk away, so unless the cost of getting the roof done will add to the value to offset the cost of the painting then just be honest, there is a lot more room for manoeuvre when selling a house for hundreds of thousands than a boat that's likely to be in the tens of thousands of pounds, in fact it's quite easy to spend more on a boat putting things right than the value of the boat, were as that's nearly impossible with a house

[Laurie Booth]

i don't diagree with what your saying but if that same front door had a bucket of filler in it and a coat of paint I would still walk away, so unless the cost of getting the roof done will add to the value to offset the cost of the painting then just be honest, there is a lot more room for manoeuvre when selling a house for hundreds of thousands than a boat that's likely to be in the tens of thousands of pounds, in fact it's quite easy to spend more on a boat putting things right than the value of the boat, were as that's nearly impossible with a house

I see your point but painting the roof of a boat is very cheap to do, if you are doing it yourself.

[Judgejim64]

What sort of boat might be interested ?

[craftycarper]

What sort of boat might be interested ?

. Probably better to send a PM to the original poster as this bit of the forum is for chatting about boats and I think there may be a breech in the rules if you do a deal here, I could be wrong but I think that would be better etiquette,