Survey fail..now what?

Njlarry

Njlarry

Well-Known Member
May 9, 2021
646
Rock Hall, MD. Chesapeake bay
Boat Info
2000 400 DB
AT LAST
Engines
Cat 3126
The survey today looks all good but we found that the bottom is a mess and needs to be stripped, three coats barrier and then two coats bottom paint for about 9k and two weeks out of service. We like the boat but were not looking for another project boat although other than new electronics and decor most everything else looks ok.
Should we walk, renegotiate, if so what would be reasonable or customary?
 
In this market and the boat is otherwise what you are looking for, negotiate the bottom job, maybe see if the seller will split it with you. Bottom work is really routine maintenance and not really damage. If the boat was priced to account for the fact that it needed some attention the seller may just wait for another buyer. Tough call but don't go forward if an extra 9 grand will stress your budget because there will certainly be more items that pop up with in the first few months of purchase.
Good Luck
Carpe Diem
 
Agreed. I don't see where you mentioned the size, year, or rough cost of the boat but while $9000 is alot if everything else checks out I'd say that's a win. Most boats older than 10 years or so usually have some form of moisture. See if you can negotiate some or all of the cost. If you like it and it's what you want and there is no structural or mechanical issues I think you may regret passing on it. How good of a deal is it? Just my opinion.
When we bought ours we had a survey done. There were a few minor issues like a couple of gel coat chips on the chines and the A/C pump was bad. Structurally everything was good and the price was great so I accepted it as it was and fixed those things myself. 3 years later I'm very happy we bought it even though we found a few more minor issues (fuel was bad, carb was bad from the bad fuel but I replaced those too and in my mind it was still worth it.
 
To me me needing bottom paint would not constitute a failed survey... Unless it was represented that bottom paint was good.

It is a maintenance item and depending on where/how you boat may need to he done every couple of years as standard maintenance.

I would see you could negotiate a power wash and bottom paint. Then if you want you can get the bottom blasted and prepared with barrier coats down the road or pay the difference yourself.

While the barrier coat is preferred there are lots of boats like that.

-Kevin
 
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Did the boat fail the survey as your thread says or does it need maintenance? Certainly 9k of necessary work is worth a discussion. It is a bit hard to comment having no knowledge of the boat. Your profile says “ragboat”. Is this a sail boat we are discussing? How big? A little more info would help the discussion.
 
I had a 40 foot vessel blasted to the gel coat, 3 coats of barrier and 2 coats of anti fouling done for just less than $4k 2 months ago so $9k sounds high?

petit 4700/4702 and petit Trinidad
 
Bottom paint is normal maintenance and easy to evaluate. As a seller I would expect the buyer to know the obvious condition of the paint and account for it in his offer. It’s unlikely an immediate need and is likely functional. Add today’s market, and I wouldn’t entertain much of a renegotiation in this case. Good luck
 
9k is a lot for bottom paint, but then we may be talking about a 200' boat. When you ask for help its incumbent on you to provide at least some information to help us help you.
 
When you said "bottom is a mess", and then you mention "barrier coat", I would interpret that to mean (1) High levels of moisture in the hull laminate and/or (2) hull blisters. If that is the case and if you want to do it correctly, then yes you need to mechanically strip the gelcoat off, dry the hull and apply 100% solids epoxy barrier cote followed by your bottom paint.
If that is not the case and it is just peeling/flaking old bottom paint then you can have it sanded off with 60 grit pads, prep washed, primer and then bottom paint.
 
Easy way to answer the question - If it was priced $9k higher would you buy it?
 
Funny the OP has never said anymore:rolleyes:. My two cents is anytime I have seen a boat pulled and surveyed it always needs bottom work, Just the nature of the Beast,Part of boating.
 
Thanks to all for the helpful comments. The estimate came from the marina where the boat was hauled. It is a 400 sedan bridge 2000. There are other issues on the boat but I expected them on a 21 year old boat but I did not expect a bottom needing refinishing vs just addtional paint.
 
With no photos and no further description, it is difficult to conclude if this is a blister case, an over-exuberant surveyor or or just a boat needing bottom paint so I'm a bit reluctant to comment. However, with a $9000 estimate to correct the bottom, I'm pretty sure there is a sand or soda blast included in the cost so the bottom may be a mess.

If this is a sailboat you are buying, you need to understand this forum consists of power boat owners and most of us keep our boat ups to a significantly higher standard than sailboaters so consider the advice you are getting accordingly.
 
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To add on to Mr. Webster's comment - I think the bottom condition, generally speaking, is an indication of how the boat was taken care of. Most of us that keep our boats in salt water haul every year to clean, scrape, inspect, and touchup the hull as well in Florida have a diver clean the bottom every five or six weeks. We have large boats in our marina that have never left the dock in the nine years I've been there; generally speaking not only the bottom is an expensive mess but the boat simply isn't taken care of, it's sad. There are exceptions however and hopefully you are looking at one. Barnacle and tube worm buildup can get expensive because it needs to be manually scraped off. These buildups on a hull is indicative of loss of bottom paint which is indicative of needing to reapply barrier coating. The good thing is Sea Ray manufactures good hulls with few issues relating to delamination and blisters; there's always a few issues but unless mechanically damaged not a expense driver.
So, depending where you are and the environmental requirements to blast and paint it can get expensive...
 
Fix the bottom regardless.... barrier coat and your worry free. $9k is steep you can do some yourself.... get a couple more estimates
 
Guy upthread paid half that, get 2nd opinion on 1. What needs to be done 2. Cost to do. If you have to go somewhere else, just a haulout cost. And dont forget it’s nearly July. It can probably wait another 4 months til winter haulout, then you got all winter to get it done.
 
As Per my above response The price of $4k for the bottom job on my 40 ft vessel was all in, haul out, launch, blocking and paint.
 
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