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 Post subject: Questions from a possible soon to be Tartan 37 owner
PostPosted: 27 Sep 2013 09:32 
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Skipper

Joined: 24 Sep 2013 09:20
Posts: 393
Hello All, I currently have a contract on a Tartan 37 K/CB Hull # 280 built in 1980. Survey set for October 8. I am really happy with the specs of the Tartan 37 and how they seem to fit well with my ideas on future uses of the boat. Actually, more than any other boat I can find in the size and price range, it seems to be "just right." This particular boat, cosmetically, has been brought to pretty darn close to like new condition. It's shiny inside and out (right down to the bilge), and all wood is newly finished and very nice. My concern is on the balsa core, especially the hull. I know that if the survey comes back with issues, I will probably back out and keep looking for another boat. What I'm worried about though is if the survey comes back with no issues. Does a balsa core on a 33 year old boat have another 30+ years in it? More or less so than solid hull of same age and same build quality? Are there other boat types of 60+ years that have a balsa core we can find for examples? I know a lot would come down to my attention to maintenance and how quickly I discovered any issues. But, even if I was very diligent, is delamination or breakdown of the balsa very likely? Just makes me worried about a future decision to either try to sell a seriously devalued boat or make a costly/very difficult repair one day. I know buying any older boat comes with risks, and once I make my decision, I will take those risks head on and deal with issues as they come. I guess I'm wondering if any of you had these thoughts when you purchased your Tartan or have had these thoughts through continued ownership of your Tartan. What conclusions have you come to? Are you thinking of selling your Tartan in the next 10 years "before any inevitable" balsa core problems come up. Should I scrap the whole idea and look for a hull of solid fiberglass? When I research "lifespan of balsa," I find a lot of model airplane discussions where they certainly say that balsa if kept under proper conditions will last the time frame we are talking about. I am sure they don't mean sandwiched between two fiberglass pieces and stored floating in the water though. Smile

The only other item that I can find in this category of worry is the engine. It's the Westerbeke W-50, and the listing says rebuilt 2003. Again, I'm wondering about if the survey comes back that there are no major problems. What is the life span of the engine if I'm diligent with maintenance? Will I just need to "rebuild" again after another 13-23 years or should I figure that I will be replacing this at some point?

What other systems/elements am I missing that I should be thinking of in these terms? The items that I have found through research of the website and forum such as repairing water damage in rudder/center board, center board system repairs, rudder pintle replacement, etc don't seem easy but also don't scare me away like the above issues. I'm basically interested in big time inevitable problems that I may/will have to throw time and money at in the future and the thoughts you have had about these issues on an aging already older boat. What are current owners thoughts? Please assume (rightly) that I am ignorant and have no idea what I or you may be talking about. Thanks for any help, Zach Duncan


 
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 Post subject: Re: Questions from a possible soon to be Tartan 37 owner
PostPosted: 27 Sep 2013 09:47 
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Skipper

Joined: 24 Sep 2013 09:20
Posts: 393
Another way to pose this question is "If I get a clean survey and go through with this purchase, what expenses should I budget in for the long run to be prudent?" (10 years, 20 years, 30+) I understand there is speculation here. Sorry so wordy.


 
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 Post subject: Re: Questions from a possible soon to be Tartan 37 owner
PostPosted: 27 Sep 2013 14:34 
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Skipper

Joined: 14 Jul 2012 20:36
Posts: 495
Location: Norfolk, Va
It sounds like you're buying a boat that is taken care of by a very knowledgeable owner. I'll do the easy one first, parts are getting harder and harder to find for the W50. You couldn't rebuild one now without great cost. In 10-15 it will be next to impossible. If it was properly rebuilt, it should last for 4K-5K hours if well maintained. The balsa core should be good as long as it stays dry. I'm getting some flexing in dry areas and I think it comes from repeated flexing like the Stbd seat. I might take it out next year to reinforce.

Best of luck, they are well made boats and hold their value as well as any.

_________________
Hull #208, Puff Card
Southern Chesapeake Bay


 
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 Post subject: Re: Questions from a possible soon to be Tartan 37 owner
PostPosted: 28 Sep 2013 11:24 
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Skipper

Joined: 29 Dec 2006 09:38
Posts: 656
I have owned my t37 for 22 years. I would not worry about the balsa core below the waterline despite the shrill comments of folks who pass along hearsay about them. I live near several boatyards and have never seen any issues with cored hulls that were not the direct result of poor after market work ( like improper installation of through hull fittings or hull repair). The deck cores are much more likely to be compromised by some doofus drilling holes without properly sealing them. My hull had thousands of tiny blisters when I bought it. Stripped to within one layer of glass of the balsa core showed no delamination or water intrusion anywhere after 15 years of being I the water continuously ( California boat). Personally, I have never heard of a cored hull Tartan with hull damage in the core. But plenty of problems with decks in all used boats when the PO or doofus boatyard dudes failed to install deck hardware properly. I would be much more skeptical of deck integrity from post purchase work, than the factory sealing of the balsa core below the water.

Ray
Velera #373


 
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 Post subject: Re: Questions from a possible soon to be Tartan 37 owner
PostPosted: 28 Sep 2013 11:25 
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Skipper

Joined: 29 Dec 2006 09:38
Posts: 656
I have owned my t37 for 22 years. I would not worry about the balsa core below the waterline despite the shrill comments of folks who pass along hearsay about them. I live near several boatyards and have never seen any issues with cored hulls that were not the direct result of poor after market work ( like improper installation of through hull fittings or hull repair). The deck cores are much more likely to be compromised by some doofus drilling holes without properly sealing them. My hull had thousands of tiny blisters when I bought it. Stripped to within one layer of glass of the balsa core showed no delamination or water intrusion anywhere after 15 years of being I the water continuously ( California boat). Personally, I have never heard of a cored hull Tartan with hull damage in the core. But plenty of problems with decks in all used boats when the PO or doofus boatyard dudes failed to install deck hardware properly. I would be much more skeptical of deck integrity from post purchase work, than the factory sealing of the balsa core below the water.

Ray
Velera #373


 
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 Post subject: Re: Questions from a possible soon to be Tartan 37 owner
PostPosted: 28 Sep 2013 12:14 
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Skipper

Joined: 24 Sep 2013 09:20
Posts: 393
Thanks for the info! Really hoping survey is great. Really like the boat. Any other thoughts from owners appreciated.


 
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 Post subject: Re: Questions from a possible soon to be Tartan 37 owner
PostPosted: 30 Sep 2013 06:19 
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Skipper

Joined: 27 Oct 2006 10:32
Posts: 827
I second what Ray is saying about the balsa coring. These Tartans have a substantially thick outer hull then the balsa, then glass/woven roving on top. The coring is really only on large paneled areas and certainly not 100% of the hull. If a balsa panel gets saturated, it would be isolated to that panel only, but I have not heard of any occurrences. When I installed a through-hull for my air conditioner, the hull thickness (non-cored area) was 1-1/4". This was about 16" up from the turn of the keel/bilge and about even with the leading edge of the keel forward. In other words, these hulls are built well.

Your survey will most likely find a rudder that is saturated unless a P.O. has fixed it. There is plenty of discussion on this board concerning the rudder and centerboard. You will want to check the bolts that hold the hinge plate for the centerboard for these are subjected to crevice corrosion.

I think that you'll find these boats really shine when taken care of and you'll get a lot of compliments on her.....

Cheers,
Tom


 
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 Post subject: Re: Questions from a possible soon to be Tartan 37 owner
PostPosted: 30 Sep 2013 07:12 
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Skipper

Joined: 24 Sep 2013 09:20
Posts: 393
More great info. Thanks. Survey is just over a week away now.


 
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 Post subject: Re: Questions from a possible soon to be Tartan 37 owner
PostPosted: 30 Sep 2013 07:13 
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Skipper

Joined: 24 Sep 2013 09:20
Posts: 393
More great info. Thanks. Survey is just over a week away now.


 
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 Post subject: Re: Questions from a possible soon to be Tartan 37 owner
PostPosted: 30 Sep 2013 13:02 
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Skipper

Joined: 20 Oct 2006 16:10
Posts: 687
Location: Out of Waukegan, IL
You're only 19 off my hull and to date we've dealt with coring issues on the deck but she's been on Lake MI all her life so winter storage issues are at the root of that. Westerbeke just had a fuel injection pump rebuild. Our shaft let go of the coupling once and was replaced but that's not a common one.

If the decks are water tight with few cracks and no major signs of leaks in the cabin from the overhead, you're probably in pretty good shape. Not to go NSA on you but it looks like you're in GA? Less chance of core damage down south without the annual freeze.

There's a sticky thread in maintenance called Things that have Broken so you can see what the usual suspects are.

_________________
SMMO/First Mate aboard High Flight #299
1981 - Full Keel - Furling Main (A boat for the lazy crew...)


 
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