Common for floor to be rotten but not stringers in old Haines?

[Gilera]

I'm looking at a late 70s Haines which has had the floor replaced. Transom seems solid. When I asked about stringers, the guy said they weren't done because they were ok. 

I'm a bit concerned that it could be a quick fix for sale. Is it common for floor to be gone but not stringers on these old boats? 

[noelm]

I guess it's possible, but.......usually, once rot starts it goes a long way before it's noticed, it might be possible if something was fitted to the floor and not sealed maybe. That said, most of those old Haines were pretty poorly built (forget the "legendary" name they have) but as it stands, it's a guessing game, does the seller have any pictures with the floor out? Does it look like a professional job, or just a home handyman patch up?

[Gilera]

No photos of underneath. I'm going around to have another look so I'll take some photos of the new floor and post them.

[noelm]

OK, not much you can do really, just hope and pray if you buy it. I wouldn't believe anything a seller says (not implying everyone is a crook, or all boats are junk) but anything that cannot be reliably verified should be taken as "maybe"

[Rebel]

Get an expert to have a look at the boat.

Will save the Tears in the long run.

Cheers.

[Gilera]

I went and had another look. It is not too easy for me to get an expert to look at it as the owner is away currently. I could in a couple of weeks if it came down to it but these boats are at a price point where there is a limit of what the owner will be prepared to do for a sale. I realise it is always a gamble. 

 I noticed a few things I didn't notice last time (it was raining then and a bit hectic). There is some cracking in the surface of the gel coat in a few places. Kind of oval shaped around the two rear angled rollers on the trailer and also along the base of some of the chines - see photos below. I noticed that the boat is not sitting on the skid on one side and the roller may have been taking a lot of weight. I also have some photos of the new floor. I noticed when standing on the recessed part between the bunks that floor there was flexing and creaking but everywhere else felt solid to walk on.

I took a cheap endoscope camera that plugs into my phone and stuck it up the bung hole. A small amount of dark stained water came out. Hard to get a focused image of the stringers but did get a couple of something wooden. I assume it wasn't the underside of the floor as that should be glassed over. For what it is worth I will post those too. I saw movement of some bugs crawling around in there.

Any advice appreciated as I am not up for a project where floor has to be ripped out again or major structural repairs need to be made. I am in a position where I can leave the boat in the water for a few weeks at a time in summer and wouldn't want to have to worry about it taking on water.

Edited December 10, 2022 by Mark77

[Gilera]

[slowjigger]

It is not uncommon for gelcoat to crack and for this to be unrelated to any structural weakness. You could try pushing the hull up by hand. Any movement is a sign to walk away.  

His explanation sounds plausible. I would doubt he would go to all the trouble of relacing just the floor if the stringers were unsound.  

[zmk1962]

I think you'll be buying yourself a project.... a major one at that. That cracking of the gelcoat that you see on the underside is where the hull has been flexing. Why - probably because the stringers are soft. I recently sold a 1990 Haines, that the buyer had professionally inspected prior to purchase. That hull showed none of those types of cracks. The professional inspectors had moisture readers that could read through the hull a check for water logged stringers and transom, they also knew where to press on the hull underside to check for flex/rotten stringers etc. 

Cheers Zoran

[zmk1962]

Here's a view of the underside of my old haines at the time I sold it ....  for comparison.   

Cheers Zoran

[frankS]

Personally I would steer clear of that boat. The trailer is set up more for a alloy boat than a glass boat .

Cheap is not usually cheap in the long run so buyer beware.

Frank

[noelm]

That boat has major issues, unless it's cheap (very cheap) and you are prepared/capable of doing the rebuild yourself, then it's time to turn around and run like hell.

[Gilera]

Thanks everyone for the advice. It seems it is probably not the boat for me. Helped me alot in knowing some things to look out for next time. 

 

[fredflathead]

I just went through the same project my old caribeen crest cutter 1974 came back from a day out and water just poured out. I decided that the hull needed to be fiberglass went to a shipwright and he looked at the boat walked on the floor and showed how it flexed and looked at the transom and said whoever put the motor on 5 yrs. ago should not have done it as the transom was spongy. The cost would be around $30,000 it would be better to buy a good second hand and start again. He helped with choosing and inspecting the boat. It turned out to be a 1989 Caribeen Crest Cutter in terrific condition we changed over my ETEC and trailer and I could not be happier like the others said I would walk away. The total cost for the new boat was $11,500 the changeover of the motor and trailer $1,500 and checking electrics so got out of it for half the cost. He charged $250 for the inspection best money I have ever spent

Edited December 10, 2022 by fredflathead