Problems on late model Ocean Alexander?

...and you are an owner, broker, repairer or a "fisherman". What problems are you having ?

Not many problems with Ocean Alexanders but man those Rayburns are something else.

Blisters, delam, wet cores, cracked gel-coat, electrolysis, white milky finish in the interior wood, what was your question again ???

now that put the nail in with one hit...

Wish Yjocky would come right out and tell us how he really feels about Rayburns!

i just bought a 1982 43ft flush deck. looking for any manuals(owners)or any other info. called the company and was informed they do have anything on boats that old. i love this boat. any info would be good.

thanks,

boats

Dan, unless I was way off base the person asking the question was a Rayburn dealer fishing for info.

I have no axe to grind with any of them just think that some are over priced but sell due to good advertising.

When you start repairing some of them and get below the pretty finishes you end up shaking your head and wondering how some get away with this & that.

Boy is that true ...the marina I'm in is a OA dealer some seein' some of the stuff they've done to those boat to commission them there's no way I'd ever buy when I retire..ports leak, gel coat cracks, one of them last yr had a crack in it almost all the way around the PH and main deck...Veneer popping off the plywood, one the S/S was so poor it had running rust going down the hull.....just sad.....

Hi Yachtjockey,

Not sure which Rayburn boat you are referring to but it sounds like one of the ones that were actually works in progress when Rayburn took over the yard from the previous owner Forbes Cooper. There were only 4 vessels bearing the Rayburn name built with gelcoat finishes 3 of which were under contract when the yard was purchased in 1998. Subsequent builds were all painted using International or Awlgrip Paint systems with epoxy sealed bottoms. To my knowledge those vessels are not reporting any problems with excessive cracking or blistering. As for the milky interior again the newer versions post 1999/ 2000 were very high quality finishes. The majority of Rayburn owners are very proud of their vessels many of them compared to vessels among the best in the world. I wish you would take a moment to find out more. This is a company that put a great deal of effort into constantly improving their products in an effort to deliver safe, reliable and capable yachts. Your comments not only effect the builder they also effect the owners and crew who are proud of their boats.

I think the poster fishing for info on Ocean Alexander WAS an OA dealer who is now no longer (possibly somewhat disgruntled). Ed Monk and Tim Nolan did design work for OA for many years and did some fantastic projects. It was a shame to see OA drop that relationship. It was not for lack of quality designs and engineering from Monk and Nolan. The Monk and Nolan team also did design work for the Nordlunds who built truly world class yachts from those designers.

Rayburn

My comments where directed at the OP as a quick search of my memory bank confirmed by a google search led me to wonder why a Rayburn dealer was asking about problems on OA's. I may be wrong but the coincidence is there.

Marine Trader made a huge effort to improve their product but would you consider them to be good boats, rotten bulkheads and wooden houses, leaking port holes and hatches and steel tanks but they did try.

I just got off one of your Rayburns, 10 year old and definately in need of a new paint job. Veneer coming loose, blisters and small areas of delamination on the bottom.

Proud owners and crew, I have never seen air conditioning screens as dirty as they were on that same vessel and if I could figure out how to post photos on here you would be repulsed by the amount of mold in the master cabin and salon. Live aboard owner with a part time Captain.

OA's with cracked sea chests and a bigger one rolled so much they had both Sea Keepers and Naiad's plus alot of lead ingots.

I have no axe to grind with any of them but it just kind of got under my skin when some one was not up front, why not say, Hi I am a Rayburn dealer and was wondering what are the issues with OA's.

Yachtjockey, we are looking at an OA, 2003 51 PH. I could not really understand if you were just talking about Rayburn or also that OA's were poor quality. Please help us to not make a mistake, this will be our last boat and can't afford to make a mistake! Thank you so much in advance.

Go find a Voyager, or something along that line and save your money.

Thank you so much for your quick reply! We were looking for something more stable in rough water. The boat we are looking at has had a ton of money put into it, including new Awlgrip, carpet, stabilizers, window treatments and bedding. It is a 2003 - was the quality of OA not so good then?

When you're looking at a 2003 boat of any brand, the key is the survey. Actually I should say "surveys" of the boat and the engines. Ocean Alexander has generally had middle of the road quality. They aren't Hatteras but for most people with average needs they'll fit those needs well. The boat you're talking about has a lot of room for a boat that size. You're not going to cross oceans, but it should be a good coastal cruiser.

Thanks olderboater! Actually we do want to cross the gulf stream to the Bahamas, we've done it in a 42 Searay , and do it now with a 42 Regal. We need more room inside though. We will do a careful survey. Do you know how the OA Pilothouse does in rough water? Not going to cross in 8' seas but would like to feel safe in maybe 6. It does have stabilizers.

When I say cross oceans, I'm not counting a trip to the Bahamas, but talking about longer trips, further from land, and less ability to foresee the conditions. Certainly the OA is going to be able to handle conditions the 42' Searay or 42' Regal handle. You should feel safe in those conditions, and probably less uncomfortable than the smaller planing boats you mention. As an aside, going to the Bahamas from South Florida is considered "Coastal" cruising as you're never more than 200 nm from land. Crossing to Bermuda would be a different story. South Florida to Bimini is less than 60 nm. Obviously other routes to other areas are longer.

Worthyvess, this so called advice is not to be taken seriously. This member owns a Carver and has given you no more time or thought than a quick one-liner for you to go out and buy a Carver model.
Carvers are popular with many Carver owners, that does not make them an alternative to an Ocean Alexander. Look for advice from professionals that have experience with many different boat brands and know more about boats than what is in the glossy brochures. I have been on a few Carvers and would not use them in anything except mild seas and would not expect them to compare with many OA's.
I have owned a OA 50 Pilothouse many years ago. The quality was very good. Fibreglass work high quality and the boat was over built. However, the challenges involved for manufacturers to survive in the boat building industry, means that quality control, staff competency and warranty recognition can change from time to time. Just look at Bertram!
Take the advice of employing the best surveyors for the machinery and the hull. Do not fall in love with the boat until you have taken a very detailed and unemotional look at it.
Good luck.
Kafue.

+1

Thanks Kafue, ... we actually own a 35 Carver, use it in the Great South Bay on Long Island. Hate it in the ocean, do not want one for Florida! Although a surveyor said over 50' they are fine. But. Its a Carver, the one we shakes and shimmies in rough water. Looking for something else.