I just had a 1987 48 yachtfisher surveyed prior to closing the deal and the boat is Bristol except for some delamination on the starboard side of the hull above the waterline and below the rub rail from a couple feet forward of the transom to a few feet aft of the lower helm. Owner says it has been that way since he purchased the boat seven years ago and it was like that when the previous owner purchased it. It is probably wet although moisture meter indicated dry. Owner stated he completely rebeded all possible moisture points. I have had a couple of people indicate it may not be a big deal but everything I read on different forums indicates otherwise. Questions are: how big a deal is this? Has the hull integrity been compromised? Is it reasonable to expect that this vessel can still be a quality boat for the next 20 or 30 years? Is a full repair required or can continuous monitoring and prevention suffice? What kind of repair is necessary? Any other experience or insights would be great. Thanks, Tom
Still waiting on the written report. I will fill in when I get more details. But in the on sight verbal synopsis the surveyor said he didn't think it was structural or safety issue but would definitely affect the value of the boat when I go to sell it down the road. He said the only way to tell for sure if the core is wet would be to use thermal imaging. Right now I am just trying to figure out if this is something I can live with or needs to be repaired asap. And what the corresponding cost would be. Or just walk away.
Good chance it's a cosmetic issue, but your surveyor will know better than anyone on a forum who hasn't seen it in person. I'd plan on the repair and work that into my offer though, simply because the questions you're having are the same questions you'll face when trying to sell her. There are several threads on YF dealing with various delamination issues, from potential trouble with a thin skinned hull to a boat's side peeling back while underway.
