I'm sure they didn't even use marine grade wood is what I meant. It's probably rotten for sure. I have a scarab and have had to replace some rotten wood . I just wonder what they were thinking when they did some of the design. Fortunatly I haven't had to get into the bulkheads or stringers. I did have some issues under the rear seat and where the front bolsters mount to the floor. All the wood under the upholstry was shot , I mean all of it, rear bench , side panels , sundeck , it is 13 years old too.

You're correct--the surveyor never even had a moisture meter in hand during the entire survey. Body guy offers 5 year warranty on his work so he must be doing something right.

I have suggested that my friend have the body guy assess the floor with the moisture meter, besides if he's going to sue the surveyor for the hull damage, might as well include the cabin floor being that the surveyor missed that also. From a legal perspective I would take the stance that if I knew about the floor and the hull damage prior to purchase I NEVER would have bought the boat in the first place. That being said a judge should find that the surveyor should be responsible for delivering a boat that is in the condition that he stated the boat was in. "Gross negligence"

I agree with you, wet rat, and sympathize with your friend in this situation, but do you truly believe that a reasonable judge will award your friend a judgement against the surveyor even though the contract contains a disclaimer?

The disclaimer, as Ed has stated in your quote, is for the purpose that "nothing will ever happen". The boat has not been given the chance to have anything happen, the damage was preexisting and the lack of ability on the surveyors part brought about a bunk purchase. Legal term---"GROSS NEGLIGENCE". An attorney has already bee spoken to and feels there is atleast a strong case for a small claims suit, will depend on my friends level of motivation. $1500-$1800 or even $5000 if my friend decides to sue for the cabin floor missed is a drop in the bucket for a surveyor or even his insurance company if he wants to keep his reputation. With the internet these days a persons business can be demolished in no time.

If I were your friend and have the intention of suing, I would get another survey now before any work is done. Have a really good surveyer find every little screw that needs replaced and tehn get an estimate for those all the repairs.

That why Ed, I will be calling you in the next several months for a survey. This is my biggest fear buying used!! Your right about Hi-Perf. hulls needing that extra hard look at. E-Mail me Ed with your price lists and phone numbers.

Thanks for the advise Griff, there is a follow up survey already scheduled.

Good luck. Check out my stringer repair post if you want to see what started out as a small repair.... Three years later I am going to have every inch of the boat replaced. The only thing that will be left when I am done is the outermost hull and deck. Every stringer, Transom, cabin sole core, bulkheads...... all new. Look at the damage that you see and know that it is going to be MUCH worse. I don't mean to be a downer for your buddy but that is the nature of the beast. Is that hull cored? If so then look out the core is holding water and you got HUGE issues.

Jon

That's hardly worth talking to a lawyer about. Go to small claims court and take 50% (small claims almost always settled disputes in the King Solomon fashion)

it sounds like you got this repair quote from a body shop. There's a reason good marinas don't repaint Buicks and for that same reason you need to have this boat looked at by a marine fiberglass specialist. It's not cosmetic damage if water leaks into the boat. If it was hit hard enough to crack the glass to the extent that it leaks, it may have also hit hard enough to pop a stringer loose. It didn't sound from your description that the boat suffered some impact with an object so that leaves a hard landing resulting in structural damaage. Most likely the cabin interior will have to be partly to mostly removed to do this fix. That's going to cost some serious coin.