Hi i am new to this site and to sailing. only been sailing a handful of times. so i just got this 1980 ericson 30+ surveyed and sea trialed. the biggest issues the surveyor brought up were the water pump wasn't working properly, and main sail is a little small and old but works, and the rudder sleeve could be replaced eventually. there were blisters below the waterline that were the size of a nickle but the surveyor said they were cosmetic. i noticed he just tapped the hull with a hammer but did not use a moisture meter. not sure if thats normal. dont think he checked the mast step or compression post either maybe he forgot but i didn't see any sagging issues. the boat itself doesnt come with much. just a VHF, old school depth sounder, harkin furler. lots of work was done last year like bottom paint, cutlass bearing, standing rigging. jib looked nice. bunch of plumbing hoses looked new. has single burner alcohol origo stove and no oven. deck drain valve looked new. evidence of leaks on windows and they looked original. surveyor did not confirm with a hose because of drought. also the universal diesel motor has 699 hrs on it and it seems to run great and is freshly painted. seller and i agreed on 11500$. my question is, is this a good deal? should i ask for less once i get the report back from the surveyor? i plan to live on this thing eventually. thanks
Welcome to the on-line harbor for miscreant Vikings!
Sounds like, if I understand the description, this boat may have had its original main replaced with something inexpensive or perhaps used. I'm not sure what a rudder sleeve is, but if he's referring to the glassed-in tube that holds the rudder post, I cannot imagine a reason to replace it short of some kind of damage. (?)
He probably would not use a moisture meter on the hull sides, but would on the bottom (i.e. below the waterline). Checking the mast step would involve looking into bilge area. Other owners can advise about the mast support.
The original galley range in those boats was likely a pressure alcohol range (with oven). Interesting to hear of a one-burner Origo stove and no oven. The Origo is a great stove, in any of its iterations. We have been using the Origo model 6000 for cooking and baking for 20 years and like it a lot.
If the "old" vhf works and has the basic modern channels, just use it until you can budget for a new one. Same for the old depth meter.
Not sure what a "deck drain valve" refers to. Can you post up a picture?
For that matter, is there a URL for this boat's listing? Window leaks are normal for any brand of boat at this age, and other owners here can guide you on resealing or replacing them.
A good running diesel is a real plus. Nonetheless, be ready to replace the raw water impeller immediately and likely the v-drive belt too. New coolant would be another excellent thing to do.
The price will often be negotiated further to reflect needed work revealed by the survey.
Keep us posted please. Those are fast, agile, and able boats.
Regards,
Loren