Survey Results
Some random thoughts when reading the survey.
Batteries. Gel cells may be dead because the original engine alternator has too high a float voltage, or maybe the battery charger did as well (14.5 rather than 14.1). When replacing them I would opt for regular flooded cells, as the location under the starboard settee makes them easy to service.
CNG. I don't think the surveyor is right on this one, as it would make no sense for the ABYC guidelines to specify having a separate compartment with overboard discharge for CNG, which is lighter than air and would not go down the overboard discharge tube. Stuipid in fact. Let's hope the insurance company does not require this modification.
My stove ignitor also did not work, but I couldn't find out how to fix it.
Good idea to install an engine raw water strainer. I did too, and put it under the sink where I could easily keep an eye on it, rather than inside the engine box.
I would ignore the suggestions to mount a drive belt guard and guard on the engine quadrant as unnecessary.
Only two water tanks? Isn't there a third under the floor of the lazarette?
Did he check the calibration of the tack using a strobe? Because I would have predicted that a 16 by 12 three blade prop would be too much for that engine, and that the max rpm would have been too low. That engine should be able to get up to about 2900 rpm under load, so something is not right. Try to borrow a strobe to check, and if the calibration is correct, at the very least swap the prop for a 16 by 11 (I was using a Max 16 by 10 three blade).
Anyway, there clearly weren't any "red flags" or deal breakers found in the survey. The big things are replacing the standing rigging and eventually rebedding the keel. Everything else sounds like things you can do yourself, even replacing the cabin sole. If you like the boat and are not put off by doing the upgrades yourself, there are no surprises in the survey.
But I have to admit that I would want a lot of compensation for all of these items, so I hope you can use that list to get a great price. Given the slightly tired condition and need for new rigging I would think $70K is fair. When my Ericson 38 was surveyed the surveyor listed nothing that needed work except the blisters, and my boat sold for $78K.
Keep us informed, as if I can't own an Ericson 38 anymore, I at least want to read about it!
