Buying advice Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 32,2

[seiler]

Hello folks...

Looking at a Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 32,2 for sale in Norway. Any advice before inspection???  

Cheers:-)

Magnus

[vasko]

you generally need to get a feeling for the previous owner... do you think he has fixed all expensive parts or just he is clever and when the boat start to have too many small issues and may be some big one he is selling the boat - get you own view why the owner is selling... there can be soooooo many issues that you can't find easily - e.g. the most important thing is you personal feeling - is it good deal or not... in general be prepared to spend additional about 20% of the paid price on the boat after buying but try to avoid paying more then that for improving fixing after buying..

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the most important and expensive thing to fix is OSMOSIS problems - you can find a lot materials how to identify it on the web.



I would look also in the :



engine,



depth sounder,



speed log,



autopilot,



electricity - are all switches working and doing exactly as expected,



meters - e.g. fuel gauge, water gauge,



turn on/off all sea cocks,



pressurized water is it running ,



water heater/boiler is it working on engine and on electricity ?



get hot water in the pipes it is running ?



is the fridge working ? fridge thermostat does is switch on/off ?



is the shore power battery charger working ? ( you can just measure the voltage on the batteries with charger on and off )



is the alternator ( charge from the engine working )



cold engine start - get a hotel stay one night and try to start the engine next morning in cold weather



smoke from the exhaust after the engine is warmed up - after 15 min working ( white smoke - not good - grey smoke better - no smoke super)



engine feets - how rusty are they ? how is the rubber on the engine feets ? how much the engine vibrates ( it should vibrate actually if 3 cyl diesel )



when out of the water grab the shaft and push ist- does the cutlas bearing have any movement ?



propeller - how it looks ? if folding does it overextend ? or if fixed does it have any pitting from electolises ?



take a look on the engine oil what is the color ? does it has any white color e.g. how is the headgasket ? take a look on the color of the gearbox oil ? ( dark color is not a problem but beige color like milk and oil mix is bad)



when engine is running - before getting hot, open the cooling fluid expansion tank cap and look in the liquid when push the trottle do you see large amount of bubles forming ? if yes - not a good sign ( there should be some movement in teh liquid but not large amount of bubles)



push the rudder while out of the water - does it move ? how is the rudder bearing ?



get a hose and clean well the hull and make sure that you spray water over any single window for about 5 min get inside and check is some window leaking ?



put you nose in every single cupboard under beds and open the cover of the stern compartment and take a look



is bilge pump working - put a bucket of water in the bilge and try the automatic electric one and the manual one



when engine is running taker a look on the stern gland - do you see drips ? how much ?



when engine is running and boat in the water - does is spit good amount of waters from the exhaust ?


try the heads does they properly flush ?  when you put water in the sink does it go away fast or it takes minutes ( some clogging on the way) 


etc. and etc.

[MalcolmP]

All good points from Vasko

Also check if that winches operate smoothly, condition of the sails if possible plus all the running rigging like furler, halyards, plus deckgear.

General inspection of the deck/cockpit/hull for stress cracks in the fibreglass - pay particularity attention around the shrouds where they attach to the deck area and other points of high stress.

Look up the mast track is it straight? - and from a side view - is there reasonable pre-bend? and is the rigging reasonably tight - Do the bottle screws look like they have been serviced or buried under years of insulating tape?

Cosmetics such as berth cushions/ headlinings etc are just that, but can be expensive to professionally repair/renew

Gas system - is the propane hose in date?

The above may well not be show stoppers, but will give you and idea of how well the boat has been maintained and what future costs you need to budget for

[tilo]

Hello Magnus,

I'm in the process of buying a SO37 and chose to have the boat checked by a professional marine surveyor, a rigging surveyor and an engine mechanic, including taking an oil sample. It's expensive, but well worth the cost, unless you do this regularly yourself. Together they found enough small issues to make the process pay for itself, and at least as importantly they gave me the assurance that I'm buying a good, well maintained boat. 

Can you do a sea trial in Norway in February? That will give you a feel for how "tight" the boat is. 

All the best,
Tilo

[On y va]

If you don´t know enough about boats or their systems, mechanics etc. go with Tilo´s advise. The problem is that even if you can identity a problem, can you put a price tag onto it? Most people can´t, especially when it comes to engines. A good surveyor can give quite a good indication of costs to expect.

Osmosis is important on older boats. I think the 32.2 was already of the isophaltic resin era, so osmosis shouldn´t really occur nor be a problem. But a surveyor will take some hull moisture examples.

What I do miss in all posts so far is in my view the most important one of all. What does the keel/hull connection look like and what is the state of the keel bolts. Is there any indication of a grounding or electrolysis in the keel or keel bolts. That is the first and foremost thing I look at (I am in this business) as that is a VERY expensive thing to repair.
You should also look at the age of the boat in relation to things you ought to replace after so much time anyway. I.e. seacocks. If the boat was say 10+ years old, I would replace the seacocks anyway if the previous owner hasn´t done it. Same for toilet hoses and such like. I don´t even look at these things when buying a boat of 10 years old as I will replace them anyway.

But don´t just get a surveyor, also get a reliable engine mechanic. A rigger...well that is debatable on a 32 footer. If it were an Oyster 655 with a powder coated mast with in mast furling and hydraulic furling gear.....then I would.

It is never a 100% guarantee, as I have seen surveyors missing rather big things too, but at least there will be a list of things to discuss. Also, the surveyor will confirm the asking price is actually correct in relation to the state of the boat. And with the report of a surveyor, your negotiating position is defenitely stronger. But....it will set you back like 1.000 euros or more (as the boat will need to be lifted too). However, if you can save 2.000 or more euros in parts that will be replaced or renewed, you have gained.

But, I do agree with what Vasko mentioned: does it feel you want this boat. If you doubt, walk away.