At first sight of the vessel, try to form an immediate impression of the general condition. Has it been well built and maintained and does the hull planking “look” fair? Walk around the boat several times sighting along its length from different angles. Any apparent unfairness could indicate a bad repair or worse, could be an indication of a structural problem warranting further internal inspection. Check the plank seams. Do they appear regular and tight? Pay particular attention to the bilge and keel areas and note if anything is weeping from the seams. If there are leaks from inside the bilge, such as oil from the engine, this could be serious and has to be inspected further and reported.
Plank ends, known as ‘Hood-Ends’ at the stem and transom or “Horn Timber”, in the case of a vessel with a counter-stern, should be “sounded” with a soft-faced mallet. Dull thuds or bouncing planks are a possible indication of the existence of corroded fastenings or rot and this area should be investigated further with a fine sharp spike both externally and internally. Note all obvious defects and notify the owner that you need to do further exploratory investigations which may include removing external plank fastenings and internal panelling and hull or deck linings.
NB: Always remember that you cannot carry out any destructive testing or inspections without the owner’s written consent. If any suspected structural issues require the removal of extensive interior panelling or the removal of hull fastenings, you must report this and ask the owner to instruct the boatyard to carry out the work. Do not do it yourself.
Take a close look at the stem and especially the underside of the keel. Any visible damage here could indicate a grounding at some time and warrant further structural examination of the interior framework for damage or structural movement, especially around the mast-step and partners.
Look closely at the rudder blade for splits, including the fittings for signs of wear and corrosion. Move the rudder from side to side and try lifting it to judge the amount of play in the top and bottom bearings. Closely inspect the rudder-stock aperture through the horn-timber. This is often a weak area in some designs and the existence of hidden rot damage or split timber is not uncommon.
Move to the deck of the vessel and examine the coach roof and deck for fairness, especially around the sheer. The sheer rubbing-strakes should be fair and closely fitted to the hull as should any cap-
rails, toe-rails or bulwarks around the perimeter of the deck. There are many structural weak points around a deck especially at the joins between deck planking and covering-boards and at the bases of bulwark frames where they protrude above the sheer.
If the coach roof is painted are there any signs of blistered paint indicating a moisture problem under the coatings? And if varnished, is the timber beneath the clear finish blackened by the presence of moisture which has most likely caused rot damage? On older boats, polyester resin which has been used for sheathing decks and coach roofs is porous and will absorb moisture which, in time, will damage the plywood deck it is attached to. Carefully sound the decks all over with a soft-faced mallet and light hammer searching for areas of sheathing detachment.
Closely inspect for leaks around portlights, windows, deck- hatches and flush deck-lockers and check inside the vessel for staining of the headliner panels, sideliners or ceiling battens which will be sure indications of deck leaks. Cracks in the lenses of portlights, windows and deck hatches should also be reported.
Inspect stanchion, pulpit and pushpit security and the condition of guard wires and attachments.
In a perfect world, inspect mast and spars off the boat on trestles, but if this is not possible, inspect the condition of wooden spars from deck level using a pair of binoculars if necessary and pay particular attention to the heel of the mast, whether it is deck or keel-stepped. Keel-stepped wooden masts are very prone to rot damage especially if the bilges are allowed to stay wet. Prod the mast heel with a sharp spike to test for softness. Inspect all standing and running rigging for damage and general condition, including the condition of the chain-plates and bolts. If you discover any issues with the rig and do not feel qualified to make
54 | The Report • December 2018 • Issue 86
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