Westward 38

I was in Brundall on the South Broads today Surveying this Westward 38 Broads River Cruiser for pre-purchase.

The Westward range of motor cruisers were produced by John Williams marine (not to be confused with John Williams Boats of Stalham) on the Ellough Industrial Estate in Beccles.

They launched at the end of the 1970’s with the 38ft Sedan mould which was soon followed by her 31ft sister which was similar in most essential layout and superstructure respects though the hull shape was slightly different. Towards the end of the 1980‘s a centre cockpit version was derived ( like this example) from the 38ft hull though this was only produced for a couple of years.

Characteristics include an ‘island’ double bed in the forward cabin and sliding aft patio door on the sedan moulds as well as sleek lines....
 

Stebbins Gentemans Motor Cruiser

Surveyed this lovely old Gentleman’s Cruiser today built in the 1940’s by the yard Stebbings Boat builders in Burnam on Crouch, England.  



Always worth checking the bondings and anodes on a wooden boat as the boats normally held together with copper nails which can corrode! To confirm the condition of the bondings, test for continuity between the anode and the sterngear/ steering gear and skin fittingse using a multimeter set to "ohms" on the R x 1 scale. The anode must be scraped with a knife in order to get a good conductive reading

Jon who runs the yard at Wayford Bridge also owns a Stebbins (see 2 x images above)... this ones not in quite the same condition.

Thinking of Buying a Boat and Need Help? Call Insight Marine Surveys Ltd. I specialise in Boats of all types, and I will assist you to make an informed decision. Contact me for a detailed and comprehensive report at: steventruss1@aol.com   

Glastron GS249

I Surveyed yet another American Sports Cruiser today… I have never seen so many on the Norfolk Broads as this year. The great thing about the Glastron 249 is the price, and i can totally understand why they are proving so popular. Something similar to this 2000 model will cost you only £25K,   that’s with the more economical 150 Volvo diesel, which is much more suitable for use on the Norfolk Broads. They are normally fitted with a petrol 260hp, 5.0L Mercruiser.

For a 24-foot family cruiser. The GS 249 offers ample passenger seating, a foldout sun lounge and Bimini top. Below deck: a spacious galley, V-berth, dinette and aft cabin. The cabin is spacious and comfortable... with all the needed items (stove, ice box & head).

Surveyors comments.
It looks great!, flashy, nicely styled, with colour accents that work.

There’s a "water trap" between the cockpit & cabin in which the drain is well above the floor of the trap. According to the many reviews on the net, this leads to accumulation of dirt and debris.

Marex 280 Holiday

Today’s assignment- This was an unusual boat to see on the Norfolk Broads. This was a Pre-purchase Survey. My Pre-Purchase Surveys give you confidence in what you are buying. They are comprehensive inspections covering structural integrity, safety, condition of machinery and equipment, as well as overall maintenance and cosmetic appearance.

Marex are a Norwegian Company, apparently Marex means King of the Sea. A bit of a claim, but any boat built by the Vikings is good enough for me!

Nice layout this, the after cabin is reasonably spacious, and a cruising couple could sleep in there while leaving the saloon free for living in. I suspect, however, that the most time will be spent in the spacious cockpit - plenty of seating, and the galley upstairs. Not the most secure with the open cockpit, however, i like the idea very much – very sociable, very practical – wife can steer the boat, kids can fish over the side while hubby cooks and washes up, all in the same place – marvellous!

Keith from Brundall Bay Marina jet washing her off prior to the underbody inspection

 Thinking of Buying a Boat and Need Help? Call Insight Marine Surveys Ltd. I specialise in Boats of all types, and I will assist you to make an informed decision. Contact me for a detailed and comprehensive report at: steventruss1@aol.com    

 

Twilight Class Cruiser

I Surveyed this lovely old Twilight Class Broads Yacht today down at Southgates in Horning. Built by Herbert Woods in the 1940,s.

Southgates new owners have turned the old shed into a service station, bought in a new hydraulic hoist (big foot) and have lots of room for winter storage. They provide the hire fleet with pump outs, fuel and water....

Ideal work place for wooden boats at Southgates in Horning

Slipping her back into the water

Surveyors comments:
Opening Up
Concealed areas within a hull are always a problem but, most wood vessels are constructed in such a way that enough access is available to make a fair assessment. It is usually possible to pull up floors (such as screwed in place plywood panels and the like) and remove enough paneling that one can get a fairly good glimpse of the bottom and lower sides. Carrying an electric screw gun is a must in order to do this quickly and effectively.

Planks & Frames Three important tools are a slim but heavy gauge pry bar - of the sort used for pulling nails - a heavy hammer and a large standard blade screwdriver. Check the joints between planks and frames visually, looking for gaps or any sign that the plank is not tight against the frame. Then use the screw driver to test the wood for softness on both plank and frame near the mating surface. Soft wood and cracked frames are dangerous conditions that mandate repair.

Try to slip the pry bar under the frame and pry gently. Does the frame move or rock slightly? If so, there is a fastener problem. This should be done at every opportunity along the keel or garboard area. If the frame ends are split or soft, repairs are necessary. If dealing with tall, sawn frames, one can hit the frame with the hammer to see if it is loose.

Certainly its not feasible to go through the entire hull testing all frames and planks in this manner, and fortunately it is not necessary except for the keel area where this needs to be done wherever possible. Further up from the keel, we can limit our physical testing by looking for signs of weepage. Anytime there is evidence of water migrating through seams, corrosion of fasteners has to be suspected. Weepage shows up in various ways, often depending on whether the wood is painted or bare, its age and so on.

Thinking of Buying a Boat and Need Help? I specialise in Boats of all types, and I will assist you to make an informed decision. Contact me for a detailed and comprehensive report at: steventruss1@aol.com