The boat I'm looking at is a 1965 DS1 in reasonable condition but
some concerns- the biggest problem I can find is that the inside of
the transom near bottom is rotten. The area around the bolts for the
lower pintle is very spongey and the surface paint or fiberglass (so thin
its hard to tell what it is) has flaked off. I can't tell how
extensive the rot is - does anyone have any experience is repairing
rotten transoms? Any idea on the time, skill, or cost for DIY or
professional repair?
The few square inches around the worn spot is very soft, but I'm
wondering if the rot extends far along the width or height of the
whole transom. I've found some pistures online of people scraping
out the entire transom and replacing it with new plywood and epoxy
layers and a new fiberglass interior layer - it doesn't look very
quick or easy. I have woodworking/carpentry experience, but no boat
repair experience.
Are there any other potential problem areas I should look out for?
The exterior has pretty extensive crazing, but no other major
cracks, but there is a moderate sized gash in the foredeck near the
hole for stepping the mast where it was dropped once. Seems more
cosmetic than structural, but not a nice thing for a boat to endure.
Should I wait for a better boat? The seller is asking $1900 but has
offered to repair the transom himself, though I'm not so sure of his
repair experience.
Thanks for any advice or experience you'd like to share,
deposada at yahoo dot youknowwhat