Precision 23 Mast Step / Tabernacle Cracking

[DerekPrecision23]

I am looking at potentially purchasing a Precision 23! I went to look at one locally and saw some concerning cracking around the mast step / tabernacle area (pictures of area and below deck). Is this typical of these boats? Indicative of a larger issue? What might the fix look like? Would you walk away from a boat with this issue?

Thank you in advance!

[tjspiel]

I wouldn't stay it's typical but also not unheard of.

Clearly there have been water leaks and that may mean that the plywood underneath is rotted to some degree. The fix could be as simple as removing the tabernacle, drilling out the screw holes to a larger diameter to get to good wood, then filling with a thickened epoxy and drilling new holes of the right size.

Or it could be that there is more extensive rot and you end up with a bigger project.

There are ways to tap with a hammer to determine the extent of any soft areas but I'm the wrong guy to ask about that.

"Spider cracks" in the gelcoat aren't necessarily a big deal but those look like more than just spider cracks.

It's something I'd worry about. Not in the sense that the boat is junk, but it might require some fiberglass work.

[JGrahamK]

Derek,

The P-23 is a great boat.  I love mine, but I don't see these cracks as routine or negligible. If it were me, I would pass on this one.  The cracks in the fiberglass suggest the core underneath is swelling.  This is not going to go away or get better.  The support for the mast relies on this for structural integrity.  Unless you're up for doing surgery on the deck (at a price that rewards taking that on), I would keep looking.

[Brian N.]

It certainly looks like a very amateur job at repairing the mast step. The screws look like (although I could be wrong) regular hardware store drywall screws. The patch is very sloppy, as well as the bedding. We can only guess at the cause and underlying damage. Unless the price is practically a "giveaway" and you are willing and able to do a deep dive repair, I would walk away. Once you open this can of worms, you might find other issues.

One of the reasons I purchased my P165 new was that so many of the used sailboats I saw for sail had issues beyond my ability or willingness to repair them. On one boat I was looking at I pulled up the hatch board (with its obvious fresh coat of white house paint) and it broke apart. The owner wanted me to pay him for the "damage". Another boat I test sailed, I asked the owner about lowering the centerboard. He said he "fixed" it by sealing the slot with fiberglass! I'm not saying all are like this, but seemingly many are. You may have to keep looking for the reasonably priced boat in good condition.

[tjspiel]

...Another boat I test sailed, I asked the owner about lowering the centerboard. He said he "fixed" it by sealing the slot with fiberglass!

 

Interesting use of the term "fixed".

[Riggerdood]

...Another boat I test sailed, I asked the owner about lowering the centerboard. He said he "fixed" it by sealing the slot with fiberglass!

 

Interesting use of the term "fixed".

Yes, as in spayed/neutered! 

[Brian N.]

Now that you have me thinking - perhaps he actually meant to say "fixed in place". I can't remember much about the boat or test sail, but that of course was memorable.

[Riggerdood]

Now that you have me thinking - perhaps he actually meant to say "fixed in place". I can't remember much about the boat or test sail, but that of course was memorable.

"Fixed in place" up or down? Neither, of course, is desirable.

What really cracks me up is the other guy wanting you to pay for the rotten hatch board!

[Brian N.]

Kind of reminds me of "House Hunting" when my wife and I decided that apartment living was not for us any longer. We looked at so many homes in several areas on Long Island and found one thing in common - the owners thought they had a grand palatial castle and we should be glad they will offer it to us for the asking price. Termites, rotten roofs, wet basements, DIY electrical, and the list goes on. My experience looking at used boats was similar (no termites, but one boat had a wasp nest in the cabin which looked like it had been open for years). Boats exist in a tough environment, so nobody would expect pristine, but so many, as you can see by the pictures Derek posted, are examples of very poor attempts at fixing serious issues.