Don Van Valkenburg wrote:
> Greetings Baba owners
> I am not yet an owner of a Baba, but currently have an offer in the
> works (on a Baba 30), and I would like to probe your collective
> knowledge of Babas. I don't think I should mention the boat by name or
> say what the current offer is since the deal is not finalized, however I
> think it may be safe to say that it is at the bottom of the scale for a
> Baba in good condition, and may be priced right considering it is very
> sparsely equipped; None of the following are on the boat: GPS Roller
> furling, heater, dingy, auto pilot, dodger. Good news (I think) is the
> boat has been kept in fresh water for most of it's life, and appears to
> have been maintained.
>
> So, here are my questions of the group:
>
> * It has had a survey, should I get a second?
>
Certainly! It's your money - protect it by knowing what you're buying.
> o Survey said it "is in good condition compared to other
> vessels of similar type and age"
>
IMHO, that and a dollar bill will get you a Dollar Happy Meal at
MickeyD's. What you care about are the specifics. If the parts are in
good shape (t' heck with age - either chainplates, for example, are
sound or they're not - there's no "senior discount" on condition), the
whole probably is, too.
> o Survey showed some small blisters on hull which it
> characterized as cosmetic and do not need immediate attention.
>
Two kinds of boats: those with blisters and those who will have
blisters. If they're the size of a pencil eraser, live with 'em. If it
takes a quarter to cover one, save the quarter for the phone call to get
an estimate on a "blister job".
> * What, if any, are known deficiencies of Babas that I should look at
>
First and foremost, the fuel tank is a weak spot. Moisture on the inside
(bad news but it happens) and moisture on the outside (this *is* a
boat...) will eventually make the tank a potential fuel spill. IIRC, the
tank on the 30 can be replaced without traumatic surgery (unlike the
35...). It's not cheap to have a tank made but it's not impossible, either.
> * I am thinking of having a diesel mechanic check out the Yanmar,
> but is there anything specific I should check?
>
Eh, Yanmars generally hold together for quite a while - nothing unique
to a particular engine comes to mind. By all means have it checked, though.
> Any other comments would be appreciated
>
Some folks have had problems with crevice corrosion (water gets up
against stainless steel , stays there, and slowly rust forms) in chain
plates. It's not a fun job to replace them. OTOH, some boats have no
problems on this score. Past that, it's pretty much just the sort of
stuff that happens to any boat over time. Since the boat seems to have
lived in fresh water, problems caused by electrolysis should be next to
non-existant (although it *can* happen!). After that, it's just go
through the boat's fabric and see what turns up.

Cheers,
Rick Emerson

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Received on Thu Sep 7 15:52:50 2006