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I've committed on a 1988 Montauk 17. I took it out yesterday with the seller and noticed that when I pulled it up onto the trailer with the handcrank, the loop on the hull separated about a half centimeter with maximum torque. I don't know if this is significant, but it seems like her that's one point where the hole is not sealed and water could enter. And how big of a concern is this? Could it mean that the hall could be waterlogged? I suppose i'm still in a position to back out as no money has been exchanged yet. And I was planning to pay for the boat this evening.

Any input would be much appreciated.

Thanks,

Ken

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Hi Ken,

Thats definitely a problem on older whalers, normally happens because the trailer is not setup properly. Closely inspect the area around the bow eye (what the winch attaches to) and push the fiberglass around the area see if it is soft anywhere. That should be a decent indicator of water logging. Looks to see if any cheap repairs have been made in the area inside and out, look for any white paste looking stuff (marine tex). Its not a horrible fix if you want to do it yourself but it certainly takes some time and fiberglass to do it right.

Good luck!

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Hi Ken,
It is not uncommon for the bow eye to be a bit loose. It is a fairly easy thing to correct, or just to leave. The fitting goes through solid material due to strength requirements, and is above the waterline. It is extremely unlikely that this would have led to water intrusion of any significance. I had a 1988 Montauk and loved it. They are great boats.

Dennis