Knot Yet in pictures

Knot Yet is ours!

Friday the 13th... I believe, I believe.
As hard as we tried, things did not come together for our scheduled closing date.  Things would have to wait until Monday.

It's official!!!  

Let's go home.

We took possession in Fort Lauderdale and ran her up the coast to Stuart for some repairs prior to our 2000 mile journey home.  Nothing serious, but some engine maintenance is required before we head north.  While in the yard, let's take advantage of a strong exchange rate and get some cosmetic repairs done as well.  I wish we had more time, but our all too short Canadian summer is coming quickly.

If all goes well, we will be running the coast north on June 4th.  Our goal is to arrive in Kincardine, Ontario by Father's Day.

Possession

Tomorrow is the big day!!!

Tomorrow we take possession of our 48' Ocean Super Sport.

Tomorrow, Knot Yet takes her first voyage.  North to Stuart Yachts for a few repairs.  Soon she will be making her way home.

Ian

Knot Yet -Has been Found!

OH  YAHHH!!   After what seems like an eternity we have a sign agreement on a 2000 48' Ocean Super Sport!

Now for the banking, etc. to be done.  Then we will take possession and move her from Ft. Lauderdale to Stuart for some repairs.  After the repairs she will be heading North to come home!! Hopefully she will be here by Father's Day!

Kerri

The ball is in their court

We have now had a couple days with the survey results.  I have had time to make a few calls.

Sure I paid for a survey, but what does it all mean?

I have attempted to sort out what is normal wear and tear on a 11 year old boat and what is broken or abnormal wear.  I have tried to sort out neglect vs. sh*t happens.

After all that, I have attempted to put a dollar value on stuff that just ain't right.  I will benefit from the corrective maintenance.  They should have done it earlier.  I have negotiated 50 cents on the dollar for everything that I feel is above and beyond normal wear.

So, it is now up to them.  We have signed back a Conditional Acceptance letter.  We adjust our offer by a few thousand dollars.  They have to decide if our offer is fair or not.

Our latest deadline is 5PM Friday.

She is a good boat.  We are just trying to put a fair value on her.

Ian

Our first bad news

The oil samples came back from the lab on Friday.

The motor and transmissions came back with clean bill of health.  The generator... not so much.

Potassium, sodium, and wear metals of the cylinder, pistons and bearings all very high.

Lab suggests that either this genny is in need of a major overhaul or just a bad sample.  Recommends that the oil and filter be changed, the genny be run for 25hrs and then resampled.

So, what does this all mean?  Well, now we have to come back with a conditional offer.  The genny has had its raw water pump, jacket cooling pump and heat exchanger replaced.  There may have been a problem that has been fixed and there are lingering contaminants.  The new parts may have been defective or improperly installed.

Irregardless, our offer is based on a healthy genny with the normal wear of a 1600hr engine, not an engine on it's dying legs.  On the bright side, the genny ran well through out the sea trial.  So, it is in good shape for now.

So, now we wait for the maintenance and oil samples

Ian

Survey and Sea Trial

The day of reckoning.

I have bought boats in the past and have possibly taken too many things at face value.  Not this time.  I assembled a survey team of my own choosing.  They were working for me!

I called the Caterpillar Dealer in West Palm Beach (Pantropic) and they recommended Tim Caruso.

Caterpillar engine surveyor - Tim Caruso  timcat10@att.blackberry.net

After several conversations with Tim, he recommended I contact Ed Rowe.  Ed has plenty of experience surveying cored boats.  Ocean Yachts manufacture a solid fibreglass bottom, but use a divinycell foam core on the sides and decks to reduce weight.

Marine Surveyor - Ed Rowe  eroweassoc@comcast.net

Thanks to both Tim and Ed!  I feel that I am making a very educated purchase.

The results.

Ocean Club is a recommended buy.

The engines.
The Caterpillar 3196s (660hp) ran right to spec.  They have a few small maintenance issues, gaskets and filters.  I will get those cleared up before we leave Florida.

The boat.
The hull is rock solid.  Only one high moisture reading on the whole boat.  The hardtop, the furthest place from the water?!?!?  The bottom was clean, the props were clean.  Let me loose with my buffer and she will look like she just came off the show room floor.
The windows need to be removed and rebedded.  We knew that going in.  This will be our high dollar fix.

The sea trial.
The weather was exactly what I was hoping for.  Any boat will perform well in calm conditions.  Not today, we had solid 3 footers coming in from the south-east.  The captain got splashed on the flybridge while going out the inlet.  He was not amused!!!!  But, I was.  I got to see this boat perform on a marginal day.  At wide open throttle we achieved our 2300rpm, and 30knots!  Ye haw!!!  All temperatures and pressures within Caterpillar specifications.

Now it is time to itemize the survey recommendations, get a quote, make a counter-offer and close this deal!