Please advise. The Do's and Dont's on Turkish Gullets & wooden sailboats.

shoalnervo

New Member
I have noticed that Wooden sailboats in Turkey (Turkish Gullets) are spacious, large, look real nice and most of all cheep, why so cheep? look at these boats I found online for sale (bellow are the links)... Im almost giddy when I think how cheep these are..

My goal is to open a surf/dive charter in Indonesia. These boats look great!! 6 cabins.... anyway can someone tell my why or why I shouldn't buy these used Turkish wooden boats?

http://www.yachtworld.com/boats/1992/24-M-1992-GULET-2119616/Turkey

http://www.yachtworld.com/boats/1992/22-M-1992-GULET-2056228/Turkey

http://www.yachtworld.com/boats/1994/23-M-1994-GULET-2068588/Turkey
 
Wow that is a pretty big question. I have owned wooden boats and feel the maintenance is a bit higher than a glass boat. One of the first questions to ask is - what is the reputation of the builder? Assuming the reputation stellar then let the questions begin.

I can not advise you as why or why not to purchase one or more of these boats. They may be great for a charter operation or they may be something that will not hold up under daily abuse of leasers that have no skin in the game. Rather than advising you I will take the direction of providing some thoughts on things you may want to look for if you feel these boats are the way to go. I have mixed thoughts that may or may not apply to new boats as well as used boats. I realize that was not your question but if not interested it is easy enough to skip the remainder of this post. :)

What kind of wood is used below the water line? Is the wood solid or does it show signs of soft spots or patches. Using a small plastic hammer around the entire hull will give you a rough idea of how solid the wood is. Opening every hatch and access point should give you a reasonable view of the inside of the hull. Is the inside painted or is the wood showing? If painted are there any areas where the paint has wrinkled or come off? If problems are seen in any of these areas be cautious about proceeding further. Rotted or wormy wood in the hull is an indication of the need for tons of money to repair.


Pay special attention to the areas that support any components of the masts and standing rigging. It is not uncommon for the mast to be stepped on a wooden support below cabin floor. These areas are typically in a damp area and tend to compress over time. Worst yet they become “spongey” to the point that the mast will compress the wood when under the load of full sails. This is easily seen by checking the tension on the stays without load and then checking them while in a good breeze with a full sail load. If the windward shroud becomes slack you are probably looking at a sizable repair bill to correct the problem. The mast may be on solid footing and the slack shroud is a result of the freeboard flexing under load. Regardless of the cause of the slack shroud you are looking at a major expense. While you have your head below the cabin floor what do you smell? A dry boat smells fresh and clean, far better than the odor of decaying wood. If it smells like a girl you would want to date beware – the sweetness is the owners attempt to cover up something. There is a distinctively different aroma in a fresh water boat than a salt water boat.


The wood inside the cabin, excluding any component of the actual hull, is of little concern (in General). The more expensive the boat the more likely the interior wood will be superior in the quality of wood and workmanship. Cheaper interiors tend to discolor, delaminate, have poor joinery and have little character. While the inside can be refinished it must be understood that for the average person it is a long and labor intensive chore.


The moisture content of the wood is important. When checking for wet wood be sure to check every inch of the boat looking for areas that will possibly be a home for rot. The little plastic faced hammer is an excellent tool to use all over the top side of the boat. Generally I would be concerned about anything above the water line that shows much water content or has that horrible dull sound when struck with the small hammer. Don’t overlook the interior. Windows and hatches often develop leaks especially if the boat has been sailed in heavy weather. Check for signs of leeks around every opening in the boat – windows, hatches, skylights, around the mast where it passes through the cabin top etc. Look for sighs of repairs such as calk, silicon, packing, etc. If it has leaked in the past it has probably caused damage to some degree.


One of the common spots to find wet or soft wood is around the chain plated – any place where the wood is not exposed to the elements. If lifeline stations, bow sprint, davits pulpit or pushpit move any, suspect a problem.


This is only a short list of what you need to look at on any wooden boat. It probably sounds like I am advising against a wooden boat or this specific manufacture but that is not the case. Wooden boats can be great and last for years but water and wood can spell trouble if not properly constructed with quality materials and maintained properly at all times. If the boat is going to just set for long periods of time it will leak if not maintained on a regular basis. I have owned wooden boats and loved them but, as I mentioned, they are probably more work if properly maintained.


One last thought: One tends to get what one pay for. A cheap price is an indication of a super deal or it can be not such a cheap price when all things are considered. When you look for a boat, airplane or any toy be sure to shop with your head not your heart and you should be just fine. I recommend that once you find the boat of your dreams you take the time and spend the money to have a GOOD – QUALIFIED person inspect the vessel. This could keep you from making a costly mistake.
 

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