270 Islander purchase?

[TransFueler]

Great Grady Greetings, guys...

Adding to our micro-fleet, and strongly considering a 2004 270 Islander. Twin 2004 Yamaha F225's (1600 hours), old electronics.
Opinions & advice on this model? Looks like it would be a good boat to fish and cruise the Puget Sound & San Juan Islands...

 

[RussGW270]

I have one. The sheer number of people that want this exact boat is mind boggling. I see a few but most do not want bottom paint or a hard top etc. I honestly think it is the best GW out there, with a stand up head and under 8’6” towing restrictions.

 

[RussGW270]

Welcome to pm me any questions or if you want pictures of anything. The boat is like 20ft from me atm. Sending you a pm.

 

[Toothpick 10]

I have a 2002. It's a very versatile boat for fishing and cruising. I only have a single, I understand that the twins are really nice on them.

 

[TransFueler]

Trying to negotiate a deal, seller is stuck on price... As mentioned; motors have 1,600 hours, minimal electronics, and the boat is on the opposite coast. Surveyors all seem to be booked up too. What to do...

 

[RussGW270]

Without that survey, he can wish in one hand and.....you know the saying.

 

[TransFueler]

Are you saying the dealer should provide a survey?

 

[RussGW270]

No, I am saying that until a survey is done, whatever price they want is a moot issue unless you are okay with taking the risk. If so, then they should budge on the price or find you a surveyor.

 

[TransFueler]

Good point. I'll have them line someone up.

 

[RussGW270]

You will get your boat eventually. I really look forward to seeing pictures of it. Everything just takes time right now.

 

[Toothpick 10]

Trying to negotiate a deal, seller is stuck on price... As mentioned; motors have 1,600 hours, minimal electronics, and the boat is on the opposite coast. Surveyors all seem to be booked up too. What to do...

What price are you stuck on?

 

[TransFueler]

Survey scheduled...

 

[TransFueler]

Had the survey conducted on Monday, at the dealer in Wareham, MA. Ten minutes into it, the surveyor (40+ years experience) called to say he had bad news, and thought I might want to cancel the rest of the survey. He explained that he used two high quality, reliable water detection instruments.
He found serious water intrusion in the transom, the stringers were absolutely soaked, as was the bow pulpit area. The deck hatches also very wet.

He estimated repairs at well over $20,000, if even repairable. As in; cut off transom and replace, cut out stringers and replace, IF possible...

Said he finds serious water intrusion in about 40% of the Grady's he surveys...

Interesting, the dealer said they had serviced the boat for over a decade, and that it was in fine condition. They claimed no knowledge of water intrusion, but the surveyors photos clearly show fiberglass peeling off the stringers, etc...

Search continues, but it reinforced my thought of NEVER buy a boat without a qualified surveyor inspecting it...

Ed

 

[Pighunter]

Had the survey conducted on Monday, at the dealer in Wareham, MA. Ten minutes into it, the surveyor (40+ years experience) called to say he had bad news, and thought I might want to cancel the rest of the survey. He explained that he used two high quality, reliable water detection instruments.
He found serious water intrusion in the transom, the stringers were absolutely soaked, as was the bow pulpit area. The deck hatches also very wet.

He estimated repairs at well over $20,000, if even repairable. As in; cut off transom and replace, cut out stringers and replace, IF possible...

Said he finds serious water intrusion in about 40% of the Grady's he surveys...

Interesting, the dealer said they had serviced the boat for over a decade, and that it was in fine condition. They claimed no knowledge of water intrusion, but the surveyors photos clearly show fiberglass peeling off the stringers, etc...

Search continues, but it reinforced my thought of NEVER buy a boat without a qualified surveyor inspecting it...

Ed

Amen, survey is the only way to go unless you have $$$$ and time to burn!

 

[family affair]

Transfueler,
I'm curious, where did he look for stringer delamination? I too might be looking at a boat soon and I'm curious to know if he pulled the fuel tank cover, found it in the bilge, or elsewhere. Any photos you can share?

 

[TransFueler]

In the bilge. Inside the transom area. By the batteries.

 

[family affair]

Thanks for sharing. Thankfully I have never witnessed a bilge with gel coat peeling like that. I would assume it has something to do with the moisture in the fiberglass and or delamination.?

 

[Stephnic]

I have a 98 Islander that i put a new transom in two years ago. I fixed all the issues where water was getting in including that aluminum bang strip and the brass through hulls in the motor well. My transom was soaked but because the of the wood Grady uses had no rot at all it was all delaminate. The fiberglass shop did a unbelievable job looks great. Just repowered with twin yamahas. Boat runs great now.

 

[family affair]

I have a 98 Islander that i put a new transom in two years ago. I fixed all the issues where water was getting in including that aluminum bang strip and the brass through hulls in the motor well. My transom was soaked but because the of the wood Grady uses had no rot at all it was all delaminate. The fiberglass shop did a unbelievable job looks great. Just repowered with twin yamahas. Boat runs great now.

Looks great!
Those damn flared brass thru-hulls are a joke and should never be used on a water sensitive composite IMO. One of the 1st things we did was pull those, seal the wood, replaced the fitting, and sealed around it.
If you don't mind me asking, what did it cost to do the work on your boat.

 

[Stephnic]

I did the transom with the same material that Grady used to keep the boat balanced. You have to cut two holes in the deck to remove the rings on the back of the transom it was the only way to reach them. So instead of putting inspection places I had all that reglassed to look original. Then we did the drains in the motor well just like you did. We also cut the rub rail back about an inch on each side so there is no chance of water running into the transom area where the cal meets the hull. It made such a difference with the 150’s two strokes the boat sat higher in the water. I just put Yamaha 150’s four strokes on it now and it sits perfect and it does 45 mph at WOT. The transom all said and done was just over 6K.