Looked at a Grady White and NEED help. NEW OWNER!!

[paulyjsob]

I looked at a 2000 Grady White Gulfstream and have 2 questions.
I snapped some pics of the gas tank under the floor and the transom. The first question is there seem to be pressure treated 2x4's right on top of the gas tank... It almost looks like they're holding the tank down. Is this something form the factory or was this done afterwards.
Also, the bracket mounting bolt seem to be over tightened and the washers look like they're digging into the transom.. Again, normal?

Other than these 2 items, the boat looks perfect. Not a single spider crack ANYWHERE.

Thanks!

 

[Pez Vela]

Re: Looked at a Grady White and NEED help. Pics enclosed.

The top of the fuel tank and the hoses look to be in normal condition for a 10 year old boat, but the wood framing (normal for Grady) is obviously new and has been replaced. This gives rise to a series of questions for the seller as to why the framing was replaced, but neither the tank nor the hoses. Was there a fuel leak issue which the seller didn't want to tackle? The mounting bolt/washer you identified is a non-issue, but the discoloration surrounding the though-hull wiring is indicative of wood rot in the transom and should be investigated thoroughly.

 

[paulyjsob]

Re: Looked at a Grady White and NEED help. Pics enclosed.

Thanks for the help!
This boat is at a dealership. The boat was traded in towards a larger boat and no one there really knows its history.
The discoloration has me scared now.
I was thinking the same thing about the wood above the tank. You're right, it looks too "fresh". I didn't smell any gas in the bilge or around the tanks. And I stuck my nose everywhere I could.
Thanks again for the advice! This is a great forum you guys have here.
Take care!

Paul

 

[ahill]

Re: Looked at a Grady White and NEED help. Pics enclosed.

Transom bolts appearing to have "sunk" into the transom indicates transom problems ie swelling from moisture around the washers.
Have an experienced person tap the transom and listen for hollow thuds instead of crisp cracks.
Crisp cracks indicate no degradation.

 

[JeffN]

Re: Looked at a Grady White and NEED help. Pics enclosed.

As for the use of the pressure treated wood call Grady they will know what they put in the boat. I don't know if they use pressure treated now or not, mine was just wood that was not pressure treated but my boat is much older. That wood should have a piece of neoprene (or something that looks like neoprene anyway) under it between the tank and the wood.

Get a survey and see what they think.

 

[SoutheastFL]

Re: Looked at a Grady White and NEED help. Pics enclosed.

I think it's unforgivable that as recently as 2000 GW is still using inferior materials and workmanship in their boats. Something as critical as a fuel tank should NEVER have any wood on top of it to "hold it down", period. They charge some of the highest prices for their boats but as your pictures clearly show it sure isn't below them to cut corners and save a buck in areas where most people can't or won't look at. With their customer service they put on a good face but you've got the proof right there that shows exactly the kind of inferior materials they are still putting into their boats.

GW's have been known for years about their rotted transoms and yet they still haven't switched to fiberglass stringers and high density foam transoms like many other high quality manufacturers did years ago. Personally I think their "lifetime guarantee" against rot is worthless because replacing these items on a boat is akin to open heart surgury, it's very hard to access and a big deal to fix. Even if it's on their nickel why would anyone want to subject their boat to such a huge project and take it out of use for an extended period of time. Better to use materials that will never rot in the first place and save yourself the grief and loss of use over a major repair.

This boat is at a dealership for a reason, so nobody knows anything about its history and the owner can save himself having to lie to prospective buyers. I hope you find a competent and honest surveyor who will level with you about everything that's wrong with it and how expensive it's going to be to fix it. If you've still got to have the boat then at least get it at a price that takes into account fixing these major problems. To me it's not worth all the hassle that lies ahead trying to fix it.

 

[Curmudgeon]

Re: Looked at a Grady White and NEED help. Pics enclosed.

Both look like my T-22 when I pulled the tank 2 years ago. Trust me when I tell you my tank was as tight as they day it was installed with wood cross pieces. The cross members aren't subject to water damage unless the access plates or screws leak badly, so a 'new' look falls short of indicating catastrophic replacement. My bracket bolts look about the same as yours, except my bracket has been removed and remounted. Neither of those pics, in and of themselves, rise to a level of great concern ... :sorry

 

[paulyjsob]

Re: Looked at a Grady White and NEED help. Pics enclosed.

Thank you all for your input. I GREATLY appreciate it.

I hope things work out with this boat. The 232 is one of my favorite boats around.

 

[NOTHING ELSE MATTERS]

Re: Looked at a Grady White and NEED help. Pics enclosed.

Maybe the wood is there NOT to hold the tank down but to give support to the gas tank hatch. I don't believe that is original.

 

[paulyjsob]

Re: Looked at a Grady White and NEED help. Pics enclosed.

Looking at all the under floor pictures, I believe all those 2x4's are doing is holding the tanks down. They don't seem to contact the floor at all.
thanks again.

 

[JeffN]

Re: Looked at a Grady White and NEED help. Pics enclosed.

Maybe the wood is there NOT to hold the tank down but to give support to the gas tank hatch. I don't believe that is original.

Perhaps - if I were intersted in the boat I would call Grady and ask them how it was configured when it left the factory. I had my deck up last winter to change the fill and vent tubing to the fuel tank and on my boat the tank was held down along the sides with wooden wedges and the there were two two by fours accross the top of the tank similar to the picture above. In addition there were two pieces of wood screwed to either side of the two by fours supporting the deck. Those deck support pieces were not well done but the boat is an '83 and I am sure things have changed since then. The two by fours do not come up to the underside of the deck on mine. I purchased the boat when it was four years old and believe that structure to be original to my boat. The wood wedges were fine still and I just replaced the wood along the top of the tank and the deck support pieces while I was in there. The tank showed no sign that it had moved at all. Some may not like the construction details from the factory but mine seems to have worked well for 27 years. I am going to have the deck up again this winter and I will check for any interaction between the pressure treated and the metal tank. YMMV

 

[RJTFD]

Re: Looked at a Grady White and NEED help. Pics enclosed.

I have the same boat as the one in question and mine has the same 2x4's over the tank with the neoprene between tank and wood. Mine look as is if they were recently installed and trust me they were never installed by anyone except grady from they factory when boat was built. I open my hatches every so often just to clean inside there as mold seems to grow just from dampness in the marine enviroment and nothing more. As far as the transom boalts mine show a few signs of hairline cracks around them but it was just from being over tightened when installed they are not as sunken in as those. Have someone check your transom with a moisture meter and listen for they dry thump versus a mushy sound. I agree with curmudgeon I dont think they are of great concern but have it checked out before you buy rather than find out after its yours.
Good luck

I love the boat!

 

[family affair]

Re: Looked at a Grady White and NEED help. Pics enclosed.

If Grady put that wood in over the tank, be absolutely certain that it does not come in direct contact the tank. I know from personal experience that pressure treated lumber and moisture will corrode through a tank in a few years.

 

[LUNDINROOF]

Re: Looked at a Grady White and NEED help. Pics enclosed.

I had the hatches open on my 246G before I sold it in order to change/repair the fuel senders in the tanks. I was surprised to see that the treated wood looked practically new. This boat is 15 years old and the wood and tanks looked new. No corrosion on the tanks.

Treated wood that is not subject to sunlight or water will not "grey" out and look old.

In the construction trade, the new preservatives that are used to treat wood are much more corrosive to nails/fasteners than the old preservatives. I'm not sure what the new preservatives would do to a metal tank.

 

[Grog]

Re: Looked at a Grady White and NEED help. Pics enclosed.

The new pressure treated wood is very corrosive. If it stays dry why would they want to use treated lumber?

The bolt in the transom is a little sunk-in but it also shows a little evidence of a leak, something to look into further.

Wood isn't the problem in transoms or stringers, water getting in there is. A sealed stringer or transom WILL NOT ROT! If you get water in a composite stringer or transom and you're going to have problems too. Even the marine XL will still rot.

I'm still on the fence with the wood wedges holding the tank(s) in. If you have a problem, getting the tank out is not a big deal. Now if the tank was foamed in it's a major PIA getting it out and foaming it in doesn't stop the water from corroding the tank either.

 

[paulyjsob]

Re: Looked at a Grady White and NEED help. Pics enclosed.

Thanks again everyone. You've been a tremendous help.
Just as a point of reference, those 2 bolts in the picture are above the water line.

 

[LUNDINROOF]

Re: Looked at a Grady White and NEED help. Pics enclosed.

The new pressure treated wood is very corrosive. If it stays dry why would they want to use treated lumber?

I don't know why they use treated wood except that we use treated wood for nailers and curbs in the roofing industry. We "assume" that the new roof will not leak but use treated wood anyway, just in case.

Maybe if a deck plate "O" ring started to leak, fresh water hose leaked, raw water hose, etc.

It might be required by some code or standard.

 

[paulyjsob]

Re: Looked at a Grady White and NEED help. Pics enclosed.

The boat was surveyed this morning and the hull is bone dry. The surveyor used a moisture meter and thermal imaging. The engines also checked out.
I sent pics of the bolts to Grady and they said its not of any concern. So we are the proud new owners of a 2000 232 Gulfstream!

 

[JeffN]

Re: Looked at a Grady White and NEED help. Pics enclosed.

Congrats!!! Enjoy it.

 

[paulyjsob]

Re: Looked at a Grady White and NEED help. Pics enclosed.

Pics