[C38] looking at getting a C38 - what should i look for?

[W. Reed Smith]

Thomas:

I have a bad port side bulkhead, but you are right, the chain plate attaches to fiberglass 
( but still !!!).

My mast boot is rotten, will need replacing.  For now I do not push it, only short outings in fair weather etc.

Reed

Sent from my iPhone

> On Aug 30, 2021, at 4:18 PM, Don Strong <drstrong at ucdavis.edu> wrote:
> 
> 
>  Thomas: Both leaking chain plates and a rotten mast step could occur in a C38. The backstay fastens to wood, and that joint could be rotten. I love my C38 #50, 1980. It has a wonderful Yanmar 3GM30. Even 2 exhaust elbows later heart that engine. The standing rigging will probably be old, and replacement is ca. $8k. You might have Catalina smile problems. The worst possible that I can think of is rotten plywood beneath the floor of the bilge; sinking nuts holding the keel will give it away. The windows could leak, and you can replace them for ca $2k. These are old boats with all of the charm that comes with age. Sabers will cost much, much more.
> Regards, Don
> 
> On 8/30/21 7:56 AM, Thomas O'Connell wrote:
>> After looking at a few Sabre's locally (San Diego), and digging through their communities i've gotten to the point where there's two things to always look for with those.. damage done to bulkheads due to leaky chainplates, and a rotted or rotten mast step due to what some might consider a design flaw.
>> 
>> Having exhausted that, and still looking for a 80s performance cruiser i've come upon catalina 38. So I've found myself here seeking out those 'achilles heal' type things unique to these so when i am looking at one i can focus on those prior to bringing in a surveyor.
>> 
>> Still trying to fumble my way through the listserv archives and catalina38.org ; not seeing any common trend repeated.. so asking here in case i'm just missing it, or whatever it is more a catalina in general thing i'm not aware of / so not dicussed here so much? 
>> 
>> Bringing my two worries from the other search
>> - Chain plates - maybe hard to access but plus side is looks like maybe not as much of an issue as most are attached to fiberglass and not marine ply?
>> - Mast Step - haven't run across anyone talking about this so must be generally ok?
>> 
>> Thanks,
>> Thomas
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
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> 
> -- 
> Donald R. Strong
> C38 Discreet Charm
> Emery Cove Yacht Harbor
> San Francisco Bay 
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