Shetland Black Hawk advice needed

[EricFrith]

Afternoon all.

I'm totally new to boating in any way shape or form and as of yet still don't own anything, I'm looking for advice on a boat that has cropped up close to me. It's a Black Hawk and is up for sale at £3,000 or less, can anyone give any advice on the boat just by looking at the pictures.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Shetland-blac ... SwE0JY9J3U

Any advice gratefully accepted

Eric

[DavidW]

The words "cabin needs a tidy up" and the lack of pictures of the interior would make me a bit wary but it all depends on your skill level..Someone will be along to point out exactly what to look for as regards water ingress and the pros and cons of the Blackhawk..I took on a project boat but with the assistance of learned friends..so certainly ask for more pictures including the cockpit and cabin interiors.

However, I have noticed that this appears to be a sea boat so a visual inspection is a must..I can't see any river authority licence numbers so depending on your intended usage it may need a Boat Safety Certificate.

I also can't see any nav lights so that asks questions about any electrical system.

Much like buying a car, there are plenty out there and it's a buyers market. Do all the research you can and don't be afraid to walk away..

Hope that helps as a starter.

Regards

David.

[EricFrith]

Thanks for that information, I'll be taking a look at the boat at some point, I have some photos from a previous sale and the interior is almost non existent, no instruments etc.

Although I'm a complete boating novice I do have engineering experience having built and raced a good number of motorcycles and cars over the last 40+ years,

I wonder how old the motor is?

Eric

[daveflack]

Hi EricFrith,the Black Hawk suffers from a slight design flaw in that when it rains water runs of the cabin & canvas cover onto the cabin roof ledge at the side of the windscreen,the natural slope of the f/glass allows the water to run back down this ledge & into the rear deck are.Also where the outboard is mounted on the transom 3 layers of f/glass come together at the top edge,these sometimes split & allow surface water,which runs under the protective alloy angle trim,to come in,this can get into rear locker floor area.Also have a look at the anchor locker/cabin bulkhead for rot.Cheers,hope this hasn't put you off,it's all fixable,yours Magic

[EricFrith]

Thanks Dave's,

I'm taking notes, one good thing is that the boat is so close to home I won't actually have to move it until it's been renovated and is ready for the water, ( I could potentially take over the storage space at the marina.)

Eric

[DavidW]

You certainly get to know your boat when you renovate...

As Magic said, anything is fixable, just depends on your budget, your emergency budget and your "must have it" budget

I've got an old thread running somewhere on here on the renovation of my Saxon, still ongoing and still learning..must update it sometime

I've built plenty of bikes over the years and still found myself stumped when it came to something that floats...but the sense of satisfaction, as with any project, is tangible..and I've even got the wife on board (pardon the pun).

[tatsuko]

Hi there
I totally renovated my Black Hawk. Common problems seem top be the houdini hatch leaking, new seal around the £35 mark. Windows might find the packing has rotted and will need refilling to seal them. Water under the cabin floor, and cockpit sole. Would advise fitting trim tabs if she doesn't have them. Any advice feel free to give me a shout.
Regards
Steve

[EricFrith]

I've had a look at the boat and the inside is almost non existent, there's no instrumentation only holes, no seats, windows are cracked beyond saving, head lining is mouldy and falling off, cushions are wet and the only water the boat has seen is on the inside, probably a couple of inches deep at the minimum, The area below the cockpit (square cover) is full to the brim.

I'm guessing that the length of time the water has been on the inside could lead to further degradation of the sub structure (don't know what it's called)

Wiring is a mess, fuel tanks smell like they are leaking,

On the plus side the canopy is good, the hull looks ok, the trailer is a good break back type, the motor is 90hp, it has a new radio yet to be fitted.

Priced at £3000 it's a bit on the dear side.

Any thoughts?

Eric

[DavidW]

3k is too much for the condition you describe imho; I would have thought that half that might be more like it..

A cheeky offer never hurts; he might well want rid...

Regards

David.

[daveflack]

Hello again,ref your water ingress the bilge space under the "square" board as you put it has holes drilled thro at either end,the fwd one into &under the cabin floor space & if the level is higher than the floor it will come up thro the floor drain & top up the cabin area.The rear hole will allow water to go into the bouyancy/void space under that floor & will probably leak out thro another hole into the bilge area under the splashwell,as you see no end to it but have a good poke &press everywhere & trim the price accordingly .If you have a look on the floor areas under carpets (if fitted) you should see some plastic plugs,about 30mm dia these are where the foam is put in,if you flip them out it will let you see the ply sub structure beneath the grp. Cheers Magic