Laser repair question

I’m looking at this laser to buy. It has a mast step repair/deck repair and I’m not familiar with repairs like this. Is this a good quality repair?
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It is really impossible to say from a photo like that I'm afraid.

It doesn't look the neatest of repair jobs, but that doesn't mean it isn't strong, functional and seaworthy (and doesn't mean it is either!).

If the seller did the repair, you could ask them how they actually did it. Maybe they took some pictures of the repair as they did it.

A repair which replaces that much deck implies the mast-step failed and ripped out the deck, rather than just a preventative repair which can be done with one or two small hatches.

As a minimum, you would want to make sure the mast-step holds water (as it should on any Laser). Then put the mast in and see if you can feel any movement when you apply a bit of pressure to it.

You might be able to see the mast-step by looking through the hatch by the daggerboard case. It is important to see how well the bottom of the mast-step is attached to the hull, especially if there had been a complete failure before the repair.

More worrying might be the fact that the top section has been put in the mast-step and there doesn't seem to be much room to fit the wider diameter bottom section (again it is hard to tell from the photo). Are there any photos of the boat rigged?

The boat itself is very old - 1970's as it has wooden grab rails - but it looks luck it has more recent daggerboard and rudder. What condition is the sail like and how much is it?

If it is not too far away, it can't hurt to have a look and take it out for a test sail.
 
You can always grab a selfie stick and put a phone in the inspection port and try to get photos (with and without flash) of the mast step inside the hull if you cant a good view from the port itself..
 
It is really impossible to say from a photo like that I'm afraid.

It doesn't look the neatest of repair jobs, but that doesn't mean it isn't strong, functional and seaworthy (and doesn't mean it is either!).

If the seller did the repair, you could ask them how they actually did it. Maybe they took some pictures of the repair as they did it.

A repair which replaces that much deck implies the mast-step failed and ripped out the deck, rather than just a preventative repair which can be done with one or two small hatches.

As a minimum, you would want to make sure the mast-step holds water (as it should on any Laser). Then put the mast in and see if you can feel any movement when you apply a bit of pressure to it.

You might be able to see the mast-step by looking through the hatch by the daggerboard case. It is important to see how well the bottom of the mast-step is attached to the hull, especially if there had been a complete failure before the repair.

More worrying might be the fact that the top section has been put in the mast-step and there doesn't seem to be much room to fit the wider diameter bottom section (again it is hard to tell from the photo). Are there any photos of the boat rigged?

The boat itself is very old - 1970's as it has wooden grab rails - but it looks luck it has more recent daggerboard and rudder. What condition is the sail like and how much is it?

If it is not too far away, it can't hurt to have a look and take it out for a test sail.
The boat is four hours away from me so we can’t really look at it. The boat is seaworthy according to the seller. It is a family member of the sellers boat so they do not know how to rig it, which is why the top mast part isn’t in. It is about $500. Is that a fair price?
 
If it 4 hours away I assume you have a means to getting it back to your location. Does it come with a trailer or are you going to have to cartop it or put it in the flatbed of a pickup truck?

If they don’t know how to rig it, how do they know it’s seaworthy? do they know when the last time it sailed?

the fact that the upper mast is in the mast step caught my attention too. But it was probably just for the picture.

500 could be a good deal depending on how much work needs to be done.
 
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If it 4 hours away I assume you have a means to getting it back to your location. Does it come with a trailer or are you going to have to cartop it or put it in the flatbed of a pickup truck?

If they don’t know how to rig it, how do they know it’s seaworthy? do they know when the last time it sailed?

the fact that the upper mast is in the mast step caught my attention too. But it was probably just for the picture.

500 could be a good deal depending on how much work needs to be done.
We would cartop it. It is the owners son who sailed it and he is at college now. It was sailed by the son before he left. The owner doesn’t know how to rig it. Thanks for the help!
 
In my opinion, I wouldn't pay more than $300 since it does not come with a trailer, and who knows what else you will have to purchase to get it going. The lines look shot, chunk out of the daggerboard, wearing of the daggerboard and rudder, you don't know if you have everything to fully rig it for sailing, the nicest thing I see is the tiller and extension. Do you have any pictures of the bottom for gelcoat damage, the bailer area or the edging to see for delamination or potential leaks? If the boat is this old, deteriorated, and banged up, then I bet the sail is too. I think they would be hard pressed to find someone willing to buy that for $500, unless someone didn't know how much it would cost to fix, has an unlimited upgrade budget and time. I would never buy a boat with that repair, I think there are plenty others out there for sale in better condition, you just have to keep looking, but that is just me.
 
In my opinion, I wouldn't pay more than $300 since it does not come with a trailer, and who knows what else you will have to purchase to get it going. The lines look shot, chunk out of the daggerboard, wearing of the daggerboard and rudder, you don't know if you have everything to fully rig it for sailing, the nicest thing I see is the tiller and extension. Do you have any pictures of the bottom for gelcoat damage, the bailer area or the edging to see for delamination or potential leaks? If the boat is this old, deteriorated, and banged up, then I bet the sail is too. I think they would be hard pressed to find someone willing to buy that for $500, unless someone didn't know how much it would cost to fix, has an unlimited upgrade budget and time. I would never buy a boat with that repair, I think there are plenty others out there for sale in better condition, you just have to keep looking, but that is just me.
Thanks so much for your help. The sail looks fine and doesn’t have rips. It does need new lines and I’m unsure about Battens.
 
I would want to see more and better photos before I drove 4 hours to see a boat that may or may not be acceptable. Is there a valid reason that the seller can't facilitate communication directly between you and the boat's owner?
 
Thanks so much for your help. The sail looks fine and doesn’t have rips. It does need new lines and I’m unsure about Battens.
I would want to see more and better photos before I drove 4 hours to see a boat that may or may not be acceptable. Is there a valid reason that the seller can't facilitate communication directly between you and the boat's owner?
I don’t think we are going to proceed with this boat, as it needs more work then we originally thought
 

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