Re: buying a used clc 14

Posted by terry on Feb 15, 2005

Well, I guess you want to be your own marine surveyor. Not a problem for such a simple boat. I would make the drive if the price is right.

Take a flashlight and look carefully and thouroughly inside the hull for signs of damage, like splits in the hull or deck that may have been repaired and painted over (not a major problem if the repair is sound). All interior surfaces should be coated with epoxy. Also look for water infiltration (black stains in the wood). If the boat is entirely varnished (a.k.a. "bright finished") it will be easy to see any damage or sloppy construction on the exterior or the hull. If it's painted, look inside.

You shouldn't see any daylight at the hull-deck joint (sheer). The tops of the bulkheads in front of and behind the cockpit should be glued to the deck.

Outside, if the boat is not painted or varnished, look closely at the hull for yellowing in the epoxy caused by UV degredation (a bad thing).

Also, sight down the chines (where the sides meet the bottom), shear and keel, looking for major bumps or hollows. All these joints should be smoothly flowing curves. Minor irregularities are to be expected in a home-built boat and are not a problem.

The hatches, if the boat has them, should conform to the curve of the deck and have adequate straps with buckles (three on each hatch). The deck rigging should be secure on the deck (tug on it) and there should not be signs of water infiltration around the screws that secure the rigging to the deck (this can lead to rot, another bad thing).

If the deck is fiberglassed, you can see the weave through the varnish if you look closely. this is a sign of quality construction, but the lack of it is not a major problem on a boat this small - it also can be added later. Also, the floor (sole) of the cockpit should be fiberglassed (not a big job to add yourself if it isn't).

I've built several boats similar to the CH 14. It's a nice, fast and versatile little boat for kids under 130 lbs. or so. At an empty weight of around 35 lbs., kids can handle the boat without a lot of help from the grownups.

I've seen used 14s in the $500-800 range. A new one from a professional builder might run $2000. It would take you about 80 hours to build one yourself from a kit. These boats do require somewhat more care and maintenance than the all-plastic commercial kayaks. Bad gouges and holes should be promptly repaired, and the varnish should be recoated every few years. If you use the boat near rocks, I can tell you how to protect the vulnerable parts of the hull later on. The tradeoff is you may instill in your kids a life-long love of wooden boats, a gift from my deceased Dad that I still thank him for.

Good luck with the survey!

terry

In Response to: buying a used clc 14 by kayakpurchaser on Feb 14, 2005

Replies:

• Re: buying a used clc 14 by kayakpurchaser on Feb 15, 2005
  • Re: buying a used clc 14 by terry on Feb 15, 2005