Looking to buy 2023 Cutwater C30 S. What problem areas to look for?

[PDX Boater]

Ahoy mates. I’m a newbie looking at buying a 2023 Cutwater C30 S with the Volvo D6 400. In process of scheduling a survey. What are some of the problem areas I should be aware of. Thanks

 

[GunkHoling]

I bought a 2019 C28, the feedback I got when getting my C28 will likely also help with your evaluation of the C30.

G

Thread 'Prospective C28 Owner in PNW - what to look for?'

Jan 6, 2024

I've come to terms that I'm more likely to get my family (wife and 3 year old) on the water here in the San Juan Islands motoring than sailing my current Olson 25. The Cutwater 28 seems like the best fit, and there's several currently listed around Puget Sound. We plan to mostly island hop - day trips to friends across the county or to the mainland for entertainment, occasional overnights, and the occasional run to Victoria and possibly the Gulf Islands to visit friends there. We were previous partners in a Grand Banks 36, so the C28 will be relative speedboat compared to cruising speed on...

• GunkHoling
• Replies: 8
• Forum: General Technical Discussion— Ranger Tugs

My surveyor mostly focused on coast guard requirements, operating the engine at stated RPMs and expected speed, some handling, and moisture readings. In retrospect, I'd find someone that was more familiar with Cutwaters and Ranger tugs than someone focused on potential core rot in old sailboat.

My advice is when with your surveyor focus on the things that are most expensive to repair/replace - either high labor costs or equipment. Print out this checklist as well and perform the checks before starting and during operation as well to make sure everything appears in good maintenance and operation. You may need to adjust if you have a different engine.


https://www.tugnuts.com/threads/wor...or-cutwater-c-30-operation.24948/#post-158327


Bilge Pumps

• make sure bilge pumps run on manual mode from the helm
• make sure they run automatically by listening for the pump sound every few minutes. If you have to, run some fresh water to the bilge and make sure it pumps out
• make sure the shower pump runs when water goes down the train

Trim Tabs

• Operate them and make sure an oil sheen does not appear on the water, mine were leaking and were a costly replacement for the actuator
• Visually inspect to make sure that both fully extend and retract
• inspect the fluid level of the hydraulic reservoir and make sure there’s no obvious leak

Steering

• Operate without autopilot in a straight line, does it need regular steering input to hold a course or does it veer? If you need continual steering input you may have an autopilot pump that needs the check valve replaced. Do it before warranty runs out.
• Operate with heading hold, make sure you don't get too many wobbles. If you do it may need calibration, may as well do that during the sea trial.

Head

• Check before your sea trial and after, if it backs up you may need to replace the joker valve (easier) or you have a plugged vent causing thermal expansion back into the bowl (harder). Joker valve is a maintenance item, plan to replace. Plugged vent might be able to be flushed from the outside back into the tank.

Engine

• I assume would still be under original warranty, validate and make sure you have service records and ask for historical oil samples
• take a paper towel and wipe along any hydraulic lines or fluid lines in the engine bay to see if there any obvious leaks. My the hydraulic lifting rod on the engine bay hatch had a slight leak

Electronics

• have the current owner unregister them from their garmin account if they were previously registered. its a bunch of back and forth with garmin to correct otherwise

Anchor

• run the windlass

Inverter

• run it, we didn’t during the survey and I still haven’t tested it. I don’t really have a need but its an expensive replacement and good to know at purchase

 

[scross]

You might also want to check the engine bay hatch hydraulic ram attachment points for any signs of the mounting screws “pulling out”. If you close the hatch to just closed but then keep pushing the switch to further contract the ram it will rip the mounting screws right out! Check motor mounts too.

 

[PDX Boater]

I bought a 2019 C28, the feedback I got when getting my C28 will likely also help with your evaluation of the C30.

G

Thread 'Prospective C28 Owner in PNW - what to look for?'

Jan 6, 2024

I've come to terms that I'm more likely to get my family (wife and 3 year old) on the water here in the San Juan Islands motoring than sailing my current Olson 25. The Cutwater 28 seems like the best fit, and there's several currently listed around Puget Sound. We plan to mostly island hop - day trips to friends across the county or to the mainland for entertainment, occasional overnights, and the occasional run to Victoria and possibly the Gulf Islands to visit friends there. We were previous partners in a Grand Banks 36, so the C28 will be relative speedboat compared to cruising speed on...

• GunkHoling
• Replies: 8
• Forum: General Technical Discussion— Ranger Tugs

My surveyor mostly focused on coast guard requirements, operating the engine at stated RPMs and expected speed, some handling, and moisture readings. In retrospect, I'd find someone that was more familiar with Cutwaters and Ranger tugs than someone focused on potential core rot in old sailboat.

My advice is when with your surveyor focus on the things that are most expensive to repair/replace - either high labor costs or equipment. Print out this checklist as well and perform the checks before starting and during operation as well to make sure everything appears in good maintenance and operation. You may need to adjust if you have a different engine.


https://www.tugnuts.com/threads/wor...or-cutwater-c-30-operation.24948/#post-158327


Bilge Pumps

• make sure bilge pumps run on manual mode from the helm
• make sure they run automatically by listening for the pump sound every few minutes. If you have to, run some fresh water to the bilge and make sure it pumps out
• make sure the shower pump runs when water goes down the train

Trim Tabs

• Operate them and make sure an oil sheen does not appear on the water, mine were leaking and were a costly replacement for the actuator
• Visually inspect to make sure that both fully extend and retract
• inspect the fluid level of the hydraulic reservoir and make sure there’s no obvious leak

Steering

• Operate without autopilot in a straight line, does it need regular steering input to hold a course or does it veer? If you need continual steering input you may have an autopilot pump that needs the check valve replaced. Do it before warranty runs out.
• Operate with heading hold, make sure you don't get too many wobbles. If you do it may need calibration, may as well do that during the sea trial.

Head

• Check before your sea trial and after, if it backs up you may need to replace the joker valve (easier) or you have a plugged vent causing thermal expansion back into the bowl (harder). Joker valve is a maintenance item, plan to replace. Plugged vent might be able to be flushed from the outside back into the tank.

Engine

• I assume would still be under original warranty, validate and make sure you have service records and ask for historical oil samples
• take a paper towel and wipe along any hydraulic lines or fluid lines in the engine bay to see if there any obvious leaks. My the hydraulic lifting rod on the engine bay hatch had a slight leak

Electronics

• have the current owner unregister them from their garmin account if they were previously registered. its a bunch of back and forth with garmin to correct otherwise

Anchor

• run the windlass

Inverter

• run it, we didn’t during the survey and I still haven’t tested it. I don’t really have a need but its an expensive replacement and good to know at purchase

Thank you for your input. Do you know what is under the plywood panel under the guest berth mattress? Screws were removed and now is glued down.