>From the post I am assuming that you mean the house structure, specifically areas below ports and windows. Brace yourself, maybe take some medication, at least a big shot of your favorite whiskey, befor you tear into the windows. If you think it may have some rot it will probably be WAY worse than you thought. The fuel tanks will invariably be rusted from water sitting on them from the leaks (assuming steel tanks) If you can do all the work yourself you may be able to break even financially. If you have to pay a yard to do it you really need to decide how much you like this boat, it can be very expensive. Don't be tempted to use shortcuts, particularly pour in epoxies and the like, the only real fix is to take out the bad and replace with new. From my own experience, window leaks are one of the major killers of older boats, rusted fuel tanks that leak (now or in the near future) are usually the determining factor in causing the owner to divest himself from it. My suggestion is to replace the tanks (which will require you to tear the house structure apart) then put it back together minus the rot. YMMV

Sure wish we could have read your advice two years ago before we had a yard tear out our windows and everything else. The cost ended up being triple what we were told to begin with. Once we really got into it there was no turning back. My husband ended up finishing the job but only after paying the tripled estimate. And, to think prior to all that, we could have sold the boat back to the former owners!!! We know we will never get back anywhere near the total price of what we've spent including the purchase price. Joyce Colwell KITTY HIGGINS ----- Original Message ----- From: "bob england" <bob_england@hotmail.com> To: <trawlers-and-trawlering@lists.samurai.com> Sent: Sunday, December 30, 2007 10:41 AM Subject: T&T: The decks are next If you think it may have some rot it will probably be WAY worse than you thought.