I do not think that Newports were especially bad with respect to blistering,
though not particularly good, either. Probably about on a par with
Catalinas.

The fact that it is a '68 could mean that it would tend to have *less*
problems with blisters (as is sometimes the case with boats of this
vintage), though that is by no means certain.

As others have suggested, getting a good survey is critical. Obviously you
would check what you would look at for any boat, such as soft spots on the
deck, keel attachment, etc. etc.

--Alan Gomes


"Trent D. Sanders" wrote in message
m...
Be REALLY SURE that you get an "out of the water" survey by a good
"buyers" surveyor, especially for a Newport. Look specifically for
blisters.

When I had my boat in the boatyard there was a guy next to me doing a
bottom paint thing on his Newport 30. He found some blisters. For
blister repair you grind them out with a disk until you get to "good"
fiberglass. Then repair it.

So he started grinding. On two blisters he had to grind all the way
through the hull and enlarge them to a diameter about the size of a
basketball before he found good glass. Under the gel coat there were
big areas where the resin hadn't penetrated the glass when it was laid
up. Apparently whoever did the lay-up when it was built either wasn't
paying attention or had smoked too much dope that day. It cost this
guy over $5,000 in fiberglass repairs before he was done.

So be careful.

Trent
S/V Cimba [Islander 29']

Stephen Trapani wrote in message
...
Hi, sorry to just drop in, but I think I can get a 1968 Newport 30' for
under $7000. I grew up sailing my dad's Blanchard 33' in Kaneohe Bay,
and between the HI islands, so I can sail, probably rusty, but anyway,
assuming I get a survey and nothing terrible is wrong, the Atomic 4 is
recently rebuilt, tiller, Autohelm, decent electronics, shore power, a
few other things, any particular big reason I shouldn't buy it? And, oh
yeah, I don't have much more than that to spend. What do you think the
boat will be worth in ten years? Any guesses?

Thanks,

Stephen