A sound hull and a stubborn starter aboard a Sunbeam 42 DS

The Yanmar ran well at 2,500 rpm. The exhaust looked normal and the yacht moved comfortably under power. Yet on the same sea trial, the engine intermittently refused to start from the cockpit panel. We had to use the bypass switch in the engine compartment.

That was one of the most useful findings from a recent pre-purchase survey on a 2004 Schöchl Sunbeam 42 DS at Aktio Marina, near Preveza. The yacht was well built and well maintained. A day ashore followed by a sea trial gave us a clearer picture of what the buyer could expect from her.

What I found ashore

One of my favourite parts of surveying a yacht like this is getting a look at the work that’s usually hidden. On this Sunbeam, the solid GRP hull, external lead keel and heavily glassed internal structure all showed the care that went into the build. The accessible keel bolts and backing plates were in good order, and I saw no signs of movement at the keel joint.

I scraped back the antifouling at around 20 small test spots. The exposed surfaces showed no visible signs of blistering or gelcoat damage, and the hull gave a consistently firm response when sounded. The teak deck was another detail I liked. The planks had been bonded down, avoiding screw penetrations through the outer GRP skin.

What came to light afloat

We set the three sails already rigged aboard. The mainsail was in very good condition and the genoa was good. The inner self-tacking jib was fair, with enough surface mould to warrant a visit to a sailmaker.

The starting fault was the first item to follow up. The second was the generator, which tripped on three attempts. That left a question about the watermaker. Without a stable supply during the trial, we couldn’t finish testing its pump. The next step was clear: fix the generator, then run the watermaker through a full production cycle.

I came away with a good impression of the yacht and a specific list of jobs for the buyer. That’s what I want from a pre-purchase survey. The inspection ashore told us a great deal about the condition of the hull and structure. The sea trial showed where a few practical checks and repairs would make a difference to the next owner.

If you’re buying a yacht in Preveza or elsewhere in the Ionian, get in touch with Yacht Surveys Greece to discuss a pre-purchase survey and sea trial.