Thinking of buying a j22

[Guest Liam]

I'm thinking of buying an old, beat up j22. It belongs to someone at a boatyard who hasn't used it in years. If they need space ashore, they launch it. If they need space on the docks, they haul it. The decks seem solid, including around the mast step. Stanchions have been added, but there doesn't seem to be any leakage when you look inside. There is a little leaking by the chainplates but there doesn't appear to be any rot on the bulkheads. Other than the occasional low key phrf, I don't intend to race much. The stern seems solid too. I have two concerns you all can maybe help with:

1. I looked inside the flotation to check the rudder attachments. It appears to be attached to an unpainted piece of wood (see attachment). Is this normal?

2. It needs new sails. The jib is on some sort of roller furling. We tried to unfurl it and it started ripping. It will have to be cut off. The seller says the jib is sewn onto the roller furling and the furler and the jib are a unit. Has anyone ever heard of such a thing? My winter storage doesn't allow sails to be rigged so if the furler requires the sail to be sewn on, I'd have to remove the forestay each winter. I'd just as soon replace the whole thing.

3. Finally, there is some surface rust on the only keel bolt I can see without removing floorboards. Is that a problem?

[TyeDyedGary]

  Concerning item 1, I don't think that should be a problem as long as it is kept dry. If you buy the boat pull it out and properly seal and mount it.  Also the photo shows the bolts and nuts are black, which indicates the wrong type metal for the environment. You should use 304 SS bolts, nuts, & washers, you can use 316 SS but it tends to gull easier, and properly bed them when you replace them. 

 2. Class rules don't allow a roller furler, so just bite the bullet on that, and get a proper head stay, that you can adjust.

 3. If you see surface rust on your keel bolts, they may have miss-matched nuts on the bolts. My 1985 J22 has 304SS keel bolts and that is what the nuts and washers should be. OR, what you are seeing may be salt water stains. 

[ghurwitch]

Is it really a J22?  The reason that I ask is that there really isn't "floorboards".  There's a single little board that's easy to move.  Could it be something different like a Catalina 22?  

We have roller furlers on a few of our J22s.  No sails are sewn on and I've never heard of that.  Sounds like a jury rig.  You could cut it off and try again.  Get a new forestay with that new three piece Harken system on it or find a used system on ebay.