Moody AC 45 Thinking of buying a Moody 45 AC (Classic)

Hi!

We are looking at buying a 2009 Moody 45 Classic and are looking for any hints or things to look for as we examine the boat and any things that we should ask a surveyor to focus on. I've previously owned an Elan Impression 434 for 7 years, but have been without a boat for the last 8 years and have really only experience of sailing Jeaneaus and Beneteaus on charter apart from the Elan. I have noticed a minor crack at the leading edge of the keel connection to the hull, which doesn't seem to have spread far back but does show some rust discolouration, I believe that this is not uncommon and can be epoxied.

We are hoping to initially cruise this boat on the South Coast/English Channel (which is a sailing area I'm familiar with) before moving her to the Bristol Channel for a couple of years (where we live) and then hope to do some serious long term cruising in the future. It feels to me like this boat has the potential to be a good choice for this, so long as we accept that our choices in the Bristol Channel are limited for anything that can't take the ground and so it will mostly be the harbours and marinas along the South coast of Wales (with a home port of Portishead), but I'd appreciate any insights any other Moody owners might have!

So in short, I'm reaching out for advice on whether we are making a sensible selection of boat and any factors that should be looked for.

Thanks in advance.

Mike
 
Michael,
A crack at the leading edge of the keel can be indicative of a severe grounding (the keel hitting something submerged).
This may be serious and should be examined by a structural surveyor.
If the crack extends between the hull and the keel then the keel may need to be dropped for repairs to be undertaken.
 
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