What are the common problems to check when buying a used Hallberg-Rassy 352?
I am going to view a 1985 Hallberg-Rassy 352 this weekend. She looks tidy in the photos, but at nearly 40 years old, I know there will be hidden jobs. What are the specific weak points and big-ticket items I should be looking for before I make an offer?
Answer
The main items to check on a Hallberg-Rassy 352 are the screwed teak deck, the original stainless steel tanks and the factory-fitted Volvo Penta engine. These three areas alone can easily account for refit costs exceeding the purchase price of a neglected boat.
The Teak Deck
Original HR 352 teak decks were 12mm thick. The factory laid them over a GRP sandwich deck using hundreds of screws. An original deck is now well past its lifespan. Look for missing teak plugs and exposed Phillips screw heads. Water tracks down these exposed threads into the Divinycell foam core. This causes widespread rot and delamination.
Walk the side decks barefoot to feel for soft spots. Tap the GRP around the chainplates and deck prisms with a plastic mallet. A dull thud indicates delamination. Stripping the old wood, repairing the core and laying a new glued teak or synthetic deck will cost between £15,000 and £25,000 at a professional yard.
Embedded Stainless Tanks
The 352 features a 150-litre or 240-litre stainless steel fuel tank and a 400-litre stainless water tank. Both sit deep in the bilge. Forty years in a damp, oxygen-depleted bilge often leads to crevice corrosion and leaking welds. Access is the main problem. The builders installed these tanks before joining the deck to the hull. They are wider than the companionway and trapped beneath the mahogany cabin sole.
To check the tanks:
- Lift the floorboards and inspect the bottom seams for weeping diesel or water.
- Smell the bilge. A strong, stale diesel odour usually means a weeping weld.
- Check the inspection hatches on top of the tanks. The original rubber gaskets perish and cause leaks when the tanks are full.
A failed tank requires cutting away sections of the cabin sole. You must then cut the old tank into pieces for removal. Alternatively, you can line it with a custom flexible bladder. This costs between £800 and £1,200 and saves destroying the woodwork.
Engine and Drivetrain
Depending on the year, a 352 left the factory with a Volvo Penta MD21A/B, a 2003T or an MD22. The MD21 is a Peugeot-based engine. It overheats if pushed near its maximum 4,500 RPM. The cast-iron exhaust elbows clog with carbon and rust, restricting cooling water. Spares for the MD21 and the 2003T are now scarce and expensive.