What are the common problems to check when buying a used HR 37?

The Hallberg-Rassy 37 is a well-built cruising yacht, but buyers must carefully inspect the teak decks, the Volvo Penta D2-55 exhaust elbow and the saildrive diaphragm. Replacing an original teak deck on this boat will easily cost north of £20,000, making it the single biggest financial risk.

Teak Deck Condition

Hallberg-Rassy used 12mm teak screwed and glued over the GRP deck. By the time these boats reach 15 to 20 years old, the teak wears down. The wooden plugs over the screw heads disappear. The screws sit proud. Check for proud black caulking and missing bungs across the side decks and coachroof.

Water ingress into the core is rare because the yard used a solid GRP sub-deck under the teak in these areas. Cosmetic and functional degradation remains inevitable. If the deck is less than 6mm thick at the anchor locker or toe rail, it is nearing the end of its life. Re-decking is a massive job. Expect quotes between £20,000 and £25,000 for a professional replacement in teak or a synthetic alternative like Flexiteek.

Volvo Penta D2-55 Engine

The standard engine is the 55hp Volvo Penta D2-55. This four-cylinder block has a few specific maintenance requirements:

• Exhaust elbow: The cast iron injection elbow clogs with carbon and rusts internally every 500 to 800 hours. A stainless steel replacement costs about £300. This is a recommended upgrade.
• MDI box: On models built after 2007, the Mechanical Diesel Interface black box frequently fails. This causes intermittent starting or stopping issues.
• Saildrive diaphragm: Mated to a Volvo 130S saildrive, the rubber hull seal must be replaced every seven years. Check the date stamp moulded into the rubber ring under the engine. Boatyard replacement costs around £1,200.
• Prop shaft seals: Check the saildrive gear oil on the dipstick. Milky oil indicates water ingress through worn prop shaft seals.

When inspecting the saildrive or rudder under the boat, never stand directly under the hull unless the shores are securely chained and braced.

Rigging and In-Mast Furling

Most HR 37s were specified with Seldén in-mast furling. Check the lower swivel bearing at the gooseneck and the halyard swivel aloft. If the furling action feels stiff or jerky under load, the bearings usually need replacing. Parts cost around £150. Fitting them requires dropping the sail and partly dismantling the foil. Check the Seldén rod kicker too. The internal gas strut loses pressure over time and costs about £90 to replace.