Practical Sailorvideo
Free Boat Inspection - Deck Core
July 11, 2026 · 18 min · 15K views
First-person view inspecting sailboat on trailer
What this video covers
A Halcyon 23 sailboat undergoes a structural assessment of its deck core and a bilge pump replacement. To check for delamination or soft spots in the deck, the inspector walks the surface barefoot to feel for squishiness and uses a plastic hammer and screwdriver to listen for hollow sounds.0:56 The deck, coach top, and mast step show no signs of rot or structural failure, though some screw holes require inspection for potential water intrusion.7:20 The original bilge pump failed, so the crew installs a 1,000-gallon-per-hour Johnson pump using non-corrugated hose to evacuate standing water from the bilge.10:10 The boat features an early Volvo single-cylinder diesel engine with a Dyna-start system that functions as both a starter and an alternator.15:52 Future plans for the vessel include a potential off-grid electrical setup with a Victron MPPT controller and solar panels, though the final configuration remains undecided as the boat is intended for donation or a raffle rather than long-term ownership.9:51
Boats in this video
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