posted 02-07-2003 03:31 PM ET (US)
In the past I looked at a few Del Quays and thought they were ok looking boats and rode fairly well. Not as good as BWs in any respect except price, but they seemed like a decent boat with an unsinkable hull at a reasonable price. Then the following story happened and I have never even given another Del Quay a look... About four years ago in late Sept. or Nov. I went on a weekend trip to do some hunting and gathering. Our main boat was a 68' commercial seiner and for a small cruiser we were towing my friends newly refurbished (minor glass work, painting, new cc and tank, etc.) 17' Del Quay. We dropped off on the little boat to check some crab pots and then planned to run back to the big boat for the final leg of the trip. We checked the pots in the first cove and were on our way to the next when the weather picked up and we decided it would be best to just try and get to the big boat. Heading back thorough some fairly rough water we started mysteriously taking water over the transom. The plug was pulled I was bailing and the bilge pump was going and we still could not keep up. Eventually we fell off plane and decided to run, slowly, for the nearest shore and beach it. We called for the big boat to divert course and come get us.
During this ordeal of bailing I noticed that the floor had a developed a pronounced curve, enough that both sides of the cc were off the floor. About this same time I saw a stream of water shooting out of the top edge of the gunwale. Luckily we got into some calmer water in the lee of a point and were able to keep headway driving in a circle until the big boat got anchored across the bay, a very long hour to say the least.
We finally got over to the big boat and tied along side. Watching over the next 30 minutes the Del Quay just kept getting lower and lower in the water. At the rate it was going it was obvious the boats was going to sink, the 650gph bilge pump was not near enough. We ended up using the hydraulic winch on the boom of the big boat to lift it up and set it on the deck.
Once it was up on deck it was obvious why the boat had been taking on water. There was a crack in the hull about 24" long and forking for about 6" of its length. In excess of 100 gallons of water poured out of the crack when we lifted it and water continued to pour out for the next hour. The next day we went on and ended up having a great weekend, other then not having a small boat to run around in.
This is just one reason I will never buy a Del Quay. Later, unon autopsy, we found out that none of the foam in the hull was adhered to the fiberglass and as soon as the glass cracked the water was forced inside of the hull, filling it, and then found a path into the cockpit of the hull. Granted, we did not sink but, but I have been on many more BWs, in much worse shape and worse weather, and never experienced, much less even heard of, a similar event. Take this story for what it is worth but I would steer clear of Del Quay...