Pacific Seacraft Dana 24

📏 Full Specifications

🖊 The Designer — W.I.B. Crealock (1920–2009)

🏭 Pacific Seacraft — Company History

🚢 All Pacific Seacraft Models

Nearly all models from the 24 upward were designed by W.I.B. Crealock. The Flicka 20 was an exception — a separate design that became a cult classic in its own right.

⚠ Top 10 Service Issues

The Dana 24 is a well-built, over-engineered boat and its service record is genuinely good. These are not reasons to avoid the boat — they are the specific items that come up consistently in surveys and owner forums. Know them before you buy.

• Critical

  1. Chainplate Crevice Corrosion

  The stainless steel chainplates are through-bolted to the hull. Crevice corrosion — a form of stainless corrosion that develops in low-oxygen environments such as the deck laminate — is the #1 structural concern on older Danas. It's invisible from the outside and can cause sudden rigging failure under load. Rust streaks on interior cabinetry below the chainplates are the classic warning sign.

  🔧 At survey: Remove any chainplate cover plates. Look for rust staining on the interior bulkhead. Pull the chainplates and inspect the metal at the deck penetration — any pitting, rust, or reduction in cross-section means replacement. Budget $300–$800 per chainplate with labor.
• Critical

  2. Hull-to-Deck Joint Sealant Failure

  On pre-1990 boats especially, the sealant at the hull-to-deck joint can dry, crack, and allow water intrusion. If left unaddressed, water in the joint can cause delamination and gelcoat cracking. Inspect the rubrail area carefully — discoloration, lifting gelcoat, or soft spots here point to joint sealant failure.

  🔧 Tap along the hull-to-deck joint and rubrail area. Any hollow sound warrants a closer look. Re-sealing the joint is moderately complex ($500–$2,000+) but not structural if caught early. On boats over 30 years old it is often preventive maintenance rather than emergency repair.
• Major

  3. Osmotic Blistering (Pre-1987 Hulls)

  Hulls built before approximately 1987 used a standard polyester resin layup that is susceptible to osmotic blistering — water permeating the gelcoat and forming blisters in the laminate. Pacific Seacraft switched to vinylester resin in the layup around 1987 specifically to address this. Pre-1987 boats should have their bottoms closely inspected for blistering.

  🔧 If blistering is present, a full barrier coat job is the standard repair: grind, dry, apply multiple coats of epoxy barrier coat. Cost typically $3,000–$8,000 professionally done. Post-1987 hulls are significantly less susceptible but not immune — look regardless.
• Major

  4. Balsa Core Moisture Intrusion at Deck Hardware

  The Dana 24's deck uses a balsa core sandwich for stiffness and weight reduction. Stanchion bases, cleats, winch pads, and any hardware bolted through the deck are potential water entry points if the original bedding compound has hardened and cracked. Wet balsa core loses structural integrity and becomes punky — a common but repairable issue on any cored-deck boat of this age.

  🔧 Tap the entire deck systematically — solid sounds healthy, dull thuds indicate wet core. Pay special attention to stanchion bases and any area with deck hardware. Spot repairs are $50–$150/sq ft professionally; a full deck re-core on a Dana 24 can run $15,000–$25,000.
• Major

  5. Teak Deck Wear & Screw Wicking

  Many Dana 24s were delivered with optional teak decks — beautiful but demanding. As teak planks wear thin over the years, the bungs deteriorate and the underlying screws begin to wick water into the fiberglass substrate. This causes localized deck core saturation that can spread. A teak deck nearing the end of its life is actually a waterproofing liability.

  🔧 Measure teak thickness — below about 3/8" the wood is near end of life. Probe around bungs for softness. Teak deck removal and replacement starts around $10,000–$20,000 on a Dana. Some owners opt for epoxy canvas or KiwiGrip non-skid after teak removal.
• Major

  6. Yanmar 2GM Engine Access & Wear

  The Yanmar 2GM20F is a well-proven, reliable engine — but its installation in the Dana 24 is tight, making routine maintenance (impeller changes, belt inspection, heat exchanger service) awkward. Engines that have not been maintained regularly can develop raw water pump problems, heat exchanger scaling, and gearbox wear. The short propeller shaft must be kept in precise alignment to prevent cutless bearing wear and vibration.

  🔧 Check service records — these engines are easy to maintain when the work is done; many are not. Run the engine hard at survey. Check for white exhaust (coolant leak), blue smoke (oil), and excessive vibration (alignment). A Yanmar 2GM with good records can easily run 5,000+ hours before overhaul.
• Major

  7. Standing Rigging Age

  Any Dana 24 with original standing rigging is overdue. Stainless wire work-hardens over time and can fail without visible warning. Swage fittings are a known failure point — inspect with a magnifying glass for horizontal cracks at the swage. On a bluewater boat, rigging replacement is not optional after 10 years of use.

  🔧 Ask for rigging history. If unknown or original, budget $3,000–$6,000 to replace all standing rigging with new wire, swages, or rod. On a Dana 24 used for offshore passages, many owners also add a baby stay or intermediate shroud to reduce chainplate loads.
• Minor

  8. Teak Handrail & Exterior Joinery Maintenance

  The Dana's teak loop handrails on the cabinhouse are bolted through the cabin top — a potential leak point when the sealant under the base blocks fails. The handrails themselves require regular varnishing or oiling; neglected teak turns grey, then green with mildew in wet climates. This is cosmetic and maintenance-intensive but not structural.

  🔧 Check the cabin top under each handrail base for staining or softness. Re-bedding handrails is straightforward — remove, clean, apply fresh butyl or polysulfide, reinstall. Budget a full day of labor. On teak maintenance: oiling with teak oil is easier than varnish and looks fine on a cruising boat.
• Minor

  9. Mast Base Electrical Wiring Connector

  The deck-level wiring connector at the mast base — used for mast lights and VHF antenna — is in a high-traffic area and can be kicked loose or corrode from salt exposure. A degraded connection causes intermittent or failed mast lights and radio, and a loose connector can wick water down the mast wiring channel and into the cabin.

  🔧 Test all mast lights and any mast-mounted instruments at survey. Inspect the connector housing for corrosion or cracking. Replacement connectors are inexpensive — the labor to re-run mast wiring is not. Protect the connector with a neoprene boot and dielectric grease.
• Minor

  10. Seacock Stiffness & Through-Hull Inspection

  The Dana 24 is fitted with solid bronze seacocks — a mark of quality — but bronze seacocks that haven't been exercised regularly seize in the open position. A seized seacock is effectively no seacock at all in a flooding emergency. Dezincification (a pinkish discoloration indicating the zinc has leached out of the bronze alloy) can affect older fittings and leads to structural weakness.

  🔧 Turn every seacock at survey — it should move with moderate hand pressure. Any that won't move must be freed or replaced before the boat goes in the water. Probe each through-hull gently — soft or pink material indicates dezincification; replace immediately. All through-hull work requires a haul-out.

✅ Pre-Purchase Survey Checklist

• Chainplates — remove cover plates; inspect for rust, pitting, and crevice corrosion at deck penetration
• Standing rigging age — swage fittings under magnification for horizontal cracking
• Hull bottom — probe for blisters; note pre-1987 vs post-1987 resin (vinylester)
• Deck tap test — systematic sounding for wet/delaminated balsa core
• Hull-to-deck joint — check rubrail area for sealant failure, lifting gelcoat, soft spots
• Teak deck (if fitted) — measure plank thickness; probe bungs for softness; look for screw wicking stains
• Yanmar 2GM engine — run under load; check exhaust color; review service history
• Propeller shaft alignment — check for vibration at all RPMs
• All seacocks — exercise every valve; probe bronze for dezincification (pink discoloration)
• Bilge — check for water, fuel smell, oil staining; inspect limber holes
• Electrical — test all mast lights, running lights, instruments; inspect mast base connector
• Interior — check under handrail bases for staining/softness; inspect companionway sill for rot
• Keel — inspect keel-to-hull joint for stress cracks or movement; look for grounding damage
• Bowsprit — check for rot at hull penetration; inspect bobstay chainplate
• Sails — inspect mainsail, jib, and staysail for UV damage, blown seams, worn batten pockets
• Hull number — verify matches registration; confirm production year to know resin type

💰 Price Ranges (2025–2026 Market)

The Dana 24 holds its value exceptionally well. With only ~250 hulls ever built, demand consistently outpaces supply. Prices have been rising steadily. Expect to pay more than you would for a comparable LOD boat of lesser reputation.

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