New Owner of 1978 Marine Trader 34 DC

[raymond.goff]

Hi all:

I joined the forum a couple weeks ago. But now as of yesterday I am the official owner of a 1978 Marine Trader trawler. It has top side damage (railings, teak, mast) from a collapsed covered slip. Rest is in nice shape.

I have no direct contact with prev. Owners that did a lot of upgrades. I am expecting to post a lot of questions over coming months as I get topside repairs done and try to figure out all the systems.

I am in Cincinnati on the Ohio. Luckily have a couple weeks of decent temps so I can play a little before re-winterizing. She is a single engine ford 120 HP with bow thruster. Two owners ago was an electrical engineer and there are some "innovative" electrical items. Those should be most fun.

I bought off a local Marina owner that found it while picking up another boat in Tenn. he was keeping as a project for himself, but he has many such projects and made the mistake of showing me.

This morning will be my first time on the boat where I can start "playing" with everything on my own. So, may be posting first questions later.

Who else has similar boats? My understanding is none of these are alike as the "flexibility" of the various crews that built them.

Ray

 

[RT Firefly]

Greetings,
Mr. rg. We had a 1979 MT for 10 years but my memory is dimming as I age. I do remember she was a great boat for the uses we put her to. Single engine maneuvering, initially, was a bit of a challenge but overall, a good vessel. As to questions...fire away.

 

[READY2GO]

Ray,
We have a 1978 MT 36 that we have owned for 4 years now. Done lots of projects and repairs. You can see them on our blog. Happy to share anything I can with you.

 

[MICH MIKE]

We're in about the same boat, BUT,

I've had my hands on mine for over 10 weeks now, and
I bought mine from a marine electronics tech ("what diagrams ?") and
I have twin turbo Wolwos (as my pal Sven calls 'em), and
I joined this Forum before you did.

I expect we will become great friends.

Maybe join MTOA and get a disc of their news letter archive, the engineer that helped design the Ford 6 has written many helpful articles about it.

I love nitrile gloves and Kroil.

Later,
Mike

 

[MICH MIKE]

oops

you joined before I did

edit that out and add, I had an S2 7.9 Grand Slam for 30 years prior to getting my 1st MT

 

[raymond.goff]

Mike,
Do you have picture of your 34 somewhere? Mine had some damage to railings, mast and rigging. I found some old pictures of mine, but also looking for some other example of how folks had theirs rigged, etc.

 

[MICH MIKE]

I think we need a dedicated thread for the 34.
Mine has a PVC mast now.
I have some blueprints that came with her in Mich, i don't recall if rigging is detailed.
They are old but cool, plan to get them cleaned up and posters made someday.
Have not unpacked camera yet, Zodiac still where my back seat was etc.
Busy w/ Capt Tolley etc.
Will look at pics in this infernal machine IF I can find some.
Best,
Mike

 

[BaltimoreLurker]

Mine has a PVC mast now.

I wouldn't mind some details on that PVC mast too, if you get a chance.

Thanks

 

[raymond.goff]

Our main mast is repairable (nothing epoxy and paint cant fix). The boom however is in two pieces. I do have it, so I can get measurements. Just need to figure what I want to do to replace. Would be real nice to find a wood one somewhere that would work.

 

[MICH MIKE]

Pvc mast

I don't know what's inside, yet. I'd have it full of structural foam.

I once bought some quality FRP tubing from an antenna supply.
o.d. & i.d. 's were slip fit so you could telescope and clamp.
I used the stuff to redo the shaft log on my 32, also to make a bridge measuring pole for a friend who drove escort for oversized loads.

With enough spinnaker these boats should go quietly downwind!

 

[BaltimoreLurker]

I don't know what's inside, yet. I'd have it full of structural foam.

I once bought some quality FRP tubing from an antenna supply.
o.d. & i.d. 's were slip fit so you could telescope and clamp.
I used the stuff to redo the shaft log on my 32, also to make a bridge measuring pole for a friend who drove escort for oversized loads.

With enough spinnaker these boats should go quietly downwind!

Damn! That is so perfectly simple that I couldn't think of it on my own. What a great fix.

I still have the boom and much of the tackle. This should be an easy project. (Famous last words!)

Thanks much.

 

[kulas44]

I have a wood mast and boom with lots of fittings that came off of my trawler. all fir. If anyone is interested.

 

[Arch]

Hi,
If you haven't seen the Beach House blog The Trawler Beach House. You should take a look. They have done a lot of work on their 34 with great write ups and lots of pics. I devoured all of it when I moved aboard my 36. 13,000 + miles over 2 1/2 years and I still think my 1978 36 ft Marine Trader is a great boat.

Have fun, Arch

 

[captony]

Good luck. I have a 1974 DC that needed a lot of work. 15 years later I need to sell it. Breaks my hart.

 

[RT Firefly]

Greetings,
Sad welcome aboard.

 

[drinkenbuddie]

Just looking for info?? My mast and all are gone. oops bought it that way.
So trying to figure all that out. Love that PVC one. 1982 marine trader Europa 36 is what I have. Thanks

 

[raymond.goff]

Here are some pics of mine before damage. I believe they were original.

My mast is fixable, but boom was snapped in half. Both are teak I believe.

 

[drinkenbuddie]

Ok great

I'm missing mine so how about dimensions of the mast as in How high and wide.
Thanks.

 

[raymond.goff]

Will do tomorrow with more pics.

 

[bgriffin]

Ray,
Have had my MT34DC for about a week or so. Planning a six day coming home cruise leaving on the 9th of this month. The 'REMEDY' is in great shape and we are really looking forward to this "shake down" cruise.

 

[bgriffin]

I think we need a dedicated thread for the 34.
Mine has a PVC mast now.
I have some blueprints that came with her in Mich, i don't recall if rigging is detailed.
They are old but cool, plan to get them cleaned up and posters made someday.
Have not unpacked camera yet, Zodiac still where my back seat was etc.
Busy w/ Capt Tolley etc.
Will look at pics in this infernal machine IF I can find some.
Best,
Mike

Having a dedicated thread would really be neat.

 

[rochepoint]

Just looking for info?? My mast and all are gone. oops bought it that way.
So trying to figure all that out. Love that PVC one. 1982 marine trader Europa 36 is what I have. Thanks

We have a PT38 Sedan, similar in style to your Marine Trader Europa. Our mast is made from a section of a sailboat mast, you can quite often find a top section from a broken mast at a riggers shop and with some welding/paint make a very nice mast. Here are some photos of ours, first one folded down to fit in the boathouse and second one underway.......

 

[alormaria]

I always found the Europa type yachts look better with arches rather than masts.
A couple of babes lounging on the fore deck wouldn't hurt either.

 

[SeaMoose]

My '76 34 has the original mast its Taiwanese Steel, er, pot metal with a wooden boom.

These are great boats if you're very handy, everything is repairable, and they can be had cheap. Been working on mine 17 years, any questions ask away.

 

[drinkenbuddie]

Height of the mast?? But I see what you mean by the look because the top is quite longer as in to have an arch instead of a mast. But been told if your going somewhere u need the sail back there for stability in a Rowling sea state.

 

[raymond.goff]

Sorry for delay:
My mast is wood (painted). 146" tall. Square in base (5") then rounded down to 3" at top.

I just posted specs and picture on my blog: https://libertytrawler.wordpress.com/

 

[alormaria]

Height of the mast?? But I see what you mean by the look because the top is quite longer as in to have an arch instead of a mast. But been told if your going somewhere u need the sail back there for stability in a Rowling sea state.

I think steadying sails on trawlers of our size are over-rated. At the most it might help you keep pointed into the wind at anchor. To stop rolling it would have to much larger than you want to deal with on a daily basis. Sailboats get away with it because they are sailboats and that's what they do.

When you come to the realization that an arch is what you want be sure the arch can be tilted or lowered down to about windshield level especially if you intend to do any of the canals in New York or Canada.