Short List For Boat Search

[Tin_Man]

Hi All,

I am new member to the site although I have been reading for quite some time now. My wife and I (no kids) are looking to buy a used boat to use around the lake Ontario, Oneida lake, Eire canal and lake Champlain area as our summer cruising grounds (we live in the middle on Oneida lake) with the possibility of motoring down to florida during the winter months (inlaws live there). We currently own and sail a 30ft Catalina sailboat which we move between the lakes listed above a few times a season. We still enjoy sailing but unstepping/stepping the mast every time we want to change lakes is getting old. I am in the very early stages of boat shopping and I am trying to put together a list of boat models to visit. I was wondering if you guys and gals could give me some advice on good boats to look for and ones to avoid. This would be our first big power boat so I am thinking staying on the smaller size would be a good idea.


Boat Type - Trawler preferred
Fuel - Diesel
Length - 30-34'
Hull Material - Fiberglass
Cabins - 2 preferred but 1 with a foldout settee would work
Price - less than $75k
Deck Layout - Walk around decks with fly bridge

So far we looked at a 1977 Grand Banks 32 which we loved but we wanted to see a few other models before we make a decision.

Thank for any advice you can give,

Brad

 

[Sealife]

1978-1983ish 34 Mainship might work. I had a MK1 and enjoyed it

 

[Comodave]

Welcome aboard. You might look in Powerboat Guide. It has specs, photos and line drawings of hundreds of boat, not all trawlers though.

 

[Wayfarer]

Hello fellow central New Yorker! I assume you've already found and spent time at Yachtworld, right? If not, that's your best bet.

The first boat I thought of that fit your criteria was the Grand Banks 32 you already mentioned. Grand Banks makes a nice boat, albeit with lots of beautiful wood to maintain. There are loads of people here with GBs that would be happy to talk about them.

The next thing I thought of was this, which is a Transpac Eagle 32. I've never been aboard a 32, but I have been aboard a 40 footer of the same type, and I loved it. That would be a front runner for me, if I was in your shoes.