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Old 03-10-2021, 06:34 PM   #1
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Broken Hearted for a Marine Trader

Hi all... I am new here (first post ever) and was hoping to glean as much knowledge as I can as I enter into this new world of owning a Trawler. My uncle, who happens to also be my Godfather, has owned a 1981 Marine Trader 34DC for around 17 years now. About 5 years ago, his health took a few knocks and he wasn't been able to enjoy her any longer. He put her on the hard and she has been there since.

We spoke not too terribly long ago and he offered to sign her over to me at no cost. I have been aboard her many years ago and she was in great shape with loads of comfort and good times to be had. So, my initial thoughts were I would have to have the paint tended to, work on the brightwork, and just tidy her up a bit.

And then I went and saw her today...

Oh. My. God.

She will have to be COMPLETELY gutted. Anything wooden or cloth inside has been damaged by water and has rotted. There were hundreds of dead wasps and more than a few live ones buzzing around. I have no idea what the Lehman engine is like today although he says the systems all worked fine when he laid her up. At this point, I am betting the engine will need an overhaul, all new electronics, a ton of cleaning up the internal wiring, new galley equipment, etc.

I am so disgusted by it all because she was so beautiful and while I believe she could be again, I am afraid to even hazard a guess as to how much it would take to get her back in the water and underway again.

I just wanted to spew here in a place where I know others would at least understand my disappointment. What a crappy day...
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Old 03-10-2021, 07:04 PM   #2
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Commiserations. I hear your pain. However, on the plus side, so far she has cost you nothing.

As the owner in the recent past of a similar vessel, which in similar manner had fallen into neglect under a previous elderly owner, and the old leaking deck thing that plagues those early boats had likewise resulted in quite a bit of internal water damage and rot - including the decks and base of the cabin walls, I can say all may not be lost.

The Lehman 120hp engine is legend for being tough and forgiving. It might yet be salvageable if you enlist the help of a good marine engineer - at worst an in position overhaul could be done.

Fortunately for me, the immediate previous own who was younger and keen had had the worst of the cabin and deck restoration done already, then he had to sell, but leaving only the water-damaged interior teak needing repair, which I was able to do myself over time, the boat being usable in the meantime,. as the engine had survived the neglect ok.

Net result was a boat we enjoyed for 16 years, and still fetched nearly what I paid for her after all that time, because of the restoration work that had been done. Take a look at these pics and decide if it is do-able and worth doing after all, bearing in mind I spent about $Aus30k on her, whereas for now, you have spent zip..?
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Old 03-10-2021, 07:45 PM   #3
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I have one of those Taiwan Trawlers the PO neglected. After 8 years of rebuilding her, I am burned out and losing the battle.

I got my moneys worth by living aboard and cruising over 20,000 miles but she is not much more than a project boat now just for cosmetics.

I don't recommend a boat in terrible shape unless you can farm out as much work as you are willing to do.
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Old 03-10-2021, 08:23 PM   #4
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It's sad to see, but all too common.

Check to see if there are any outstanding storage charges.
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Old 03-10-2021, 08:31 PM   #5
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Welcome aboard. Sorry the boat is in such poor condition.
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Old 03-10-2021, 08:48 PM   #6
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The only way this boat will serve you in a manner you recall is for you to rehab it, as you know. So the next question you have to answer is it worth it in time and money for you? Your uncle made the mistake of not dehumidifying and storing the boat under cover, and you are comtemplating honoring him and your memories with a restoration job? Again, is it worth it? It is a shame that he did not enlist you (or ANY able person) early on in the storage plan when you could have been a part of keeping it from falling apart. I know that at my particular age I would pass on it. As an aside, I have a lot of years owning and tending to Lehman 12os, and I will bet you that I could get it started in a day or two unless it was rained on for five years.
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Old 03-10-2021, 10:20 PM   #7
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Heartbreaking! To see a boat you knew and loved well (and figured on some work) being so far gone...

And I'm sure on one hand you can "see" her brought back to her former glory; but on the other...if only...

Tough day obviously.

Welcome - as you can see you are amongst those who "hear" you.

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Old 03-10-2021, 11:00 PM   #8
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OK, now that you are over the 'shock & horror' take a note book and go back to the boat and look carefully to see what is beyond repair and what is repairable. Get rid of the wasps first.

Open the boat up, let her air a bit.Check to see the FL still has oil.

As Pete said, so far this has cost you nothing.

Take some photo's and post them on the forum. It is far easier for members to be of some help if they can see the issues rather than rely on your descriptions.

I have no idea how old you are, but to be offered a 34' boat free as a project to do up is a great opportunity.You never know what you can do until you give it a go.
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Old 03-11-2021, 05:19 AM   #9
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Yes, let see some pictures, you'll probably get some responses about how someone else's boat was in even worse shape before they started.
Good Luck !!
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Old 03-11-2021, 05:49 AM   #10
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Pics?
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Old 03-11-2021, 05:57 AM   #11
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Wood and fabric are inexpensive compared to systems.

Everyone insists on teak when modern builders use all kinds of wood. Red oak veneered plywood will give a great interior look.

I hate fabric on boats.

Before you even attempting turn that Lehman over, change the oil, note the color (milky means water intrusion) and take sample to send off, change coolant, you can self-test it for oil intrusion.

Now, the real question is those decks as the bottom.
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Old 03-11-2021, 10:40 AM   #12
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A boat does not need to be fully restored to be well enjoyed. Spend a day or two cleaning out obviously ruined soft goods, wipe things down, and see what you have. Sometimes getting the crap out really helps. The visual image in you head becomes less overwhelming, especially as you remember past glory.

On the engine, I would not bother with changing the oil yet. Bring a big wrench (socket preferred, but a pipe or adjustable wrench will do) and try to rotate engine. It might be stuck, might be free. Look in oil fill hole to see if valve gear is clean metal or a rusty mess. Check oil level and color on the stick. Water may be settled in bottom of the pan, oil generally only gets milky if run with water in oil. If oil level is very high and coolant not visible in coolant tank, that is a bad sign.

Some other FL owners here might know what size socket to bring, I don't remember.1 1/4" or something like that.
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Old 03-11-2021, 10:53 AM   #13
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Thank you for all of your replies. Here's a little info about me so you all can try and walk in my shoes a bit. I'm 46, divorced, 90% travel schedule for work, possibly going to live aboard, used to own a small boat on a lake but ZERO experience with boats larger than 20 feet, not afraid of hard work and a fair bit of elbow grease left in the tank. So, what would you do if you were in my position??
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SR Salon 01.jpg   SR Salon Deck 01.jpg   SR V Berth.jpg   SR Windows 02.jpg  
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Old 03-11-2021, 10:58 AM   #14
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I'm away for the next 7 days but will be back next weekend to tinker around, clean her up, lift the skirts and see just how much damage there is and how much I can clear out myself. I am going to contact a marine surveyor and have an actual survey performed so I have a better idea of the morass that I am about to plunge myself into. Please keep your thoughts and ideas coming my way. From the many, many threads I have read on here, this group has a passionate foundation for all of this knowledge and I could use some of that passion! Thank you!
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Old 03-11-2021, 12:54 PM   #15
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You are only 46 so you should be able to run pretty fast...

"A "free" boat is the most expensive boat you can buy."
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Old 03-11-2021, 01:25 PM   #16
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It'd hard to tell by the pictures the extent of the damage. Did the boat fill with rainwater while on the hard? Were the mechanical systems such as engine, clutch AC etc flooded?
The problem is it seems like you're not knowledgeable with regards to boat ownership & maintenance. You'll have to farm out any repairs moving forward... if you decide to do so... and that's going to cost big bucks. The only reason I and lots of others on here can afford a boat, any boat, much less one in a state of disrepair such as the one you might acquire, is because we've been around boats and can so some or all of the work required rather than paying a marina or professional to do it. My gut feeling is that you'll find you're in over your head and it'll cost a fortune to bring it back to the condition that you remember it was in when your Uncle was using it.
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Old 03-11-2021, 01:36 PM   #17
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I was once offered a free boat. When viewed, running away was the best option. That one was significantly simpler than yours, and in no worse condition.

In your case, I would run before you start being the guy that bills are sent to.
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Old 03-11-2021, 03:56 PM   #18
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Marine Traders all look like that. Just get on with the repairs.
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Old 03-11-2021, 05:39 PM   #19
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I am a bit surprise to see such damages done in only 5 years, especially on the ground. In my humble opinion, it takes more than 5 years to get structural wood slabs rotten like the one that can be seen in the forward area.

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Old 03-11-2021, 06:00 PM   #20
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It might be worth spending a few hours with a good surveyor to give you a realistic opinion.
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