Just Bought a Marine Trader 40

[tallswede]

Well I spoke to the owner over the phone and he allowed me to go aboard for a look see. The boat is in incredibly nice shape for the asking price. Did not see any rot in the cabin walls, windows, or stains on the ceiling. The bilge was clean and fairly dry. Yes you could tell there was some work to be done but didn't look like anything too serious. I was amazed. The systems looked to be kinda bare bones simple. No A/C except a window unit in the door and a rooftop camper unit in a rooftop hatch. No thrusters, no generator and most dismaying, no hour meter. Engine was clean with no leaks (Is this possible with a British Lehman?) I did not start it up since the owner was not there. Interior and head were very clean with wood work in nice shape. So I asked the owner why he was selling. He said he was having health issues and his boat partner wasn't working out so he needs to sell. Well after thinking on it, I may have to pass eventhough I think the boat would be a great deal. The reason? It's a great big boat but feels small. I'm 6'4" and cannot stand straight up in the salon or while walking the side decks. The stateroom on the port side and smallish v-berth don't work for me. I would much prefer a island style birth. (And headroom). If I'm going to buy a boat this big, I want to be comfortable on it and moving around. I don't need fancy, I need comfortable. I've been on smaller sailboats I was more comfy in. So the search continues. Someone will get a great boat though.

 

[SomeSailor]

Mine is called a C&L Puget and there does not seem to be many by that name but it is a taiwanese hull 1977 and my research has indicated it was a member of that family of trawlers to which MT belonged also.

Your boat looks very much like mine. Mine is a CHB 42 Europa that was mostly marketed as a King Modern Trawler as well and overseas as a GEMAR 42S. They were imported by Kady Krogen out of Edmonds, WA and I think that's how mine found it's way to the US and eventually me. They all share the 3 style boards on the Europa.

I'll have to PM you some pics.

 

[Tangler]

Interesting,Somesailor...mine was made in Edmonds Wa. also for Willis Oil Tool Can it says on the brass plaque on the wall...

 

[Tangler]

note also that the mast/crane is missing...from the 'scars' on the upper deck I suspect a disaster occured up there some years ago and it was removed and never replaced. it has however created a huge usable area on the upper deck.

 

[lgbert]

I give up!

Okay, everyone can have their laughs, but can someone please tell me where the h#### is the holding tank on a 1988 43ft Marine Trader Tradewinds.
I am not kidding, I am going crazy

Thanks,
Bert
MT

 

[islandtimecruiser]

Okay, everyone can have their laughs, but can someone please tell me where the h#### is the holding tank on a 1988 43ft Marine Trader Tradewinds.
I am not kidding, I am going crazy

Thanks,
Bert
MT

Are you sure it has one. We knew someone who bought a boat with no holding tank. Just electroscans.

Gina

 

[SomeSailor]

Mine is directly under the floor between the aft head and the bunk room. Its a 90 gallon fiberglass tank.

You could be looking right at it and not notice it though.

 

[lgbert]

The aft head is a electroscan, but the forward one is not.

Guess I didn't think about looking for a fiberglass tank. Will check that out later today.

Thanks, this will be probably not be the only question I will come up with

 

[obthomas]

Not much chance your layout is same as mine but who knows: Starting forward I have a forward bilge then a shower sump followed by a center fuel tank then another bilge area then a 40 gallon holding tank followed by another shower sump, a rear bilge area follows then at the stern I have fresh water tank.

 

[SomeSailor]

Guess I didn't think about looking for a fiberglass tank. Will check that out later today.

My surveyor was looking right at it and didn't see it. He says "You may not have one... many of these old boats did not..." He was literally within arms reach of it. Mine is a large fiberglass tank that looks like it was built in place. The color matches the bilge so it sort of blends in and is big enough it doesn't look like a tank.

 

[SomeSailor]

Guess I didn't think about looking for a fiberglass tank. Will check that out later today.

My surveyor was looking right at it and didn't see it. He says "You may not have one... many of these old boats did not..." He was literally within arms reach of it. Mine is a large fiberglass tank that looks like it was built in place. The color matches the bilge so it sort of blends in and is big enough it doesn't look like a tank.

 

[Tangler]

mine is under the engine room floor plates between the diesels

 

[lgbert]

Thanks to all. It was under the galley and "SomeSailer" was correct. Had looked at it several times, right under my nose......just blended in

 

[BillMFl]

mine is under the engine room floor plates between the diesels

yup, mine too

 

[Autoteacher]

We have been aboard a 40 MT now for over a year

Moved off the sailboat and are learning the MT. Lots of problems that the surveyor found and more we find as we work, but we could not beat the price!

Here are some interesting web sites with information on MTs


@ TheOffice: May 2013

and

1986 40 Labelle Trawler


The ones alreaqdy mentioned are very good, Chuck and Susan, MTOA, etc
We looked at over 40 boats before we bought this one. They ranged in price from 12K to 140K and the worse ones were highly advertized. The brokers by and far were like used car sales people with a few exceptions. Some were downright frauds. Because we had lived aboard our sailboat for years and I taught Diesel and electronics I spotted most of the falsehoods. Buyer beware!

Hire a good surveyor! I can reccomend the survey Captian that did ours.

Enjoy!
S

 

[everhopeful]

hi tim,

i can't believe they could get someone to part with several hundred thousand (when new) and not give any kind of schematic/block or other diagram, or more to the point, the new owner didn't ask for anything!
the wiring problems appear to be compounded with time/owners/servicemen/ability. i just found the phase and neutral swapped over on an air conditioer so swapped it to what it should be.... then the rcd (gfi) trips as it was wired to suit, or the other way around..... then i had one circuit that didn't disconnect when i switched the cct breaker off........ it was now switching the neutral not the phase......... and so it goes on.
it would be nice to have a "default" or a "what-it-was-when-it-was-made" to follow, as i can keep fixing as i go but it's been added to and modified so often it's hard to know what's the best...... the thigh bone is connected to the knee bone etc.
if everyones right and there's no such thing i might start making a schematic of what i've got and post it here.

and for those who love pics, here's some....... before i tidy her up.

cheers and good luck, jules

 

[BruceK]

Never owned one, never will, but according to memoirs I read, Ferrari cars used to be wired up without a pre designed wiring loom, by the crew building them, as they liked, for each car.
My 1981 IG came with a number of wiring/plumbing/ etc schematics in the Manuals.

 

[Ben]

Water leaks are almost always an issue. Start with the headliners. The thin mahogeny or teak veneers rot out very quickly and or buckle if there are leaks. Also look at the floors for water stains (dark colored or faded areas. There may be some soft spots. Porthole window have seals that become brittle and eventually leak. The seals are fairly easy to pick out with a sharp pointed tool. I replaced mine by buying rolls of seal material that had adhesive backing on one side and then just crammed into place with a screen roller tool.

Found a few water intrusions around my cabin door from the Sundeck, courtesy of Hurricane Arthur. There are two structural well-varnished supports in the pilothouse that it appears that the head-liner goes under. I really want to dismantle the headliner and look for leaks and repair. I think I may be over-doing it, but in some fashion, I will need to peel the headliner back and look, and fix - at a minimum at the cabin door. Has anyone done this and with pictures?

Honestly this scares me a bit about re-setting the headliner and screwing it up. But the leak is somewhere under it. I need some understanding of the tools and procedures.

Anyone with mid-project pictures will receive my gratitude and alcohol if we're close.

Thanks!

 

[siestakey]

Talking about holding Tanks mine is just forward of the Galley although not built in place it looks like it

on other 46s the hatch has a removable beam not on mine I will eventually have to cut the floor

I am putting new heads and lines in now and have tested the tank its test out perfect but in time it will be replaced

 

[psneeld]

Found a few water intrusions around my cabin door from the Sundeck, courtesy of Hurricane Arthur. There are two structural well-varnished supports in the pilothouse that it appears that the head-liner goes under. I really want to dismantle the headliner and look for leaks and repair. I think I may be over-doing it, but in some fashion, I will need to peel the headliner back and look, and fix - at a minimum at the cabin door. Has anyone done this and with pictures?

Honestly this scares me a bit about re-setting the headliner and screwing it up. But the leak is somewhere under it. I need some understanding of the tools and procedures.

Anyone with mid-project pictures will receive my gratitude and alcohol if we're close.

Thanks!

Ben...I went the other rout...I just made everything from the main deck pretty much weather tight.

Got rid of the wood trim around the flybridge and glued the sucker down outside and inside the bridge coaming. I got rid of the teak decks and stupid bench seats and recored some of the bridge (which let me see down to the top of the headlined)...then glassed 3 layers on the bridge to seal all the holes and glassed everything in sight as I wanted ZERO leaks from above.

I stop in Wilmington every Christmas to visit my sister and mom for a week...and again in the spring around March 20-27.

If you are still pondering and haven't started...shoot me a PM to stop by to discuss the finer parts of "frustrated boating"....

 

[Ben]

Ben...I went the other rout...I just made everything from the main deck pretty much weather tight.

I think this will be my game plan. Have had a rash of extended family issues keeping me from boat recently, but ready to do some cleaning and sealing now...

 

[Swamp Fox]

After The Bridge is Off HOW TALL from Keel to Cabin Roof is the 35 MT ..... I have a 1975 and need the dimension for a trucking company. ANYONE ?

Thanks

Swamp Fox

 

[Tangler]

Hi guys...re upper deck and cabin leaks please see my thread under this link.
http://www.trawlerforum.com/forums/search.php?searchid=735872
some good pics and I have more if you have any questions just ask!

 

[Tangler]

that link does not look good...thread is called.."flying bridge disassembly...experience anyone"...you should be able to search it out..

 

[geoleo]

Welcome to the madness. I recommend starting a couple of systems drawings. I'm too cheap to use expensive software to make drawings and my brain is too old to remember stuff that seems blindingly obvious today. So I make simple schematics using something called "dia" and occasionally remember to update them as I make changes. And I put in notes like "if I ever add solar, connect it here" so that my brain doesn't have to figure it out again down the road. For the boat I have a fuel system diagram as well as AC & DC electrical drawings. I also have a port and stbd profile with all the thru-hulls marked on it. Whenever we are leaving the boat for any length of time I print one of those and mark off the thru-hulls as I close them. Then I leave it lying on the table as a reminder as I open them up when we return.

You mean "AS BUILTS" in my career as a construction Engineer I made as builts all the time. Then when I became Project Manager my knick name was "give me a sketch"!