Need help understanding marine trader 36 sundeck

[Donna]

Hello all!

I am new to the forum and have a deposit down an a 36ft marine trader 1986 sundeck. Any help would be greatly accepted.

She needs a bit of love. Survey, (done yesterday) came back with a few problems but not horrible. Here are a couple of my questions.

The windlass is not working, neither is the davit. I believe the davit needs a new motor. Any clue how much these things cost? Also on the windless, is there a remote control somewhere? I'm quite handy and have help so would be ding this without professional help.

It has an upgraded Mercedes Benz engine that purs beautifully, just some lose belts that need to be replaced and of course fluid changes.

 

[psneeld]

In my experience, for every survey issue found, plan on finding 10 more.

Including things surveyors will claim to sink your boat or burn it down.

The older the boat, the more exact the truism.

It is a shame so many surveyors give the good ones such a bad name.

 

[dhays]

For both the windless and davit you have three possible and common problems, Power, switches, and motors. I would look at the first two before I would consider the third.

 

[Donna]

Thank you for the reply. Yes I do understand that! LOL!

I have owned many boats, but never this big or this much of a project! Putting cosmetics aside, she is in very good running order. Just general maintenance there. My concern is the davit and windless.

The windows do leak, no surprise, I expected it. A bunch of labor involved there.

The other major concern is the fuel tanks. Since they cannot be seen and I do not have a history on the boat, I do not know whether they have been replaced or not. Anyway to tell? Would it be helpful to go to a boat history site and pay the 39.99 for a history or is it a waste?

 

[Donna]

Thank you! I will do that first.

For both the windless and davit you have three possible and common problems, Power, switches, and motors. I would look at the first two before I would consider the third.

 

[bayview]

relays and switches are usual first suspects unless something is frozen. Any clicking?

 

[O C Diver]

The other major concern is the fuel tanks. Since they cannot be seen and I do not have a history on the boat, I do not know whether they have been replaced or not. Anyway to tell? Would it be helpful to go to a boat history site and pay the 39.99 for a history or is it a waste?

You might get lucky. Never met a boat mechanic or yard that reported to that kind of site. Think the odds are better with 40 $1 lottery tickets.

Not being able to see the tanks would keep me awake at night. If you buy the boat, make sure to have insurance to cover a fuel spill clean up. Not saying you will have a problem, but if you do, it will most likely get pumped overboard. That can get very expensive very quickly.

Best of luck!

Ted

 

[Donna]

Yes some clicking on the davit none on the windless.

O.C. Diver, it is keeping me awake. Just replacing the tanks could be 10 grand. Yep insurance for a spill sounds good.

 

[O C Diver]

Just replacing the tanks could be 10 grand. Yep insurance for a spill sounds good.

If you know where the tanks are, and where the deck fills are, try to visualize if water could leak around the deck fills onto the top of the tanks. There are several threads on the forum about rust holes through the top of tanks from deck leaks. Any chance of viewing just the top of the tanks?

Ted

 

[O C Diver]

One last thought, if you have any access at all to the tanks, a bore scope camera hooked to a PC, such as this may allow you to see a good deal more. At $17 they're a cheap way to see into closed spaces.

Ted

 

[Donna]

Can't see any part of the tanks. Not from the tops or sides. A moisture meter put on the decks in the area of the tank fills came out good. I followed this guy around like a puppy.

If I knew the previous history of the boat, I would be happier. It is an estate sale and there was a prior owner to this one. It is the prior owners history I am more interested in. The most recent owner only owned it for approx. 2 years. He was in his forty's.

 

[Capt.Bill11]

What brand od windlass, what brand of davit?

The more detailed your questions, and with pictures, the better the answers will be to them.

 

[jleonard]

Are Mercedes Benz marine parts available? Is there a local mechanic that knows those engines?
I don't know just asking.
I never saw a boat with one of those engines in my 25 plus years of boating.

 

[Donna]

Capt. Bill, I'll check the makers on both.

jleonard,, yes and no. I have a mechanic to work on the engine if it's more than belts and fluids. There is a web-site that sells the parts. Apparently the original owner upgraded to this engine. It is VERY quite.

 

[Donna]

Thank you O.C. I am unable to reply to your pm because it has a link in there and I'm a newbie!

 

[HiDHo]

Estate Sale, have you done a thourgh look thru all the drawers, lockers, etc. with luck you may find some maintenance records. If your at a marina other boat owners may share information also or put you in touch with a mechanic who did the maintenance. It would be worth while doing some investigation work. Also if the boat is documented you can get a chain of ownership from the USCG that might put you in touch with other owners.

 

[Donna]

The boats original owner was from New Bern NC. There were only 2 owners. This last guy didn't do much except have a diver come in because when it was pulled yesterday, the bottom paint although thin will be good till spring.

 

[psneeld]

Look hard....if I recall correctly a few years back someone posted they bought a boat in an estate sale and found a decent sized wad of cash onboard.

That helps with repairs even better than maintenance manuals sometimes...

 

[jrs1958]

IMO avoid the boat if the decks have even moderate water intrusion or if the boat has severe blisters. Did the surveyor check the fuel and water tanks. Big $ to repair. Check leaking Windows etc.

 

[jrs1958]

Also try to get a big discount due to the deficiencies.

 

[High Wire]

Sometimes you can get to the tanks from the top thru a cutout in a cabinet floor or under an appliance. Look carefully at anything above it for screws/panels. X2 on the USB camera. The fuel lines have to exit somewhere and is there a level sightglass? Possible ways in with a cam. Does the engine room have a strong diesel fuel smell without an obvious leak?
As for the windlass and davits, check for separate fuses or circuit breakers, powered directly off the battery posts.

 

[78puget-trawler]

I didn't know you could find a boat that the fuel tanks were not visible to some extent. Boat is an '86 so tanks may be OK, but I would want to see them anyway. If the windlass, not (windless), is clicking it may be just in need of battery juice. Try putting the battery switch in different positions like BOTH and see what happens. Boat probably needs new batts anyway, quite likely. You will find many things in need of repair or replacement along the way, like the heads, water pumps. Other systems like the furnace may need attention. Much depends on how long its been sitting around not being used. If you can get covered moorage for the boat, it will save you lots of grief while you do windows etc. Good luck.

 

[alormaria]

If you can't see the fuel tanks it's doubtful they have been replaced. Every MT 36 Sundeck I've seen has the original tanks buried behind acoustic tiles and plywood. The ones that I've seen have twin engines so the engine compartment was tight. You should have some room in there with a single engine.

 

[CPseudonym]

Tanks are almost guaranteed to be original. Has anyone ever seen a boat listing not push the tank replacement as a positive attribute/sales feature?

Cheap bore scopes are a boat buyers best friend IMO. Amazon is flush with them.

 

[gonesailing13]

We have a 34MT that's a 1992. Discovered a fuel tank leak last week. In the middle of replacing both tanks, your right with 10K. If yours is anything like ours the deck fills do not go directly into the tank, it has a 90degree bend so water that may find it's way in doesn't end up on the top of the tank. Of course this made it a nightmare getting the tanks pumped out. MT used mild steel for there tanks so be careful if there that old.

 

[Steve]

Maybe some boaters at a nearby marina may know something about the boat's history. Especially owners of a similar model.
Good luck!

 

[Donna]

Everyone is so helpful! Thank you! Going over to the boat this morning to gather info and meet with the broker. Will let you know makes of davit and windlass.

 

[bayview]

clicking means the switch and wiring are connected the motor may be frozen so you need to try to turn it by hand. keep hands away from chains and cables while power is applied.

No clicking may mean bad switch or wiring or frozen relay. banging on motors and relays while someone hits the switch briefly sometimes loosens stuck stuff temporarily.

 

[bayview]

Since you are buying consider that all this is a negotiation. In the best case the boat should be in working order with any repairs paid by the owner. If you accept defects just make sure you dont overpay.

Window leaks may not just be window leaks. consequential damage to interior is common.

 

[bayview]

I have no Id ea what you are paying but there are some boats for sale that have been well maintained by meticulous owners but still sell at lower prices because the web drives all prices to the lowest point.