PT 42 Cockpit

I am a broker on Clear Lake and will be listing a 1986 PT 42 Cockpit next week. I would like to hear from the Trawler community about likes or dislikes of the Pacific Trawlers. I know the 42 is a 38 Sundeck with a cockpit extension. Does anyone know if shaft/props were extended after the extension? Thanks in advance. Darrell

Darrell:
I know absolutely nothing about PT trawlers but I applaud your effort to find out as much as you can about a boat you are going to list. I don't recall ever seeing a similar post from a broker.

Don't know about the props being extended, but I never have liked the boat due to one fact. The hull is 2 piece. A left and right side are layed up, and then glassed together. It's just not comforting to me to know they could split down the middle. Even though that seem is likely stronger than the rest of the boat, it bothers me. They were made here in Bellingham, Washington.*** * * Carey

Thanks SeaHorse, I can't think of a better place to get honest info about a boat.

Carey,
Thanks for the info. The "powerboat guide" says all PT boats from 1980-1990 were Taiwan build on a solid fiberglass hull. The Washington built Pacific Trawler did not start production until 1997. I would like to know more about this split hull construction. What other builders are doing this? Thanks

At the risk of telling you something you probably already know, there were two "PT" trawlers. The "Puget Trawler" is a Taiwan-built boat. The "Pacific Trawler" is a California-then-*Washington-state built boat.

The following is lifted from a post from an owner*in the Pacific Trawler section of this forum which I'm guessing you've probably already read---

A little history:* About 20 hulls were built (Pacific Trawler 37) in S California from 1973 to 1976, a Blaine Seeley design.* There were several wooden boats slightly narrower built earlier in Japan.* The molds came to Puget Sound and one hull was produced in 1979 afterwhich they remained unused until Pacific Trawler Corp started making them again in 1996.* By 2003, they had produced about 35 hulls, with some models extended to 40 feet in addition to a 3 foot transom step.* There is a mix of interior designs and flying bridge options.


-- Edited by Marin on Friday 15th of May 2009 06:49:56 PM

Marin, Thanks for taking the time to educate me. "A little history" is what I am looking for.

Another "PT" Trawler

PT trawlers made in Taiwan were promoted as "Performance Trawlers". (I own a PT35 raised deck aft cabin). The hull I.D. number on the transom shows the builder as "OYE"": Overseas Yachts East

As Bensjoy says they are Performance Trawlers and in that vintage were imported by Ship and Sail Yacht Brokerage then in South Shore Harbour. Later they moved to Waterford Harbor.

Of the trawlers available then they were the bottom of the barrel. I saw one that had used the Volvo engine shipping crate to make the engine room hatch.

The made 35's. 38's, 42' cockpits, and 48's and 52' cockpits.

Houston was deep into oil recession in 1986 but a few did sell because they were cheap.

I've got an 86 PT35, the same boat as Bensjoy, and my experience has been great. I've seen no Volvo crates, in fact quite the opposite, everything is thick teak. Mine was cosmetically challenged when I became her keeper but her bones are fantastic. I'd buy her again.

I do laugh about Performance Trawler, 9kts is comfortable with twin cummins 6BTs but I once had her at 15.5 WOT, light with a following sea and 15kt winds at my back.

Weak spots are the same as any other Taiwanese boat of the times, windows leak and door slider rollers die.

BTW, mine came in through Los Angeles via a different importer, I can't remember the name.

Seasalt007: Please explain how you determined that the PT"s were "bottom of the barrel". Heavy teak was used for the engine room hatches. Ford Lehman and Perkin engines were offered. I would say overall build quality was quite good and the design was excellent except for the exposed propeller on the single engine models.
Another builder used the PT hulls to build some models on mainland China at one time. The one I looked at appeared to be of lower quality then the Taiwan built boats.

Perfomance Trawler 38 sindeck

I bought mine 02-15 and have twin 135hp perkins.It seems to be built strong.Some blistering,nice wood work engine under 1500 hrs..I cruise at 1600-1700 rpm 7-8 nts 4-5 gallons hr....Would like to here from other owners..Perfomance Trawler..sundeck or ?..mine 1986..Tom

Tom223
I am looking to buy a PT 42 with twin cummins 250 hp engines. Do you know anything about these engines? It is a late 80's manufacture.

Clear Image said:

Tom223
I am looking to buy a PT 42 with twin cummins 250 hp engines. Do you know anything about these engines? It is a late 80's manufacture.

Click to expand...

Good engines when new but after 30 years it comes down to mechanical inspection to assess good or bad maintenance.

Check them out on boatdiesel.com, the go to Cummins site.

Perfomance Trawler 38 sundeck

My engines are Perkins non turbo...1500 hrs on them and run great...I do not know about your engines...But if they were taken care of they probally will be fine..I had my oil tested anD normal were and tear lady said thumbs up good engines...While running took oil cap of all was fine with compression. ...I think the boat is built solid..It made up the west coast ca-wa.....Tom.the good luck....

Clear Image said:

Tom223
I am looking to buy a PT 42 with twin cummins 250 hp engines. Do you know anything about these engines? It is a late 80's manufacture.

Click to expand...

Boat diesel is an excellent resource as has been suggested. Also, if it is engines you are concerned about, post a question references these engines in the powerplant section. There are a couple of experienced Cummins folks on here.

We have a PT52 aft cabin CPMY, 1989 vintage- she is a great vessel. As stated earlier, her MIC (manufacturers identification code) is OYE; born in the Khaoshing yards in Taiwan and brought to Vancouver in 1989. Power is twin Cat 3208TAs turning 30" props.

Solid vessel thru and thru in the 4 years we have owned her.