7 years of deterioration?

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toocoys

toocoys

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Hello all.

To summarize, I own a power boat which I am considering trading for a Marine Trader trawler. The boat is floating and in running condition, but needs some cosmetic TLC. After doing some preliminary research, I've found what appears to be a previous broker listing for this boat.

I'm pretty good at investigative work, and through social media posts I know that this boat just transited the ICW from Florida To Galveston during the summer of 2017. Over 1020 miles were put on her by the previous owners. The current owner bought it in January 2018 for $12,000.

Seeing the previous condition, and now the current condition, makes me afraid that it ended up either sunk, or derelict, or both at some point in the recent past.

I will be inspecting the boat, with a mechanic later this afternoon, but what are some of the signs that I need to look for in this make/model boat? What were the weak areas in their manufacturing process that caused problems in later years?



This was the boat in (what I've gathered was 2011)
Marine Trader 32' Trawler for sale - Guatemala Yacht Broker - Rio Dulce

And this is the boat now.
https://houston.craigslist.org/boa/d/1980-marine-trader-trawler/6536255992.html



Thanks
Chris
 
Look for deck rot where water has got into the core under the deck fittings. The core turns into porridge. Check for soft spots on flybridge deck & water intrusion around windows.

Check for leaking fuel tanks.

For that price I expect you will find some of these things.
 
"I'm not scared to repair these areas, unless they are overly large (i.e. the entire flybridge deck)."

Many times it is cheaper, stronger , faster to simply replace , than attempt a repair.

Creating a fly bridge deck of say 100- 150 sq ft is not complex , a simple layup job , and the big variable is the quality of the core material selected.
 
Based on a few marine trader's I looked at, they glassed over wood stringers using the wood to add part of the stiffness to the hull. On one I saw, water got in there and rotted the wood - the stringers became soft, significantly reducing the structural integrity of the hull. To fix it would have required a huge effort in the guts of the boat, probably requiring tearing up the entire cabin in the process; I'm afraid that boat will never be restored. Soft decks are a lot of work, but you have easy access; if the structural integrity of the hull is compromised, you probably don't want to touch that boat.
 
It looks like the broker may have "assumed" the brokerage through craigslist? Perhaps it's the same boat/listing
 
I have been working on my marine trader for the past 18 months. She was in rough shape but survey came back good: ie: (engine, generator, trans, etc.) it is/was mostly cosmetic except for a couple of leaking windows that have since been repaired. My greatest nightmare is fuel tanks. Although not leaking, they were not visible on inspection. I’ll hope for the best. I did set aside 10 grand in a fund should that problem arise.

Looking at the comparison between 2011 and now, there is a big difference. Since it came from marathon it is possible she sustained hurricane damage. Personally I know what kind of work, love, time, blood, sweat and at times tears have gone into my boat. I do love working on her but don’t think I would take on another project boat.
 
The 2011 pics show a teak deck on the boat. The 2018 pics do not. So, it could have been painted, coated over, or replaced. Anyway, pay careful attention to that. Doubt if it was done properly given the other apparent neglect.

If it made it from FL to TX, that is a positive but it probably got there before Hurricane Harvey. Be on the lookout for hurricane damage or repairs to hurricane damage.

Leaky windows, leaky fuel tanks, hodge podge electrical wiring are also issues and it might even need a bottom peel.

It would be best to have it surveyed.
 
It was in fact in Texas before Irma, and before Harvey. Thankfully we didn’t not have any major issues here in our area for Harvey, except for flooding. And as long as it stayed afloat it should have weathered Harvey just fine.

Although any hurricanes hitting marathon between 2011 and 2017 could have been the culprit.
 
But, but, but --

It does have an electric WENCH! She's got to be worth something:D.
 
Although very different then my MT I have a dock mate that has a sister boat to this one. They are very easy to work on he also did some deck repair and flybridge repair

if it checks out and as you say your not afraid of some work I would think this would make a great project boat
 
siestakey said:
if it checks out and as you say your not afraid of some work I would think this would make a great project boat
Click to expand...

I’m not afraid of work at all.

The boat that I would be trading is a 1967 Chris Craft Commander 31’. Since I got it, I’ve done tons of engine work, and cosmetic updates.
 
Why is the current owner bailing after 3 months of ownership? What does he know that you don't? I'm guessing he thought the same thing, a great project boat, but then hit a reality check.

There is a significant risk buying a boat in such neglected condition. If the PO couldn't maintain the brightwork or the interior, how was he maintaining the engine or transmission?

Offer 5K. If you uncover a disaster down the road then you haven't lost much.
 
SoWhat said:
Why is the current owner bailing after 3 months of ownership? What does he know that you don't? I'm guessing he thought the same thing, a great project boat, but then hit a reality check.

There is a significant risk buying a boat in such neglected condition. If the PO couldn't maintain the brightwork or the interior, how was he maintaining the engine or transmission?

Offer 5K. If you uncover a disaster down the road then you haven't lost much.
Click to expand...

The MV X-Isle Facebook page sounds like the current owner only had it since March. The previous owner before that lived on it and cruised it for at least a year. The neglect might be mostly cosmetic. Hard to tell from the pics.
 
Donsan said:
The MV X-Isle Facebook page sounds like the current owner only had it since March. The previous owner before that lived on it and cruised it for at least a year. The neglect might be mostly cosmetic. Hard to tell from the pics.
Click to expand...

There’s a FB page????? I didn’t find that!
 
SoWhat said:
Why is the current owner bailing after 3 months of ownership? What does he know that you don't? I'm guessing he thought the same thing, a great project boat, but then hit a reality check.

There is a significant risk buying a boat in such neglected condition. If the PO couldn't maintain the brightwork or the interior, how was he maintaining the engine or transmission?

Offer 5K. If you uncover a disaster down the road then you haven't lost much.
Click to expand...


According to him they were displaced during Harvey and have been paying high rent since. They bought the boat as a cheap liveaboard to save sine money. However, it only has a v-berth, and he has two small girls. He states he wants something with more sleeping accommodations.
 
It was, well....disappointing to say the least. I went and looked at it. I’ll lost more in a few hours.
 
I went to look at the boat today. While it ran very well, and the genset, a/c, and everything else worked, it was in rough shape. There were lots of leak spots under the windows in the galley, salon, and vberth, there were soft spots in the floors and upper decks, some of the front window frames were broken along with the glass, the interior floors were a mess, the galley counter top had been "bubba'd", and the fuel tanks had been patched with fiberglass. It has been smoked in, and it was just full of crap.

I was able to track down the previous owner, and he stated that it was purchased out of Guatemala and brought back to Boot Key Harbor marina where it was parked on a mooring ball for 7 years. During the 7 years it never moved, and was used as a floating condo by the previous owner, who was an "island bum" as he stated. He also told me that he sold it for $6,000 in March of this year, which told me a lot since the new owner has it listed for $15,000.

Simply put, if I'm going to outlay the amount of cash it would take to restore this old gal, I might as well put it into my own boat as it is already leaps and bounds ahead of this MT.
 
I just looked at the FB page. Who on earth would post those pictures? Looks like a case of hording. Run, just run.
 
toocoys said:
The boat that I would be trading is a 1967 Chris Craft Commander 31’. Since I got it, I’ve done tons of engine work, and cosmetic updates.
Click to expand...


You might consider starting a thread about your CC: what you started with, what you've done along the way, what you've got now, etc. Pics and so forth.

I'd be your CC is a better boat (bones) than the MT...

-Chris
 
WOWZA the pics on the FB page what in the world
 
Well she's back. With a new coat of paint, and a new owner.

https://houston.craigslist.org/boa/d/1980-trawler-own-fin/6583771223.html

The silver tin on the kitchen table is hiding the spongy wall that has packing tape stuck on it, and the rug in the kitchen is hiding the floor that looks like a Clydesdale square danced on it. I wonder if he fixed the broken windows in the front, and repaired the fiberglass patches on the fuel tanks?
 
Greetings,
Mr. C. Re: Post #27. HAH! Who in this forum has $13K?


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