Help! What am I about to buy??

[Bigfish]

Broker says it was one of a limited number of trawlers made by Formosa for customers and employees that wanted to switch to power. I can't find another, nor can I find any info on the yard, build quality, etc. I've looked at a lot of boats in the last few days trying to find similarities but I've only found a 40 Formosa that looks very similar. Hopefully some of you will recognize this boat maybe under a different name. Thanks for your help! Great site! I'm hoping to live aboard and cruise the keys and Caribbean for a year or so....

http://www.yachtworld.com/core/listi..._id=74679&url=

Thanks again,

Bigfish

[Ben]

I have a Lehman derivative the ADC. Lehman engines are pretty much tanks. No worries there.

Any older boat will have a few issues. Depends on what you or your survey finds.

[Bigfish]

Thanks Ben! I'm really concerned about the fuel tanks and the build quality the most. Just seems odd that I can' find even one other one like it..

[Ben]

A little off topic, but about fuel tanks, I've wanted to buy one of those camera probes on the end of a snake cable that reach everywhere. Might be good for inspecting tanks. I think about $225.

[dhmeissner]

Not sure. The only Formosa 42 I've known about was a Robert Perry sailboat. This boat comes with a lathe, cool.

[CPseudonym]

I merged your duplicate threads into one for you Bigfish as to make it easier for folks to follow and answer your questions.

[123]

This is what I found on the World Wide Web;

Formosa boats

[Craig Schreck]

If the fuel tanks have inspection plates I would recommend you have the tanks pumped out cleaned & inspected, its best done when on the hard for survey, If the tanks show heavy scale you may want to sonic test them wile they are empty. If they prove to be sound then that's one less thing to think about wile offshore. Craig S

[bobsyiruncle]

At the risk of getting severely beat up here, I do not mind the boat or the asking price. I know it isn't perfect but it is not priced as such. Of course you are going to pay less and of course you are going to have a survey, but if this gets you into a lifestyle that makes you and your admiral happy while you are healthy and can actually enjoy it - good for you.
Nuts to the pristine promoters.

[Ben]

Ok.
Looked at the pics a little more closely.
1. Saw what looks like some watermarks near the anchor chain locker.
2. Lots of exterior woodwork, I'd be pretty comfortable with laying on the varnish.
3. If there are watermarks, as you inspect the boat, you want to go around every window frame and push in with th tip of your finger to check for water intrusion.

Whether a lot or a little, you'll have a bit of wood maintenance to do with the boat. So if I was good with wood, I'd buy the boat depending on survey. If I felt uncomfortable with my woodworking, I'd look a less woody boat.

The lathe is a nice touch though. I'd ask what did they use it for, might tell you a lot about what was done to the boat.

Capt. Reizinger - nice old spec sheets. I was impressed to read that the engines included shafts and propellers.

[Daddyo]

Bigfish,
Send me a PM with your email and I'll send you what your looking for.
Best!

[123]

Hi Ben, I agree with you these are nice old documents.

But I also read that the tanks are "painted black iron" if they are still in the boat you can expect that they are in need of replacement.

[beachbum29]

By the sound of your post, your instincts are telling you no.

I follow my instincts.

[BruceK]

Hard to disguise rot in varnished timber windows, easy in painted ones.
Don`t give up too easily, it`s a lot of boat showing either much love by PO or good pre sale prep. Traditional Formosa sailboats were sold here. The iron tanks are a risk especially as decks needed replacement, can you see the tops to assess? If you`ve been looking a while,this one fits requirements, build quality, tanks and price turn out ok, don`t let low production volume stop you.

[Bigfish]

I put a deposit on the boat but had to return to Salem, Oregon before I could check much. I haven't paid for the survey yet but I've talked to one and told him to get in touch with the broker to arrange everything. Broker said the survey would be first, with me along for education... then the sea trial, then the haulout. I would think the sea trial would be first so I don't waste money on the survey if that goes south..?? Also, what happens to surveys done by the PO's?? 700 gallon painted iron tank? I'm assuming that would be two 350's?? How do you get THOSE out of the hull??? Can they be repaired? Cleaned up? Could they be ok??

I'm talking to the broker and the surveyor tomorrow and I'll ask all those questions before I go any further.

Thank you all again for all the great info!!!!

Bigfish

[BruceK]

Originally Posted by Bigfish

I put a deposit on the boat.. Broker said the survey would be first, with me along for education... then the sea trial, then the haulout. I would think the sea trial would be first so I don't waste money on the survey if that goes south..?? Also, what happens to surveys done by the PO's?? 700 gallon painted iron tank? I'm assuming that would be two 350's?? How do you get THOSE out of the hull??? Can they be repaired? Cleaned up? Could they be ok??
I'm talking to the broker and the surveyor tomorrow and I'll ask all those questions before I go any further.Bigfish

I would get a mechanical survey and I`d want him on the sea trial. Isn`t haul out part of survey, but if you do it in stages and it goes bad you get to bail before spending all the survey $. On the tanks, see where survey takes you, if it is a deal breaker survey them first. You may do things in different order over there. Nice if the PO shares any surveys, good starting point.

[Art]

Originally Posted by Bigfish

http://www.yachtworld.com/core/listi..._id=74679&url=

Thanks again,

Bigfish

Hi Bigfish – Welcome to TF

The boat looks pretty good. Just be real careful in all levels of boat and mechanical survey. Test that baby thoroughly during sea trial... show her no mercy – cause once you buy her – you own her and all her ways (i.e. problems or not problems).

I recommend to be sure that you and/or surveyor thoroughly check the stringers as well as around all windows with a good quality moisture meter.

If water reads in stringers... and the stringers are wood cored, rather than close cell foam cored - - > RUN Away! If closed cell foam cored and stringer surfaces show no cross cracks or bastard-cracks on top/sides or peeling/delimitation at junction to hull then even if moisture has wicked into the foam there should be no problem. But... if water wicked into wood cored stringers – please remember to RUN!

To check stringer core material: Get OK from owner and drill a 1/4 inch bit three inches at right angle into stringer's at a few lower side areas - either wood or foam should come out. If the wood is dark and moist/wet - RUN Fast!

That’s just my opinion... take it for what it’s worth!

Best Luck - Art

[Peter B]

Looks nice, great price. Hard to go wrong there unless there is something very vital and very expensive needed ASAP. Most boat tanks of that era were painted black iron. As long as water has not been in contact or sitting on top from leaky decks, causing rust, they should be ok. I doubt I would be delving inside them until that possibility has been checked out. If they are ok, and the engine good to go, and most other things work, the rest is do-able yourself, if cosmetic, and overall, the pics are quite flattering in that regard.

[Marin]

A Formosa is a typical early 80s Taiwan Trawler. Here is a link to an article that does a great job of describing the pros and con's of this type of boat. http://www.bluehorizonsailing.net/wp...e_trawlers.pdf

[refugio]

In addition to what others have mentioned, I'll note that the date on the pics is over 2 years old, and if it's correct (many aren't) then 2 years in the Florida sun (probably without maintenance) will have taken a significant toll.

Other than the tanks, my #1 concern would be water intrusion. The boat was obviously loved at some point, but that level of love is difficult to sustain. The "fiberglassed" decks would be something I'd want to know a lot more about - in particular why it was done (often to cover up rot) and how was it done (the edges are a particular source of concern).

I think that water got into this boat at one time - look at the forward end of the saloon settee just above the floor - and that is never, ever a good thing. If it was salt water, it will show up immediately in places like the unprotected electrical connections. If all of that is new, it would point to a boat that was a hurricane salvage.