No new diesels for this cheapskate. The only reason I am even thinking about this is because the boat offers tremendous amenities for the price. The sea trial was a disaster and I walked because of covid and time constraints to have a vacation with my wife. No way I am taking her out in something that is problematic. Not going to start off on the wrong foot. She has been boating with me for 35 years, but I want this to be a new chapter in our future with cruising. We have never had the time or freedom to really cruise.
I come from a background of car flipping. I purchased and sold over 200 classic and muscle cars. I did it for fun, and on the whole the hobby paid for itself. If you are not incredibly careful in the purchase it is a disaster waiting to happen. Applying this buying strategy in boats is not the same. Smaller market, more complex platform, new learning curve, etc. I am trying to shed my cutthroat buying ways, but old habits die hard. I know I have alienated myself from a few brokers and owners by being "the way" I am. When I could not find a trawler after a year or so I bought a first rate Bertram for a good price, and only a good price, so that I could sell it when I needed to without getting murdered. I did not break even, but by boat standards I was fine. By car standards I got my ass handed to me.
This boat we are talking about is another compromise to use until I find my dream trawler because once again I am not finding what I want, or the sellers are not selling for what I want (they remain for sale). This boat cold turn into a long term boat if we really like it and can handle the overall size, but I feel the need to buy it right. It remains for sale. This post is an attempt to see if I could improve the circumstances into something that would make it work for me. (Covid budget) I am driven, perhaps so much so that I am thinking wrong headed. I keep the dream alive by asking questions on trawler forum. Educating myself. Trying to remain interested and invigorated even though I am not a boat owner.
I want to thank everyone who has engaged me on this thread and my journey in general. It has been a rough year. I intend to make things MUCH better in 2021 when my hands get untied.
If cost isn't an object, Yanmar has some V8 diesels that are almost a dead on fit for a boat with 454s. They're within a few pounds and very close in size.