new guy with a MT49PH

[Redhook98]

Good morning! New to the site. Just made a deal on a 1979 Marine Trader 49-ft Pilothouse. It was a total resto and refit with 135 Lehmans. Everything stripped, removed, rebuilt, rebedded, replaced, etc. 18 year labor of love basically. Going to sea trial on Sunday and hopefully survey on Monday (7/1). Any advice or input? What to look for?

 

[RT Firefly]

Greetings,
Welcome aboard.

 

[JohnEasley]

That's a fine looking boat! Good luck on the survey and sea trial. Let us know how it goes.

 

[sbu22]

Good luck! Looks great.

 

[Comodave]

Welcome aboard. Good luck with the new boat. Typically Taiwan trawlers from that age might have problems with deck cores, fuel tanks and stringers. Of course there could be a myriad of other issues but if it was truly restored then hopefully most major issues will have been taken care of. I would expect to find some issues and depending on the negotiated price that would not stop me from buying the boat. Some peolpe will run from a boat that has minor issues but there will be some with a boat of that age. Just go in with your expectations set to accept some problems and have fun.

 

[hollywood8118]

Nice boat, good luck on the survey! welcome aboard
HOLLYWOOD

 

[South of Heaven]

Breathe. And have fun!

 

[Redhook98]

My last boat (for sale by the way ) was a Carver 3807. Great boat, but theis one fell into my lap. Survey should be easy. Decks, windows, stringers, etc have all been gone thru. Boat was actually pulled completely apart from the decks on up. It has new SS big-rig type fuel tanks now. That makes 360 degree engine access very nice now (old ones were 300-gallon saddle tanks)

Difference between a Carver 38 and the Marine Trader 49 Pilot house is night vs day.

 

[Fletcher500]

It’s rare to find older boats with that level of care and upgrades. Sounds like a great boat. Good luck with the surveys.

 

[Moonfish]

'79 was a great year! (Our boat was made that year, Tangerine Dream released Force Majeure, and I graduated from high school...) A 40-year old boat is going to be a bit tired. But it sounds like the one you found has been loved unconditionally.

My advice is to not get too caught up in the potential minutia of the survey. Major structural items notwithstanding! Our's had soft spots in the foredeck (delamination that we were well aware of) and the surveyor "sounded the alarms" on it, even suggesting we could potentially renegotiate the price. When I explained that the price was not going to be lower (both parties had already discussed it, and the price was already at the seller's rock bottom) he confided that it wasn't structural, and it was not going to sink the boat. But he was just doing his job as the buyer's surveyor.

Which leads me to my only other piece of advice (even though this is probably not your first rodeo), and that is be sure to hire your surveyor yourself, not one picked by the seller or his broker. Even though surveyors are impartial and objective, I've used both, and I'VE always felt more confident knowing he was working for ME.

 

[TJM]

We love the Taiwan 49 RPH's. Including the MT and Defevers. We have looked a few but the timing has not been great. Awesome boat and layout.