New trawler owners

[SeaRanger83]

Hi everyone!
My husband and I bought a 1983 55ft Pilothouse Sea Ranger. It has been sitting on the hard for almost a decade. Lots for work ahead of us, but the dream is to get her back in the water ASAP and become live-aboards.
Any advice on living in marinas or on the hook in SC or GA?

[Lepke]

Take a good look at things like hoses and seals that tend to dry out or shrink w/o use, before you launch. Check out the fuel tanks, too. You want everything working properly before you go in the water.

[hfoster]

Searanger.


Enjoy your (new to you vessel.) The hard work you put into her will help you enjoy her even more! Sorry I cannot help with a marina. However someone will chime in.


Cheers and best of luck.


H.

[SeaRanger83]

Thank you for the advice lepke and thanks for the well wishes hfoster!

[dhays]

Welcome and congratulations.

I really like Lepke's advice. It is an old boat that hasn't been used in a LONG time. I would consider every hose to be bad until proven otherwise. I would seriously consider going through and changing all the hoses while it is on the hard. Comparatively, that is going to be some cheap insurance. While you are doing that, examine each thruhull and seacock to make sure they are working well. Disassembling and reassembling each might not be a bad idea.

[Martin J]

Congratulations! Marvellous boats , I had one I lived on board in Bermuda, sadly lost her in Hurricane Igor in 2009. Would have her to this day apart from that. I put a solid hard top on the flybridge with solar etc. Loved life aboard with the extra beam they have. Great entertainment on the top /boat deck, I had a fitted 6 seat bar under the t-top area.

[Hamrow]

That's a lot of boat you've got there! -and certainly more than enough space to liveaboard i imagine
the Brunswick landing marina in Georgia meets the requirements of many insurance companies of being above a certain latitude for hurricane season. I've been there once and i'd say we've certainly seen nicer marina facilities... but i think the fees are reasonable and they do claim to be situated within a US Navy "hurricane hole" where boats go to shelter.

That looks like quite a project, maybe you can keep the forum up to date on progress, its always fun to watch a boat being brought back to life!