Looking to purchase a 1980s trawler

[bill209]

I will be a solo boater, and many of the NEEDs and WANTs below are driven by this. And I understand that the NEEDs below eliminate 99% of the boats. However, if a boat passes the NEEDs filter, and contains some of the WANTs it is truly a contender to be purchased.

FWIW, I have made two offers on boats so far, the first fell through due to the survey findings, the second failed when the owner backed out after a verbal agreement on price. So there are occassional boats that meet my needs, and I do move on them. Also, for both boats I did have both insurance and finances lined up, so the procurement process should not be a lengthy one.

NEEDs
condition: this boat should be loop ready. ie engine and boat itself in decent/good shape
location: on the great loop
price: < $75000
type: trawler, 1980s seems to be the sweet spot between cost and condition
engine: single engine, preferably ford lehman
engine hours: they must be known*, preferably < 6000
length: 34' - 42'
helm: both lower and upper
access: lower helm needs a door next to it plus a starboard side door
bow thruster
air conditioning
decking should be in good (not perfect) condition
windlass
two staterooms, stern and v-berth

WANTs
auto pilot
depth sounder
windlass with foot pedals
flybridge enclosed
generator
dinghy, possibly davits
access to maintenance logs


* thorough maintenance logs and documentation on engine rebuilds/part replacements goes a long way to mitigating uncertain hours

I know this is a lot to ask, which is why I am still boatless after months of looking, but is why I am now throwing a wider net.

Any help anyone can give me is greatly appreciated!

bill

 

[Comodave]

Welcome aboard.

 

[fgarriso]

Welcome Aboard !

 

[PierreR]

Welcome aboard
What you want should not be that hard to find especially if you open up your search area to 500 miles either side of you final destination. Bow thruster might be your hardest find.

Also join America's Great Loop Cruisers Association. You described many loop boats and many people sell them in great shape at the end of their trips.

 

[RT Firefly]

Greetings,
Welcome aboard y'all. Sounds like you have your search well in hand. Best of success. As mentioned, YOUR boat is out there.

 

[bill209]

Thanks for the welcome messages! This is such an awesome forum!

 

[bill209]

@PierreR - You are right, an expansive geographical search will provide for my best chance of success. While I will consider any boat around the loop, I did say that I preferred close to NC, and that my prevent some people from responding, so I am going to remove that from the stipulations.

And your note about the AGLCA being a good resource is great advice.
Thanks!

NOTE: uh-oh, looks like i lost the ability to edit my original post. : |

 

[Comodave]

If you click on the red triangle in the lower left you can report your post and ask them to edit the post for you. Or they can open the post so you can edit it yourself.

 

[bill209]

cool. done. thanks!

 

[slowgoesit]

Bill, did you check out the Albin I steered you to on your post on Cruisersforum?


https://www.trawlerforum.com/forums/s9/albin-40-trawler-70365.html


If you did, and it's not what you are looking for, perhaps point out your issues with it and it will give people here a better idea of what you are looking for. Best of luck finding the perfect boat! Scot

 

[RT Firefly]

Greetings,
Mr. b. Re: Your post #6 "This is such an awesome forum!" Hahaha. Just wait...

 

[bill209]

Bill, did you check out the Albin I steered you to on your post on Cruisersforum?


https://www.trawlerforum.com/forums/s9/albin-40-trawler-70365.html


If you did, and it's not what you are looking for, perhaps point out your issues with it and it will give people here a better idea of what you are looking for. Best of luck finding the perfect boat! Scot

Indeed I did - thanks. And I've spoken with the owner.

This boat is soooo close. There are a couple of items that are keeping me looking elsewhere: no bow thruster, and there are a couple of issues pointed out in a recent survey that are worrisome but the owner (a great guy) is going back to the boat to have another look at.

let's discuss the bow thruster requirement for those who may think it unnecessary: a master helmsman can handle a thruster-less boat no matter the water/wind conditions. I am not a master helmsman, and the person owning the yacht next to mine would probably want me to have a bow thruster. : )

also, I understand that old trawlers are going to have survey issues. It is the type and extent of the issues that must be considered.

 

[PierreR]

You can bolt on a bow thruster that raises and lowers like a small outboard. No hole/tunnel needed through the bow of the boat. $5-6k

 

[Davil1]

You can bolt on a bow thruster that raises and lowers like a small outboard. No hole/tunnel needed through the bow of the boat. $5-6k

============================
apologize for butting in

does anybody in the forum have experience with bolt on type?
looked at the specs online and looks interesting.

 

[Comodave]

Look at SideShift thrusters. They bolt on above the waterline and are simple to install. My wife and I installed the bow thruster in 1.5 days. My neighbor helped me do the stern thruster and it took less than a day. I would not dismiss a potential boat just because it doesn’t have a bow thruster. Just install one. The SideShift are about $5K and you just need to add batteries and a charger.

 

[Davil1]

Look at SideShift thrusters. They bolt on above the waterline and are simple to install. My wife and I installed the bow thruster in 1.5 days. My neighbor helped me do the stern thruster and it took less than a day. I would not dismiss a potential boat just because it doesn’t have a bow thruster. Just install one. The SideShift are about $5K and you just need to add batteries and a charger.

================================
did you put the bow, and how does it work for you?

I cannot use my stern, (sailboat) with the ruder and shape cannot, but the bow is possible.

will extend maybe another season or two before going trawler.

 

[sunchaser]

Bill
Don’t get in a hurry. The vessel that closely matches your criteria is out there. Walk the docks, committed with owners groups something will show. Look beyond current listings. If you see a vessel that fits contact the owner to see if they’re willing to sell.

I’ve bought and sold unlisted boats and homes. A nudge is all it takes.

 

[bill209]

Bill
Don’t get in a hurry. The vessel that closely matches your criteria is out there. Walk the docks, committed with owners groups something will show. Look beyond current listings. If you see a vessel that fits contact the owner to see if they’re willing to sell.

I’ve bought and sold unlisted boats and homes. A nudge is all it takes.

Thanks for the wisdom sunchaser; and it came at a much needed time!

 

[Comodave]

================================
did you put the bow, and how does it work for you?

I cannot use my stern, (sailboat) with the ruder and shape cannot, but the bow is possible.

will extend maybe another season or two before going trawler.

I did both bow and stern. They work fine. Maybe not quite as well as a tunnel thruster but they meet my needs. But since I did the install the total cost was about $10K for both as opposed to having both installed for $25K+.

 

[CharlieO.]

Bill
Don’t get in a hurry. The vessel that closely matches your criteria is out there. Walk the docks, committed with owners groups something will show. Look beyond current listings. If you see a vessel that fits contact the owner to see if they’re willing to sell.

I’ve bought and sold unlisted boats and homes. A nudge is all it takes.

Yup, if someone were to nudge me I would consider their offer.

 

[bill209]

Thanks for all of the great input and based on the feedback I am updating my needs/wants by removing the mention of the NC location, the ford lehman motor preference, engine hours and windlass foot pedals. Here is the new list:

NEEDs
condition: this boat should be loop ready. ie engine and boat itself in decent/good shape
location: on the great loop
price: < $75000
type: trawler, 1980s seems to be the sweet spot between cost and condition
engine: single engine
length: 34' - 42'
helm: both lower and upper
access: lower helm needs a door next to it plus a starboard side door
bow thruster
air conditioning
decking should be in good (not necessarily perfect) condition
electric windlass
two staterooms, stern and v-berth

WANTs
auto pilot
depth sounder
flybridge enclosed
generator
dinghy, possibly davits
access to maintenance logs

 

[Cold Duck]

Actually, something to consider in the thruster department is an add on stern thruster. Most 80s trawlers didn't come with a bow thruster, but it is pretty simple to add the stern thruster which has some better qualities than the bow thruster. My MS350 has a bow thruster and I am considering seriously adding the stern. Example, when backing down out of a slip or maneuvering at a dock, the stern thruster is far more useful that the bow with a single engine. Just an idea if you find the boat you want but no thruster, for much cheaper that installing a permanent bow thruster you can add a stern, I am not including the bow thruster that lowers up and down off the bow. That looks like a PIA for a single sailor IMHO.

 

[RT Firefly]

Greetings,
Mr. CD. I tend to agree. Although I've never had ANY thruster I've usually been able to put the bow where I want it. The stern seemed to have a mind of it's own, on occasion.
A stern thruster, as you mention, is a LOT easier to install and is probably cheaper.

 

[Davil1]

I did both bow and stern. They work fine. Maybe not quite as well as a tunnel thruster but they meet my needs. But since I did the install the total cost was about $10K for both as opposed to having both installed for $25K+.

===============================
truly appreciate taking the time

take care

David

 

[Comodave]

Actually, something to consider in the thruster department is an add on stern thruster. Most 80s trawlers didn't come with a bow thruster, but it is pretty simple to add the stern thruster which has some better qualities than the bow thruster. My MS350 has a bow thruster and I am considering seriously adding the stern. Example, when backing down out of a slip or maneuvering at a dock, the stern thruster is far more useful that the bow with a single engine. Just an idea if you find the boat you want but no thruster, for much cheaper that installing a permanent bow thruster you can add a stern, I am not including the bow thruster that lowers up and down off the bow. That looks like a PIA for a single sailor IMHO.

I installed a stern thruster in our last boat. It was pretty simple to do. Cut an 8” hole in the transom and bolt it on, actually a bit more to it than that but really easy to do. I put a Sidepower in that boat. I really liked it. That boat only had a bridge helm so by the time I would get down from the flybridge the stern would have blown off the dock. With the wireless control it was easy to bring it back to the dock.

 

[Cold Duck]

There are also other models that don't require such a large hole in the transom if that bothers you or space is limited such as in my MS350. But either one is a great addition to a vessel being single handed. That and a bow thruster and you can move the boat sideways right up to the dock.

 

[psneeld]

There are also other models that don't require such a large hole in the transom if that bothers you or space is limited such as in my MS350. But either one is a great addition to a vessel being single handed. That and a bow thruster and you can move the boat sideways right up to the dock.

...and in my opinion just as or more important, pin you there so you can more leisurely handle dock lines...

 

[PhilPB]

When I had my bow thruster installed I had a joystick mounted on the upper helm and also purchased a wireless remote controller. With the wireless controller I have no issues when single handling my boat and it's especially useful as I back into the slip and use it to guide the bow so I can grab lines without needing a pole.. I also have a sliding door to the salon with the lower station and can easily bump fwd and rev during windy days.

 

[Cold Duck]

...and in my opinion just as or more important, pin you there so you can more leisurely handle dock lines...

Yup, with just the bow thruster, I gotta "wiki wiki" get with the program to get lines on before the boat moves somwhere else in a brisk breeze LOL. Getting older doesn't help the situation!

 

[Gary Brickell]

Welcome aboard Bill. Your city is shown as Durham. Are you Canadian and talking $75k cdn that is actually $55k us? If so that really reduces your prospects given your ambitious list of needs.