Refit or Replace?

I`ve been looking at upgrading to a newer boat to replace my 1981 IG36 with twin Lehmans and no thrusters. Almost everything newer, built this century, which is "trawlerish", comes with a single,and is likely to cost 3-400K AUD. There`s the issue of selling the then redundant IG in a not great market.
I like my boat, it`s main design negative is the absence of a 2nd cabin, it has just one spacious stateroom,but has separate head and shower rooms. There are just 2 of us, mostly it`s fine, but the occasional guest(s) with own cabin could be good.
A refit would include a full repaint, a hull peel and epoxy to cure recurrent osmosis, replacing the fwd cabin wooden windows with aluminum, repainting the ER and lazarette, fixing wood rot/degraded areas here and there,new headliners, and other bits and pieces. It might be false economy not to replace the not yet leaking original tanks, and it needs a holding tank upgrade. A bowthruster would be good. I`m sure the boat would come up well, imo it`s not an unattractive boat, and I`ve long said a new version of it would suit me fine.Mechanicals are sound. It should cost a deal less less than replacing, and at least I know what I`ve got. At this "concept" stage I`ve not sought quotes, but it won`t be cheap, and will take months not weeks.
No "new to me" boat would be without flaw, be it condition or design.I expect a year or so of "getting it right", and spending more $. But it would be much newer, maybe as late as 2015,and have a modern but traditional fitout, still with walk around decks, which we value.
Anyone been down this track? I know some have done major refits but not necessarily preceded by a comparison on these lines.

My boat was nowhere near as old as yours when I did my refit, but I did the things that I felt would make the boat acceptable to me for as long as I planned to have a boat of that size. Part of it was getting it the way I wanted it and part was going through every system and either replacing or rebuilding so that I had a reliable boat. Between what I bought the boat for and the refit investment, it would have cost me more than twice as much for a 5 year old boat. Now there are certain things that I would like that I don't have, but collectively they're not worth hundreds of thousands of dollars to me. Finally, I know that I will lose money when I eventually sell the boat, but that lose will most assuredly be a lot less than than if I had bought a more expensive boat.

Ted

I’d keep her Bruce.

refit or replace

I am the first to admit I do not have vast boating experience but I have owned a 1971 GB 36 woody and now own a 2006 34 MS trawler. I dearly loved the GB but the maintaince and projects/system failures never ended! Our choice was a MS 40 trawler years 2004 to 2006 but although it had two staterooms the salon had true seating for 3 only because the kitchen was directly across from the 3 person couch. If you can live with 1 stateroom and a couch bed the MS 34 is hard to beat. The salon has true seating for 5 and the down galley is near enough to the action in the salon etc. Additionally its nice to have a boat which one can work on to improve it rather than working on a boat just to keep it surviving ! There are always 15 to 20 MS 34 trawlers for sale around the country selling in the $140000 to $160000 range.

keith c said:

I am the first to admit I do not have vast boating experience but I have owned a 1971 GB 36 woody and now own a 2006 34 MS trawler. I dearly loved the GB but the maintaince and projects/system failures never ended! Our choice was a MS 40 trawler years 2004 to 2006 but although it had two staterooms the salon had true seating for 3 only because the kitchen was directly across from the 3 person couch. If you can live with 1 stateroom and a couch bed the MS 34 is hard to beat. The salon has true seating for 5 and the down galley is near enough to the action in the salon etc. Additionally its nice to have a boat which one can work on to improve it rather than working on a boat just to keep it surviving ! There are always 15 to 20 MS 34 trawlers for sale around the country selling in the $140000 to $160000 range.

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He's in Australia.

Ted

Nomad Willy said:

I’d keep her Bruce.

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Why?? Not everyone finds their "forever" boat.

Well understood. If money weren’t an object, what would you have? What does the Admiral complain about? For considerably less than the cost of the refit, could you get into something that would resolve enough of those wants and desires to make it worth while? One of my fellow Krogen Manatee owners simply wants a bigger Manatee, same layout, same features “except” for everything being slightly larger, oh, and the larger pilothouse would have an inside stairway. It was great talking about it, but the builder’s wanted huge bucks for a one-off example. If he wants an affordable, larger Manatee-like vessel, the only place he can go is to a Great Harbour GH-37 or 47.

Not the same situation with the IG-36. Great boat, without a doubt, but there are plenty of already refitted boats out there that may have the tweaks you’re looking for. Similar styles, younger, fresher, just as sea-worthy, maybe even with a few features you’ve only dreamed of. Someone else’s dream might be your boat, just the way it is now.

If the IG has most of what you want and need, I’d look for someone who already did what you’re contemplating, and pay a premium for it, even if I had to import it.

keith c said:

.. If you can live with 1 stateroom and a couch bed the MS 34 is hard to beat. The salon has true seating for 5 and the down galley is near enough to the action in the salon etc. Additionally its nice to have a boat which one can work on to improve it rather than working on a boat just to keep it surviving ! There are always 15 to 20 MS 34 trawlers for sale around the country selling in the $140000 to $160000 range.

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We got close on a 2012 M395 with way better salon accommodation + 2nd cabin, water tankage < 300L + a FW head,+ wave slap at anchor, turned us off. The IG has 1000L of water tank.

I`ve let my mind work on the issue, and subject to finding someone who can do the job, I`m inclined to refit. I won`t have the pain of selling, and won`t have to make right and get used to a "new to me" boat. I`m getting a tad old to change over a boat I still like. Not to ignite single vs twins debate, a newer trawler with twins is a rarity, it`s mostly singles with thrusters. A pair of < 3000 hour Lehmans is good propulsion.
I`ll be spending serious $, but likely way less than changing boats. I know what I`ve got, and what it needs, to bring it up as a refitted boat. Not everything needs doing, but there are major items, like a total repaint, and lots of smaller items, like relocating the windlass switch. I`ll do a list, and in about 2 months I`ll talk to a repairer or two. Unless I change my mind. When the economy gets iffy here,boat owners stop spending,that`s happening now,there should be some welcoming repair guys.

Hey Bruce,

First dibbs on anything original you pull off, esp timber piece above the windscreen

BruceK said:

I`ve let my mind work on the issue, and subject to finding someone who can do the job, I`m inclined to refit. I won`t have the pain of selling, and won`t have to make right and get used to a "new to me" boat. I`m getting a tad old to change over a boat I still like. Not to ignite single vs twins debate, a newer trawler with twins is a rarity, it`s mostly singles with thrusters. A pair of < 3000 hour Lehmans is good propulsion.
I`ll be spending serious $, but likely way less than changing boats. I know what I`ve got, and what it needs, to bring it up as a refitted boat. Not everything needs doing, but there are major items, like a total repaint, and lots of smaller items, like relocating the windlass switch. I`ll do a list, and in about 2 months I`ll talk to a repairer or two. Unless I change my mind. When the economy gets iffy here,boat owners stop spending,that`s happening now,there should be some welcoming repair guys.

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Hi Bruce,
'let your mind work on this issue' - if you are quite happy to goof around the Broken Bay - Hawkesbury river area forever (and who wouldn't be - it's magnificent) with occasional trip down to Port Jackson your boat is perfect now for that purpose.
IMO a newer trawler with twins would only be an option if you wished to do an extended trip up through the reef to Lizard. If this is the case and you are considering an extended trip with anchoring out then the escape clause of TWO engines is nice if some drama was to unfold.
regards to both,
Brett

Brisyboy said:

Hey Bruce,

First dibbs on anything original you pull off, esp timber piece above the windscreen

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We replaced the "eyebrow mould" in some work in 2011, hope it`s still ok.

bogranjac1 said:

Hi Bruce,
'let your mind work on this issue' - if you are quite happy to goof around the Broken Bay - Hawkesbury river area forever (and who wouldn't be - it's magnificent) with occasional trip down to Port Jackson your boat is perfect now for that purpose.
IMO a newer trawler with twins would only be an option if you wished to do an extended trip up through the reef to Lizard. If this is the case and you are considering an extended trip with anchoring out then the escape clause of TWO engines is nice if some drama was to unfold.
regards to both,
Brett

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Brett, I think you are right.For me,the redundancy of 2 engines is less important than the handling advantages, I like what I can do with twins, and it`s useful in busy areas and getting on/off the marina . We only shut down an engine once in 9 years of ownership,that was for a fractured fuel line. I never shut down the single Perkins in my previous boat. Very hard to find newer trawlers with twins. Except Integrity 426s.
I believe, from charts onboard, the boat has been to Queensland and the Reef but yes, it mostly gets used on the Hawkesbury, it certainly has the facilities to do that in comfort.Though a diesel heater might help for winter, last year one morning it was 8C in the cabin, that`s too cold for us.