Oceania 30 - looking for info

I am going to look at an mid-80s Oceania 30 that is for sale up in these parts. I have never seen a trawler that size - it is a sedan style with no aft cabin. It has a 90 hp 4-cyl Lehman engine. Does anyone have any experience with this vessel? I may well find that it doesn't have enough elbow room for live-ability over an extended period, or that it doesn't handle weather well with that small LOA.

Did you go look at this boat?

Judy - this is also for your recent PM. It took me half the day to fix my account to be ale to use my ipad. I finally gave up on that.

I have now visited the Oceania 30 twice. Photos:
https://photos.google.com/album/AF1QipMfO3h9nOord3g_rvmkHCLbpLPuIsSPM3etQDsa

Pros:
- just as roomy in the salon (to my sense of it) as the MT34
- galley better because of the corner configuration
- engine room is roomy and there are 3 hatches for access from different areas
- gotta love bow thruster, hot water, heat and A/C
- 30 feet means lower cost for slip rentals, bottom work, etc., and easier for stupid old man to manoeuvre etc.

Cons: (not including those listed in the survey)
- no aft cabin (V-berth not the ideal place to sleep on any boat)
- no flybridge enclosure
- outdated nav equipment

Mainly surprised that a 30-foot trawler would feel as spacious as one 4 feet longer. I will offer on this if I can just get some action on my Albin 25!

Thank you. For your thoughts.

I own this same 30’ Trawler. Mine was badged a 1983 Clipper. I also have the sales brochure for it. Love the 80hp Lehman. With all Taiwanese vessels, the darn thing will leak if not kept up. Shoot me a PM if you’d like any info on it.

Thanks....send info to me if you can.

Here you go.

Thank you...

Looking for cradle measurements for Oceania 30

Anyone have schematics for a cradle?

Sunset said:

Judy - this is also for your recent PM. It took me half the day to fix my account to be ale to use my ipad. I finally gave up on that.

I have now visited the Oceania 30 twice. Photos:
https://photos.google.com/album/AF1QipMfO3h9nOord3g_rvmkHCLbpLPuIsSPM3etQDsa

Pros:
- just as roomy in the salon (to my sense of it) as the MT34
- galley better because of the corner configuration
- engine room is roomy and there are 3 hatches for access from different areas
- gotta love bow thruster, hot water, heat and A/C
- 30 feet means lower cost for slip rentals, bottom work, etc., and easier for stupid old man to manoeuvre etc.

Cons: (not including those listed in the survey)
- no aft cabin (V-berth not the ideal place to sleep on any boat)
- no flybridge enclosure
- outdated nav equipment

Mainly surprised that a 30-foot trawler would feel as spacious as one 4 feet longer. I will offer on this if I can just get some action on my Albin 25!

Click to expand...

Congratulations on your purchase.

I looked at this boat too. Mine didn't sell in time for me to make an offer. I still refer to it as "the one that got away". Now that I am boatless and on the hunt I would buy one if I could find it. Does anyone know of one of these boats (by whatever name it may be called) that might be coming up for sale in the Great Lakes area?

There don't seem to be many of them listed for sale. What other names might they be listed under? Are there any other similar 30 footers out there that have the lower helm access door for us singlehanders?

Thanks.

JudyP said:

Anyone have schematics for a cradle?

Click to expand...

If it is out of the water you can make your own cradle. I start at the keel and measure out X inches and see how much the hull goes up. Then repeat until you get to the side or chine. Then I laid out the measurements on a sheet of plywood and cut along the lines. I took another sheet of plywood and made a duplicate. Then sandwiched the 2 sheets with 2X4 framing in between. Made another one for the bow. Then joined them together with 2X10s. I made some gussets out of plywood that went down the sides of the cradle for and aft and were screwed to the 2X10s.. Kept a 30’ boat on the cradle for a couple of years while I took the boat down to a bare hull and did a complete refurbishment. When I redid the bottom for blisters we did all that wasn’t on the cradle then had a crane come in and move the boat about a foot forward and then fixed the blisters that were under the cradle.

R. Bush said:

Congratulations on your purchase.

I looked at this boat too. Mine didn't sell in time for me to make an offer. I still refer to it as "the one that got away". Now that I am boatless and on the hunt I would buy one if I could find it. Does anyone know of one of these boats (by whatever name it may be called) that might be coming up for sale in the Great Lakes area?

There don't seem to be many of them listed for sale. What other names might they be listed under? Are there any other similar 30 footers out there that have the lower helm access door for us singlehanders?

Thanks.

Click to expand...

Sea Horse
Clipper 31
31 Senator

I think there may be a few more. We bought the Tung Hwa 31 Senator about 8 months ago. We are bringing it up to our standards. Mostly down to cosmetics. We love the boat. Has several attributes for a small boat that make it great for a couple of single hander. Large water tanks, large fuel tanks, upper and lower helm, side door, etc.

Here is some shots in a video about doing upgrades.

If I see one for sale ill be sure to send it your way

New Cradle for Oceania 30

We had a new cradle built for us..

How are you enjoying your Oceania 30? We have had ours for 22-years now. It is a fantastic heavy weather boat that we cruise extensively along the coast of Nova Scotia and PEI.

Nice windows. More pictures when you gat a chance Cape Fear.

It has been a lot of work but this boat has been through some pretty heavy north Atlantic weather and just brushes off the seas. We have replaced the decks, windows, tanks and much more. They are worth the effort.

Tank replacements

Your Oceania looks wonderful.
We have a leaking head and need to figure out how to replace it.
Windows leak and need replacement as well.
What did you do with your windows?
Lots of projects.
I guess that is the issue with old boats.

Thanks Cape Fear. Looks like an amazing boat with some good work done to it. If you feel so inclined it would be great to see more pictures and info on your boat. Maybe start a new thread with some additional details. I have a 1985 Tung Hwa Senator 31 that is identical. Several others here have the same boats under various names but they generally are quite rare. Glad to see you posting here.

Good idea Barking Sands lets share info always nice to get info and help.

Barking Sands said:

Thanks Cape Fear. Looks like an amazing boat with some good work done to it. If you feel so inclined it would be great to see more pictures and info on your boat. Maybe start a new thread with some additional details. I have a 1985 Tung Hwa Senator 31 that is identical. Several others here have the same boats under various names but they generally are quite rare. Glad to see you posting here.

Click to expand...

They are quite rare. One reason being that the cockpit was a bit short on space for many, especially those who cruise in warmer climates and wanted more 'outdoor living space', and there was no room for an aft cabin. So, it was not long before the CHBs of the 30' design were stretched to the 34 footer, by just adding a metre to the length of the same hull, and re-jigging the cabin layouts a bit.

Here's an example of a lovely Clipper 30, as they were called here in Australia. She had a heap of love and money poured into her by the PO, to the great benefit of the new owner, as you can see.
https://www.trawlerforum.com/forums/s32/start-nice-project-clipper-30ft-4127-9.html#164

I had a stretched 34 sedan version of the same hull, called the Clipper 34 here in Oz, so Erik, (the PO) and I kept in touch for quite a while as we went through the refurbishing exercise. I wonder if the new owner, AussieMike, still has her on the Qld Gold Coast..?

JudyP said:

Your Oceania looks wonderful.
We have a leaking head and need to figure out how to replace it.
Windows leak and need replacement as well.
What did you do with your windows?
Lots of projects.
I guess that is the issue with old boats.

Click to expand...

I had issues with the factory windows leaking. They were miserable and the water ingress was ruining the interior woodwork. I was also trying to de-teak the boat a bit. The usual reasons. I also didn't want to lose the beautiful interior trim around the windows.


The fix I came up was to pull the exterior teak off and pull the aluminum window frames out. I took paper templates and had new Diamond Sea Glass from British Columbia make new windows. I requested plain un-drilled and without backing plate windows as well as a new sliding helm door. I installed the windows by simply placing them in the fiberglass opening and securing them with 3M 5200. The helm door was also a simple installation. We could probably get the exact measurements from DSG files.


The windows were remarkably inexpensive and have been working beautifully for years now. It was really a simple and beautiful fix. Once I did this, I used 1/4" teak plywood to cover up the stains that years of leaking left behind.


I did not do the front windshield. I have looked at the windows and I have a better solution than going with commercial replacements. That will be done this fall when I pull the boat for the winter (we have Ice and wicked winter storms... so we all haul our boats. They also don't get water blisters like my west coast boats)

Barking Sands said:

Thanks Cape Fear. Looks like an amazing boat with some good work done to it. If you feel so inclined it would be great to see more pictures and info on your boat. Maybe start a new thread with some additional details. I have a 1985 Tung Hwa Senator 31 that is identical. Several others here have the same boats under various names but they generally are quite rare. Glad to see you posting here.

Click to expand...

I think these boats are worth investing in. They are inexpensive to buy, but compared to newer offerings, the hulls are solid and the interiors are actually quite beautiful and easy to restore.


I have been out on the ocean in some major storms with much larger boats. This Taiwanese trawler is only 30' but it is amazing. I heard that the factory(backyard builders in Taiwan mid 80's) shipped twenty of these to Perth Australia to use for commercial sportfishing charters. No flybridge and a shorter cabin. I can understand why! I bought this boat to use as a step gap until I could get a larger yacht. After spending a year on it full time with our son through a full winter, I wouldn't trade it for anything shy of a Nordhavn. But to be honest, I really respect this boat. It is everything I want. The sedan version with one level allows us to entertain a crowd and I'm not stuck alone in a pilothouse. The shower situation was always a low point, but I have solved that problem now. Considering the cost of newer boats, you can have a charming sea boat for a fraction of the investment. I think even if you contracted deck replacement, windows and tanks... you would still be farther ahead. They are not complex and the new polyurethane paints make painting easy.



I would love to help anyone out who has one of these boats. I know them fairly well now and have worked on every aspect to keep Cape Fear alive, seaworthy and reliable. There is no Sea Tow in this part of the world!


I should have pictures of most projects and upgrades, if anyone is interested. Since I am new here, maybe someone else could start an upgrade or maintenance thread; I'll contribute as much as I can.

When I get home I will start a new thread in the Taiwanese section specifically for these boats and thier various names. We can all contribute and discuss systems and upgrades etc. I have a 1985 Tung Hwa Senator 31, same boat. I am in the process of bringing her up to standards.

JudyP said:

Your Oceania looks wonderful.
We have a leaking head and need to figure out how to replace it.
Windows leak and need replacement as well.
What did you do with your windows?
Lots of projects.
I guess that is the issue with old boats.

Click to expand...

Sorry for going dark... we still have our Oceania and had a SS impeller shaft break on our Perkins. It happened when I was just clearing the offshore shoals at 6am heading home solo. The engine alarm didn't go off, but the smoke detector did. I grabbed my ditch bag and VHF ready to abandon ship. It was fine; just white smoke so I was able to regroup and relax.


Short story... found a 2009 Cummins engine in government surplus that had 6 hours on it. It was suppose to be used as a train basic maintenance to the department of fisheries. $5K CDN or $1.75 USD lol


Your question on the windows... I bought new windows from Diamond Sea Glaze on the West Coast. I also bought a new helm door that would lock and keep any water out as a safety measure. I left the interior teak in place and removed the original windows from the outside. I made templates and when the new windows arrived, they slid into the existing openings with little effort. I sealed them in place with 3M 5200. On the inside, the windows I chose are powder coated white. I used masking tape to mark off the gaps between the teak trim and the new white windows. I used mold resistent GE silicone seal to finish the interior look.


So... the new engine... that was an adventure. I found some issues with the fiberglass stringers coming away from the hull. Maybe I'll post a new thread on that...

Me too! Phelps is a "Lien Hwa Custom", duplicate of all the 30's being discussed here. If there is a God, someone will come up with a wiring schematic for them!

SIBERNUT said:

Me too! Phelps is a "Lien Hwa Custom", duplicate of all the 30's being discussed here. If there is a God, someone will come up with a wiring schematic for them!

Click to expand...

I wish I could help you on a wiring schematic, but I think wiring was an after-thought back then. All I can advise is to not let an auto or house electrician near your boat. They mean well, but do not have the expertise to understand marine electrical systems. They all say they can; but history proved them all wrong. Very wrong! I thank the gods that I didn't have an electrical fire.


Start slow... get you AC and DC power separated on the panel and safe. Then work on the problem areas you have identified after that. Some are DIY; other electrical areas might require a marine specialist. It shouldn't be hard or difficult, but if you need assistance, get the best professional you can find. In the end, it will be cleaner and most likely more cost effective. just my hindsight after maintaining this boat since 1997. (I run this boat in the north Atlantic and the storms can come hard and quickly... you have a good little hull underneath you!)

Oh I'm a pretty good boat electrician, and the distribution panel is neat and pretty color coordinated. But when it goes into the ER, ALL the wires are black from the flood. And not smart- the bilge pump was wired thru the Perko switch. Switch off, no pump. Shower sump must be 30 gals. But had a nice round hole in the very bottom. Etc. Etc

SIBERNUT said:

Oh I'm a pretty good boat electrician, and the distribution panel is neat and pretty color coordinated. But when it goes into the ER, ALL the wires are black from the flood. And not smart- the bilge pump was wired thru the Perko switch. Switch off, no pump. Shower sump must be 30 gals. But had a nice round hole in the very bottom. Etc. Etc

Click to expand...

Yup! That's the same boat! I had the AC coming directly into an Amp gauge that was crusty at best... connecting to the top part of my distribution panel. I have replaced most of the wires except for things like cabin lights. Still keeps me awake at night.



Has anyone found a bilge pump that they have been happy with?? Speaking of electrical nightmares (internal issues; not supplied power)