New Acquisition: our Terminal Trawler

[DHeckrotte]

My wife and I have taken the plunge to the dark side. Our lovely LeComte North East 38 is listed for sale and can be seen on Yachtworld; she's in Rock Hall, MD. We are not without a sailboat; a late '50s Flying Dutchman which I restored, is always at the ready. (I would have posted a .jpg but the Forum refused to cooperate.)

We've agreed to purchase a 1984 Fu Hwa sedan trawler. Low hours on a pair of Perkins 6.354s, lovely interior woodwork, Teak decks, steel fuel tanks. She's just about as she left the factory...except for the 32 years. Lots of boatey projects and catch-up maintenance to do.

Lots to learn! I now have about five minutes at the helm of a twin-engine boat, not a one anywhere near a fixed object.

 

[cardude01]

Terminal Trawler. That's funny.

Welcome aboard !

 

[RT Firefly]

Greetings,
Welcome aboard.

 

[Donsan]

Congrats on your purchase and welcome to the not so dark side. I was unaware a Fu Hwa with twins was on the market. Is yours a 38'? Where did you find this gem? Tell us more!

 

[O C Diver]

Congratulations on the new boat! Welcome to the forum!

Ted

 

[DHeckrotte]

She was listed on Yachtworld and elsewhere as a Fuhwa. Never the twain shall meet on a 'search'. She was advertised as a 39 but at the last moment of signing the Acceptance she suddenly became 10" shorter.

 

[Donsan]

I see it now. I was guilty of looking for Fu Hwa. No sure why the broker combined the name.

Nice looking boat. I was unaware they had made a 39' Europa style boat. I suspect she is really a 38' and the same hull as our DC.

 

[DHeckrotte]

I believe that she is 38'-2" or maybe 38'-7". I have not seen the definitive paperwork yet and the published lengths I've seen keep changing. The hull shape certainly looks like your DC. I won't mind the foot-worth of discounted docking and similar fees.

 

[BruceK]

Lots to learn! I now have about five minutes at the helm of a twin-engine boat, not a one anywhere near a fixed object.

I think you`ll find the transition from single to twins a lot easier than the reverse.

 

[BrianSmith]

Welcome aboard! Pretty boat, nice layout - you're gonna love it!

If your experience is anything like ours, you're going to love those Perkins 6.354's. Ours have about 6,000 hours, and still don't use any oil (literally less than a quart in 100 hours of operation for one, about a quart for the other), and are very easy to work on. Better than the Eveready bunny!

 

[DHeckrotte]

Our 6.354s apparently have about 1000 hours - in 32 years. Oil analysis was excellent. Hoses and clamps are original.

 

[BrianSmith]

Hoses and clamps are original.

You're gonna want to change that before getting more than a couple miles from home, obviously. I'm happy to share the maintenance schedule we've been using on ours, if you like. PM me, or email me at ba58smith@gmail.com

Brian

 

[DHeckrotte]

Indeed! Those clamps and hoses were on the 'critical' list of the surveyor's 'findings'. The selling company will be doing 'em before we take the boat home.

I would like to see your maintenance schedule. As Darwin noted for himself about the ways of the natural world, 'Our ignorance is profound!'