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ZULU40 · 23-05-2018, 14:02

on what I see
no

Tillsbury · 23-05-2018, 14:10

Those photos scream "run away" to me. As Steadman said above, the fresh hull paint is suspicious, with a boat of that price. I'm guessing the hull isn't glass over wood, it's actually paint over problems.

If you're still interested, then absolutely get an experienced marine surveyor to do a full inspection. You should be able to request that the surveyor will walk after finding a certain level of "run away", and that way you won't be up for the entire cost of a full survey -- unless the surveyor believes the boat to be worthwhile.

captlloyd · 23-05-2018, 18:35

Find a good surveyor and go with what he recommends. If he says the hull has life left in it, #1 pass. Then get a mechanic to test run the engine, if he says the engine has life left in it, #2 pass. Buy the boat. I just looked and I have 670 posts. If I had 671 that would have been a very good omen for you.

Scout 30 · 23-05-2018, 19:09

As usual Steadman's advice is sound. In today's market sailboats offer the most bang for the buck. The boat you are considering may be tempting but you'll be in over your head the moment you buy it and when it comes time to sell you'll wish you'd bought a fiberglass boat. Of course any trawler under $10,000 will be a big project but if you are looking for a trawler with a fiberglass hull at that price it is possible. You can find old Taiwan built Marine Traders or something similar for that but they will need a lot of work. The good news is it's usually due to leaking decks & windows which is labor intensive but something you can fix yourself if you've got the time and drive. You may also need to do some wiring & plumbing. One bad thing is leaking tanks, usually iron, are common & are a real job to replace. The biggest thing is the engine. They are usually Ford Lehmans or Perkins & you need to have a mechanic check it out because the motor is worth more than the boat. I'd look for a boat with a single diesel just because it's less maintenance & less cost to rebuild or replace when the time comes but a good deal on one with twins would work. Here's an example of a project that would more suit your needs as long as the engines are sound. The asking price is $23,000 but I'll bet 10K or even 5 would buy it. Remember, you don't own your posessions, they own you. Taking a project like this off his hands will be a huge relief for the seller and create a huge burden for you. I don't recommend it.

https://eastnc.craigslist.org/boa/d/...592782322.html

Scout 30 · 23-05-2018, 19:25

Quote:

Originally Posted by captlloyd

Find a good surveyor and go with what he recommends. If he says the hull has life left in it, #1 pass. Then get a mechanic to test run the engine, if he says the engine has life left in it, #2 pass. Buy the boat. I just looked and I have 670 posts. If I had 671 that would have been a very good omen for you.

Recommending that someone with 4 kids, soon to be 6, & very limited resources buy a big wooden trawler is about as irresponsible as it gets. We all know what it's like to have the boat bug but risking financial ruin when you've got a lot of kids is a BAD IDEA!

Terra Nova · 23-05-2018, 19:27

Don't waste your money on any surveys. Run.

gulfcoastsailor · 23-05-2018, 22:06

I hate to be blunt, but boat ownership is not for everyone. Enjoy your areas beautiful coastline on OPB (that’s Other Peoples Boats). Keep your $10K for chartering and buying fuel for your friends boat when they take your family on an excursion.

Cadence · 24-05-2018, 07:44

I hope the OP takes all of the advise about it being an ill-conceived under funded idea.

malbert73 · 24-05-2018, 07:59

Quote:

Originally Posted by Terra Nova

Don't waste your money on any surveys. Run.

Agree. You’ll be out 1500 dollars and likely will be walking away.

Only way this boat is worth considering is if you have enough wood boat and diesel engine knowledge to do a prelim survey yourself and find that everything is better than ok.
Soooo many fiberglass boats out there to be bought cheap. Your budget will make all of this challenging

Drew13440 · 24-05-2018, 08:23

Take the 10k and buy a (much) smaller fiberglass boat with a planing hull. You can probably find one with a small cuddy cabin at this price point. Kids love tubing and waterskiing.

Sailmonkey · 24-05-2018, 08:36

Fiberglass over an old wood hull screams ROT!!

Beyond your purchase cash, what is your monthly budget for maintenance? Do you have the extra 300-700+. A month for a slip? Are you prepared to spend $2000+ every other year to haul out and renew the bottom pair (assuming the wood underneath the glass doesn’t rot first)?

RSB333 · 24-05-2018, 13:39

Beware of Bargain Boats.

My own cost $10k and have now spent $15k on replacements and repairs.

If you have little experience, a wooden boat is not the place to start. It requires considerable skill to maintain - at $95/hr. at the yard.

A smaller fiberglass trawler will handle your family.

Good luck!
RSB:

Capt Jerry · 25-05-2018, 07:12

I think the other posts have provided some good advice. I would like to say that a newer designed 32 - 35 footer might not only have fewer problems, but provide more useable space. I have seen 32' Carver aft cabin cruisers from the 80's in the $12K to $15K range that were in decent shape, and would probably have as much space as the trawler you are looking at. You can't go offshore much, but you said you didn't plan to go out very far anyway.

Also, I am suspicious as to the reason for the fiberglass over the wood. Could mean they have covered up problems.

Miz Pea · 28-05-2018, 00:08

You are buying your first boat.

Ten grand for a trawler means you will need at minimum thirty grand and lots of time & elbow grease to make it seaworthy and safe. Can you replace all of the wiring on an old boat?

This is nothing like buying a used car for ten grand. Used cars for ten grand are generally reliable; used old inexpensive trawler-type boats for ten grand are NOT, unless you stumble across a miracle.

Old wood boats that are safe and seaworthy are very rare, and all wood boats require much more time spent on maintenance, compared to fiberglass boats. Please don't ever buy a fiberglass-over-wood-boat. The wood is rotting.

And fiberglass boats also need lots of time spent on maintenance. Especially a trawler-type of boat with liveaboard facilities. Every piece of equipment, from engine to toilet to generator to steering to windlass, requires ongoing maintenance. The maintenance is necessary for safety.

You have a dream. A really cool dream. I agree with the earlier comment, start out with a smaller boat. Learn. Find out how much it costs to keep and upkeep a boat. If you fall in love with boating, there will be a liveaboard boat some day in your future.