32' JOHN BROWN SAIL TRI W/NO MOTOR...

[stevelf]

OOops... that's JIM Brown...
Wasn't sure where to post this...

Hi, there, all-- my name is Steve and I have been lurking-- 1st time poster....

OK, please don't flame me here but I really would appreciate your various experience to help me make a good decision here...
First off, I am 58 yrs. old, a lifetime sailor-- mostly Nacra beachcats, a 5.5 meter my last boat, although I sold Morgans in MDR for years and sailed them A LOT..... but I am clearly a multi-hull guy, ideally.

I have been looking for a CHEAP way to enter into sailboat ownership for months now...
I have been offered a 32' Brown trimaran , basically for free at a local (not telling you, YET...! ) marina....
Issues are:

1) no motor-- I plan to use it as a SAILboat, somehow (Craigslist/ e-bay..??) acquiring a 10-15 horse outboard that I will figure a way to attach to the center transom, for navigating into marinas or getting out of trouble....

2) starrboard-side rot on the deck and vertical deckhouse section--- it's 3/8 ply, and I will fix this-- been in the carpentry trade for 40+ years now... you can gingerly walk on the deck at-present, but NEEDS TO BE REPLACED.... some leaking into the main cabin, not a lot, but some...

3) rough-looking-- haven't seen the bottom yet. I spent 2+ hours tap-tap-tapping the entire boat to check for dry rot. Only as above...

4) I am cash-strapped..... a bit.... They want the fees for taking out of the water, power-spraying it, and the time it takes me to sand/ paint the bottom and sides, which takes $$$$, and probably some surprises....

5) mainsail looks good, NO JIB....

That's it-- the boat has personality... if I could only find a "reasonable" live-aboard slip where I could focus on the fixing part (Bay area...), I could maybe swing this....

I appreciate your thoughts....

[Thumbs Up]

Walk away.

[pwratch]

You only think you're cash-strapped now. Wait 'til you take on a "free" plywood boat that's been neglected. THEN you'll know the meaning of strapped.

[capta]

I sailed a Brown 37' half way round the world and in no uncertain terms would I hesitate to recommend one of those to anyone. I know the 31'er, but not the 32' boat so I'm not sure if it's a 31' that the owner is stretching the length or not.
Does it have an outboard rudder? If so, I'd hang the outboard on that, on a slide, so it can be pulled up for sailing.
These boats are incredibly easy to repair, but you must use high grade marine ply and West System products, which are not cheap.
Used sails & bits & pieces are easily obtained through Ebay or the many used marine gear shops, now nationwide; use the internet.
Why worry about a slip, anchor out and save the money.
W/ over 6' of tide in the bay and more up the rivers, you only need to find a nice sandy spot to lay a tri and do half (1/3?) the bottom on each tide.
If you are as good a carpenter as you imply and can do good fiberglass work, and are the sort who finishes projects, then go for it.
Jim Brown has a construction manual for the boats that has every bit of information in it about his boat building techniques, including how to make his fantastic wind vane. Buy that and you'll be on your way.
Good sailing.

[stevelf]

thanks for your replies. Since posting this, I have found several greatly-informative threads on this subject on, what has become, my favorite website-- CF...!

I am in a holding pattern on this Brown 31'...(yes, the PO added a transom step which, with the stainless bowsprit turns it to a 32' ...).

I AM finding a fair share of legal liveaboard opportunities in the Bay area marinas, but am not so sure about eventually doing deck work w/ power tools at my slip....

I wish there was a cheaper way to check out the bottom for surprises. All checking of the ama interiors (other than the partial deck and deckhouse side rot) indicated no rot. And the same for the bilge area on the center section (sorry, whatever that's called......).
The boat needs some serious cleaning, of course...
Could be my new labour of love...

I know, no inboard engine... you must think I'm crazy-- but I feel I can deal with that...

Around and around and around we go.....

[Boatguy30]

If the bilge is dry and there is no rot in the frames or most importantly around the centerboard trunk and mast step, the bottom is likely fine. There maybe some issue with the external min-keel, but this is not structural. Its hard to imagine it has all the deck rot you mention without major other issues. I am very familiar with these boats and its rare to find one in great shape and rare to find issues in just one area.

[stevelf]

It seems all the dry rot damage is from moisture from rain-- small leaks over time while the boat was sitting and the problems not being addressed.

I will check more closely around the centerboard trunk from the inside as I can. There was some bilge/ oil in the main centerline bilge area, but I am hoping this is from when the engine was extracted. I guess I will self-bilge this and check further. Both amas are dry and no rot on the bottoms, although there is a flat at the botton that I can't see/feel/get to under...

The mast step is solid. There is a slit in the surface paint on one side of the mast step, but the wood underneath taps out as solid. Inside the cabin the mast does not go through to the floor, but stops maybe a foot or so after the cabin top. This "bulwark" that supports the bottom of the mast, from port to starboard is strong and no rot.
Gosh, I wish I could show it to you...
Thanks for reading...

[Boatguy30]

The bottom of the inner AMA should come to a V point with a fiberglass joint. there should be no flat floor as they were intended to be left mostly empty. Some people did add removable floor board in the center section.

[Cavalier MK2]

I'd suggest signing up at outrig.org and downloading the Searunner construction manual so you can understand what is behind some of what you are looking at. If it is a A-frame metal connective boat check very thoroughly where they enter the main hull. Water tends to get in the main strength bulkheads. Another important thing is to check the Stem head fitting for any movement and a good seal. If it wiggles there is rot that needs to be fixed. Other places are where the chainplates enter etc....All fixable but it adds up fast.

[stevelf]

I am trying to download a photo of the boat...may take me a few tries...

[stevelf]

all I could do to download this tiny photo..... I zoomed it on my screen but when I upload it, it shrinks....
But maybe somebody knows exactly what this boat is.... I guess a home-built Jim Brown design..?

[Maren]

Originally Posted by stevelf

1) no motor-- I plan to use it as a SAILboat, somehow (Craigslist/ e-bay..??) acquiring a 10-15 horse outboard that I will figure a way to attach to the center transom, for navigating into marinas or getting out of trouble....

2) starrboard-side rot on the deck and vertical deckhouse section--- it's 3/8 ply, and I will fix this-- been in the carpentry trade for 40+ years now... you can gingerly walk on the deck at-present, but NEEDS TO BE REPLACED.... some leaking into the main cabin, not a lot, but some...

3) rough-looking-- haven't seen the bottom yet. I spent 2+ hours tap-tap-tapping the entire boat to check for dry rot. Only as above...

4) I am cash-strapped..... a bit.... They want the fees for taking out of the water, power-spraying it, and the time it takes me to sand/ paint the bottom and sides, which takes $$$$, and probably some surprises....

5) mainsail looks good, NO JIB....

That's it-- the boat has personality... if I could only find a "reasonable" live-aboard slip where I could focus on the fixing part (Bay area...), I could maybe swing this.....

Steve,

Do yourself a favor and post this to the Searunner thread.

But hitting your points in order:

1) Good idea but you may find you have a set of limitations you hadn't anticipated. As for putting the motor on the transom, that's not so good. It was the original design but it was changed.

2) Capta is right about the ease of repair, except the cost of the SCM. It was re-edited and is available for free. I know this because I'm the one that did it.

3-5) no way to help with those.

Make sure the centerboard is fully functional and moves freely. That said, I think pwratch has a point. There simply is a cost to ownership of a boat, any boat. Often that's fairly significant.

[stevelf]

Thanks, Maren for the re-post suggestion, which I just did-- hope that's not breaking any rules....

[Cavalier MK2]

A friend suggested these steps in a tight spot. 3-5 elbow grease, haul on a beach, wash with saltwater, use sand on the tough spots rinse fresh. Paint the topsides with GOOD latex after sanding and rinsing fresh- pack in those buckets. Spread tarps under the boat at all times especially when you do the bottom and properly dispose of all waste. #6 treat the searunner forum with caution and a large grain of salt. There are years of boat life after Johnson....If it is free and basically sound just get on with it. If it turns out to be too much keep the paper work in order, give it away for a beer and keep looking. At all times keep enough funds for titles and tabs. Do the deck work at anchor, sweep up not overboard etc......Find used sails, they are inexpensive and learning to cut and sew can be fun. Last step-Go sailing instead of dreaming about it.

[stevelf]

I actually like the suggestion to beach it to inspect the hulls. There's probably a clever way to do that and not sandbag myself...