Think I Found Her . . .

[capt_douglas]

Just got back from a very long look at a Tayana 37 cutter, and I'm more than interested. She's a 1980 model and well maintained for being 29+. She's got a few problems but overall, she has got me thinking long and hard.

She comes with a nice Alpha 3000 AP, Garmin 210GPS, Raymarine C80, 1990s vintage radar, RIB and OB, davits, 1200W inverter, and teak decks. The AC is destined for the surplus store and she's got 4000+ hours on the 4-108, but there's tons of storage, a wonderful varnished interior, and most of the things necessary to cruise and work on her. The nav instruments are probably original so they'll have to go and the VHF only has 16 channels.

Sails are so-so and that'll probably mean replacing the main and staysail and she could use some exterior varnish. About the only downsides are a leak in the head via the dorado, a questionable chain plate, and OEM teak decks, complete with screws and missing bungs (but what am I going to do in those great anchorages when it's the 20th and I won't have any more money until the 1st?).

After nearly 2 years of looking, this may be my new home. Negotiations will certainly follow.

[hummingway]

I hope it goes well Douglas. Good luck!

[NotQuiteLost]

Was just perusing a few of those 37's yesterday. They look like a good project if you find one in a bit of distress. I've only heard good things about their performance on the water, and there were a few deals I was able to find that looked like primarily sweat equity types.

Hope the survey goes well

[sabray]

replacing 4-108 15,000 new sails 6,000. head leak $500 chainplate ahh 1980 rigging $6000. replace hoses that are how old thru hulls okay? then lines blocks etc... Tanks fuel and water? water pump bilge pump and on it goes. Not to scare you but hope you thought thru all these.

[Butler]

Congratulations Capt. Douglas. The Tayana's have a great rep... should make a wonderful home and adventure partner!

[NotQuiteLost]

Originally Posted by sabray

replacing 4-108 15,000 new sails 6,000. head leak $500 chainplate ahh 1980 rigging $6000. replace hoses that are how old thru hulls okay? then lines blocks etc... Tanks fuel and water? water pump bilge pump and on it goes. Not to scare you but hope you thought thru all these.

Only people with truly large budgets can afford refits in the industrialized world, using licensed/bonded professionals. If you've got the cash, great! It's a big-time 'peace of mind' bonus if you can afford the 100% parts cost in labor to repair/install all the replacement gear you'll need. No question you need to get a quality survey done, to make sure you know which problems are critical and which ones can be put on hold a bit.

I brought my 65' steel boat here to the Philippines, and have averaged probably two full-time workers on it for about one year. That's total, including a 'boat boy' as they call them here, which is a guy who knows all of the routine maintenance for the diesels, re-paints the parts of the boat that need re-painting and does a fantastic job with the wood inside and out. He also pulls the hook and gets away from shore if there's weather coming in, without needing my immediate assistance.

My total cost has been somewhere around $1500/month parts and labor, all told, for sitting here with all that labor going into the restoration (including re-painting the entire exposed bilges, grinding and re-painting the entire topside, re-painting the sticks, significant sail maintenance, re-working all paneling inside, medium level electrical repair/re-wiring, sand and varnishing all exterior wood). Essentially everything works now the way it's supposed to (I do need to replace my generator's heat exchanger or manifold, not sure which yet) and I'm due for a full bottom paint job. That's it. The rest is just standard, going forward maintenance. I can't imagine you'd spend even half of that for a boat a third the size like the 37' Tayana.

So if you're like me and have an adventurous spirit, why not just fix the things that need fixing (chainplates sounds like an absolute must) and then bring the boat somewhere you don't have to pay $50-100/hour for professional assistance. Here, you can have good people full-time for $100-200/month (basic labor is $50-100/month plus food), and local specialists are like $10/day (electronics repairmen, true-blue diesel mechanics, etc..).

If you've got a $100k budget, and are buying a project boat for $30k, you can do it all there. But if you've got $50k and you want the same boat, you probably either need to do the work yourself, or go to a place where labor is cheap enough to blunt force power your way through most problems.

[zeehag]

awesome!! tayana is a very good boat-- the project is well worth the effort and investment.

for the record--i replaced my 4-108 for4 2500 dollars and 3 loaves of fresh home made bread.
my deck problems were found to be a backing plate-- yours could well be fine-- ye never know until ye dig in-- tayanas are good heavy cruisers with a good rep-- i would do it--hell--i am doing it with a formosa 41-- at least YOU are somewhat SANE !!!!
just do a lot yourself or find the proper worker for the job in a dumpster-that is easier than you think. and MUCH less pricey than many believe ... i KNOW. mine was told me 150k dollars and 5 yrs of work.LOL
i am coming out with 10 k purchase plus 2500 engine . 3 loaves of bread(labor), 1 yr of cruising in installers boat in gulf of mexico(i win this one!!) and the price of packing gland, less than 1k for deck plate and windlass r&r.....rebuild bulkhead-- a beeter car and feeding the carpenter. i am not gonna need the dang car anymore when i leave-- he will--i bought it for 750-- giving it to him for essentially 200 is a deal for each of us. there are so may ways to convert things and consultations and charitable deeds for the work you need to have done. if you truly want the boat--anything is possible. and formuch less than predicted... i do know.....the writer above me wrote about spending 1500per month on that project--i have invested a total of less than 5000 dollars with an initial investment of 10k purchase price, for a 41 ft heavy displacement cruiser with electronics and new engine and repaired deck and replaced and spare chain plates and brand new packing gland.
YES!!!!! not only is it DOABLE is BEING DONE by others right now, right here(and-by a GURL!!!). and on limited income--and the result is awesome.perfect.
so there's more than one way to correctly and comfortably restore a heavy displacement cruiser for personal use.
sloop--rigging could well be 1500dollars, heavy use considered. (was told my ericson 35mII would eb 1200, but that was family pricing-- so i added a coupla dollars---would be a round there--- no more than 3k. less if you do it yourself. what better way to know how to fix a failure at sea?
]
i find my stainless in an industrial metal shop--then have a friend punch them for me. reduces the cost from -i have been told anywhere from 2k$per each (OMG) to 200 dollars per each--to a total of less than 10 dollars each. lol. i am a gurlee-- anyone can do this. do the work yourself and learn your boat as you really should, in the event of any system failure while at sea. isnt expensive that way. get even better results by self doing-- the hired worker doesnt care if your boat is perfect--- but YOU do.....

there are more ways to save-- i cant list here as is way too long as it is---just remember my end product--a heavy displacement seaworthy blue water cruiser , equipped, for 15000$, against the reported 150,000$--LOL--I WIN!!!!!!!

btw--my budget is nonexistent-but is doable despite that small hurdle.

[ShipShape]

Tayana glassed in the chain plates on the 37's and they are all having issues with crevice corrosion. If her chain plates haven't all been replaced then she has more than one questionable chain plate. Join the Tayana Owner's Group and check out the archives about this. http://groups.google.com/group/tognews

[Anomaly]

Originally Posted by zeehag

for the record--i replaced my 4-108 for4 2500 dollars and 3 loaves of fresh home made bread.

I can/do bake bread and I have a 4-108 that's a candidate for replacing. How do I find one of the replacements you mentioned?

[slight thread hijack over]

[NotQuiteLost]

Originally Posted by zeehag

the writer above me wrote about spending 1500per month on that project--i have invested a total of less than 5000 dollars with an initial investment of 10k purchase price, for a 41 ft heavy displacement cruiser with electronics and new engine and repaired deck and replaced and spare chain plates and brand new packing gland.

I guess I should also mention that this has been the total cost of keeping the boat here, while I've been off roaming the jungle, so that is all-inclusive for a big steel boat that essentially hadn't had a hand on her for about seven years prior to a solo Pacific crossing which broke the usual amount of stuff.

But Zee's right. You can absolutely do an amazing amount of work without spending huge money, if you are willing to get creative. I guess I've not quite advanced to her level of cruiser, and still prefer to fire and forget a lot of my problems.

The really beautiful thing about a 37' boat like the Tayana you're looking at is that getting work done, haul-outs, etc.. is going to be much easier than on a big behemoth that makes the travelift (and its operators) tremble. Smaller, more available rigging and other mechanical parts is a huge plus, also.

[Capt Phil]

Sound like a winner, Cap'... good luck and smooth sailing... Capt Phil

[zeehag]

Originally Posted by NotQuiteLost

I guess I should also mention that this has been the total cost of keeping the boat here, while I've been off roaming the jungle, so that is all-inclusive for a big steel boat that essentially hadn't had a hand on her for about seven years prior to a solo Pacific crossing which broke the usual amount of stuff.

But Zee's right. You can absolutely do an amazing amount of work without spending huge money, if you are willing to get creative. I guess I've not quite advanced to her level of cruiser, and still prefer to fire and forget a lot of my problems.isnt my level of cruiser-is my level of income vs reality and motivators and having to stay in one place vs freedom to sail....

The really beautiful thing about a 37' boat like the Tayana you're looking at is that getting work done, haul-outs, etc.. is going to be much easier than on a big behemoth that makes the travelift (and its operators) tremble. Smaller, more available rigging and other mechanical parts is a huge plus, also.

yes--i will have to pay for 48 ft 28000pound displaced full keel and you only do so for 37 plus sprit-- i think is 41 or so.under 50 is good. mine is close, when admeasured with mizzen boom in place.

[imagine2frolic]

NotQuiteLost,

Where in the Phils are you? My goal was to be there this coming winter, but I am delayed a year.

I am always amazed at the cost some people throw out too. If you are in the states, and do none of your own work. These numbers exist. I have painted, rigged, swapped motors, installed solar, radar, hull repair on cold molded, and the list goes on. If you can tune ann old car, and change it's oil. Then you can do most work yourself. Canvas, and cushions I have had done, but it's next on my list to learn. The hardest part for most people is having the oppurtunity to get away from work to accomplish these task

I knew nothing about these jobs listed, but unless I want to be a prisoner to the yard. Then I had to learn them. By learning you will become self suffecient while cruising, if cruising is your choice. If you have deep pockets, and go the yard route. Then bless you for helping the economy even more at the rate of $90.00 +, or -.........i2f

[Capt Phil]

Just because folks have deep pockets doesn't mean they can't learn and enjoy messing around boats. An old client of mine bought a 65 foot power boat and with absolutely NO experience over a 4 year period mastered every system aboard during her refit. There wasn't a mechanical, electrical or plumbing system he couldn't trouble shoot and repair. Electronics were a bit beyond him (me as well!) and he never quite go the hang of navigation or driving her but he knew his boat inside out. When he did have marine repair people come aboard to install or repair anything, they learned quickly to do a fast, efficient job or they were off the boat! She was no dock queen either, several trips up and down the west coast and well cared for... Capt Phil

[sneuman]

Capt. Douglas - Tayana 37s are great (and I am bias!).

-- Black iron tanks or have they been replaced?
-- Chainplates and deck will need to be redone (I am just finishing the deck recore on mine; chainplates are the next project). The soft decks can wait if necessary, but be vigilant on the chainplates.

Those are the main concerns.

She does remarkably well in light air, due to the pretty hefty SA/D ratio. FYI - A T37 won the Baja Ha ha this year!