Searunner 31 on eBay

[IceDog]

I noticed a Searunner 31 in California for sale on EBAY last week with a min bid of $14,000. It just relisted with a min bid of $10,000. If I was in California, I would go and look at it, but it would be stupid for me to buy a boat now while I'm still in the desert . I would also have to get it to Costa Rica. I have heard a lot of good things about the Searunner 31 though so if anyone is looking for one, it might be worth checking into. I had some crazy thoughts about demounting the amas and shipping it by container or even putting it on a trailer with the amas demounted and towing it down there. However I sold my truck and trailer when I moved to Costa Rica...Basically the costs of shipping and Costa Rica import taxes would be prohibitive. If I were there right now and ready to use the boat it might feel different.
I am curious about a few things with the boat. The current owner says "EXCELLENT PROFESSIONAL CONSTRUCTION I WAS TOLD IN WAS BUILT IN BROWN'S SHOP AT THE TIME. FINDING A BROWN OF THIS QUALITY AND COMPLETENESS IS JUST ABOUT IMPOSSIBLE FROM WHAT I CAN SEE."
Did Brown ever have a shop that built Searunners?
Is composite construction the typical hull construction method for the Searunners and is that epoxy over plywood?
What are your impressions of the boat if you checked it out on EBAY?
Thanks

[roverhi]

When we were in SoPac in the '70s, the Browns were the most common boat, multi or mono. There were a few of the 31s but most were in the 38'-40' range. All were glass over ply construction. Most used epoxy resin though at least one was built using polyester resin. These boats were too new to give any long term idea how they'd hold up. All the owners were happy with their boats. One of the 31s had been built in Sweden and a 40' built in England and sailed to SoPac on their way around the world. Lost track of them in NZ and don't know if they ever completed the trip.

[clockwork orange]

That one on ebay looks like a good deal,as roverhi said,they are glass over ply,they have a composite chine in as much as there is no chine log but raher a stringer each side a few inches away from the corner and glass is laid up in the gutter,then rounded over on the outside and glass taped creating a soft chine. Its a good system that i havnt seen on any other boat. The term Composite gets thrown around rather loosly these days but it used to be used to describe carvel planking over metal frames and floors. Down under they have a term, GOP which stands for, wait for it....Glass over ply, i like that. I dont know if Jim Brown ever had a commercial boatbuilding operation.
Steve.