After 20+ candidates, 3+ months of searching, and a month of negotiations, I closed the deal on my first trawler.
I had several items that formed the selection criteria - Mechanical Condition, Cosmetic Condition, ease of maintenance, Size and layout, and price.
After about the 5th boat I looked at, It became clear to me that every boat is a compromise of one kind or another. One of the items that I knew that I didn't want was Teak Decking. Its pretty, but it really dug into my mind that every 12 inches on each plank theres a screw holding it to the deck underneath thats eventually going to leak. No thanks.
Making that decision alone narrowed the scope of my search quite a bit.
The other thing that I paid close attention to was the interior paneling around the hatches and windows. I saw lots of boats that leaked like sieves in the wet weather. This boat had no evidence of leaking around the windows.
I actually looked at my boat 4 times before I made an offer on her. The previous owner bought her from the original owner in 1997. The first time I pulled the floor hatches and examined the engine bay it was evident that both of them took especially good care of the mechanical systems on board.
There were a few things that I had questions about, but unfortunately the PO had passed away leaving the boat to his widow. It sat for about 2 years without any use or care before being put up for sale, and it sat another year at the sales dock with nary an offer because of the asking price.
The Good:
It had a perkins 125hp engine with 2500 hrs on it in excellent condition, it had my coveted fiberglass decks, new electronics, a spacious mahogany interior (in need of a good scrubbing), Complete Canvas, and a new dickinson stern thruster with dual controls.
The Not as good:
It needed deferred maintenance - The batteries were shot. The bottom needed to be done, Gelcoat blisters were found on the survey, there was a leak at the radar mast, the heads were shot, the brightwork was pretty sad, and it was generally kinda scruffy looking. On the sea trial, if I held the engine at WOT for more than 5 minutes the temperature would start to climb. at 100 rpm under wot it was fine, so I think it might be a little overpropped.
However underneath the scruffyness I could see the potential. With attention to the bottom, and cosmetic sweat equity she could be really gorgeous.
Shes currently in the air at the yard - the second coat of bottom paint was applied today following the blister repair. I went with Trinidad SR.
I've replaced the starting 8d as well as all 8 US 2200 6 volt house batteries with new. Hopefully the new ones will last a while. The boat has a new Xantrex Freedom 25 inverter charger, so I'm in good shape there.
I had one through hull replaced, and another one added for the air conditioner/heater that I will be installing soon.
More soon -
-C
