1980s trawlers

[paulga]

recently I saw an Albin from the mid 1980s, it is not in the $100k class. On the plus side, it has
• low hours twin cummins 210hp, presumably they have been rebuilt but no rebuilt log is available
• westerbeke genset ~2k hours
• twin aluminum fuel tanks upgraded by the current owner

the downside is the owner clearly has skipped some non material maintenance, e.g. the oil coat has long eroded away on the helm on the bridge, the hand rails, door/windows frames, leaving bare teak. engine dashboard looks decades old, glass cover on some gauges have broken away.

some immediate concerns include:

• depth sounder plastic cover is cracked and the sounder likely is not working
• no gps or chart plotter
• leaky windows indicated by discolored veneers/bent wood beam. one window on cabin's port side was leaking so visually that the underneath veneer was still wet with rain waters
• mildew dots and areas on vinyl celing










Is this the typical true image of a 1980s Taiwanese trawler, or should it be much better if the owner had performed due diligence?

I have no easy access to the outside of most of the leaky locations, even if the boat is on land. those veneers do not appear easily disassembled. Does it require a small fortune to bring this one to a presentable condition? Realistically, where to find whom that can provide the repairs at a reasonable price?

 

[CharlieO.]

Some are better than others. I would not buy a Leaky Teakie if I was going to pay someone else to dig into the woodwork and cosmetic repairs. I am working on some of these issues but do all the work myself.

Just wait until you pull back the layers.

 

[PhilPB]

recently I saw an Albin from the mid 1980s, it is not in the $100k class. On the plus side, it has
• low hours twin cummins 210hp, presumably they have been rebuilt but no rebuilt log is available
• westerbeke genset ~2k hours
• twin aluminum fuel tanks upgraded by the current owner

the downside is the owner clearly has skipped some non material maintenance, e.g. the oil coat has long eroded away on the helm on the bridge, the hand rails, door/windows frames, leaving bare teak. engine dashboard looks decades old, glass cover on some gauges have broken away.

some immediate concerns include:

• depth sounder plastic cover is cracked and the sounder likely is not working
• no gps or chart plotter
• leaky windows indicated by discolored veneers/bent wood beam. one window on cabin's port side was leaking so visually that the underneath veneer was still wet with rain waters
• mildew dots and areas on vinyl celing

View attachment 139655

View attachment 139656

View attachment 139657

View attachment 139658


Is this the typical true image of a 1980s Taiwanese trawler, or should it be much better if the owner had performed due diligence?

I have no easy access to the outside of most of the leaky locations, even if the boat is on land. those veneers do not appear easily disassembled. Does it require a small fortune to bring this one to a presentable condition? Realistically, where to find whom that can provide the repairs at a reasonable price?

It's a 40 year old boat. I've easily put more than 200% over what I paid for mine 1.5 years ago. Not all necessary bit there's always an upgrade!

 

[Comodave]

The concerns you posted are not major if you are DIY capable. The good is the Cummins engines are great. The fuel tanks are a big bonus. Are the decks teak? If they are there is probably bad core in the decks. That can be fixed but it is just hard physical work, not too difficult technically. The stained teak paneling is very difficult to fix unless you paint it. First stop the leaks then paint the paneling. It depends on the asking price if it is a good deal or not. But the engines and fuel tanks are big pluses.

 

[psneeld]

I owned an 80's Albin that was not taken care of. It exhauted me after a decade of constant work and easily cost in repairs what I paid for initially. It was a good boat when I was done, but it was far from "maintenance free" now. I did 100% of all the work... bottom stripping and glassing, all electrical and plumbing, new master bath shower and exterior wall/storage area, all the deck replacement/fixing, etc...etc...etc....etc...etc...etc... the new owner has renamed the model after me because it is so far from the factory model.

If you suspect neglected maintenance on any of these 80's Taiwan trawlers, stand by for all kinds of hidden problems.

Newer engines are a good thing, but only part of the problems you get with these older trawlers.

Ones in good shape and well maintained are going to cost 2X or more, but are a different story. They may fit many peoples budget and time to fix...otherwise I would never do it again or recommend to anyone else unless they want a new hobby (fixing the boat) and lifestyle (fixing the boat during and between cruising.)

 

[PhilPB]

recently I saw an Albin from the mid 1980s, it is not in the $100k class. On the plus side, it has
• low hours twin cummins 210hp, presumably they have been rebuilt but no rebuilt log is available
• westerbeke genset ~2k hours
• twin aluminum fuel tanks upgraded by the current owner

the downside is the owner clearly has skipped some non material maintenance, e.g. the oil coat has long eroded away on the helm on the bridge, the hand rails, door/windows frames, leaving bare teak. engine dashboard looks decades old, glass cover on some gauges have broken away.

some immediate concerns include:

• depth sounder plastic cover is cracked and the sounder likely is not working
• no gps or chart plotter
• leaky windows indicated by discolored veneers/bent wood beam. one window on cabin's port side was leaking so visually that the underneath veneer was still wet with rain waters
• mildew dots and areas on vinyl celing

View attachment 139655

View attachment 139656

View attachment 139657

View attachment 139658


Is this the typical true image of a 1980s Taiwanese trawler, or should it be much better if the owner had performed due diligence?

I have no easy access to the outside of most of the leaky locations, even if the boat is on land. those veneers do not appear easily disassembled. Does it require a small fortune to bring this one to a presentable condition? Realistically, where to find whom that can provide the repairs at a reasonable price?

Presentable condition and Mechanical condition are two different things. As has already been mentioned, getting an older boat requires DIY time, DIY capabilities and cash to throw at it (always more than you think). Also older boats are a bit harder to insure. Not trying to be negative, just realistic. I had a survey when I bought mine (as well as a mechanic familiar with the boat I bought) so there were fewer surprises.

 

[paulga]

The concerns you posted are not major if you are DIY capable. The good is the Cummins engines are great. The fuel tanks are a big bonus. Are the decks teak? If they are there is probably bad core in the decks. That can be fixed but it is just hard physical work, not too difficult technically. The stained teak paneling is very difficult to fix unless you paint it. First stop the leaks then paint the paneling. It depends on the asking price if it is a good deal or not. But the engines and fuel tanks are big pluses.

all teak deck. Under the teak is fiber glass. I walked around and didn't feel a soft spot. that may indicate no bad or rotted core.

 

[paulga]

I owned an 80's Albin that was not taken care of. It exhauted me after a decade of constant work and easily cost in repairs what I paid for initially. It was a good boat when I was done, but it was far from "maintenance free" now. I did 100% of all the work... bottom stripping and glassing, all electrical and plumbing, new master bath shower and exterior wall/storage area, all the deck replacement/fixing, etc...etc...etc....etc...etc...etc... the new owner has renamed the model after me because it is so far from the factory model.

If you suspect neglected maintenance on any of these 80's Taiwan trawlers, stand by for all kinds of hidden problems.

Newer engines are a good thing, but only part of the problems you get with these older trawlers.

Ones in good shape and well maintained are going to cost 2X or more, but are a different story. They may fit many peoples budget and time to fix...otherwise I would never do it again or recommend to anyone else unless they want a new hobby (fixing the boat) and lifestyle (fixing the boat during and between cruising.)

yes, what I observed could be an iceberg above the waterline. a more expensive GB could have higher quality

 

[Mambo42]

I bought my Defever 49 about 2 years ago now and have put in more than double the amount I bought it for and am still not finished. By the time the boat is the way I want it to be I am going to be at triple the amount.
Will I get it back when I sell the boat ? Not really.
Will the boat give me the fun and pleasure I am looking for once it is finished ? Definitely

So I guess it comes down to a few simple questions:
1. Does this boat have the potential to become the boat you like when it is finished ?
2. Is the current price right for the condition you are buying it in ?
3. How much more money is required to get it into the state you find acceptable.
4. Do you want to spend the money on getting it there ?
5. Do you have that money ?
6. Do you have the energy and time to see that happen ?

If you can answer all those questions and still are enthousiastic about the boat.................maybe you should just buy it and start the journey.

 

[psneeld]

all teak deck. Under the teak is fiber glass. I walked around and didn't feel a soft spot. that may indicate no bad or rotted core.

My Albin had teak plywood main deck cores....several areas were saturated for who knows how long, but after removing the teak decks and reglassing the upper surface (not a fun job).... they dried out and were solid the day I sold the boat over 10 years later with only a small area that needed epoxy injection.

So some problems discussed on the net turn out to be no big deal and others explode in your face...like the flybridge deck core which was the worst piece of engineering I ever say (at least on my boat it was a random array of teak block poorly secured with overheated polyester resin binder). Took 5X the effort/expense that the main decks did.

 

[paulga]

The concerns you posted are not major if you are DIY capable. The good is the Cummins engines are great. The fuel tanks are a big bonus. Are the decks teak? If they are there is probably bad core in the decks. That can be fixed but it is just hard physical work, not too difficult technically. The stained teak paneling is very difficult to fix unless you paint it. First stop the leaks then paint the paneling. It depends on the asking price if it is a good deal or not. But the engines and fuel tanks are big pluses.

the aluminum fuel tanks installation is not a small project. likely part of the engines/genset need to be removed first to get access to the sides.

the new tanks are not epoxy painted, so electrolytic erosion is a risk in the long run. I don't know why they skipped coal tar epoxy after already spending so much efforts.

 

[paulga]

I owned an 80's Albin that was not taken care of. It exhauted me after a decade of constant work and easily cost in repairs what I paid for initially. It was a good boat when I was done, but it was far from "maintenance free" now. I did 100% of all the work... bottom stripping and glassing, all electrical and plumbing, new master bath shower and exterior wall/storage area, all the deck replacement/fixing, etc...etc...etc....etc...etc...etc... the new owner has renamed the model after me because it is so far from the factory model.

If you suspect neglected maintenance on any of these 80's Taiwan trawlers, stand by for all kinds of hidden problems.

Newer engines are a good thing, but only part of the problems you get with these older trawlers.

Ones in good shape and well maintained are going to cost 2X or more, but are a different story. They may fit many peoples budget and time to fix...otherwise I would never do it again or recommend to anyone else unless they want a new hobby (fixing the boat) and lifestyle (fixing the boat during and between cruising.)

it's great you could work on plumbing and eletrical, wood panels.. these are expensive repairs. I consider myself as a handy person, but the DIY options on a boat are very limited for me (e.g. oil change). Of all those exploding at face problems, could you give a list of the most material ones so I could get a sense of what to expect?

 

[Comodave]

the aluminum fuel tanks installation is not a small project. likely part of the engines/genset need to be removed first to get access to the sides.

the new tanks are not epoxy painted, so electrolytic erosion is a risk in the long run. I don't know why they skipped coal tar epoxy after already spending so much efforts.

Lots of aluminum tanks are not coated. They still hold up pretty well as long as they were installed properly.

 

[Comodave]

all teak deck. Under the teak is fiber glass. I walked around and didn't feel a soft spot. that may indicate no bad or rotted core.

If they are screwed down teak decks there will be soft areas. With that many screw holes it is unrealistic to think that some of them are not leaking and therefore a soft core.

 

[Comodave]

With an 80s trawler there will be problems. The thing to do is find them and then prioritize them so to stop the bleeding, triage so to speak. Fix the things that are ruining the boat first, then do the feel good things like cosmetics.

 

[socalrider]

We have a 1979 CHB 41 trawler with teak decks. There's water damage and plywood veneer delamination under the forward salon windows, flybridge teak is in good shape but with tea stains down the side of the boat I know the teak ply core is wet. I recently got a quote from an Ensenada yard to remove the teak & glass/nonskid the deck: $25k, which is about 40% of what I paid for her. She could use a full paint job - that was quoted at $45k. I'm not sure she's worth that level of investment frankly.

But both of those jobs can be deferred, probably for a long long time. In the meantime, we get to enjoy her each year, and I enjoy puttering away at smaller projects. With Lehman 120 diesels, composting heads, and a single 12V battery bank, there's really not too much to go wrong. I did invest in a nice new Raymarine autopilot.

I think these old leaky teakies still have a lot to offer - in an ideal world you'd buy one from one of the previous posters who'd opened their wallet & poured their heart and soul into her for years. Realistically, you get the best one you can find. DIY is really helpful, not just for the $$ but also to avoid the hassle of having to find people who do good work in a timely manner.

 

[hollywood8118]

I caution listening to some that have 2 to three times what they paid for their boats. It's all relative, if they paid half or a third of a great boat of the same type it's a moot point. Whats better.. buying a boat now for less and learning while one adds value over time or saving up to buy the perfect boat years later and looking at the boats in marinas and missing out while one waits?
Hollywood

 

[psneeld]

it's great you could work on plumbing and eletrical, wood panels.. these are expensive repairs. I consider myself as a handy person, but the DIY options on a boat are very limited for me (e.g. oil change). Of all those exploding at face problems, could you give a list of the most material ones so I could get a sense of what to expect?

Far from the complete list, this I sent to people asking about me selling.....

*
1. Air conditioning 3 new 5/15/2015 Fore-6000BTU, Salon 16,000BTU, Master 9000BTU

2. Engine –
120HP Ford Lehman Rebuilt 2009 New oil coolers 11/1/2015, New Alternator 90Amp 2016 (spare new 2019…both bench checked 2020), new engine mounts withing 5 years, upgrade overflow 2017, 7/11/2017 head readone/new gasket, new Racors 2018 (4 spares), modernized secondary fuel fiter 08/2018, new injectors 2016, new dampner plate 6/2017, new injector pipes and o rings 2/2015, transmission checked and new seals 2017, new raw water pump 10/2019 spare needs new seals)

3. Maintenance log/Usage log kept but not greatly in depth.

4. Hauled Indiantown Summer 2020, 2 coats bottom paint 10/2020, new zincs….prior hauled in Brunswick Georgia, professional bottom paint 2 coats, new zincs. Diver reports paint in good condition except running gear 50% gone but norma
5. Thru hulls and sea cocks - All below the waterline new and upgraded 2012

6. Water heater Isotemp 8 gal 08/2014 never runs out, only 750 watt but fast recharge, keeps several days, Old tub out and new Shower pan/shower installed 05/2016

7. Fresh water pump working…typical small Shureflow that lasts a couple years, easy to replace and a little over $100 plus 3 gal pressure tank.

8. Raw water pump typical Blaster pump, 2018 or so

9. Electronics/navigational aids 7 inch Raymarine chart/sounder/radar 09/2013, small chartplotter sounder for bridge that doubles for dingy. I believe in laptop Navigator…cheap/free but the radar is a good one.

10. Windows/portholes seals replaced 09/.2012 …all 16 windows replaced with new , aluminum framed windows. No new leaks.

11. Hatch condition New manufactured hatches 02/2021

12. Heads – type, condition, both electric flush to Raritan Electroscan TYPE ! MSD plus holding tank (35 gal)…but both are homemade specials with normal seats…. got to understand to love

13. Tankage freshwater/fuel/holding - new fuel tanks 2013 total fuel 116 (300 mile range), fresh water stainless reconditioned/cleaned 2019 – 175-200 gallons), holding 35gal (est)

14. Galley items stove, fridge, microwave, storage – new Eno 3 burner top 09/2013 (underneath any toaster oven works great, pld ready for replacement 800 watt microwave. New Vitrifrigo fridge 09/2016, Old icebox turned into 12V beverage cooler 2014 , New Galley Faucet 2021

15. Batteries, age, type, Flybridge winch batt 2019, Engine start Batt 2019, generator start 2020, 6 6V Lead Acid Trojans 2 each 2014/2016/2018

16. 8KW Westerbeke, rebuilt generator end 8/8/17
circa 2017 100W Renology panels, Renology MPPT controller
2019 1500W Promariner inverter/charger

17. New Lofrans Tigres windlass 2019

18. New Bimini top 2020 (rebuilt frame from 3 bow to 4 bow)

19. New Hurley H2O Dingy Davits 2020, West Marine Hypalon 310 RIB 2015, 8hp Yamaha 2012

20. New 60lb Manson Supreme anchor 2012, new 200 ft BBB 5/16 chain 2011

21. 2014 40,000 BTU bus heater off engine with heat exchanger versus direct plumbing

22. 09/2014 40DT Scan marine Wallas diesel forced air heater (heats salon and master head/stateroom

23. All new 50 Amp service with completely new panels and AC wiring throughout boat plus ELCI proves no AC leak. 2015. New Elecric sevice over $3000 in parts (top of the line).

24. All new PEX plumbing 04/2014

25. Boat hauled out summer of 2020, no blisters as bottom gel coat ground off 2012, layer of 6 oz cloth and epoxy covered, proper Interlux Interprotect 2000 barrier coats put on, initial ablative paint started. Bottom was never faired so some depressions can be seen when out of the water, nothing when in, no performance issues. After initial purchase ground bottom off, did major glass repairs to severly hydrolyzed areas.

26. New cutlass bearing 2017

 

[PM]

Very typical of a Taiwan Trawler at that age. Now would be a good time to paint the teak and replace the electronics. Who wants old electronics anyway?

pete

 

[psneeld]

The estimated costs of professionals doing all the work I did to that boat was somewhere between $75,000 and $100,000..... probably more so no need to break out the materials but they would be in the 10% range except for replacement appliances which are costly vs labor and may or may not have to be replaced right after purchase.

Just going through all the major repair threads on this site will show the extent of labor involved. At over $100/hr labor at many yards, it is easy to shrink away from even estimating the costs (because of the typical upfront cost vs budget many have..... If buying a $2 mil Nordhavn then no a couple hundred thou in rehab might be expected).

One thing I do want to make clear is I wanted a safe boat so work was done to pro standards for structure wiring, etc...but "nice" workboat fit and finish was good enough for me and my plans.

Just the bottom job and decks were close to $50K at many yards.

Unless you are willing to DIY bottom grind and reglass then barrier coat plus tear off teak decks (main and flybridge), glass and repaint..... the coats soar quickly and even finding yards to do that work on an older boats seems to be diminishing every year along the ACIW.

 

[paulga]

Far from the complete list, this I sent to people asking about me selling.....

*
1. Air conditioning 3 new 5/15/2015 Fore-6000BTU, Salon 16,000BTU, Master 9000BTU

2. Engine –
120HP Ford Lehman Rebuilt 2009 New oil coolers 11/1/2015, New Alternator 90Amp 2016 (spare new 2019…both bench checked 2020), new engine mounts withing 5 years, upgrade overflow 2017, 7/11/2017 head readone/new gasket, new Racors 2018 (4 spares), modernized secondary fuel fiter 08/2018, new injectors 2016, new dampner plate 6/2017, new injector pipes and o rings 2/2015, transmission checked and new seals 2017, new raw water pump 10/2019 spare needs new seals)

3. Maintenance log/Usage log kept but not greatly in depth.

4. Hauled Indiantown Summer 2020, 2 coats bottom paint 10/2020, new zincs….prior hauled in Brunswick Georgia, professional bottom paint 2 coats, new zincs. Diver reports paint in good condition except running gear 50% gone but norma
5. Thru hulls and sea cocks - All below the waterline new and upgraded 2012

6. Water heater Isotemp 8 gal 08/2014 never runs out, only 750 watt but fast recharge, keeps several days, Old tub out and new Shower pan/shower installed 05/2016

7. Fresh water pump working…typical small Shureflow that lasts a couple years, easy to replace and a little over $100 plus 3 gal pressure tank.

8. Raw water pump typical Blaster pump, 2018 or so

9. Electronics/navigational aids 7 inch Raymarine chart/sounder/radar 09/2013, small chartplotter sounder for bridge that doubles for dingy. I believe in laptop Navigator…cheap/free but the radar is a good one.

10. Windows/portholes seals replaced 09/.2012 …all 16 windows replaced with new , aluminum framed windows. No new leaks.

11. Hatch condition New manufactured hatches 02/2021

12. Heads – type, condition, both electric flush to Raritan Electroscan TYPE ! MSD plus holding tank (35 gal)…but both are homemade specials with normal seats…. got to understand to love

13. Tankage freshwater/fuel/holding - new fuel tanks 2013 total fuel 116 (300 mile range), fresh water stainless reconditioned/cleaned 2019 – 175-200 gallons), holding 35gal (est)

14. Galley items stove, fridge, microwave, storage – new Eno 3 burner top 09/2013 (underneath any toaster oven works great, pld ready for replacement 800 watt microwave. New Vitrifrigo fridge 09/2016, Old icebox turned into 12V beverage cooler 2014 , New Galley Faucet 2021

15. Batteries, age, type, Flybridge winch batt 2019, Engine start Batt 2019, generator start 2020, 6 6V Lead Acid Trojans 2 each 2014/2016/2018

16. 8KW Westerbeke, rebuilt generator end 8/8/17
circa 2017 100W Renology panels, Renology MPPT controller
2019 1500W Promariner inverter/charger

17. New Lofrans Tigres windlass 2019

18. New Bimini top 2020 (rebuilt frame from 3 bow to 4 bow)

19. New Hurley H2O Dingy Davits 2020, West Marine Hypalon 310 RIB 2015, 8hp Yamaha 2012

20. New 60lb Manson Supreme anchor 2012, new 200 ft BBB 5/16 chain 2011

21. 2014 40,000 BTU bus heater off engine with heat exchanger versus direct plumbing

22. 09/2014 40DT Scan marine Wallas diesel forced air heater (heats salon and master head/stateroom

23. All new 50 Amp service with completely new panels and AC wiring throughout boat plus ELCI proves no AC leak. 2015. New Elecric sevice over $3000 in parts (top of the line).

24. All new PEX plumbing 04/2014

25. Boat hauled out summer of 2020, no blisters as bottom gel coat ground off 2012, layer of 6 oz cloth and epoxy covered, proper Interlux Interprotect 2000 barrier coats put on, initial ablative paint started. Bottom was never faired so some depressions can be seen when out of the water, nothing when in, no performance issues. After initial purchase ground bottom off, did major glass repairs to severly hydrolyzed areas.

26. New cutlass bearing 2017

These projects adds tons of value to an old boat. Amazing you did these by yourself. I appreciate you make it public with details.

just curious, what tools are needed for
1. lifting the teak decks, glass and noskid
2. Grind bottom, reapply glass then painting

and do these have to be completed before the rain comes if the boat is not in a roofed warehouse?

 

[Portage_Bay]

Having gone down the road of fixing up an older boat 3 times and cherry picking to my thinking the relevant parts of this thread.

It's a 40 year old boat. I've easily put more than 200% over what I paid for mine 1.5 years ago.


I owned an 80's Albin that was not taken care of. It exhauted me after a decade of constant work and easily cost in repairs what I paid for initially. If you suspect neglected maintenance on any of these 80's Taiwan trawlers, stand by for all kinds of hidden problems. So some problems discussed on the net turn out to be no big deal and others explode in your face

DIY capabilities and cash to throw at it (always more than you think).

I bought my Defever 49 about 2 years ago now and have put in more than double the amount I bought it for and am still not finished.

With the current boat I'm at 4 yrs of ownership and am at 2 X the purchase price in repairs and dealing with deferred maintenance. At the time of purchase it seemed to be in good shape for it's age. It surveyed well. i underestimate the work needed and overestimated my physical abilities. At this point it has been a journey of as much DIY as my body will tolerate. As I progress through my 70s and arthritis worsens I am able to do less and less of the heavy work.

That said we come to this quote.

Whats better.. buying a boat now for less and learning while one adds value over time or saving up to buy the perfect boat years later and looking at the boats in marinas and missing out while one waits?

A very good question. The answer will vary from person to person.

Here's how I would answer that today. It is not how you should answer, just my version. Hindsight being perfect I should have spent more. Bought a boat that didn't need as much work. I had offers to continue working part time, I could have made the payments on the more expensive boat. Had I seen the amount of work on the current boat coming and the $$$ to be spent as well as my diminishing ability to DIY that's the path I would have taken. But I wanted to retire, have my own boat and cruise. The result of the path I have taken is fewer, shorter cruises than I dreamed of making while I work on the boat. The result of the path of spending more and working longer would have been the same, fewer and shorter cruises than I dreamed of making but a lot less pain, physical and financial.

One big difference is that I would now own a newer boat that will be easier to sell when the time comes.

And then there is the reality of a newer boat. There aren't any boats that are inexpensive to maintain.

There is another option, one that I had considered and rejected. Pick up an older boat that has been let go. Soft decks, peeling veneer, older electronics, faded gel coat etc. Attend to the critical issues whatever they may be and go cruising. Damn what anyone thinks as they see you out on your old wreck enjoying cruising. A buddy has done that and gotten lots of good years out of his tired old boat.

 

[psneeld]

These projects adds tons of value to an old boat. Amazing you did these by yourself. I appreciate you make it public with details.

just curious, what tools are needed for
1. lifting the teak decks, glass and noskid
2. Grind bottom, reapply glass then painting

and do these have to be completed before the rain comes if the boat is not in a roofed warehouse?

Actually if you want to sell a older boat fast...they didn't add one cent to its value. By the time you find a guy to buy it or a broker to list it.... it eventually eats into that pot of money. The upgrades and new appliances with some assurance that your repairs are golden...just makes it easier to sell....but not so much at a higher price.

Crowbars, hammers and vice grips for the teak decks then good sander...probably a good belt sander would be nice and solvents.strong scrapers to help remove the bedding.

Not many boats will have the bottom damage that mine had...but some will.

Not sure how you avoid that other than don't buy a older glass boat that sits in warm water all year without routine hauls. Eve if you wanted to do major glass work o the bottom...VERY few yards will allow what I got away with. I spent a week washing 23 boats of up to 42 feet long up to 3X to get the bottom paint dust off them as it was staining them and the yard was getting ready to shrink wrap them. Fortunately no owners forced me to wax or pay for it before shrink wrapping and they all saw the pain the yard put me through and strengthened my rep around the yard for being a good guy (I was also the assistance tower and they all hated the yard manager who got fired the next year). So in 2 ways it was sorta worth it....

However...no..... no one but someone with decades of glassing experience should endeavor to reglass their entire bottom like I did solo. Prepping is one thing, trying to hang yards of glass upside down is not simple unless you have lots of experience...you will waste a ton of time and materials.

Rain isn't a great thing to hit wet epoxy...but as long as fast hardener is used in moderate temps...and you have 6 hours or so of drying time...it never seemed to bother my projects.

After 12 years of all the already listed work, I finally gave up...still a lot to be done and my body and mind were drained.... if I had another 10 years of serious cruising ahead...I might have kept the boat but it was starting to become a losing battle again...falling behind maintenance that I had almost caught up on.

I did have a decade of great cruising and living aboard full time... my rich friends that wouldn't stop working or succumbed to dirt life a little too much said I was living the dream...well it finally wore out its welcome on my energy and budget. Dockage and insurance became battles on their own.

My kids, family and friends are spread out and RVing at 60mph beats cruising a 6mph on several (but not all) levels.

Will I buy another cruising boat someday? Maybe...but only if I can afford (money and time) all the peripheral costs like insurance and docking fights plus pay for most maintenance, it's a faster vessel to make good cruising grounds and I find I really have the time to enjoy that and my annual RV visiting trips.

 

[paulga]

Very typical of a Taiwan Trawler at that age. Now would be a good time to paint the teak and replace the electronics. Who wants old electronics anyway?

pete

stopping the leak is more urgent. painting the teak would be a plus.

by electronics, do you refer to the engine dashboard gauges, gps and chart plotter? assuming the wires behind the dashboard panel are good to pro standards, where could I source a new dashboard that would fit?

 

[paulga]

Actually if you want to sell a older boat fast...they didn't add one cent to its value. By the time you find a guy to buy it or a broker to list it.... it eventually eats into that pot of money. The upgrades and new appliances with some assurance that your repairs are golden...just makes it easier to sell....but not so much at a higher price.

Crowbars, hammers and vice grips for the teak decks then good sander...probably a good belt sander would be nice and solvents.strong scrapers to help remove the bedding.

Not many boats will have the bottom damage that mine had...but some will.

Not sure how you avoid that other than don't buy a older glass boat that sits in warm water all year without routine hauls. Eve if you wanted to do major glass work o the bottom...VERY few yards will allow what I got away with. I spent a week washing 23 boats of up to 42 feet long up to 3X to get the bottom paint dust off them as it was staining them and the yard was getting ready to shrink wrap them. Fortunately no owners forced me to wax or pay for it before shrink wrapping and they all saw the pain the yard put me through and strengthened my rep around the yard for being a good guy (I was also the assistance tower and they all hated the yard manager who got fired the next year). So in 2 ways it was sorta worth it....

However...no..... no one but someone with decades of glassing experience should endeavor to reglass their entire bottom like I did solo. Prepping is one thing, trying to hang yards of glass upside down is not simple unless you have lots of experience...you will waste a ton of time and materials.

Rain isn't a great thing to hit wet epoxy...but as long as fast hardener is used in moderate temps...as long as you have 6 hours or so of drying time...it never seemed to bother my projects.

After 12 years of all the already listed work, I finally gave up...still a lot to be done and my body and mind were drained.... if I had another 10 years of serious cruising ahead...I might have kept the boat but it was starting to become a losing battle again...falling behind maintenance that I had almost caught up on.

I did have a decade of great cruising and living aboard full time... my rich friends that wouldn't stop working or succumbed to dirt life a little too much said I was living the dream...well it finally wore out its welcome on my energy and budget. Dockage and insurance became battles on their own.

My kids, family and friends are spread out and RVing at 60mph beats cruising a 6mph on several (but not all) levels.

Will I buy another cruising boat someday? Maybe...but only if I can afford (money and time) all the peripheral costs like insurance and docking fights plus pay for most maintenance, it's a faster vessel to make good cruising grounds and I find I really have the time to enjoy that and my annual RV visiting trips.

from your desc, these jobs are off limits to my DIY zone.

 

[Don L]

I think a lot of these threads overestimate the need for a "safe" boat. Lots of things get written as "needed" to make the boat safe, but aren't really about safety at all. Especially considering the conditions most people use their boats.

 

[psneeld]

Nothing is ever perfectly safe, what matters is what risk management mitigations are being used.

Low probability of a problem arising even when an outcome may be severe usually keep even "unsafe by reasonable definition" boats from killing or hurting their occupants.

Perfectly "safe" boats blow up or sink because of user error or oversight.

 

[catalinajack]

I bought my Defever 49 about 2 years ago now and have put in more than double the amount I bought it for and am still not finished. By the time the boat is the way I want it to be I am going to be at triple the amount.
Will I get it back when I sell the boat ? Not really.
Will the boat give me the fun and pleasure I am looking for once it is finished ? Definitely

So I guess it comes down to a few simple questions:
1. Does this boat have the potential to become the boat you like when it is finished ?
2. Is the current price right for the condition you are buying it in ?
3. How much more money is required to get it into the state you find acceptable.
4. Do you want to spend the money on getting it there ?
5. Do you have that money ?
6. Do you have the energy and time to see that happen ?

If you can answer all those questions and still are enthousiastic about the boat.................maybe you should just buy it and start the journey.

Wow! We sold our DeFever 44 for a bit more than what we paid for her 9 years earlier. We put maybe half of the original purchase price into her over the years. If I wanted to get back into boating, I would buy her back in an instant.

 

[psneeld]

Not uncommon for 2 identical model boats to be bought at vastly different prices then sold in completely different market conditions.

Some boats often do hold their value through reputation, some don't because while having the same "model name" built a bit differently (like my former Albin).

 

[paulga]

Actually if you want to sell a older boat fast...they didn't add one cent to its value. By the time you find a guy to buy it or a broker to list it.... it eventually eats into that pot of money. The upgrades and new appliances with some assurance that your repairs are golden...just makes it easier to sell....but not so much at a higher price.

Crowbars, hammers and vice grips for the teak decks then good sander...probably a good belt sander would be nice and solvents.strong scrapers to help remove the bedding.

Not many boats will have the bottom damage that mine had...but some will.

Not sure how you avoid that other than don't buy a older glass boat that sits in warm water all year without routine hauls. Eve if you wanted to do major glass work o the bottom...VERY few yards will allow what I got away with. I spent a week washing 23 boats of up to 42 feet long up to 3X to get the bottom paint dust off them as it was staining them and the yard was getting ready to shrink wrap them. Fortunately no owners forced me to wax or pay for it before shrink wrapping and they all saw the pain the yard put me through and strengthened my rep around the yard for being a good guy (I was also the assistance tower and they all hated the yard manager who got fired the next year). So in 2 ways it was sorta worth it....

However...no..... no one but someone with decades of glassing experience should endeavor to reglass their entire bottom like I did solo. Prepping is one thing, trying to hang yards of glass upside down is not simple unless you have lots of experience...you will waste a ton of time and materials.

Rain isn't a great thing to hit wet epoxy...but as long as fast hardener is used in moderate temps...and you have 6 hours or so of drying time...it never seemed to bother my projects.

After 12 years of all the already listed work, I finally gave up...still a lot to be done and my body and mind were drained.... if I had another 10 years of serious cruising ahead...I might have kept the boat but it was starting to become a losing battle again...falling behind maintenance that I had almost caught up on.

I did have a decade of great cruising and living aboard full time... my rich friends that wouldn't stop working or succumbed to dirt life a little too much said I was living the dream...well it finally wore out its welcome on my energy and budget. Dockage and insurance became battles on their own.

My kids, family and friends are spread out and RVing at 60mph beats cruising a 6mph on several (but not all) levels.

Will I buy another cruising boat someday? Maybe...but only if I can afford (money and time) all the peripheral costs like insurance and docking fights plus pay for most maintenance, it's a faster vessel to make good cruising grounds and I find I really have the time to enjoy that and my annual RV visiting trips.

Is "...to reglass the whole bottom" using fiberglass to repair damaged bottom? if there is no damage, so I only need to sand the bottom smooth, apply paint and biocide coats, this job will be much less demanding, right?