Going to purchase 1988 f32

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coverall
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Going to purchase 1988 f32

Post by coverall »

Just signed on today as a new member. We now have a sea ray mc21 and its to small for my 3boys. We are getting a survey done on the 1988 Trojan f32 and the sale will be complete upon the results. The owner had it for five years. We took it out on the river for a short run no virbrations, egine sounded strong and started right up. Hoses and belts looked new. There was some water in the engine compartment the owner said that the bilge pump is mounted on the side not in the bottom of the V. It does not have a genset but I have a Honda 2000 Gen. Is there anything I sould have any hesitations about?The price is $8000. It includes winter storage on blocks where it is now out of the water.
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Away On Busine$$
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Re: Going to purchase 1988 f32

Post by Away On Busine$$ »

Congrats! Love my '76 F32.
Season is short, we make the best of it.
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captainmaniac
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Re: Going to purchase 1988 f32

Post by captainmaniac »

I will throw a couple of things out there to consider...

Price seems a bit low to me for a good '88, so definitely get the survey to make sure you are not missing something. Make sure you are picking the surveyor, and not the seller!

People often get a mechanical inspection done pre-purchase as well, to make sure mechanical components are as they appear.

BIlge pumps in these boats are normally mounted on the centre line, perhaps on a small block so not in completely the lowest point. Are you saying it was sitting on blocks and was launched for the sea trial, or was in the water but is now hauled? Just trying to understand if the bilge water you saw accumulated over a long or short period of time, and whether it accumulated while in or out of the water? If there is any concern with the placement of bilge pumps, a good surveyor should highlight that.

The generator you are talking about is not 'marine' grade. There have been a few threads in the past debating the use of similar 'utility' generators. In my opinion, you should not use it, but some people are going to do what they are going to to... If you are going to use it, key considerations would be that it be set up in a way that exhaust cannot enter the cockpit or cabin. Don't put it in the cockpit, or on the foredeck, or on the flybridge. If anything, it should be on the swim platform, only used when the wind is on the bow, and windows or hatches opened in the boat to make sure the cockpit area does not become a negative air pressure zone and suck the exhaust back into the boat (the 'station wagon effect'). Don't use it on the platform if the wind is on the stern. Short form - you don't want carbon monoxide entering the boat. Preferably, if you really need AC when away from a shore power source, get a marine generator properly installed, or put in an inverter solution.

Having said all that, good luck with the survey, and hope she turns out to be as good as you think she is!
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Away On Busine$$
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Re: Going to purchase 1988 f32

Post by Away On Busine$$ »

Listen to this guy. captainmaniac great advice!
Season is short, we make the best of it.
coverall
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Re: Going to purchase 1988 f32

Post by coverall »

The boat is hauled out now, was in the water we took it for a short ride. He had it off shore a few weeks ago he said around 40 miles. We saw the water in the bilge when in the water about an inch with no oil mixed in it was clear. Now that it's out of the water I guess we can't do a mechanical survey? Our ears are open to any comments. We also never ran a twin and on a flybridge.
Thanks
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K4282
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Re: Going to purchase 1988 f32

Post by K4282 »

I've had 3 F32s, you'll love it, however all of mine had/have soft spots at the top of the ladder stepping onto the bridge, a surveyor should be able to check for that, with anything else you get what you pay for, ive learned to deal with the slight soft spot in my 1974. My first one was basically free and the second was $5,500 and third was $3,500 so I think $8,000 sounds like a good price especially including storage. Here in New England their asking $8 to $12,000 for anything running and in good condition. As for the generator being New England and they rarely get used and often removed. The old ones in the boat burnt too much gas and noisy, I'll be removing mine this winter freeing up some real estate and weight from the boat. Leading up to and looking now id say 2 out of 3 bigger boats up this way all have the Honda EU2000i, burning 1 gallon per hour and super quiet why not?
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prowlersfish
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Re: Going to purchase 1988 f32

Post by prowlersfish »

Be real real careful using a home genset on a boat . If you have a marine one I would keep it Home units have no place on a boat IMO , You insurance company may agree too .
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captainmaniac
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Re: Going to purchase 1988 f32

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coverall wrote:The boat is hauled out now, was in the water we took it for a short ride. He had it off shore a few weeks ago he said around 40 miles. We saw the water in the bilge when in the water about an inch with no oil mixed in it was clear. Now that it's out of the water I guess we can't do a mechanical survey? Our ears are open to any comments. We also never ran a twin and on a flybridge.
Thanks
At rest, normally this boat will sit bow down, so the water tends to collect forward (towards the v-vberth - there should be a panel in the stepped up area at the v-berth that you can lift, and there should be a bilge pump visible there). You normally don't see water (and not an inch of it) in the engine compartment. So two possibilities : there was a LOT of water in the boat filling up the entire forward bilge plus an inch in the engine compartment (so either no forward pump, or pump not working, or no (or stuck) float switch)... or the limber hole in the firewall/bulkhead is plugged, stopping the water from running forward. Water you are seeing could come from a leak (hose, gasket, or strainer problem; or raw water or circulation pump leaking), stuffing box issue, some other thru-hull leaking, simply rain water or from washing the boat down (hatches on the aft deck are not sealed, and drain into the bilge), or filling the fresh water tank (overflow hose is directed to the bilge). In any event, this is something to mention to your surveyor to see if they can find or explain what likely caused the water you saw.

Since it is already out, mechanical inspection may be a bit of a challenge. And if that wasn't a condition in the offer to purchase, might be a problem to try to add it on now.

Re taking the boat 40 miles offshore -- just a reality check. Does the boat have 2 fuel tanks, or does it have the optional pony tanks (4 in total)? The 2 tank setup only carries 120 US Gallons (or 100 Cdn). I get about 1.1 mpg (Cdn gallon) on average, so can do 100-110 miles on a complete fill up. I won't do any trip more than 90 miles without a fuel stop (when you get low, you start sucking water, sand, and other crap out of the tanks and into your filters). 40 miles offshore is an 80 mile round trip, so would be pushing safe limits with just 2 tanks, and previous owner would have had to top up both tanks before heading out. (written rule : 1/3 out, 1/3 back, 1/3 spare) Not saying it can't be done or that's not what he did, I am just wired to look for 'what is wrong with this picture'... The boat sounds great, the price sounds low, that run would have cost him probably $500 in fuel .... did he really do that run, or is he making that up to instill confidence in the buyer? If the boat has the additional tankage (expanding to 220 US gallons), then ignore this last comment.

Again, hope she is as good as you think she is, and you get your new baby!
coverall
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Re: Going to purchase 1988 f32

Post by coverall »

The boat has 4 tanks , 2 midship 2aft . Total around 275gal.
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prowlersfish
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Re: Going to purchase 1988 f32

Post by prowlersfish »

If they are stock tanks it would be 220 gallons I believe . Still plenty of fuel but good to know for sure
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K4282
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Re: Going to purchase 1988 f32

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i think the correct fuel capacity is between the 220 and 275 gallon mark. while my older f32 was advertised to carry 110 gallons the tanks are stamped 62 or 64 gallons from new in 1974 while the newer f32s were said to carry 220 i wonder what the tanks actually hold. As for my genset it wont start and its the old onan which doesn't not have a starter and draws allot to start, its coming out of the boat to get looked at and most likely to the scrap yard as ive read the parts are expensive and hard to find, we know their loud, heavy and use allot of gas compared to new technology. The Honda works great for my shower and cup of coffee the approximate 14 days a year I actually use those features. Most guys have them on a pulpit with the exhaust facing out, ive put mine up on the bridge for a week to keep out of bad weather, it is almost a $1,000 unit after all, I do not have a full enclosure just a hard top so no problems with exhaust fumes, I couldn't imagine something that burns one gallon of gas per hour creating much of any emissions. Around here their more commonly used than any gensett on new and older boats. As for insurance I do not carry unfortunately, ive been shopping around and trying to get liability only without a survey as the other F32 in the pic, problem is the companies I talked to said even with a survey they may deny coverage, I have my 2 houses and 3 cars all with AllState and they wont insure it no matter what due to age.
heres mine on the bow this summer, cant even hear it run
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Reel Easy
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Re: Going to purchase 1988 f32

Post by Reel Easy »

I'm not trying to derail the thread. Try Boat U.S. for insurance. They have a self servey. It's worth the piece of mind.
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The Dog House
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Re: Going to purchase 1988 f32

Post by The Dog House »

Progressive will also insure older boats.
1993 Sea Ray 200 Overnighter OB with 1993 Mercury 150 hp Outboard
1979 Starcraft 14' Rowboat with 2011 Mercury 9.9 hp Outboard
Former boat: 1971 Trojan F26
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prowlersfish
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Re: Going to purchase 1988 f32

Post by prowlersfish »

Reel Easy wrote:I'm not trying to derail the thread. Try Boat U.S. for insurance. They have a self servey. It's worth the piece of mind.
I noticed that on the last quote I got . It maybe helpful to Us older boat owners . They would insure my 77
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captainmaniac
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Re: Going to purchase 1988 f32

Post by captainmaniac »

Reel Easy wrote:Try Boat U.S. for insurance. They have a self servey. It's worth the piece of mind.
Sorry - and don't want to cause trouble here, really just trying to understand - not familiar with the Boat U.S. self survey? How does that work - look at your own boat, tell us it looks okay, and we will insure you? When it comes to paying out on claims (the ONLY thing we should be caring about with insurance), how willing are Boat US to pay out on claims for 'self surveyed' boats?
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