New/Old F30 Express

[pvoigt]

Hi all-

I've been lurking on the forums for some time but wanted to tell everyone about my upcoming project, and ask for your thoughts.

My father had owned a 1973 F30 Express for about 15 years, however due to some health issues he was not able use it or to maintain it fully for the past few years. That boat has wooden decks and topsides - in fact the hull seems to be the only fiberglass aboard - and unfortunately the deck maintenance got way ahead of Dad, resulting in pretty significant degradation. Estimates for repair were astronomical, and while I have the ability to do the work myself I just don't have the time.

So, after much deliberation, I've purchased another, slightly newer - 1976 - F30 Express. Essentially the same boat although with a somewhat different cabin layout and (most importantly) fiberglass decks and topsides. The plan is to move many of the improved systems from the old boat to the new one, resulting in a 'new' boat we can both enjoy but with much less maintenance required, and an 'old' boat that will be essentially be a stock Trojan equipment-wise but in need of substantial work.

My main question for this group is what you think I should do with the 'old' boat. We're on inland water in NC (Lake Norman) so the market is pretty small here; I've thought of trying to sell it in spite of that, but have also considered parting out the machinery and systems, though I don't know how that might go either.

Also, I have a question about the layouts of the two boats; the cabin layouts are pretty different:

The new (1976) boat:
-has an L-shaped galley portside right at the companionway with a double-bunk convertible settee forward, followed by hanging lockers (on both sides) at the v-berth
-has the convertible dinette starboard forward of the head
-the head has a shower

The old (1973) boat:
-has the dinette portside at the companionway with galley forward, followed by the v-berth; no hanging lockers at the v-berth
-has the double-bunk settee starboard
-has a much smaller head with no shower and the sink on a sliding shelf that pulls out over the head

So my question is this: is the layout change a model-year progression, or were there multiple optional layouts? The 'new' layout -feels- much more spacious than the old, incidentally.

I look forward to everyone's thoughts on these points, or any other aspect of the project.

Thanks in advance -

-Patrick

[prowlersfish]

The older boat is a sea raider ( F30-sea raider), the new boat is known as a F30 , not really the same boat I believe besides the different layout it newer boat also had a wider beam .

[K4282]

i give boats away free on Craigslist all the time for people who dream of projects or need parts, the fiberglass is expensive to dump at the landfill, the less you take off the more likely you can give it away to somoene who may have the time or just be a dreamer

[lawyerdave71]

Yeah, the F30 layouot changed a few times over the years.

Mine is galley on port by entrance and couch on port and head by entrance and dinette on starboard.

[DonVoigt]

Hi guys,
first post; I'm the "Dad" mentioned in the OP.

Well we got the "New" old Trojan delivered Friday and had a chance to work on it a little.

Long story short it is not a F30 , but an F32; which explains lots of things, like why the cabin "seemed" bigger, why it wouldn't fit the lift as set up for the Sea Raider F30! The boat is 2' longer and over a foot wider! Hull code is 321-1128, which if I decipher correctly makes it a 1971 model.

I'm sure more questions and stories will come!

Guess we got a lot more boat for the money, for sure.

[prowlersfish]

Sounds like you do have a 71 F32 , A lot different then a 73 or a 76 F30 for sure Bigger Wider and 50% heaver ( 12000 dry vs 8000 ) . Got photos ?

Congrats on the new boat and the upgrade in size