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Date Posted: - Monday - 02/14/05 - 10:37am
Author: Wes
Author Host/IP: vailmax5-41.vail.net / 65.38.131.105
Subject: Re: Planning to buy: M32, need advice
In reply to: Ben 's message, "Planning to buy: M32, need advice" on - Sunday - 02/13/05 - 12:39pm

As I have found, the decks are indeed the weak link to these boats. I am sure you have already looked at the "projects" page on the Mariner's website, it gives you an idea of what you are getting yourself into. We have found on some Mariner's the decks were simply fiberglassed over as an alternative to the tear out and rebuild option, though this doesn't help the rot issue and is merely a temporary solution that creates much work for those wanting to do a complete job later, but still an option.

Factor the price of the boat into your labor time and parts. A deck rebuild won't be cheap (a sheet of 3/4" AA grade Okume plywood is ~90 - 115 bucks, ea), and it is a HUGE commitment if your going to do it yourself. Paying 30+ grand on a Mariner 32 and having to rebuild the deck seems cruel. In other words the boat should pass a work vs value litmus test. (Unless you are like me and simply enjoy tearing out cockpits regardless of what gets in my way just cause it's the right thing to do at the time and makes me happy, after all I love boats!)

Ask yourself (or the current owner);
-Hows the engine (best determined in a sea trial)
-How are the sails
-How old is the standing rigging
-Chainplates look good??
-Are you looking at an electrical rats nest?
-Does the boat come with any working amenities (how old are they?) such as radar, autopilot, etc...

As many a true sailing friend has told us as we have labored over our Mariner in the yard, "Do what needs to be done, but remember to go sailing!"

We have watched people in the boat yard languish over their projects for months (in some cases years) on end and we watch their motivation level start to decline after a certain amount of time and budget strangling pass by, (maybe they were in a state of shock after losing too much blood to the mosquito's).

We have some friends who sailed to New Zealand and gave us a call the other day. And to give a touch of advice interpreted from our friends in regards to your westabout and our westabout ideas they simply told us "You wouldn't believe the piece of s__t clam shells people sail around the world in!" It's all about what you need to make life livable.

If you have more specifics I will try and help. We love our Mariner.

Hope this helps.
WES

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Replies:

[> Re: Planning to buy: M32, need advice -- Speedy, - Monday - 02/14/05 - 2:42pm (NoHost/202.131.161.222)

Plan on three months if you never run out of money, and work on it every day. (Deck and Cabin) You wont be able to live on the boat during the refit. I did mine in Japan and used standard building plywood since modern glues are sufficient.

The problem with the Mariner decks is that they were sheathed with only three thin layers of cloth and the saturation on my boat seemed light. (Indeed the hulls are bullet-proof)

A few things that may slow you down are the addition of different ports, repairing teak toe rail, hatches and the like.

I spent a total of two years restoring my 31 including all new wiring and many new fittings. As Wes points out, don't forget to go sailing. After too long on the hard, the project gets surreal and I started to wonder if I'd ever be done. A sailing day sure did wonders and motivated me to continue.

I'll tell you right now, you can get a cheaper boat and get sailing faster, but for the money I had in my boat I thought the it was a good deal for a boat that could go anywhere singlehanded. I sort of dealt with it like I was restoring a 57 Chevy.

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