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We continue on our hunt for a new C34.   We were about to put an offer on an '88 and a cleaner version, same year, came on the market.   We went to see it today, nice boat.   It was originally a California boat and was reported to have only 500 engine hours.   I assumed that the engine hour meter must have been broken for a decade.    When I looked at the engine, I was completely stunned.   It looked absolutely brand new.   Not a drop of oil or dirt anywhere.    All the original paint intact.  No evidence that it has been meticulously cleaned, it just looks like it has sat there living a good life.   

We will of course have the engine surveyed.   I understand that under use of a diesel is not necessarily a good thing.   What would be the specific concerns / potential problems on 19 year old engine with only 500 hours? 

Also the forward hatch has very serious crazing (not surface scratches to be polished).   Is this purely a cosmetic problem or does it seriously weaken the hatch?   

Thanks,

Steve Dolling
Name ?  Hull # ?

I went to the boat show yesterday.   Wandered around for a few hours, had a chat with the Lewmar guy about local sources for new lenses for crazed port lights, spent a good deal of time with a knowledgeable installer of Espar furnaces who was very familiar with the C34 layout and had lots of tips for installation, spent some time chatting with the Universal folks about relative advantages and costs of rebuild vs. repower on an M25XP, and then took the shuttle to the floating portion of the show and sat aboard a new Mark II to imagine how far you could take a 17 year old boat if you went a little nuts on the interior.   

I just discovered this site a few weeks ago and have been inspired to do at least dozen different projects.   Reading the old posts etc. is highly addictive.   My last boat has maybe a half dozen examples on this continent and so anything related to it's care and maintenance I was pretty much on my own.   It's good to be here.

Now here's my problem:  I don't actually own a C34.   

I guess since I have a cash offer free of subjects on my boat now, I'll just have to fix that.   I suppose it would be fairly borderline behavior to sign up for membership to access the tech notes before you actually own the boat?


Cheers,

Steve

Thank you for your help!   I think I would like to buy a C34 just so I can remain part of your community here.   Unbelievable resource.

I looked at the 89 today and I have to say I like it.   We loaded the whole family into it and the layout, cockpit, rig and everything about the boat feels right.   And it was kind of fun already going aboard thinking about the dozen or so projects I'd like to do on it.   This particular boat has a very nice clean hull and deck - every molded bit of fiberglass is in perfect condition.   Every stick of wood in the boat looks shabby and in need of some TLC.   The upholstery is worn.    The electronics look ancient.   the dodger is shot.   I swear they would get $5000 higher price if somebody had spent 5 hours with a bottle of spray clean and some paper towels and bit of teak oil.   In short, it may be the perfect vessel!   

Tomorrow I'm going to go back and go stem to stern and see if I'm looking at a summer of cosmetic work or if there are deeper problems that would make me walk away before even spending the money on a survey.   

Thanks again for your help.

Steve

   

I'm looking at a couple of C34s tomorrow.  (We have outgrown our Snapdragon 26).    From everthing I read on the site, the C34 seems like an excellent boat!   Can anyone advise on any potential problem areas that warrant closer attention when looking at buying one of these fine vessels.   I'm looking at an 88 and an '89.

Thanks,

Steve
(Hull#:TBD,Name: TBD)