What would you take off to acquire a 1990 C34 with a few issues

[RonE]

Well I spent a good two months negotiating first with the owner and then with the broker, getting a loan approval, setting up boat visits and the two day survey only to have a SAMS qualified marine surveyor knock down the value.  The seller didn't want to budge so I lost the deal... just sent off my previous
boat to the new owners, so now I am boatless for the first time in ten years,, it stinks
The boat had 4 major problems and host of small ones.
1) The Diesel tank had a hole in the bottom, and was streaming into the bilge.
2) The alder/barbour refrigeration didn't work
3) All the chainplates were testing heavy moisture
4) The cutlass bearing needed replacement and maybe the shaft
smaller issues
The boat was left in the water 18 months,  and the bottom paint was terrible.
The sails, roller furling and running rigging were originally and worn.
The salon table post was striped
Exterior teak in bad shape...
Interior of the boat was in fine shape, the wood work, the upholstery, the sole, the bathroom.
The hull and keel didn't show signs  of delamination. and the deck was good, along with the standing rigging.
I was looking to knock off a few thousand maybe 4, the seller didn't budge a penny.
what do you think..
Ron

[Dave Spencer]

What is the asking price? 
Engine OK?  Hours?
Diesel tank only takes a bit of time and some money to fix.  Easily accessible through the aft cabin.
What does the boat smell like with all the diesel in the bilge?
Assume all new refrigeration - maybe you'll get lucky and get away spending less.
Chainplates / deck is fixable but would be the highest risk and potential $ item on the list.
Cutlass Bearing is an easy fix on the hard.

Assume and budget for other unseen defects / annoyances.

Not budging a penny sounds harsh unless the issues were well known and disclosed when you first inspected the boat.

[Stu Jackson]

Ron, not sure why you're banging your head against the wall.  If he isn't gonna budge...why bother?

That said:

1) The Diesel tank had a hole in the bottom, and was streaming into the bilge. - DIY, new tank $300 (guys check me if I'm wrong)
2) The alder/barbour refrigeration didn't work - either a recharge, low voltage, electronic module --- anywhere from $200 to $2000
3) All the chainplates were testing heavy moisture - discussed before, DIY first to find the level of rot
4) The cutlass bearing needed replacement and maybe the shaft - $2000 if you have a yard do it, you'd need a new shaft coupling properly faced with the new shaft.

smaller issues
The boat was left in the water 18 months,  and the bottom paint was terrible. ---  Bottom job is usually around $1500 to $2000 depending on what you use and how many coats, including haul
The sails, roller furling and running rigging were originally and worn. --- This is a BIGGIE and beyond any attempt to determine, since sail replacement costs vary soooo tremendously depending on what you choose to purchase.  For a new main and 110 jib I'd budget $4000
The salon table post was striped -- not a big issue, links provided in your previous post.
Exterior teak in bad shape...--- DIY

Good to hear that down below was in good shape.

I agree with Dave:  that you didn't mention the engine.  If the boat systems were that neglected, whaddya think...?

From the original FAQ page:  "My experience has been that a close observation of the seller and those things surrounding them can often give a clue as to the seller's approach to care & maintenance in general. Rare is the person who lets their car stay dirty, with leaking oil, grating brakes, etc., while meticulously caring for and maintaining their diesel engine & fiberglass boat."

Help us understand why you're still dealing with this boat.  Please.

[RonE]

I wish I could say the engine was tested, but we never got that far. Its a long story.
But its done, the owner dosnt want to deal with me. So he will probably do a few
quick fixes, and resell it down the road. 
I am looking elsewhere, these wing keeled, MK1.5's though are hard to find.
Ron

[Terry Forshier]

I think you are better off missing this boat. These C34's are great boats and just minimal care would prevent many of these issues. It sounds like this one was rode hard and put away wet many times. There are many many great used boats out there and many good deals. Keep looking and buy one that will let you sail everyday not spend your summer on the dock or the hard fixing things. Look for a boat where the owner has shown pride of ownership and cannot wait to show you how well he has cared for her. You will know then, this is the boat to buy.

[Stephen Butler]

As the owners of a 1990 Mk1.5, we would agree with Stu's numbers, but would potentially add another $3k to $10k for repainting/repairing/rewiring the mast and boom.  Would also add another $1k for miscellaneous engine work (motor mounts, electrical, injectors, etc.) as there is always a few items to deal with.  We have owned our boat for 8+ years, purchased it in excellent condition, and have since spent approximately $12k on maintenance, which we are told is relatively low.  We will need new sails in another few years, some canvas redo, and possibly some work on the alternator/starter etc.  We do as much of the needed work ourselves as possible, and have found that a C34 is a very very easy and low cost boat to maintain.  Good luck in your search.

[Ron Hill]

Ron : It sounds as though the C34 that you were looking at as neglected.  If the hull was neglected like that, I'd guess that the engine received the same treatment! 

There were just over 1800 C34s built, so keep your eye open and look for another.

[karista]

Check out www.sailboatlistings.com there are 20 Catalina 34s listed for sale. All different years are available.

[hump180]

Ron, Sucks how these boats get neglected. Our 1990 was middle of the road with regards to condition. The previous owners bought a new C&C 99 and let our boat suffer. Most of the items you mentioned, chainplates wet, bad bottom.... are typical for these older boats if not maintained very tightly. I normally don't talk numbers but I want to give an idea of how far we went into our boat and how much cost...this excluding time and energy. We paid around 40K for a 1990 mark 1.25 like Stephen Butler has. We added new instruments 2k, new upholstery 2k, cutlass and bottom job 2k, new bimini 2k, cockpit cushions, and countless other maintenance items such as repainting floors and resealing deck hardware including chainplates. In all we probably have between 55-60K invested...and BTW...with no regrets. We have made the boat into OUR boat (comfortable, clean and performing well.)
With our experience I can now say that I would have possibly looked at newer boats or ones in better condition if I could do it over. Ron Hill is correct about looking for a good one because there are plenty out there. As far as the boat you looked at...not too bad on problems...definately servicable...but owner unwilling to budge after neglecting the boat is a real turn off. You will find a better one soon I promise, but being boatless is sure to make it seem too long. Bill

[efhughes3]

I'd not think any more about this one-you're probably blessed to have passed. Search on, you'll find thecright boat! 

[RonE]

Wow...
Well let me give the whole story, its a bit, what's the word convoluted, the current owner has the boat less then a year, the story goes, he is a power boater who wanted to try sailing and didn't like it. Trust me he knows nothing about sailing. Why did he pay 48000 on a boat he might like is beyond me. I am the only inquirer in the 8 months he has had it for sale. To make things more complicated, he and his wife are breaking up and she wants her half. He also dosnt like his broker. All alot of B S I shouldn't care about.
As of Saturday evening he now wants to talk, and will be willing to go down thousands of dollars.
I am going down to barnaget this afternoon, to at least to complete the survey. Check the engine, the gas and hot water systems , and the sails.
If you want an mk1.5 with a wing keel they are far and few between. The SANS surveyor is telling me the boat is sound so far as long as the current owner either drops the price or corrects the issues. Stay tuned I will give you an update tomorrow.
Ron

[Ted Pounds]

The key to a successful negotiation is being ready to walk away from the deal.  I know MK 1.5 wings are scarce, but you will find another if this guy doesn't want to deal.  Based on Stu's numbers, which I think are pretty accurate, I wouldn't pay a penny over $38,000.  And that's assuming everything else checks out today.

[Craig Illman]

The cheapest money you'll spend on a boat is the survey you walk away from.

my 2 cents.....

[Clay Greene]

I would run away from this opportunity for disaster.  There are plenty of good boats out there in much better shape.  Even aside from the money, why would you buy into that sort of time commitment?  There is enough work to do on a boat in good shape and isn't the point to go sailing (or, as we call it in our household, "use the boat for its intended purpose").

I'm not sure why you're committed to the Mark 1.5 with a wing keel.  I don't think there is all that much difference between a Mark 1 and a "1.5" other than the open transom and the evolutionary removal of the exterior teak.  Although I do think Catalina went to the M35 engine as standard in the early 1990s and that extra seven HP would be nice when motoring dead into the wind.  And I do like our wing keel for cruising, but you will want the fin if you want to race. 

And I hope I don't get excommunicated for saying this here, but the C36 is another great boat (different layout but very similar systems) and there seem to be more of them out there.

I had an accepted offer a year ago on a 2004 C34 with under a hundred hours on the engine and I walked away over issues discovered on the survey.  I've never regretted the decision. 

[scotty]

I bought a project boat once because I fell in love with it.  Ouch. (actuallly I did it twice - I'm a bit of a slow learner. Long story.) Get the boat you want, but from experience I know that the best buy is the best maintained boat you can afford.