29 footer upgrades

ghostlymoron

ghostlymoron

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I'm looking at a 29 footer.
Upgrades are needed as follows:-
Replace Old Bukh engine 6000
Needs new radio 200
No lines to cockpit 300
No heater 1400
No pressurised water 100
No hot water 500
No solar panel 150
Plotter 400
Standing rigging 1200
I probably wouldn't bother replacing the engine but are my guesstimates about right for the other upgrades?
 
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ghostlymoron said:
I'm looking at a 29 footer.
Upgrades are needed as follows:-
Old Bukh engine 6000
Needs new radio 200
No lines to cockpit 300
No heater 1400
No pressurised water 100
No hot water 500
No solar panel 150
Plotter 400
Standing rigging 1200
I probably wouldn't bother replacing the engine but are my guesstimates about right for the other upgrades?
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Depends what you're after. you seem to have priced a high end VHF and low end plotter. The list also suggests you're looking at buying the wrong boat for you but then if it's a very nice boat it may be worth while doing upgrades. Experience tells me that after purchase that list will drastically change anyway!
 
lusty, most of the boats I've been looking at are early 80s and a lot require upgrades. The ones that have been upgraded don't seem to be for sale. Agree that the upgrade list would inevitably lengthen after purchase.
 
ghostlymoron said:
lusty, most of the boats I've been looking at are early 80s and a lot require upgrades. The ones that have been upgraded don't seem to be for sale. Agree that the upgrade list would inevitably lengthen after purchase.
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Must admit I looked this week and the pickings are pretty poor. Rather than lengthen I think things such as lines to cockpit tend to be replaced by improving accomodation as you realise that walking to the mast isn't so bad with an autotiller.

Could you post a list that's a bit more specific? for instance what level of plotter functionality and size? which lines to cockpit and what model of boat (do you have a pic of the mast foot?)? What do you plan to use the solar panel for? what sort of heating do you prefer?
 
Plotter definitely under-estimated. The hot water is probably a bit light too, as is the "lines to cockpit". But what do you mean by "Old Bukh engine 6000"? Are you going to put a secondhand engine in?
 
Most of the boats you see are for sale because they need 5-10k spending on them and the owners aren't prepared to do it so sell and buy something better. Your ballpark figures are about right. The details of what you actually spend it on will depend on the boat.
 
I think you have three choices.

1 buy the 29fter and be prepared to spend a lot. you may be able to beat the price down some. if its got a good broker and realistic owner its probabaly priced acordingly.

2 look longer and wait for the boat equiped as you require it will cost less in the end.

3 Accept you are bying a used, second hand or pree loved boat, none are going to be equiped exactly the way you want. if the price is right and you can live with it as is. do a few additions over time.
 
pvb said:
Plotter definitely under-estimated. The hot water is probably a bit light too, as is the "lines to cockpit". But what do you mean by "Old Bukh engine 6000"? Are you going to put a secondhand engine in?
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The Moody 29 I'm looking at has got the original 2 cylinder engine which may be OK or not.
 
New is about 10 000 euro. There was possibility to send ruined one to Bukh to exchange for reconditioned or new one (factory rebuilt were as good as new, modernized to DV24) at good discount. But those are indestructible beasts, may well be OK after 30 years; faults may be repaired, just parts bit costly.
 
ghostlymoron said:
The Moody 29 I'm looking at has got the original 2 cylinder engine which may be OK or not.
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Diesle engines are hard to kill. Have the engine inspected as part of the survey along with a rig inspection. Even at 30 yr old if its been looked after it will have lots of life left in it. (I just bought a 28 yr old boat with a yanmar with 2400hr most have less hrs, inspected and oil tested no problems all it needs is new belts and exhaust hose) If it doesn't check out as good walk away and find another moody there are lots. if not for sale today there will be one along soon.

If the hull is good, the rig ok, and the engine ok, don't worry about the rest. Use the lack of extras to help negotiate. If it doesn't have pressure water system, thats one less thing to have fixed, it will be hard to find on 30 yr old 29ft. electronics will be all out of date anyway and perhaps its better to pick your own up to date gear.

Good luck with it.
 
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The 6K for a new engine dominates the finances. Can't you get a better idea of the present engine's condition? External appearance? Service records? Compression tests?
 
In fairness to the OP, they haven't stated whether the £6k is for a new engine (and I agree with the common consensus that it will be 'challenging' to get a new engine bought and installed at this price) or for a radical overhaul of the existing engine (which may be £6k, but could provide assurances on the engine for the next 10 years or so).

I don't think the plotter is an essential upgrade - could always get a handheld GPS and set of charts for less than £150. However, several places are selling the Garmin 451 with UK Mapping for less than £300.
 
reeac said:
The 6K for a new engine dominates the finances. Can't you get a better idea of the present engine's condition? External appearance? Service records? Compression tests?
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If you intend to keep the boat then sensible to replace the engine with a modern one while the old one is still running and has a sale value. Waiting for the old one to give trouble is a mugs game. You are then faced with doing something in a hurry or wasting money trying to fix it. Read Snooks article on replacing his Bukh and you will get the message. Changing in a planned way can be done for a net 6k after sale of the old engine.
 
Yes, agree that the engine is the major item. I understand that Bukh engines have a long life expectancy so it may well be OK. Compression tests and general inspection may show it's still good. I'll check out Snooks' article if I can find it. The plotter is not essential but certainly makes life easier - the Moody at present has a garmin 120 xl plus I've got a hand held and I've got paper charts for my cruising area. Heating and hot water are essential if I am ever to coax SWMBO aboard (along with a sweet smelling heads and vanity mirror).
I'm still trolling at the moment and am not intending to rush into a purchase so a better one may come up although less than 200 were made and I don't know what proportion of twin keelers.
 
The Bukh is a good solid, simple cast iron engine with a reputation for plodding reliability. The downside is parts are expensive, it's heavy and no good for heating water. A total rebuilt should be about £2-3k if there's nothing horrendously wrong. Then it should be good for another 20 years.
£300 for lines to cockpit? I did that for a lot less, using clam cleats instead of rope clutches on all but halyards. Horn cleats would be cheap, too. Though having said that, I only did it because reefing was at mast and all else in cockpit. Having all at mast keeps the rope tangle out of the cockpit. I'm used to single handing and it works for me. Either heave to or scandalise the rig.
£1400 for a heater? Or how about an electric fan heater for marina use and a gas cannister heater at £25 and £2.50 a cannister for nippy nights at anchor. Warm air would be nice but not an essential in my book.
Do you really need hot water on board? And is pumping a handle or foot switch so difficult? The more you've got, the more there is to go wrong.
Solar panel depends what you want it to do. I have a 15w one from Maplin that keeps my batteries topped up on the mooring. That cost about £35.
Standing rigging? That's a judgement call, really. I would.
 
Yes Vyv, I was looking at your website on the subject only yesterday. Is there a cheaper alternative to the Johnson C010P5-1 it's 100 quid!
 
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I keep a late eighties 29 footer on the West Coast of Scotland. I have owned a few boats, 22-34 feet, a gaffer, 2 AWBs one with all mod cons. One boat had a new engine, which had been badly installed, and was expensive on time and money to rectify. A good old engine can be better than a bad new one. I am on a swinging mooring, and rate a good solar panel above a heater, which are a big drain on the batteries. The saloon of a 29 footer is very snug, and doesn't need much to warm it up. A 29 footer will have only a modest FW tank, and running the heads tap until the water gets hot is a quick way to waste it. Forget pressurised water, calorifiers etc, a kettle of hot water and a flannel is enough for a good wash. Showers ashore are easy to find, even in the far north. I think that has saved you about 8000 quid, your batteries, and a lot of fresh water!
 
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