Advice for buying a used F37

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Lola69

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Hi folks - I recently asked you for some advice if what to look for when considering what type/size of boat for a newbie novice couple.
You were fantastic with your advice so I’m back to ask for more!
We’ve seen a used F37 which we both really like but I need to ask - what sort of things are essential to have been completed after a survey so avoid being stung down the road with big maintenance bills?
She’s had a survey done in June this year and some of the issues appear to have been addressed (we have a list if work carried out by the broker) but I guess it’s trying to work out what’s essential and whats not.
I take it things like water marking aren’t a big deal - plus there are a number of cosmetic things plus failed locker catches etc - but she’s a 2008 boat so we expect this. There is mention of previous ingress below the side cabin plus we’re waiting on confirmation of last engine service - broker couldn’t find anything past 2015.
Any advice about big red flags we should heed would be greatly appreciated- thanks in advance ☺️
 
The big red flags would be problems with the big ticket items, basically - engines, gearboxes, underwater gear eg props, rudders, p-brackets. Could be missed maintenance, coolant leaks, failure to make wide-open throttle, excessive smoke, oil leaks. Any evidence of dirty fuel tanks ie diesel bug. Water ingress can result in damage to cabinets and finishes which looks simple to fix but in fact is very labour intensive ie costly to repair, so you need to sure what you're dealing with. Your surveyor should also check for structural issues in the hull, including any evidence of repairs, delamination, water ingress into the fibreglass, or raising and cracking in the superstructure.

The absence of any information since 2015 on engine servicing and maintenance would bother me, it would be prudent to get a technician experienced in the engines that you have fitted to undertake a full assessment of their current condition and likely repair or servicing needs today.

I'd want to see documentary proof of the service history of the oily bits of this boat in the current and ideally previous ownerships, going back several years at least. A recent service with no previous history won't tell you very much at all.

If the survey done in June was not commissioned by you, it's pretty much useless in terms of any comeback against the Surveyor. If that survey was overall very positive, you might take the view that an additional survey isn't necessary, but as a newbie buyer that's not a decision I personally would make in this position. In other words, I'd commission my own survey. You should also undertake a comprehensive sea trial before completing the deal, to ensure that everything works properly, there are no unexpected issues arising during the sea trial. This trial must include a period of running the boat at wide open the throttle for at least five minutes or so. If the boat's been kept on a river, it's very unlikely it's ever been run at full throttle, and latent problems are common.

Any significant issues would be costly to repair after you've done the deal, so if any of these issues are present then you are faced with a choice of making a lower offer to reflect the possibly significant costs; agreeing with the vendor that they will undertake the repairs after which you will have the boat re-surveyed; or pulling out of the deal.

Regardless of the survey question, it would be prudent to have a healthy budget set aside for any servicing, repairs, maintenance etc that you might need to do in the months after you buy the boat. If you're totally spent out buying the boat, and then get a 10k bill, that might be a bitter pill to swallow.

Best of luck!
 
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Lola69 said:
We’ve seen a used F37 which we both really like but I need to ask - what sort of things are essential to have been completed after a survey so avoid being stung down the road with big maintenance bills?
She’s had a survey done in June this year and some of the issues appear to have been addressed (we have a list if work carried out by the broker) but I guess it’s trying to work out what’s essential and whats not.
I take it things like water marking aren’t a big deal - plus there are a number of cosmetic things plus failed locker catches etc - but she’s a 2008 boat so we expect this. There is mention of previous ingress below the side cabin plus we’re waiting on confirmation of last engine service -
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2008 boat with water markings!!! Issues dealt with by broker!!! Failed locker catches!!! Previous ingress below side cabin!!!
My boat is 2003 and you would not find any of that. I have seen friends boats older than 2003 that do not have those issues
If you are new to boating have you really looked around and seen what condition to expect a boat to be in?
May I suggest that you stand back for a minute and think about it. It sounds as if you are buying a boat that has not been looked after very well and you may be buying a pup
Just be forewarned
 
You mention you are a couple, rather than a family, so I ask if a flybridge is really necessary? 37 feet for two people, couple of cabins, galley, deck space seems more than adequate to me. Don't forget fly bridge on that size boat will ad about a ton in weight (and a ton at the filling pump) and make the boat top heavy. A 37 foot cruiser, is lighter, faster, more agile, better fuel economy and better deck space ('cause it hasn't those patio doors killing the flow). I'd give it a thought.
 
Lola69 said:
Hi folks - I recently asked you for some advice if what to look for when considering what type/size of boat for a newbie novice couple.
You were fantastic with your advice so I’m back to ask for more!
We’ve seen a used F37 which we both really like but I need to ask - what sort of things are essential to have been completed after a survey so avoid being stung down the road with big maintenance bills?
She’s had a survey done in June this year and some of the issues appear to have been addressed (we have a list if work carried out by the broker) but I guess it’s trying to work out what’s essential and whats not.
I take it things like water marking aren’t a big deal - plus there are a number of cosmetic things plus failed locker catches etc - but she’s a 2008 boat so we expect this. There is mention of previous ingress below the side cabin plus we’re waiting on confirmation of last engine service - broker couldn’t find anything past 2015.
Any advice about big red flags we should heed would be greatly appreciated- thanks in advance ☺️
Click to expand...
I would not trust anyone else's survey especially from a broker , it carries no integrity at all .
Get your own one carried out .
The list sounds like a typical Sealine of that age with the faults I see it all the time
You have not mentioned the engines , I'd guess a pair of D4s , get an engineer to carry out an inspection and a sea trial .
 
Little Ricky said:
You mention you are a couple, rather than a family, so I ask if a flybridge is really necessary? 37 feet for two people, couple of cabins, galley, deck space seems more than adequate to me. Don't forget fly bridge on that size boat will ad about a ton in weight (and a ton at the filling pump) and make the boat top heavy. A 37 foot cruiser, is lighter, faster, more agile, better fuel economy and better deck space ('cause it hasn't those patio doors killing the flow). I'd give it a thought.
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Well, it's a matter of what you prefer. We (wife plus I) moved from a sports cruiser (Bavaria S40) to a flybridge (Princess 460) because we valued the additional outdoor living area, and the better view from the flybridge, big saloon at deck level, minimal canvas needed. Shafts instead of the outdrives a bonus.

It's not really about what's necessary IMHO it's about what you like. Don't think we'd go back to a sportscruiser now.
 
Hard to get sea trial at Burton ,unless they would take to Ipswich , if Burton own it the have to give a warranty I think 3 months . They are good to deal with , but get volvopaul to do a engine survey, and have him on the sea trial which might be on the canal. Have a survey as well in and out of the water. Ps sealine are famous at letting water in.
 
Ah folks thanks do much for the responses. We’ve looked at other models/types and as Sticky fingers said - it’s more about the room for us.
I do think that we would be looking for our own survey to be carried out. But the one in June has at least given us a fairly good idea of what’s been found.
Yep that’s the one. Just trying to be careful before we commit.
 
Hi Seastoke. Yes the vat is paid and no she’s not a stock boat. We’ve seen another in Conwy (2003) Boatpoint - but she had a lot of damage requiring a near total refit in 2016.
She’s lovely too but less spec and if I’m honest we’re worried about having difficulty shifting her on which seems to have been an issue for the present owners.
Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.
 
Sticky Fingers said:
Well, it's a matter of what you prefer. We (wife plus I) moved from a sports cruiser (Bavaria S40) to a flybridge (Princess 460) because we valued the additional outdoor living area, and the better view from the flybridge, big saloon at deck level, minimal canvas needed. Shafts instead of the outdrives a bonus.

It's not really about what's necessary IMHO it's about what you like. Don't think we'd go back to a sportscruiser now.
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You are absolutely right in what you say, but bear in mind these are a novice couple new to boating so a 37 foot flybridge (maybe an 8-10 ton boat) as your first foret into boating, might be asking a lot of your seamanship. You're obviously an experienced person, so your advice is clearly a welcome addition to others commenting.
 
Little Ricky said:
You mention you are a couple, rather than a family, so I ask if a flybridge is really necessary? 37 feet for two people, couple of cabins, galley, deck space seems more than adequate to me. Don't forget fly bridge on that size boat will ad about a ton in weight (and a ton at the filling pump) and make the boat top heavy. A 37 foot cruiser, is lighter, faster, more agile, better fuel economy and better deck space ('cause it hasn't those patio doors killing the flow). I'd give it a thought.
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What a very biased statement that is .As a couple we really like our flybridge boat. Plus we have a lazaretre which is usually absent on a sport cruiser of similar size.
 
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Little Ricky said:
You are absolutely right in what you say, but bear in mind these are a novice couple new to boating so a 37 foot flybridge (maybe an 8-10 ton boat) as your first foret into boating, might be asking a lot of your seamanship. You're obviously an experienced person, so your advice is clearly a welcome addition to others commenting.
Click to expand...
The S40 was our first motor boat.
 
Little Ricky said:
You are absolutely right in what you say, but bear in mind these are a novice couple new to boating so a 37 foot flybridge (maybe an 8-10 ton boat) as your first foret into boating, might be asking a lot of your seamanship. You're obviously an experienced person, so your advice is clearly a welcome addition to others commenting.
Click to expand...
Ric, there was a famous sailer named Douglas Bader , who once said ( life is great without legs).
 
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