Marinette purchase advice

Things that are of general interest.
gdogfunk
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Marinette purchase advice

Post by gdogfunk »

Hello Marinette owners!

I am seriously considering a 1987 Marinette 28' Express HT with dual 318s and about 1200 hours on a fairly well maintained example. I test drove her this weekend and it was a great experience. I'm new to boating in general, but have narrowed my focus to a Marinette 28' based on size, my perceived boating needs (fishing and day cruising) and the aluminum hull for non- fiberglass related issues. However, the owners are smokers and claim they only smoke with the windows open. Considering the ashtrays within arms reach in every area of the boat, I somewhat find that hard to believe.

How hard is it to remove a smoke smell from the interior of a Marinette? Is it permanent and I'll smell it forever? Am I better off waiting until a better example comes along? As a first time boat owner to be, I feel a 28' would be easier to handle than a 32'. The availability of any 28' seems to be very rare at the moment. Any thoughts or advice? Thank you in advance,

Ryan
jralbert
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Re: Marinette purchase advice

Post by jralbert »

two thoughts: it should be no harder to remove cig smell from a boat than from, say a dwelling. Lots of info on the web. If we could get the smell of putrified bait out of the boat in a summer fiasco, you can get cig smell out. Activated charcoal - avail in pet fish stores and online - is great at trapping odors. You can toss it periodically (great for flower beds) or you can boil it to release the trapped odors and re-use.

#2 - new to boating means you're best first expense is a tough surveyor who will tell you what you might not want to hear about the boat you're falling in love with. A boat is not a woman though it may call to you as one. Her/his advice will pay for the service many times over.
-joel-
former owner 1988 '32 FB Sedan
Chesapeake Bay
twin 318 / 240 hp
Potomac MD
Rockit
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Location: Phoenix, AZ

Re: Marinette purchase advice

Post by Rockit »

A 32 wouldn't be all that different to handle than a 28. If you have twin engines (assuming both are operating) it's easy. Take a safe boating course, get a patient teacher, and spend time learning how to operate the boat. I've run boats my whole life and will spend time at the beginning of every season practicing low speed handling. The 32 might take you more time to maintain, but not enough that you'd notice. Fuel consumption won't be that different but depending on where you dock the slip fee might be a bit higher.

Let me echo the advice about getting a good surveyor. Many surveyors today will not check the engines so unless you're already part mechanic (and even then) get a good one to go over the drive trains. At 1200 hours, it wouldn't surprise me to find one (or both) of the engines smoking as much as the former owners. We could all come up with long lists of things to examine, but a qualified surveyor and mechanic will do you more good than anything else.

Good luck

Joe
Joe Napoli
1977 28' Express
Twin raw water cooled 318s
Beaver River--near mile 25 on the Ohio
Fastjeff
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Location: Rock Halll, MD

Re: Marinette purchase advice

Post by Fastjeff »

You won't believe this, but the standard body shop technique for de-stinking a burnt interior of a car is to wash everything with kerosene. The kero stink goes away after a while, taking the burnt odor with it.

Might work for cig stink as well.

Jeff
"We live at the bottom of an ocean of air, not at the top." General Marvage Slatington
jralbert
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Re: Marinette purchase advice

Post by jralbert »

Rockit wrote:A 32 wouldn't be all that different to handle than a 28. If you have twin engines (assuming both are operating) it's easy. Take a safe boating course, get a patient teacher, and spend time learning how to operate the boat.
Yep, and that extra 4' of space will reward you many times for the small addl cost
-joel-
former owner 1988 '32 FB Sedan
Chesapeake Bay
twin 318 / 240 hp
Potomac MD
yooper
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Joined: Mon Jul 14, 2014 10:24 am

Re: Marinette purchase advice

Post by yooper »

Are any of the windows cracked? Are all the cushions and V=berth there? Are all the screens in place. Do any high dollar extras like radar and autopilot come with the boat? How about splash guards. bimini, bumper baskets. anchor winch. What does the capac say? A very big deal is paint. A professonal paint job could cost more than the boat. Engines? you are on your own. The original engines are old school so you better be able to get distributors and carburators working.
All that said it is a good time to get a nice Marinette. I wouldn't touch a project boat in this market. Try to get a boat from an old geezer that is quiting boating and will leave all the good stuff on board. Not mine I'm still hanging in there. Some of these guys have spent a lot more on a boat than they will ever get out.
ddependo
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Re: Marinette purchase advice

Post by ddependo »

Ozone generator is the best thing to take smoke smell out. That is what contractors use to get rid of smoke in fire damage home. It is used by car dealers too. You can rent one for about $ 30 a day & one day will take care of it. I rent them all the time at my rental store.
Wayne
1973 32 express fly bridge
Chattanooga
"Southern Lady"
gdogfunk
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Re: Marinette purchase advice

Post by gdogfunk »

Thanks for the responses so far! These boats move fast, it seems.

Most of the search results in my area are now all 32' with flybridge. Any opinions on whether a flybridge is a good/bad thing for a beginner? The 32' sport fish seems to have the most deck room from what I can tell. At least versus the sedan bridge models. I also notice the FB models have the lower helm on the port side versus the 28' I test drove had the helm on the starboard side.

I'm not sure why it matters to me, but it seems every boat I've ever been on has a starboard helm and it seems awkward to have the helm on the port side on the larger 32'. Even though I steer a car on the same side, I'm not sure why it seems more comfortable on the starboard side. Thoughts?
jralbert
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Re: Marinette purchase advice

Post by jralbert »

You will get subjective replies. Jeff took down his FB, I absolutely loved mine. Some think it makes the boat top heavy and catches wind. I loved the commanding view and because the captain sits about midship, there was less pitching. Docking was easier because the view was 360. Sometimes, not often, I had to scramble down to help tie up depending on who the mate(s) were. But not that often. Riding bow high (it happens) still gave me grt visibility. Steering from the left was not a problem on the occasions I had to do so (few). good luck
-joel-
former owner 1988 '32 FB Sedan
Chesapeake Bay
twin 318 / 240 hp
Potomac MD
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bcassedy
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Location: Aurora, In.

Re: Marinette purchase advice

Post by bcassedy »

Fully agree with Joel! Having said that, those that prefer a "no fly bridge" boat admire their boats for a variety of reasons. In many cases, it's subjective. AKA - there's no "right or wrong" in which is a better configuration. I like our FB for the reasons Joel provided. When backing into a slip, I feel the FB view gives a better overlay of how the boat's handling. And in tight situations (think major $$$ neighbor's boat) you can see a lot as you're backing into the slip and correct quicker :-] ). On our first drive out with the PO, it was explained how to gauge planing indicators - using bow wave wash against one of the railing stantions (ie. line up the trailing edge of the bow wave against the position of 1 of the stantions). Of course, you can use horizon siting against the bow when steering from the lower station (adjusting the trim tabs for up/down to get best planing performance). Matter of getting to know the boat. The lower station will be a godsend in lousy weather.
NOTE (tiny bit off subject?) - one of the guys on the old site created a slick set of foldable screens for insertion into the salon's front windows (window weight holds 'em in place). I've made a "fair weather" one for the starboard side's window which has screening on all three sides. The "foul weather" version has a smaller front screen (to forestall rain blowing in) and plexiglass sides. Their use really does give a sense of a larger lower salon area, great ventilation and keeps the bugs at bay.

Bill
Bill & Sharon Cassedy
"Sunset Seeker"
'88 32' Sedan Bridge to be sold (updtd 1-1-22)
"Sunset Seeker Too" (SS2)
'88 41' Marquis hardtop. (as of 1/1/22)
Located in Aurora, In.
Always fresh water.
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