Offer on 1988 32-200 Blue Max

[Latchdaddy]

Hi All,
On the advice of Christian,

​

I'm posting my efforts to purchase Blue Max, a 1988 32-200, here in Kemah thru HSH Yacht Sales. I met with the broker, Paul and we spent 2.5 hrs going thru the boat today.
She is listed here.
http://hshyachts.com/1988_ericson_32_200_sailboat.html

Overall, I am pleased with the condition and the owner seems to be a serious offshore cruiser at one point. My main concerns in order are:

1. Do not believe the standing rigging has been changed.
2. Engine would not start - probably weak batteries. The boat has not been sailed in +6 months or more? Heavy algae growth evident
3. No current maintenance records
4. Running rigging needs to be replaced
5. Bottom paint condition/age unknown
6. Sole will need to be refinished or replaced
   
7. All the Cushionsneed to be replaced
   
8. HatchLatches severely crazed
   

I took alot of pictures and the link is here if anyone is interested.

https://1drv.ms/f/s!AjjSIBpHUmUjgxzug9OliMU1Llyq


If we can agree on a price, the survey and rigging check will start asap. Comments on the above from any angle are appreciated. Ideas on repair/replacement costs are helpful. For instance, I am contemplating changing all the thru-hulls and critical plumbing hoses even if they may not look like they need it. I am all for an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

BTW - this site is one of the best I've seen for owners and a big reason why I like the E32-200, that and she's pretty.

:tongue:​

 

[Rick R.]

I will be listing our 89 32-200 very soon

Latch daddy,

If you would like to look at a 1989 32-200 contact me via the private message link. Ours is a beautiful boat that gets sailed multiple times per week.

It is located in Pensacola, Florida.

Rick

PS Our listing will be posted within the next couple weeks.

Here's an older shot.

 

[Guy Stevens]

What Rick?

What Rick you are selling your eboat!!!!???

I hope all is well down there!
Guy
:"-)

 

[Christian Williams]

What a great opportunity to pop over and see Rick's boat, note all the upgrades he has done, pick his brain clean, buy some of his records, and get a notion of his asking price.

Whatever that price is, it will be far less that matching the upgrades he's already done.

Faaaar less.

 

[Rick R.]

All is well. I'm just ready to get an E-38 and need to sell our wonderful 32-200 first.

 

[dt222]

Blue Max

I agree with Christian and Guy- if you can get to Rick's boat you will be ahead of the game in knowing what's ahead of you. After looking at the pictures from Blue Max, all I can think is "poor boat". It is in sore need of a lot of elbow grease- in-depth cleaning and refinishing in addition to the items that you mention.

Good luck.


Don

 

[u079721]

Well I haven't had the pleasure of seeing Rick's 32, but from the photos Blue Max looks VERY tired. Do you have the energy, time, money, and knowledge to bring her back to form?

 

[Christian Williams]

Can't comment on pictures of a boat, so let's leave the boat aside.

I'd say your list #1 to 8 is in the $15,000 range, if you do some of it yourself.

For example, if the cushions need both foam and fabric replaced, the estimate may be $3-6 thousand. There are about 15 cushions on the boat.

You can replace the lenses of the crazed hatches yourself for a few hundred dollars and a few weekends' time. A few thousand, handing the job to somebody else.

For any boat, all of the listed jobs are either time consuming, or surprisingly expensive relative to the buying price of the boat.

Of course, many if not most of us sail happily with crazed hatches.

But boats are the one purchase in life where for spending 20 percent over average returns double or triple value, and sometimes--given the surprises old boats can hold--even more.

One great model boat, though, in my opinion. Best all-around boat I ever owned, and still the best looking.

 

[Christian Williams]

Great job taking all those informative photos, which I had not studied before.

Let me say (awkwardly) that there is a right price for every boat and I would not like some anonymous stranger like me mouthing off sight unseen about a boat I had for sale or was considering buying.

But, I have never seen batteries that look like that (due no doubt to the installed original diode deep-fry charger), or an engine that looked like this.

 

[Mort Fligelman]

More Thoughts

Pay careful attention to what Christian is saying........and the others also.....all good comments not to be taken lightly.

It will take a bit of time, but go very throughly through the past "For Sale and Wanted" part of the forum.

I think you will find what kind of quality you should expect and at what price, and IMHO you will find the Blue Max sadly lacking.

My .02 worth.

 

[Latchdaddy]

Appreciate

First off - thanks to everyone for the comments/suggestions.

I've reached out to Rick and hopefully we can start a conversation asap,as I have made an offer on Blue Max - $30,500. (no reply yet)

The battery seems to be covered with baking soda - you will note in the picture, there is a plastic bag with baking soda in it.

I agree the boat is tired, and needs much TLC. I've been kissing boats for over 8 months here locally and frankly this is one of the better ones. I've yet to seen any even close to the level most of you keep them at here.

 

[Loren Beach]

The "thrill" of the hunt

First off - thanks to everyone for the comments/suggestions.

I've reached out to Rick and hopefully we can start a conversation asap,as I have made an offer on Blue Max - $30,500. (no reply yet)

The battery seems to be covered with baking soda - you will note in the picture, there is a plastic bag with baking soda in it.

I agree the boat is tired, and needs much TLC. I've been kissing boats for over 8 months here locally and frankly this is one of the better ones. I've yet to seen any even close to the level most of you keep them at here.

Apropos of your "search", when we spent a Year (!) searching for our next boat back in the 90's, we saw oodles of sail boats that were horror stories of deferred maintenance and neglect and yet were priced like turn-key vessels. By the end of that year, the thrill of the hunt had gotten a little old.

Most of the time the broker would agree with us and roll his eyes and wish us luck. Some of the examples were alarming from a safety standpoint and some, like the one we found with standing water slightly over the sole surface and waving (really!) fields of moss growing on a counter top were funny and sad at the same time. Then, there was the one where the broker rolled back the hatch and we were all treated to a sink overflowing with empty beer cans and the rest of the interior sort of matched that level of maintenance.


The point in time where many owners finally make a decision to sell is often waaaaaaayyyyyy past the point where the vessel was sail (or sea) worthy.

Best of luck to you, and if you find a well-maintained and updated vessel, it will cost the least $ in the long run! By far.

Loren

 

[mfield]

A couple of extra things from the photo's:
1. Looks like the lifelines might need replacing.
2. Some water damage on the port side behind the fixed portlight. Mike be some damage behind there.
3. Since the boat has not been sailed recently, have the zincs been changed - what is the state of the prop and heat exchanger.
All in all I think you are looking at closer to $18K in maintenance.

 

[TakeFive]

No pictures of sail condition. If they are like the rest of the boat...
Post detail views of tack, clew, etc. Reefing points? Reefing lines?

No detail pictures of any through hulls.

Mainsail cover needs replacement. New Sunbrella covers are expensive. I don't see a dodger. I'm guessing if there was one the glass is gone. Genoa sun cover is probably same shape as sail cover. If you replace crazed plexi you will need covers or they will craze again.

Electronics are ancient. If they work they work but you won't find anyone repairing them. No pics of GPS.

Hoses look like original Ericson install, Schaeffer blocks are original Ericson install, indication that the boat is original and has never been upgraded. Meaning you will do the upgrade if you plan to sail anywhere. If this will be for day sails then you spread out the upgrades.

Engine is a little scary looking. Hobbs says 562(?) hours but the screw heads are so buggered up I doubt the hobbs was working for much of it's life. I'd want to see excellent compression and would probably pull the injectors for testing at a diesel shop.

Looks like a good project boat, certainly restorable, but offers seem premature at this point.

-Garrett

 

[Latchdaddy]

Change of Tack

Again, thanks for everyone and Take Five for some insightful advice. I called the Blue Max broker, and he had not heard from the owner since I made the offer 2 days before. As I had 72hrs to rescind the offer, if he did not accept/reply, I did so.
With everyone's enthusiasm for Rick's boat - Easy, it was only prudent for me to reach out. Indeed he has done a lot of work and the boat looks to be a beauty. Rick and I are working out the arrangements and I plan to see the boat the following week (July1).
Thanks again.

Calvin

 

[Loren Beach]

Again, thanks for everyone and Take Five for some insightful advice. I called the Blue Max broker, and he had not heard from the owner since I made the offer 2 days before. As I had 72hrs to rescind the offer, if he did not accept/reply, I did so.
With everyone's enthusiasm for Rick's boat - Easy, it was only prudent for me to reach out. Indeed he has done a lot of work and the boat looks to be a beauty. Rick and I are working out the arrangements and I plan to see the boat the following week (July1).
Thanks again.

Calvin

Congratulations! Hope things just keep right on improving for you.


Loren

 

[GrandpaSteve]

E32-200 Easy

Make sure you look at Rick's videos of the boat on YouTube!

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCeG2QCYBqd9q5cp-vKp8NEA

 

[u079721]

Again, thanks for everyone and Take Five for some insightful advice. I called the Blue Max broker, and he had not heard from the owner since I made the offer 2 days before. As I had 72hrs to rescind the offer, if he did not accept/reply, I did so.
With everyone's enthusiasm for Rick's boat - Easy, it was only prudent for me to reach out. Indeed he has done a lot of work and the boat looks to be a beauty. Rick and I are working out the arrangements and I plan to see the boat the following week (July1).
Thanks again.

Calvin

I love a happy ending!