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E32-3

TLEO

Student of Life
Hey T-LEO - did you buy C-Breeze? The unicorn '89 32-3 Wing Keel boat?

How's it going?
Upon further investigation she may be more of a Frankenboat then a Unicorn. Not sure if she is the boat for us.

TLEO = They Love Each Other
 

Tin Kicker

Sustaining Member
Moderator
They all need some kind of constant work so what's up? You have plenty of 32-3 and -200 owners here to discuss what you are concerned about.
 

TLEO

Student of Life
I'm not even sure where to start.

the Broker told us she's been on the hard since 2018 and that he winterized and was put up for sale. The boat has no sticker for the marina for the 2018 year, but has one for 2016-2017. We believe she been on the hard for a year longer. We also don't believe it was winterized properly, there is no evidence of pink antifreeze in any of the lines. The Survey we had we are not happy with, the surveyor omitted and included things that were not properly inspected. We would also have to commission the boat for a sea trial, the owner wants us to purchase the boat before the sea trial and put $2000 in escrow for "engine work" we have so many flags, The bilge did not start, the surveyor marked them as clean and working, I pumped them out manually. there is a large crack under bow where the roller furler is mounted (we read the thread on this one and know how serious it could be). the sole is delaminating, the surveyor said "the finish was flaking" He does not even mention the chainplates in the survey. I can go on... When do you know its time to toss in the towel...
 

Christian Williams

E381 - Los Angeles
Senior Moderator
Blogs Author
Toss in the towel when you don't want to do it anymore. As I recall this late-model boat was listed very low, and would naturally require working out such problems and issues as you describe above. Not for everyone, obviously.
 

goldenstate

Sustaining Member
Blogs Author
I agree with Tin Kicker. If you're not excited about the boat now, then walk away. However much work you think it will be to fix up the boat, it will be more work than that. If it seems like too much, then wait for another boat.

I thought there were some after-market iron keels attached to other boats, but I couldn't find any good threads after a quick search.

To me it doesn't really add up that the boat is the stated 1989 manufacture year. Based on the very anecdotal and unscientific 32' Hull Wiki I have been assembling, C-Breeze would be the only 32-3 made after 1987 known to exist. Your survey should have the hull number listed, the last 3 digits of which will be the sequence number of the boat in the line of Ericson 32's. If you can find that, you can find out what year the boat was more likely manufactured.

And it sounds like you're not happy with the survey, but don't feel like you wasted money on it. Even if the survey work is imperfect, if it helps you avoid a bad purchase, then it's money well-spent. You'll spend much more eventually on whatever boat you eventually buy.
 

Kenneth K

1985 32-3, Puget Sound
Blogs Author
There is a nice looking E323 in Point Pleasant NJ: https://www.yachtworld.com/boats/1987/ericson-32-3573218/

If this is much more than the list price on the boat you've been looking at, consider that spending more upfront on a "better" boat will likely cost you less money (and will definitely cost you less in time) in the long run than a cheaper, "problem" boat.

It's probably well worth a 2 hour drive to look at a nicer specimen for comparison,especially since you already have the "gut feel" that there are problems with this boat.
 

TLEO

Student of Life
I suppose i should say we are not afraid to roll up our sleeves and get our hands dirty, what we have problems with is the order of operations and what is the right way to make a purchase. This boat has been on the hard for 3+years, the fuel tank is half full, it's not been winterized properly, the engine is rigged with Duct tape and a prayer. The owner does not want to pay to commission the boat for a sea trial, the broker wants us to take ownership before it's launched. That is crazytown!!! We are feeling like they know something is wrong with the motor and we don't have enough experience or knowledge in this area. We still think she's a great boat but they don't want to make any concessions. Plus a laundry list of things that have still not been inspected due to being on the hard. Feeling a bit defeated at the moment.
 

Loren Beach

O34 - Portland, OR
Senior Moderator
Blogs Author
If it helps any to cite our history.... we had earnest money down on a decent E-32-200, but the seller would not negotiate at all, and the asking was already at/above our limit.
Proving that there is always another opportunity just around the corner, we found our Olson 34, a couple days later, also in Alameda (SF). The Olson was pretty beat up, but the engine passed a separate survey and the owner did repair a couple of items found in the hull survey.

Given that either choice would give us a tri-cabin layout inside, good all-round sailing ability, and Ericson build quality, we were happy to end up with the Olson. That was in 1994.... My, how time flies!
:)
 

Filkee

Sustaining Member
I remember being torn between a shiny, well-loved E-33 and a moldy, blustery, plastic-wrapped 32-3 that had been on the hard for years and needed a lot of love. I did the math and went for the smelly one with the bad skin because that’s where my boat love was needed most But a sketchy deal is a sketchy deal.
 

TLEO

Student of Life
I remember being torn between a shiny, well-loved E-33 and a moldy, blustery, plastic-wrapped 32-3 that had been on the hard for years and needed a lot of love. I did the math and went for the smelly one with the bad skin because that’s where my boat love was needed most But a sketchy deal is a sketchy deal.
We chose to go with our first choice, the "unicorn frankenboat" we are quite smitten with her.
 
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