Marine Trader 40

[jakeman44]

Hi all, who can help me out here? I have looked at a boat that I was told was a Marine Trader. It is a 40''center cockpit ketch built in Taiwan in 1979, according to the owner. My searches reveal little information about this boat except that most of them are motorsailers or trawlers. Anyone who has knowledge of these boats PLEASE respond, since I am meeting him at the boat tomorrow to look her over.

Jeff H., I know you have an opinion on these.

Thanks,
Jake Haynie

[Jeff_H]

Hi Jake,

Marine Traders had the worst reputations. I have very little direct experience with them but when you got around people who were boat importers from the Orient (like my Mother) Marine Traders were seen as being so poor that legitimate importers would mention them by name and complain that Marine Trader was reinforcing the negative stereotype of oriental boats.

I had looked at a Marine Trader for an acquantance that wanted one for a live aboard. This was a nearly new boat and the kinds of problems that I saw scared me away. These boats had rather poorly constructed wooden spars that I would expect to be a problem if they were not rebuilt or replaced by now.

These boats are sometimes ascribed to Bill Garden but as I understand it they were modeled after a Garden design that was actually being constructed by another yard.

Obviously, sailing performance in light air or heavy is not too great with their huge displacements, low ballast ratios and small sail plans. Most had a raised salon/pilot house of sorts with huge port lights that were not my idea of a proper design for a safe offshore boat.

Anyway, they do offer a lot of space for the dollar and if all you are looking for is a live-aboard they might work if you bought one at a cheap enough price.

In fairness these are just not my kind of boat and so I am probably not the best person to ask. my preferences tend to run toward traditional boats that accurately reflect traditional design thinking or to modern performance boats. Boats that are sort of traditional without reflecting the kind of careful modeling than made most tradtional seacraft what they were, have little or no appeal to me.

Jeff

[jakeman44]

Ouch!! Oh well, too late now. I am the proud owner of a piece of crap, I guess. Mine does have aluminum spars and a new fuel tank, a fair amount of electronics and a new zodiac and 15hp Yamaha. Also a 5kw genset. I knew it wasn''t top of the line but I bought it at a very good price, and the truth is I''m thrilled shitless.

Regards,
Jake Haynie

[Jeff_H]

Jake,

I am a little sorry about my post. I did not realize that you had already bought the boat. I do not mean it as a put down to you personally. Most of us buy the boats that catch our heartstrings and enjoy them for what they are. There are no universally right and wrong boats out there, only the wrong owner and use for a specific boat choice. If your boat suits you, you get joy from her, and you use her in a prudent manner, that is all that counts.

I assume that you had a thorough survey and any defects were brought to light. Boats like these seem to take on a variety of lives. Some are bought cheaply and go down hill from there. Others are bought by a caring skipper who wrestles with each problem as it arises and ultimately ends up with a well found boat. I truely hope that is the case (and from the upgrades it sounds like it might be) with a boat that has you "thrilled shitless".

Respectfully,
Jeff