I have found another boat that we think may be suitable for what we are looking for, its a 14.7m converted fishing boat, fibreglass hull with a Gardner engine.
1994 G Stewart Design 14.70m Boat (Sleeps 9)
MACHINERY: Moulded GRP construction with Gardner 6LXB six cylinder naturally aspirated 120HP diesel fueled engine solid mounted to heavy engine bearer frames. Close coupled Nigata 3:1 hydraulic gearbox carrying 75mm stainless steel propeller shaft through conventional stern gland arrangement. Fixed four bladed NFM propeller. Coated steel diesel fuel tanks contained within separate compartment forward of engine room and connected to main engine via RACOR type primary filter system. Desalination Plant.
ELECTRICS: Open auxiliary generator unit comprised of Perkins three cylinder diesel fueled engine connected to Stamford 22 Kva alternator unit. Circuit breaker protection in main AC distribution board sited at aft end galley area. 12 vDC alternator off main engine to battery charging for main start batteries.
ENGINE ROOM: 1 x Bank 24vDC engine starting, 1 x Bank 12vDC Domestic Batteries
WHEELHOUSE: 1 x Bank (4x6) domestic house batteries with solar and wind generator charging system.
Victron Phoenix 24/3000 DC/AC inverter unit for 240vAC supply to domestic supply. Circuit breaker protection to electric system. 4 x Solar panels with Plasmatronics regulated controller unit.
GALLERY: Sited along starboard cabin side and across forward cabin area. Equipped with: 1 x Euromaid SC205 electric stove/oven, 1 x Samsung microwave oven, 1 x Single bowl Stainless steel sink with pressurized fresh water supply. Gallery utensil and crockery stowages under and adjacent.
HEAD: Located portside aft end of main cabin house in separate enclosed compartment. Equipped with domestic pan and cistern ceramic toilet unit with direct discharge to holding tank. Small plastic vanity unit with fresh water supply. Electric hot water shower unit.
INTERNAL CONFIGURATION: Anchor locker space right forward. Collision bulkhead. Forward cabin area with three hull side bunks, stowages under and adjacent. Steps up to main deck area. Freezer room contained within paved bulkheads and accessed via deck hatch within main saloon. Main saloon area with port side sliding door access. Curved bench arrangement across forward section with gallery sink and benches down starboard side. Main saloon table and chairs landed on deck which is above engine room space. Steps down starboard side to aft cabin fitted with three single bunks, storage under and adjacent. Stainless steel companionway ladder up forward to bridge deck with main cabin equipped with double bed arrangement. Main helm position at forward end.
DECK EQUIPMENT: Cleats, leads and bitts as would normally be associated with vessel of this type and size. Raised GRP/timber bulwarks extend around the vessel.
NAVIGATION EQUIPMENT: 1 x AP 5 autopilot system, 1 x Furuno Radar, 1 x Furuno Sounder, 1 x Furuno GPS WAAS Navigator unit, 1 x Raytheon Wind unit, 1 x Lorenz Starlight Pro GPS unit, 1 x GME GX 600 VHF Transceiver, 1 x Uniden UH089SX UHF Transceiver, 1 x Pioneer AM/FM CD unit, 1 x Saura Keiki Magnetic Compass.
SAFETY EQUIPMENT: 1 x MT 400 type EPIRB no registration label, 1 x Set pyrotechnics for inshore usage, 1 x Manual bilge pump external, 1 x Mechanical bilge pump to manifold bilge suction system, 1 x 24vDC Electric bilge pump with float switch engine room, 1 x 24vDC bilge pump beneath stern gland, 2 x Lifebuoys, 18 x Lifejackets.
MOORING GEAR: 1 x 130lb CQR anchor shackled to 130m of 16mm galvanized chain carried over hydraulic driven anchor winch system, 1 x Danforth type sand anchor with 6m of 12mm chain bent onto length synthetic mooring line, Sundry mooring line and fenders.
STEERING GEAR: Wheel steering at main helm position connected by hydraulics to single ram arrangement. Square head on rubber stock for emergency steering. Conventional semi balanced plate rudder carried on upper internal bearing arrangement with shoe plate.
I asked some questions about the boat and this is the replies,
* What do you know of the history of the boat before you bought it? Where was she built, and do you know anything about the designer, G Stewart?
It was built in Eden, NSW by G Stewart, it's his own design fishing boat built for the Bass Strait fishing and has a full fibreglass hull but has lines scribed into it. To make it look like it has been planked.
* What trips has your Dad done in the boat and how would he describe her sea handling?
In my opinion you won't find a better sea boat, it also has 5 metre trawler stabilisers.
* What is her beam and draught?
Length 14.7m x Beam 5m x Draft 2m
* Has the boat had any form of survey in recent times?
Yes approximately 2 years ago it was slipped and anti fouled
* Do you have any idea what her displacement is, I am guessing at least 30 tonnes?
40 tonnes
* How many hours has the Gardner done and what if any work has been done to it?
I've had the injector pump and injectors rebuilt it uses a little oil but will run forever because its 6LXB
* What size are the fuel tanks?
4500 litres divided into 4 tanks
* What size is the water tank?
Approx. 1000 litres
* Does the toilet use salt water to flush?
Yes salt water to flush and has a holding tank with a macerator pump.
* What is the cruising and top speed?
8 to 10 knots depending on tide.
* What is the fuel consumption per nautical mile at cruise?
Approx. 10 Litres per hour @ 1300 revs.
* When was she last slipped and anti fouled?
Approx. 2 Years ago.
* What sort of fridge does she have in the galley?
Household Fridge/Freezer, a Tuckerbox Deep Freezer for bait and electric stove just like inside a house.
* Roughly what are the dimensions of the freezer room? I guess the genset would need to be running for the freezer to operate? (too big for the solar battery system?)
Freezer room is 5m x 4m, it's a Blast Freezer (I never used it as a freezer, only used as a storage area).
* Does all the electronics, radar, sounder, GPS etc, all work well with no faults or failing LCD screens?
Yes all works well except for Pilot which is new but has a wire problem but I don't trust Pilots I prefer to steer myself.
* What size is the tinny you have on the davits on the transom?
4.3m Clark with 60hp Merk.I am still trying to find out what trips the owner has done on the boat and I have asked again about how many hours the engine has done, he doesnt know so that it a bit of an unknown, although less important with a Gardner than other motors.
Remaining things to check are what the condition of the coolant is like, it would need anti fouling and survey.
I am close to booking flights to go down and look at it, my concern is spending the money to go down and look at it and not having first refusal to purchase it. I have in mind that if it is all it seems then if I could get it for $100k, and pay for slipping, antifoul & survey and make the sale subject to the survey I would be comfortable.
Some more pics here,
Ok, i have found the first problem, after enquiring about the "little bit of oil" it uses, I found out its about 2L for 18h running, that seems a little excessive, googlefu to check it out.
Looked into the oil consumption, no doubt its too high, final confirmation came when I emailed Gardner Marine in the UK and they replied,
Oil usage completely depends on the worn state of the engine and of course on how hard, or easy, the engine is being run. It is therefore impossible to get an exact reading from hours alone.
We measure oil usage as a percentage of fuel burn always. It normally burns oil at a rate of 0.25 0.5 % of fuel burn. Note that the high value of 0.5% can be due to a worn engine, OR a new engine (until it beds in) or an old but not worn but glazed engine.
Anyhow, as an example:
Cruising speed of 1250RPM would be in the region of 10L fuel burn per hour (it could be far more or less depending on the hull, trawling etc, but lets go with this).
In 18 hours, that is 180L of fuel.
Worse case oil burn at that fuel burn would be 180 x 0.005 = 0.9L
So, although a guess, I would suggest that 2L is on the high side, but it does need to be considered alongside the facts given above. You will need to confirm if it is burning it or leaking it. A good give away is the breather gas if the engine is worn, there will be a direct correlation between that and high crankcase breathing.That was the end of the research for me, the reason to purchase a boat with a Gardner is the extremely long life with no maintenance required, to buy one that had issues that needed fixing made no sense at all.
None the less I spoke with Brad & Kim as well as Dan from Iron Lady and Arthur to get their views, consensus was that the engine oil consuption made it a no. Brad & Kim also raised the additions to the top cabin, did the boat have a stability test after it was added? (almost certainly no.), what timber was used, is it appropriate for the tropics? How hot would it be with it being unlined? What if you took a big wave over the bow that hit the added cabin?
In the end it was too many uncertainties and with the oil issue it lost any conviction for me. Again, more learnt by going thru the due diligence and an even better idea of what we really want.