Hope to be an owner soon!

[feclark47]

Hello! I'm new to the forum. I joined a month or so ago and have enjoyed the posts and am amazed at the knowledge of the members and your willingness to share thoughts, ideas and experiences.

My wife and I are looking at 37 Palm Beach. We live in Indiana and are transplants from western NY. I grew up around the St. Lawrence River & Rideau Canal and as far as I'm concerned some of the best boating in the world. We are both retired now and want to do the Loop and are looking for a vessel to do it in. We have a 23 SR Weekender now and haul it to Canada every year for a couple of weeks and spend time on the Rivers and Lakes in KY & TN when we can.

The Palm Beach is in very good shape. Its an '85 with twin Volvos (TMD 40B). One has 4000 hrs on it and the other 2700. It does not have a gen-set on it. The refrig/freezer is propane powered. Other power is from the house bank and inverter, along with shore power of course. The boat has teak trim in good shape, and the deck is fiberglass.

Any thoughts out there on the engine hours? The owner says he often will run on just one engine when conditions allow. The transmissions allow the props to "free wheel" when not engaged. The engines have not been reconditioned, but well maintained (he has records). I assume he has a larger alternator on the one with the higher hours. I need to contact him about that.

Any other things that I should pay particular attention to with this model? Any offer will be contingent on survey results, engine oil tests, etc.

Thanks in advance for your responses.

[whwells]

Feclark47: Found a 37 Palm Beach in Stanford, Conn in the listing. Beautiful boat with all kinds of room and listed at 70,000. You will get your best advise from another Volvo owner. In trucks at least we use to say service properly and then will go 500,000 miles. The 4,000 may be a bit high but the other sounds fine. It is not how many hours so much as the service frequency and how well that was done. Get a full hull and engine service by a Certifed Volvo man if you can. Then for your own benefil is it smooth, and does it look good. If the former owner kept good records and kept it clean that sounds good to me. Look at the photos of the one in Stanford, Conn. and compare hours, condition and price as to what you are paying. That one also has a gen set, but may be a single prop. Sounds like good times ahead for you both. Investigate and then enjoy the purchase as you are doing.
whwells "Howard"
35TE Sportfisher/Conv.
" Nibbles"

[jcollins]

feclark47,
Welcome to Albin Owners Group. The Palm Beach is a great model. I am no expert with twins but a 1300 hour difference is something I would be concerned about. Perhaps those more experienced than I will jump in here.

Good Luck,

John

[whwells]

feclark47: You probably want to take a serious & look maybe you already have at the Stanford, Conn. 37 Palm Beach. Went back & looked again. It actually is twin Cummins with low hours 1300 each & the westerbeke gen set. The whole boat looks extremely clean as does the mechanical. Speaking from experience you can by one that needs work and end up spending twice what it would have taken to purchase the right one first. The one you are considering maybe priced right but what a difference in hours and equipment. Either way good luck to you and just compare.
whwells "Howard"