Hey crew. I'm new here and not currently a Morgan owner but could be. I looked at a Morgan 383 last weekend and have a question or 2. I've been busily researching various boats the last few years and of course my likes and my bank account to often do not agree with one another. I've found this Morgan that really checks most boxes that I'm after, even including my wife and son. The boat is bare bones, no safety equipment, no dingy, no life raft, epirb, no electronics what so ever but it is super clean, deck seems solid, interior teak looks good, has a new dodger, has new interior cushions and upholstery, doesn't appear to have water damage etc. Not much to complain about or draw extra attention too upon the first visual inspection, my wife was a 1000x more thorough than I, and she was happy with what she saw. (another plus for me) Question is what is a reasonable offer for a 1982 Morgan 383 in what appears to be really good condition, (of course that is with my limited experience) I realize this boat is close to 40 y/o and that a survey, could prove otherwise. Guidance, suggestions, and comments welcome. Thank you.
https://www.yachtworld.com/boats/1982/morgan-382-morgan-3547034/?refSource=enhanced listing&refSource=enhanced listing
I have a 383, 1982 vintage. I think this boat looks very good, at least from the pictures. Assuming that the items a surveyor will assess are in 'serviceable condition', this is what I would look for:
1. Sail inventory; age, condition, any repairs/tears, fraying, etc. (sails are expensive)
2. Engine/Transmission: I see it has about 1100 hours on it; if you average that out over it's life of almost 40 years, that is not much usage; is engine rebuilt? Request and insist upon reviewing all engine repair work/receipts, who did it (perhaps even check with them), etc.... mine had about 4,800 hours on it when I bought it, I've put about 550 hours on it in the 7 1/2 years I've owned it to give you an idea of 'average' usage (I live just over 2 hours from my boat the entire time I've owned it so I am not constantly using it).... an unused boat is almost as bad as a heavily used boat... especially one it comes to Diesel engines! Check the fluid in the transmission and wipe it off on a rag or your finger and smell it, look at its color. Is it reddish/pink? Or is it gray and dirty? Does it smell burnt? Has it ever been replaced? Also, take a look at the shifter and throttle cables... those are prone to snap off and can be a hassle to replace... (ask me how I know that last one!)
3. stock holding tank on these boats was built into the keel; require the holding tank to be filled with fresh water from the deck fill and then check for leaks.... that was a nasty surprise on many an owner who has bought one of these to realize the tank tabbing is leaking and it's virtually impossible tor repair.... (I posted pics of my tank relocation job on this site)
4. Port lights.... check for leaks.... and the condition of the hardware on the existing ports. Mine weren't leaking at the time I bought it but the hardware was about to go south on them and did.... a costly replacement (I wound up going with NFM Stainless steel port lights, which I love and have had them about 4 years now). I see from the photos that the fixed port lights have been replaced with dark tinted ones (same as I had done).... be sure they are bedded well and are not leaking!
5. forward anchor locker.... check that bulkhead for rotten wood on the bulkhead AND the upper floor in it.... anchor mud can tend to clock the drain holes on each side and can allow water to stand in the aft end of the locker against the bulkhead separating your v-berth and anchor locker.... take an awl or screwdriver and gently poke at it to be sure it's not saturated/rotten!
6. inspect the bulkheads where the standing rigging chainplates are mounted.... be sure that they are not rotted from leaks, etc.. The Morgans are somewhat unique in that the chainplates reside under the deck and what you see on the top side is actually bolted thru to the chainplates and then the stand rig pins and shackles to what you see on the deck... also, look at all stanchions and topside standing rigging for rust bleeding, etc. that might indicate a compromised fitting.
7. Mast: stand on deck and look straight up the forward side of the mast to the top.... is it straight or does it have a bend to it? If it's not pretty well straight, the rig is out of balance and you need to have the rigging inspected beyond deck level to be sure it's in good shape topsides.
8. Water tanks: are the forward and salon tanks full of water and not showing signs of leaks? These can be a booger to repair or replace if they leak.... so be sure they are full and holding water.
9. Exhaust, raw water pickup, engine rubber boots for cooling system, head hoses and piping along with the fuel tank fill hose.... be sure they are all clean and not showing signs of wicking (permeated) with the contents of the hose. On exhaust hose, a sign might be that the external shows some cracking and if you see a white chalk look to spots on the hose (salt).... on head hoses, wipe a damp paper towel or rag over the hoses and see if they smell like waste at all... if so, they'll need to be replaced. Is Fuel Tank full of diesel (check gauge under the teak lift out plate just aft of the salon table).... sniff for a heavy diesel smell....
10. lastly, pull the teak salon dust bin cover and lift out the plastic pan.... shine a flashlight down in the bilge and see if its dry or does it have stranding water in it and just how clean is that bilge?? Look for oily water, or if it smells like it could have diesel or a waste odor to it (that's the top of the holding tank and you'll see the vent line and the gauge fitting in that portion of the bilge. if you lift out the long thin deck plate (next to sink cabinetry) and look down in there, you will see the fill and pump out PVC/hose going into the top of the holding tank....
Okay, I'm not a marine inspection expert, but those are some of the things I would check out.... based upon what I've seen on this site and from my own experiences.
I hope this helps.
John Harrison
S/Y Tranquility
Palmetto, FL