Looking at a 36

[swampcreek]

I'm looking at a 1981 36 Yamaha, I didn't even know that Yamaha sailboats existed until I bumped into this boat. So I need as much information as possible. Please excuse the elementary questions we currently have owned boats produced in the thousands so parts and information was much easier to get.

Build quality, things to look for, or to look out for, coring, other construction information.

Where do you get your sails/rigging?

How does it handle both sailing and docking (prop walk)?

Would this be a good boat for a cruising couple or a bit too much?

This boat was said to have been raced the last 24 years and is now in an estate sale. I'll link the ad and we do plan to get a surveyer if we decide to get serious about this but the more information I have before I talk to the broker the better off I'll be.

We were going to wait a little longer and probably get something along the lines of a late 1980's or newer Catalina 30, but from the tiny bit of information I've gathered so far these Yamaha boats are really built well and this one really appeals to us. We were planning on spending a bit more like mid thirties tops, but this boat looks like what we're looking for.

What wer're looking for...A boat my Wife and myself can cruise the Chesapeake in mostly weekending and occasionally longer. We do that with our 1993 Macgregor 26s (Older conventional sailboat style) and contrary to collective thought they are nice little boats, ours hasn't let us down once and it catapulted us into getting serious about sailing but we do need more room. We'd like to also be able to entertain others once in a while but realize that it will mostly be just us. We want a quality boat thats going to last and perform well, we were going to go newer but this boat seems to be of good quality that could offset it's age.

Here is the link, does it seem worth a shot or are we dreaming?

http://www.yachtworld.com/boats/1981/Yamaha-36-2376221/Solomons/MD/United-States

AS I UNDERSTAND THERE AREN"T MANY Y-36'S AROUND I IMAGINE THE BUILD QUALITY IS SIMILAR PLEASE RELAY INFORMATION ON CONSTRUCTION OR HANDLING CHARACTERISTICS ON ANY OF YOUR BOATS THAT MIGHT APPLY TO THE Y-36.

Thanks in Advance!

 

[31seahorse]

Hello swampcreek,
Here's my two cents' worth......

With more draft than headroom I would wonder whether the Yamaha 36 is a wise choice for cruising in the Chesapeake. You certainly would need to choose anchorages wisely. The ad mentions that the boat was raced by the same owner for 26 years......that means the owner must have loved the boat and probably was successful in his racing efforts. That much racing exposure is not the same as 26 years of cruising effort. I would be concerned with wear and stress on all parts of the boat.

Respectfully, Phil

 

[Joe]

Yamaha's are cool. Lots of racing can be good....... or not so good... others may comment on that.... but I like the look of the ad .... it's my kind of boat. Defininitely priced to sell so don't delay submitting an offer if you're serious.

 

[Bob15082]

This looks like a steal from the pix, even with a bad engine. I'd look at a new engine rather than a rebuild due to the age of the original engine and the difficulty in getting repair parts. If you want a copy of the manual for the boat, go to yamahasailboats.org and ask for one. Some parts for this boat are still available from Yamaha, although cultivating a domestic source (Yamaha Motor Co.-USA) hasn't happened yet.

Sails, rigging and other stuff is freely available. I bought a new main for my 37 a couple years ago from UK Halsey, and am happy with it.

BTW, Yamaha still makes sailboats, but they haven't exported them to North America since 1985. Build quality is excellent, and surveyors like them.

 

[Edhavana]

This looks like a steal from the pix, even with a bad engine. I'd look at a new engine rather than a rebuild due to the age of the original engine and the difficulty in getting repair parts. If you want a copy of the manual for the boat, go to yamahasailboats.org and ask for one. Some parts for this boat are still available from Yamaha, although cultivating a domestic source (Yamaha Motor Co.-USA) hasn't happened yet.

Sails, rigging and other stuff is freely available. I bought a new main for my 37 a couple years ago from UK Halsey, and am happy with it.

BTW, Yamaha still makes sailboats, but they haven't exported them to North America since 1985. Build quality is excellent, and surveyors like them.

Bob is right. The difficult parts are the Yamaha proprietary parts. I also have a 37 and have replaced/upgraded many parts. I just had the Yanmar transmission rebuilt and bought a jib from a local sail loft. The rigging info is available online.

I have owned two 25's, a 33 and now this 37 and I don't think I would be happy with another boat. They are very well designed and built. A lot of bang for the buck.

There is another member, Rizzman, who owns a 36 in Sandusky, OH I think.

You have good advise from many, the main thing is where and how is the boat going to be used and does the fundamental design/features fit that profile.

All the best and keep us posted.

Ed Serra
Sarah V

 

[Rising Sun]

I've owned mine for a number of years, and love it. I've seen the boat you are looking at, and thought it a great deal as well. I'm always surprised at the price point of these boats, as they are built exceptionally well. Every surveyor and broker who knows anything about these boats have always said, ..."A Yamaha 36, that's a great boat!" They sail extreamly well, though with a bit of weather helm in a blow, and are quite quick in light air with decent sails and a folding prop. I would agree with Bob in his comments regarding replacing the engine instead of trying to rebuild. In my opinion, a great boat, with lot's of interior room for it's size that still sails something like a race boat. My wife and I lived aboard for 2 years, and have cruised every summer for several weeks for the past 14 years.

The one issue i've seen some discussion on is the windows. The glue that was used by the builder to install the polycarbonite windows (they are also screwed) usually failed somewhere at the 15 year mark, depending on the amount of UV the boat has seen. The windows themselves usually oxidize, to a dull, chaulky black. I pulled mine and reassembled with tabe. A plastic shop used these as templates and cut new ones at a cost of under $300. I removed (scraper and hand sand) the old rements of glue from the deck deck "house", hand primed and painted black. Then installed the new ones over rubitex insualation (sticky back to "house) to form a robust gasket, re-installed the screws and had a good marine painter do a nice big, solid caulking toe bead. The new ones have held up great with no leaks and no fading since 1999. It makes a huge difference in the appearence.

If I can be of any help, please don't hestiate to post more questions or email me directly oceantransit@gmail.com
Graeme
Rising Sun

 

[Sail123]

looks like a good solid place to invest nine grand.

 

[swampcreek]

The marina contacted me about the boat. Another perspective buyer had it surveyed and it came out as needing an engine rebuild (I'd get a new engine) and from how he described (Not too well) I think one of the shrouds is loose from the boat or the area where chain plate is fastened needs rebuilt...I'm not sure. The potential buyer is considering if he wants to takle it, the sale price has dropped to $5,000. I replied I might still be interested. The boat is about approximatly 75 water miles from me so I'd either have the engine replaced there and motor it up the bay and then have it pulled and fixed here or have everything done down there. Since my time is really at a premium right now I'd probably have to have it made seaworthy by others, I'm imagining that would run about $20,000. So for $25,000 I'd have a re rigged and freshly repowered boat. I'd still have to see or get a survey to make sure but this might be doable. Does this sound right? What motor has the same foot print as a Yanmar 2QM20?

 

[Rising Sun]

If you can purchase a Y-36 for under $10,000 that yes, needs a new engine, and even some chain plate reconstruction, you would probably still be far ahead. I'm sure it will need a bit more than that, all 30 year old boats do, but if there are no other glaring defects it would be a great boat for the money. If it was here in Seattle at that price, I would probably buy it just to clean it up, repower, repair and resell it.

When i repowered, i didn't find anything that fit the original "foot print" of the 2QM20. The 3YM20 was a smaller, lighter engine, producing the same horsepower. Obviously the 3 cylinder is certainly smother than the old 2 cylinder.

It was an easy repower, same exhaust size, same fuel lines with only the addition of a return line back to the tank. I removed my old engine in about 2 hours, and spent a full day with another mechanic installing the 3YM20, double checking alignement and drilling the holes in the engine bed/stringers etc. The beds have stainless plate laminated, so drilling and tapping the new machine bolts asured a solid installation.

I was not able to use the supplied goose neck exhaust water injection elbow, as there wasn't enough room ( I can explian further if need be) but instead used the already mounted factory mixing connection. No big difference, only to make sure the rest of the exhaust and water lock muffler is layed out properly.

 

[Rising Sun]

A good survey is always a good idea.

 

[swampcreek]

Ad has been changed

Just looked at the ad again, it's been changed. I guess the potential buyer backed out because the asking price has now dropped to $9000 (I do have an email stating the asking price would go to 5K in light of the survey), The motor replacement, and shrouds don't scare me too much BUT now I see there is a high moisture content in the decks, I guess this is a major problem...That DOES scare me, I might have to pass on that.

 

[FastOlson]

Plus One for Yamaha

We have toured a Y-36 at the dock, and the design and engineering looked wonderful. This one is fully optimized for cruising.
http://www.yachtworld.com/boats/1980/Yamaha-Sloop-2206885/Seattle/WA/United-States

I did a long delivery in a Y-33 and found it to be fully as solid and well designed as my Ericson or the Tartan, CS, or Sabre's I have been on.
Depending on present condition, a Yamaha is a great great boat.
Strictly FWIW, a friend with a Y-33 was even able to source some new factory hatch hinges from Yamaha in Japan a couple years ago. They still have a person handling parts for their extensive line of sailboats!


LB