3208's @ 375HP

Any reason to run away from these at 7000 hours? The boat is not close so don't want to make the trip if 3208's have a internal self destruct at 7000 hours. They are in a 49' Classic Grand Banks so doubt they have been running flat out.

General consensus around the internet seems to be that if you don't run 'em like you stole 'em, they can go 10000 hours+. Heads and head gaskets seem to be the only complaints, but not something that seems to be what I would call a common problem.

I was joking about the self destruct timer too, but I got a chuckle from your comment.

Looks like GB went away from the Lehman to the 3208 at some point. Almost all that I've seen in the late 80's/early 90's are sporting 3208's.

No, not looking for a dock queen or a project. These 3208's are in later model GB's in the $200 - $300K range. I'm done looking at the lower price spectrum. Better to buy later model with fewer problems. I'd rather spend the money up front and enjoy the boat than be constantly working on it.

We started off looking under 100K. That yielded nothing but junk and repower candidates. Then we bumped the budget to $200K and the options got much better. At $300K we can find a turn key, low hours boat with new electronics that needs nothing. A 48ish pilothouse MY or a 42/46 GB would be my preference. We will be living aboard 6 or so months out of the year running the ICW from the Chesapeake to FL so livability is important. In the summer cruising the Chesapeake and New England coast.

The list is getting shorter and the least expensive boat is $219K. Everything on the list is turn key, low hours, modern electronics and newer than 2000.

Reminds me of when I would spend hours/days doing a simple repair on the airplane that should take 10 minutes. Sometimes you just want to get hold of the engineer in charge of that decision and kick him square in the nuts. Don't know why GB went this route but when I stepped the budget up and started looking at 1990+ boats, I see a lot of boats with 3208 375HP power. Older ones were mostly Lehmans and Cummins.

I agree. No reason to have 375hp x 2 in a trawler. We are gravitating toward pilothouse MY's. I'm more interested in the mechanicals than the brand of boat. Good reliable engines and systems. We are looking in the 42-48 range.

Looking at a '99 Bayliner 4788 tomorrow with Cummins BTA 375HP. I know it's a Bayliner, but I honestly can't find many complaints about this boat. Forum discussions are basically talking about owner mods and basic repairs. Owners seem to love them and usually own them for years, then just sell to move up to the larger version. Also seems to be pretty economical with fuel burn at hull speed about the same as a trawler the same size.

Pilothouse MY's that small aren't that plentiful. Plenty of them in the 50+ range. Really trying to keep it under $200K , great loop capable with comfortable liveaboard accommodations. Air draft has to be under 19' to do the loop.

Yes, it's not a ocean explorer, but short of a possible fair weather run to the Bahamas, our mission is near coastal, ICW and possibly the loop. I've hear that the light displacement and shallow draft can make them roll a bit in beam seas. From the time I was 8 until 15 I spent summers on my grand parents 48 Alaskan. My mom would drop me off in Albany and I would go through the canal with them to St Claire MI for the summer. Then I did the reverse in the fall and mom picked me up in Albany. Now that we are retired, capable and can afford it, I would love to retrace those steps.