38 Riviera Restoration

Tanks For Watjam.. And Thank You

Fuel tanks

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hello Homer,

(Watjam)- I am currently replacing my rotten aft deck on a 38 Regal. Since the tanks are now exposed/accessible, I am considering replacement. My current tanks really are in good shape to the point of even being free of any muck on the bottom. I am aware that you replaced yours and being similar (although mine are still gas) I wondered if you maintained the same cylindrical tank set-up and what was the replacement cost on those.
I have tons of questions for you but don't want to scare you off just yet, so I'll keep it brief.
Thank you - your boat is just wonderful!


Watjam... Here is the deal, and I cut your name for your privacy.

Two ways to go:

1) Take out tanks, and replace with same size exactly. This will give
you 120 gallons a side. Nothing wrong with this approach. Make sure
to baffle and to request clean-out access if you want total control, but
not probably necessary.

2) You could do what I did which was to lay down 3/4inch marine plywood
and West systm epoxy all sides, then paint with Awlgrip two part bilge
paint. This will give you up to 160 gallons a side if you use the same
dimmension, but square it off. Only do this if you have aluminum as
the steel Roamer sits two inches lower because it weighs exactly 4,000
pounds more. Even a fully loaded aluminum Roamer weighs less than
an empty steel.. this is a fact.. well, probably not here because we do
not ever run out of beer. I just love beer. So did Captain Romaer by
the way.. but he was funny.. he loved to drink the crap like Rolling Rock
and Schlitz.. go figure?

My approach puts the mufflers on the outside raht than the
inside leaving more useable space and slightly lover cneter of gravity.
I will say Roamers of this size have a very low center of gravity so do
not roll.. feeel more like are in the water than on top of the water hence
also why they are so incredibly stable. I lowered the center of gravity
even more... I mean she handles and does not pitch at all.. no tin
canning here.

3) Dump those CC battleship iron mufflers if they are still in there and go
with Centec Lift mufflers... they spit water at the transom rather than
sound like a dragster ecco box. The 427 noise is cool at idle, but it is
tiresome on a long cruise.

4) Captain Eric at "Alloyed2sea" who has disappeared from planet earth,
has done this exact barrel style job, so you can dig him up and ask
him... I even think it is on the yacht forum photographinc in his
section. "Tin Tonic".. "Alloyed to Sea"

Nonetheless DO IT. Now is the time. When you replace your rotted deck parts, MAKE SURE, to West System it and it willl neve happen again. Galvanized tanks are THE PITS.

As far as price, I can't remember, but thery were fair. SP Tanks in Jersey is very good, at least they were for me.

I shall now show you what I did.. but Eric's way is fine and probably recommended. I went with more capacity in case we all have to run away from America to save our lives. I live in Washington and what is going on is the antithesis of what our Founding Fathers wanted. All I ask of you is to make sure you vote in November and pull the lever for whoever has not been in that seat before and ask you friends to do the same.

Here are some photos:

Lift mufflers...

Shhhh A Spit a sputter and a Shhhhh.

Insurance

Haggarty is a Good Company.. BUT, Travelers is offering better insurance coverage for considerably less than Haggarty.. like by a lot. Travelers is trying to get market share.. Call Charter Lakes at: 410-827-7750

Really...

I tried them a few years ago and they would not take older boats and the price was nuts.. they must have changed.

Interesting... (Insurance)

Could be... but ratings coverage and price was ostensibly outstanding.

Times change.. hard to say? Hagerty is good "Mid Western" folk, but Travelers undercut them by over 50% for better coverage so the papers share?

I would never ever never ever deal with "Alsleeze" or "State Harm"...that much I do know. Please don't settle if you are right.. Go all the way IMHO. Please let us know how it goes... many "Captains" are readng this.

The guy before said "Boat US"... I nearly choaked.. talk about a lot of crap they used to be IMHO... but again, times change...

"Have you Driven a Ford Latley?" .... Case in point.

Also, "National Marine Underwriters" in Annapolis MD is, or at last was.. FIRST CLASS and fairly priced.

It is great so many Captains are sharing their experiences on this thread..

I asked for one new thread today.. AND we got it!!... out of Michigan.. the fellow who just picked up the 41 aluminum Roamer "CLASSIC"... did you see that 41?..

To be honest, I think the 41 is my favorite of all Roamers.. the 37/38 is different.. more like a Sci Fi speed boat on steriods...

The 41 is "yacht class" in an express/sedan design. I highly recommend the 41. Back in those days.. owning a 41 was that extra league few could afford.. In sum, that model today is a screaming buy if you can find a good one.

So, who is going to join this forum this weekend?

If you, "whoever you are?" are reading this and have a Roamer photo, advice to share, or a dream to own... please do sign up and write us about it!

In just a few short weeks this thread has nearly 5,000 visits. The webmaster is probably about to write and yelp about the bandwidth we are sucking here in Roamerville.

But you must admit, our Commander bretheren have us beat with club functions, but Roamers cost a bit more back then, so there are less of them.. but that's not to say Commanders are not just as good, because they are.

They are great well-built, overbuilt fiberglass hulls.. Chris Craft did not know in the 60's how strong glass was at a certain thickness (all hand laid by the way) so most old Chris Crafts are THREE times thicker than "some of" the producton glass crud they build today.

Roamers are grossly undervalued... worth at least three times more than acquisition cost.. "sometimes we are all sitting on our own pile of diamonds."

Don't think so... Go try to find a good one.... they are pretty much getting snatched up.

Who powered most Chris Crafts...?
"Have you driven a FORD Lately?"

HOMER

Powered By FORD

FORD.... No TARP..... FORD!!

Darn those Chinese after-market motor mounts...

Yes, there is a downside... 427's have severe ADD

Cobra Kit Cars

They were sold-off years ago and are in Japan somewhere in Cobra 427 kit cars.. So you know, 427 blocks get great money... valuble blocks as they want them for the Cobra Kit cars.

Captain Sean takes pride in his craft...

It's getting there, the work is detailed.

More curves

Look closely

More curves

More Details

More Curves

Now, Henning said the lifespan of aluminum hull is 30 years? This is totally flase, not even close. Depends on how it has been cared for like anything else. Aluminum well cared for will outlast any hull material there is. Anyone like to disagree, feel free to comment.

We plan to have a curtain that wraps the round rather than the cumbersome evening drop curtain. Obviosuly the alumium hardtop you see if afterwmarket to handle the bridge we made... must say this project has gotten out of hand.

Agreed

When I gutted the interior of the 38 Aluminum, I looked at ever weld in the boat in every inch of her 38 feet. Not one crack, not one stressmark. If I had found just one, I would have been concerned but did not. The boat was never absused or run hard in rough seas which may be what you are speaking of. However, she has been in monster seas many times-- 12 footers, no problem you just back off the throttles like any other boat you do not wish to beat up. Roamers have a pretty good bow flair.

If anyone reads this and knows of an aluminum Roamer that did not hold-up, please let us know, but I have never once heard of an aluminum Roamer going bad, many of whom are older than their respective owners.

Again, aluminum Roamers are not wood, they can't rust, they can't absorb water. Just have a decent electric meter, an epoxy bottom, adequate, yet not over zind protection, Petitt Vivid aluminum proper bottom paint and don't worry about it is my experience. I threw out that stupid battery sucking Englehard Capoc. Nobody will ever sell me on that voodoo. Epoxy bottom, PSS shaft isolaters, dry bilge, Charles Industries Isolation transformer is my formula for aluminum eternity.

My point is if the passangers are not comfortable, then the boat is being pushed too hard. I find the 38 to do fie in 3-3.5 foot seas at about 21-22 mph.

If you push it past that in rough water it begins to get into a more stressful condition. Most of the time we cruise at 26 mph which is 2500 RPM on the Yanmars. In 2.5 seas or less... we run her right up to 36 no problem.

In most cases people go out boating in decent weather, so it really is not that big of a deal... unless you are into taking a beatings for fun.

No Flexing

This top is over-built.. think a bunch of Krauts came in late at night to build a floating bomb shelter. 20 people could stand up there. We also used the heavy 3 inch aluminum posts and we also glassed in arch supports behind the innner helm side walls.. she is tough and none of it will be visiable to the eye.

Roamer FlashBack!

Well fellow Shwabby's...

It's time for an aluminum FLASHBACK!

God that is one ugly windlass up there.... it sat here covered up for 7 years under a canvas.... Oh, no they were not going to chop her up... we got to work. Yes, she looked quite sick, like some of them do.... but underneath the acne lives very fine skin. Ya know, but prefer the blue now.. just a matter of taste.

Don't be foiled.. it's aluminum!

Shower

Never did like shower set up in 38 Roamer. In 1970, they took the closet down in size and made a full shower. I like the tube effect here myself. It actually steps down and now has window in bath and full headroom. If you look closley you can see 30 gallon dung tank behing the shower wall and Vacuflsuh vacuum generator is moutned on top.. we used every inche and it all works great! This design has increased the utility and inside space of the Roamer by an estimated 25%.

Under the floor is perfect aluminum, all was scrubbed and painted white... smells like a new boat, no smell no deterioration whatsoever. No rot, no rust, light weight and great strength... 5086 aluminum is a beautiful thing!... nothing compares "overall" IMHO. Burger Yachts would not disagree either.... afterall, they are America's floating Rolls Royce, but what do I know?