68' Burger Motoryacht

1965 Burger was likely a SS design. Good sea vessel. We ran one un-stabilized for several years with comfort.

My 1980 is a Hargrave. Round chines. Different animal. Loves the fins, and so do I. Give me any sea other than directly on my nose. Always fall off fifteen or twenty degrees to get it off the nose and ride through as much as I can before correcting, but find can’t help anyone in that condition.

Yes, there is a meaningful difference in hull shapes and details between SS and Hargrave. I can't speak for your tastes, imagination, budget, or abilities to self maintain, etc...but happy to discuss and share my knowledge. I have been involved with extensive refit of a 1960's SS, and my present vessel is a 1980 Hargrave. She's today basically a brand new boat without any corners cut.

So it really begins with your personal tastes and preferences. I began my search with a historical preference for the SS design, but realized the Hargrave checked most of my personal preferences. The others I adapted into her during the refit, including the recent hardtop addition to what s now an extended bridge.

They're all built by Burger, and they do terrific work. You'll find some early versions in steel that have terrific value. More recently everything has been shifted over to aluminum construction in this era and size range you reference.

I began my search in the 70 to 80 range. I found a 68 foot wide body that has all of the interior livability of a 80 to 90 footer. She's been an absolute joy to modernize while remaining authentic to Hargrave and Burger...

The 1974 67 footer is a Hargrave design. It's a very similar hull as mine, which means it likes the stabilizers. Don't know if she has them. You'll want them. Soft chines will roll, and she'll slide in a following sea. The fins help a lot to correct that aspect of sea conditions.

I don't know anything about this specific vessel. The 67 did not have a main deck day head. Given the year, the information provided, and the price....the boat needs to be inspected closely and realistically. There's a lot of upgrading that needs to be done if it hasn't already. Plating at black, gray, water tanks inspected closely.

The "Houseboat" is, I think, perhaps a reference to the wide body? Mine is a wide body Hargrave, and the plans reference Houseboat as its design tag. Biggest difference is the full beam salon, main deck level day head. Inside she feels like a 90 footer.

The Hargrave design has soft chines all around. Somewhat of a hard chine at the transom, but nominal. Sparkman has harder chines and will move faster with less power, but none of them are speed boats from this era, and you can bet by without fins. Be happy at 10 knots.

I think Houseboat term used by Burger referenced the full beam salon. The Hargraves are all without a raised pilot house, albeit one step up from the house. The roof line is shear.

The wing doors off the deck slide up to the aft of the galley port side, and aft of the day head on the starboard. Full 18 beam in the house instead of dedicating 5-6 feet to the decks.

He certainly knows more than I. If I listed mine today I'd simply market it as a motor yacht. Perhaps I'd say flush deck. I'd also describe it as wide-body. The houseboat reference drives the wrong connotations today as compared to the 80's.

Forward of the engine room, under the sole is the original water tank. Within the ER on mine is a former black an gray tank, and that could possibly be the "fwd fuel tank" location listed in the build plate. The main fuel tank starts at the rear ER bulkhead under the guest staterooms. The aft or reserve fuel tank starts just ahead of the master door and runs back close to the aft wall. The Aft Water Tank as listed is primarily beneath the lazarett.

The only issues of concern at the fuel tanks are typically the condition of the shaft log tubes that run partially through the main fuel tank. The water tanks are important to get a good look at plating as well as the bilges. Look for pitting above the plates. The water tank should have inspection hatches. Get into the forward bilge as well as the ER. Don't be scared of plating work, but do understand the needs and budget for them.

Find out where the black and gray water is handled! Those are critical spots to inspect as well.