First Boat: Express Cruiser or Trawler?

This is a supposedly $24K boat with a pair of big diesels. Who puts a $10K bow thruster in that, how many 34' boats carry a pair of big diesels and (other than a wreck) what 34' boat with salvageable diesels and a working thruster goes for $24K? Color me skeptical.

Hmmm, seriously overpowered, owner broke, cooling system problems probably turned into more than owing on boat and what boat is worth.

Cooling system problems are enough of a red flag in themselves since you don't know how long the previous owner let it go or how hot the engines had to get to force him into doing something about it.

Cat 3208's are notorious for having overheating issues and need the heat exchangers done on schedule. I don't know how hot they've gotten or whatever, but reman'ed 3208's from CAT are pretty reasonable in the worst case scenario.......

That boat sounds like it was already someone's the worst case scenario ...

No need to prove yourself to me. If I'm wrong, I apologize, but I have my doubts about who we're dealing with here. In any case I want you and anybody else to get the best information and advice possible. Even if you're hoaxing I hope you'll learn stuff. So all's good. No belittling meant. We've just had more than a few kids get on, and this is an adult forum (because of personalities and topics, not content. Lots of professionals).
BTW, no need to be "sorry to pop your cherry if you over paid...". I never do. I wouldn't own a boat if someone gave it to me free. That'd be like an accountant doing books for fun on his day off.
Glad you put up the specs. There's one really big red flag there (actually 2): 283 engine hours in 30 years, and 1982. That wasn't a very good time. A lot of junk was being sold back then. Not all, but quite a bit. I think your survey will be money very well spent. For now though you've got a dream. Go 4 it, and enjoy.
BTW, unless you feel that naming the mfg. could hinder your sale, you should mention it. You'll then get brand specific advice I'm sure.

For an easy one, search 'guns on board'. The kids came out of the woodwork while those threads were active. Some really stupid stuff wasted a lot of bits. I've even met some extremely bright kids on here. One I ended up helping he and his grandfather buy a boat.

Most boats that size have a V-birth forward, and there's only really room for a twin. Plus, if you put in a queen it would shrink the appearance which would affect sales. In addition, back in '82 queen beds were a big deal, even in homes, and kings a rarity. We've gotten spoiled in recent years. Queens on smaller boats came along with the aft cabin boats of the late '80s.

Totally understand. I've walked off boats hysterically laughing after the owner showed me where he expected me to sleep. If you've got the space anything can be built, but don't necessarily expect to find it already built as most 34's are considered weekenders. When I ran one fairly upscale marina I couldn't get over where some of these people with serious money would spend their entire summer. A V-birth on a tiny express cruiser with a head/shower that you couldn't turn around in, 2' from their neighbor. But that's boating.

It's really hard to get a queen size bed in a berth that the beam of the boat doesn't support or make it feasible. There is a queen in our forward cabin, but it's also a little larger boat than you're looking at (Grand Banks 59)

Like NYCap said, aft cabins changed that whole mindset and that's about all you see now days. If the berth has the beam to support it, and depending on the millwork and such, it's not impossible to change it in your case. Again, depending on cabinets, lockers, etc.. But again, the head need to meet your req's.

Just make sure you don't end up with what some mfg's did which was diamond the top of the mattress to make it fit, shove it as far forward as possible, and darn near wall to wall because it's wider or was designed on paper for a double.

Have you checked out a 37' Silverton, it has the bed and head you're looking for......Or maybe a Carver in that size range.

I'm not familiar with the 34' Californian. If the builder put that much power in it I would think that it is semi-displacement hull design. I don't know that I have ever seen a full displacement hull in vessels of that length. If the motors are partially disassembled you should be able to buy that boat for less than 24K. The 3208 was about the only choice for power in the late 70's until Cummins came out with the straight 4 and 6 cylinder engines. The overheating problems with the 3208 were common when they started turbo charging those engines. The 210 hp versions are the base engines. The biggest problem is the sheet metal heat exchanger housing. You don't want to be cleaning them out with strong acids or you won't have much left when you finish. The risers are also bad about rusting up from the inside and splitting. The risers were $600 a peice 20 years ago so I would hate to guess what they cost now. You also need to make sure you can get the engines in and out of the boat without major surgery. When they overheat they tend to break the piston tops and score up the block. The deal breaker on a project boat is how much of the work can you do and how much has to be hired out.

Californians were semi-displacement hulls and well built boats from everyone I've heard. I ran a 45' with 6v53's from Fort Lauderdale to New Orleans a few years back.

Just curious, does it look something like this?