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Hi again, I decided not to go with a 36 hatt, but insted i may want to get one of these two boats and i need some of your pro advice. I am looking at a 1992 39' topaz royal with a tower, low hour boat in good condition. The other is a 1991 38' open luhrs with 900 hours and in good condition aswell. What is the pros and cons on both vessals? Any advice would be great. Thanks for your time.
Let me preface this by saying I own a 98' 32 Luhrs and love it but I would not buy a Luhrs older than 95' imo. For boats of that vintage I would look at the Topaz. That is an older boat and no matter what condition it's in, you will have plenty to do/fix. I would consider that seriously. Also, you will get lot's of people chimming in on don't buy a Luhrs because of the 41 fiasco but most don't have any idea what they are talking about. Luhrs makes a great value boat and some models are better than others.
Please don't take this the wrong way. But if you are serious about buying a boat of this size and caliber, you are going to need to do a little more research and leg work. Posting on here, getting some responses and then allowing that to change your mind without any further research on your end is a recipe for disaster. It seems like you were swayed on the Hatt just from a few responses on this forum about a boat being wet and possibly have blisters. Now, a day later you are looking at 2 boats that are very different. and they are incredibly different than the boat you were looking out yesterday.
This forum can be a great resource, but you can't just say "I'm looking at, what do you think..."
My best advice - and IMO the best way to use this forum - is to post your requirements/uses for your future boat (distance, # of passengers, economy expected, speed expected, type of fishing, locale, etc) and your budget. Then ask for suggestions that fit your parameters. Then take those suggestions and do your homework. Trying to take shortcuts may lead to making a major decision on the advice of nameless strangers, many of whom have no experience on the boat you are asking about and are saying they heard from someone who heard it from someone, etc. Or who are just chiming in for the sake of saying something.
Sorry for the lecture and you can tell me to F off, but I am only trying to help.
Thats actually very sound advice. Maybe a little stern, but very true.
Narrrow down your list and find a few to charter. tell the capt thats why you are on the charter and fish the boat as if it were yours, not actually run the boat but run your spread if you troll, etc...
Search for tabascoT, he used to own a 39 Topaz Royale. Beautiful boat, love em. No idea about ride or anything else. I have fished the 38 Luhrs. The one I fished had 465hp Yanmars and was a nice boat. Good speed, good ride but very bow how. Definitely fishable but I was not a fan of the helm chair at the forward edge of the cockpit. Actually, the cockpit of the 38 is smaller than the 36 Luhrs. If I had to choose between the 36 or 38 Luhrs, I would get the 36. Rides nice, good speed with the right engines, nice cockpit and obvioulsy would be less expensive than a comparable year 38.
Out of those 2 it would be the 39 topaz hands down. It's a better made boat. I had a friend that had a 39 Topaz one and it is a nice boat. A few things to note boats of that style and vintage age going to be loud. You are running the boat standing directly above a pair of diesel motors with not allot of sound insulation and in the past 15 years engines have become allot more efficient and quiet. My friends boat had detroit 6, 71's which are great motors but don't buy any detroit engine in the 92 series (6cyl 92, 8cyl 92 etc) the detroit 92 series are time bombs.
Are you strictly looking at express boats? For express boats I think you could add, Tiara I think they made a 39 and a 41, Blackfin 38, Bertram made a 38 special that was a nice boat (I don't remember what year they stopped making that boat)
Yes i think express is the way i am leaning on, since the 36 hatt that i was going to buy is a little to small for a convertable boat. Slow and not really wet from the test ride that i went on yesterday. That should answer all maco steves concerns on the hatt, however i do appreciate what you did have to say. Unfortunatly were i live on long island, I go out of moriches inlet and it is pretty rough getting out, so i need something that i can go fast in since the water is real shallow, and i dont want the boat to fall apart on me. The waves can be 4-8 feet on an average day on the water. I also would like to fish ( drift ) for strippers in the inlet and dont feel like climbing up and down every minute since the inlet is only about 1/4 mile long. The thing also is i am trading my boat in to save the tax differance, and my options on a trade is not that great. The topaz is a great looking boat with low hours and the tower is in shinney condition, as for the luhrs, the boat has about 1000 hours on 6-71ti and from what i hear is that it needs to be cleaned up a bit, but runs great. The tower on that one is a little on the dull side. I do appreciate all the info guys.
Had a 1989 39' Topaz Royale. All had 6-71 detroits, and the styling of that boat was about 10 years ahead of its time. It trolled and drifted the gulfstream very well and the cockpit floor, and bridge deck come up easily. You will need this to do any major engine work as it is TIGHT in the ER. Loved the style, ride, sound of detroits, and speed. Didn't like 3 fuel tanks with all the cross over valves, poor engine room access(no access to outboard side of engines). tom
A buddy of mine runs a 38 special and it is awsome. the 38 blackfins are also great boats if you can find one. I think there's one for sale down where in TX. I have a 36 Luhrs SX and love it. I don't care for the layout in the 38 like someone said earlier.
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36 Luhrs SX CATs
30 Pursuit Offshore CC F225s
22 Blue Wave Extreme Vmax 150
Hi TabascoT, I remember your boat (looked at many photos a couple of years ago on the web), she was so beautiful, I think today it's very difficult to find so light and sexy lines on a modern sportfisher... Great boat!
I had a '91 38' Luhrs Convertable and she was a tank, her deep V hull handled most seas very well. Never had any structural issues with the boat but little nick nacks had to be fixed every now and again. Biggest problem was the 6-71TI @ 420hp. Because of its weight and deep v it is a horsepower hog and our best cruise was 18knts down wind, down sea with the moons alligned. I know some people with the same vintage express and they usually get 22knt cruise. Like any boat of that erra check the bottom, Luhrs didn't have many blister problems but we found some voids on our bottom and had it redone. My first concern on both boats would be strength of the engines so be sure to get an engine survey not just boat survey. I'm sure both have detroits and they don't like to run hot!
Both were built in the era of the luxury tax so there was an abundance of skilled labor in boat manufacturing and you generally find boats in that time period built very well. The Topaz does not have the deep V like the Luhrs so it should be a little faster with less HP and it should have better components (hinges, handles lights etc..)
38 luhrs open or 39 topaz royal ? 
