boat trade

[mattsayersz71]

hey does anyone know any thing about 38 topaz express boats

[JP Dalik]

These were the boats I grew up around, my father had a dealership in the late 70's and 80's in Pt. Pleasant. Ran the crap out of a more than of few original Topaz boats when I was an up and comer (now I'm just a came and wenter) early to mid 80's boats both the old style express and the flybridge.
Tuff little boats.
The express boats as they got older would show weakening floors in the galley and you'd start to see signs of the cabinets racking. Usually the cabinets is a fastener issue. The floors typically pop the tabbing.

Great beam and following sea boat (run her full cruise hands off the wheel comfy), little stiff in a head see or head on quartering.

All the decks come out so getting to major components is easy. Good pit height self bailing to boot. Fish box wasn't worth much and you'll have to buy extra corrosion X from UV for the gen set in the pit.

If you are looking at the newer style Royale 38 or a late model Topaz (not the newest release but the second coming of the company late 80's early 90's) I'd spend alot more time with a full survey, they were a little hit or miss.

[scot]

I certainly don't have the back ground on these boats that JP does but I have always admired them. I do know that the old ones still fetch real dollars and the cockpits are huge.

Based on what I have seen the older boats have a fairly mild V in the stern...mayber 12 degrees or so. Makes for a stable stationary platform when fishing. The engines are very far forward for 28, 29 ft boats. In fact if the fuel tanks are empty the boats take on a very "bow down" attitude, almost to the point of appearing very out of trim and bow heavy.

I like the older Topaz boats, in fact I was looking for an older 28 Topaz before I ended up with my 25 Bertram. The huge aft cockpit is awsome. A friend in the boat yard business got me looking at them, claims they were very well built boats. After looking at several...I agree.

My .02

[John C]

I owned a 1980 28 and a 1989 29 both volvo diesel. The older one was built better Like JP said towards the end the Q.C. got very weak. I fished alot on a 37 and 38. Both the same hulls. One big bitch is engine room access. They mounted there fuel tanks outboard of the engines (which on the 37 was 3208 cats ) bitch to work on. Still alot of them here in the Manasquan area. Still after all these years some of the niceest looking boats around. One by me here in NJ (XTC 37 express) has been run HARD for many years and is still going strong.