30' Marlin Questions

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BayBum38ft

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I am considering several 30' Marlins in the 1997-2000 year range. Is there any hull design changes in these years as there is in the 1997-1998 272 Sailfish. Also is there any persistent problems with the boats of this vintage, things I can look for before I hire a surveyor, such as any wood problems in the transom or stringers,leaking windows, fuel tank issues etc. All of these boats have the 250 hp Yamaha OX-66 SWSII engines, any comments on these engines would also be helpful, how do these engines compare in noise to the newer Yamaha HPDI or the Mercury OptiMax.

Thanks

Greg
 
There is no hull diff between the 1997 and still current model Marlin. I have a 1997 with F225's no issues with the boat except the hard top. Check for delamination along the edges. Mine started delaminting in 2007. GW replaced the top in 2009 with a new top. Other than that the boat is pretty much bullet proof. You may want to check the maserater pump they do go and are a little expensive but easy to replace. Good luck in your purchase.
 
Actually, the hull did change, in 1997 or 1998.

The integrated transom (euro-transom) was originally notched with a flat bottom mimicing a Grady Drive bottom. It changed to match the hull bottom all the way back - as in one continuous length. The flat bottom was not a contributor to ride since it was elevated off water while planning.

I would suspect a better ride in specific conditions and more weight & cost to MSRP. Perhaps some more flotation.

Same change took place on Sailfish one year later, or so.

Can't see any of this from above decks.
 
The Sailfish changed in '98. I think the added bouyancy at the stern had a bad effect on handling. My '98 272 bow won't lift enuff to avoid tracking any kind of a cross chop.
May have been engineered out in later models.
I think the 96 Marlin was the first with the full running bottom.
I'd like to run a 97 Sailfish and see the diff.
I would expect the handling of the Marlin was affected as well.
 
I recall Marlin was 1997, and Salfish 1998, but another member reported a different time line based on his boat, so I was throw off course never came back.

Do you have the boat trim nulled out? (Are you sue they are nulled, do a visual check to confirm) And did you try raising motor trim?
Is the fuel cells full or low at the time?

My understanding why Grady refused (avoided) to go to full running hull sooner was concerns to avoid what you suggest - the stern at higher speeds driving the bow down with added stern lift instead of sinking a bit back there.

If you don't, run a full aux tank of fuel, that ought to sink the stern plenty, and keep it full. And keep main fuller instead of lower.
If the Hotwater heater is under V berth and you don't use hot water, keep it drained, elec disconnected.

I'd prefer a full running hull myself, to mitigate the bobbing (I also call it semi-porposing) and span longer wave periods for more comfort in those seas.
But I can make my bow as light as I want with motor trim on my Grady Drive model, at any speed.

Interesting ...
 
And the Sailfish running hull design was finished for good with your model, and ended production 2 yrs ago, for good.
 
The only way I can get the bow up is to go far slower than conditions warrant, wasting fuel & time.
Trim motors to cavitation without better result. Tabs are full retract.
Further, my 30 gal water tank is behind the rear seat almost to the transom.
Nothing under rear bunk but air.
Perhaps a wiz at the mfr could comment.
I hesitate on buying a 30 because of this issue.
 
I have not experienced that lo bow situation in my 98 sailfish, she always tends to run bow up, motors trimmed 4 bars, no tabs the time i need bow down, i have to use the tabs. this can be possibly due to heavier 4 strokes on the transom!!.
 
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