37 scr

[Kats Eye]

I am looking at 1996 37 scr with 7.4 engines dos anyone have any pros or cons.

[Phillbo]

Can you provide more info? Outdrives, hours on engines, salt water or fresh etc...

[Kats Eye]

Originally Posted by Phillbo

Can you provide more info? Outdrives, hours on engines, salt water or fresh etc...

V drives 350 hours fresh water

[Phillbo]

Any maintenance records? the 7.4 is a good engine but 350 hours in 16 years means either a repower was done or the boat has sat around and not been used. A low hour boat that has rotted in a slip is going to be more trouble than a high hour well maintained boat.

Basically, we need more information. Tell us the story of the boat.

[William Ferrell]

I have a 1998 37 SCR and it is a great boat I also have v drives so it will use about 27 gal of gas per hour at 3200 rpm's well layed out and more than enough room to work on the engines but please get it servayed and do a good sea trial

[shrew]

Hi Kat's Eye. Not many cons per se, but without seeing the boat, it is difficult to say with any certainty. The 7.4 is a great power plant with a long running history. Your best bet is to make sure you get a complete survey and sea trial, including a complete mechanical survey. It is a bit costly, but well worth it and will potentially save you tens of thousands of dollars.

[dronthelake]

We also have 1998 37 and really enjoy her. Very room. We spend almost every Friday through Sunday on her, year around.

As William said there is plenty of room in the engine bay for service. Actually everything is easily accessed. Second the survey.

Make sure the engine bay is dry, no leaking thru hull fittings or shaft seals. Check where the rudder shafts come through the transom form leaks.

While cruise at 1000 rpm watch the drive shafts under the engine and look for a wobble (possible bent shaft).

If there is a miss in an engine you will hear the gears on the v-drive chatter while in neutral and idling in gear.

Check the v-drive fluid and make sure it is clean and hasn't been fried.

Pull the little access panel from the cabin floor and make sure the forward bilge is dry.

Pull the access panel to the fresh water pump (under port mid berth) and make sure it is dry.

Pull the access panel to the AC circulation pump (under starboard mid berth) and make sure it is dry.

Pull the rear seat from the cabin dinette and make sure the AC drip pan and sump are in good shape.

Pull the access panels from under the front berth mattress and check the AC drip pan for the front unit.

The rollers on the lower track for the slide door to the cabin will stop working of the track is not kept clean. Last year I replace both the upper and lower tracks. Hopefull they will last another decade.

Enter the utility room (large access panel or port wall of mid berth) and make sure the water heater is not wet around the base and there are no leaks in the vacu-flush system and holding tank. Turn on the shower and make sure the shower sump works. The shower is the only water that runs through the sump. After flushing the toilet a good operating vacuum generator (for the waste system) will run for 50 to 58 strokes (you will hear it and can count the stroke) then stop when it has regenerated the vacuum in the system. If it starts running again even though the toilet hasn't been flushed there there is a vacuum leak somewhere in the system but is generally easily and cheap to fix.

We are fortunate and we have no leaks in the deck or hatches.

The following is a list of items that have been replaced. Everything else is original and still working properly.

Water heater, 2nd (2012)
Fresh water pump, 3rd (2012, 2005)
Westerbeke capacitor, 2nd (2012)
Shower sump, 3rd (2012, 2006)
Ice Maker, 2nd (2012)
Entire bimini with rear extension eliminating the slant back, and all new clear (2011)
Holding tank, 2nd (2011)
All sanitary hoses, 2nd (2011)
Pump in AC sump, 2nd (2011)
Rebuilt the vacuum generator, 1st rebuild (2011)
Westerbeke over speed board, 2nd (2011)
Westerbeke back end, generator section (2006)