# Morgan Nelson Marek 36



## CliffRuckstuhl (Oct 21, 2009)

I am looking at a 1985 Morgan Nelson Marek 36. I am setting up a time to go see it and make an offer on it. Does anybody have any input on the boat and I have found it has diamond stays below deck. They attach at the Chain plates at just below the deck and go from there to the base of the mast. It means needing to step over the port side one everytime one would need to go forward of the mast like to the head, wet locker and the V berth. I have found a sister ship for sale which does not have these and instead has a soild piece of stainless bolted to the bulk head at the same angle but only on the starboard side. The stays do have turnbuckles on them and I assume they are there to support the rig but if they can not be removed it could be a deal breaker for my wife. I can just see her tripping over them already. So can I remove them and do something else?

Thanks Cliff


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## Shams (Mar 16, 2010)

I have also taken a look at the morgan nelson marek 36. She is quite a mess above and below deck. Did you decide against making an offer on this boat? I took a look at a 4 year old survey which wasn't too bad but I can tell more has gone wrong since then. Why did your insurance company shy away from this boat? 

Thanks for any insight you can provide!

Sean


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## CliffRuckstuhl (Oct 21, 2009)

How did you know about my insurance company on the NM 36 ? It is not posted?

Cliff


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## Shams (Mar 16, 2010)

*Nelson Marek 36*

On boatdesign.net site there was another thread where people had replyed to your questions about the jock straps on this boat. At the bottom you posted that your insurance company was unsure if they could insure the boat and you had decided to look for a J 29.
Sorry, when I posted the reply I did not realize that these were 2 diffrent sites until I went back to check.

Sean


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## CliffRuckstuhl (Oct 21, 2009)

Ok now I understand, when I was looking at it I also found 2 other N/M 36's for sale one on Lake Michigan and one out in AZ. Neither of these boats had the stays below deck but one did have some big stainless brackets for more support (quessing) I had contacted N/M about this sending them the pictures of all three boats. They did not know why the stays were installed down below and this was not how the boat was set up when new. My Insurance agent is a friend and thought we might have to explore the stay issues allot more. Had I not mentioned it to him I am sure it would not have ever come up. I decided to just buy another J 29 instead. The N/M 36 looked like it had been set on the hard and then forgotten. I did not go look at it and if I could have gotten it for a good price might have been a good deal. Have you looked at it? I would be interested in your thoughts.

Cliff


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## Shams (Mar 16, 2010)

I did go to see the boat.
The stays are still below with a lot of tension on them. The rig is still up and the boat has been sitting un attended for a long time. The shrink wrap is blowing in the wind. The galley floor boards are soggy as water has gotten in and rot them. And the boat is mildewy, smells of diesel and some stanchions have been bent by the shrink wrap (before it tore away).
I have also noticed that all the other MNMs don’t have the internal stays. The chain plates and bulkheads look fine so I don’t know why they are there. The deck and hull look sound but I have not taken a moisture meter to it. I have asked the broker about some of the repairs completed on the boat but I have not received an answer. In looking at the 2006 survey some of the issues have been fixed while other problems have arisen. I am going to go back to see it again with a friend who knows boats better than I. I can’t tell if she is a diamond in the rough or just rough!
I current own a Morgan 27 that is ready to go and a pleasure to sail…and a bigger boat is attractive but not an endless project boat.
I’ll keep in touch


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## CliffRuckstuhl (Oct 21, 2009)

I also did not want a project boat or not that much of a project. Bent stanchions is not a big deal even the floor is not that bad. From what I have seen in boats like this that sit is they quickly fade. Faster than one would think. Frozen water in the bilge left unattended for years is another thing. Looking forward to your findings. For me it was the insurance thing and that it has sat for a long time and this alone causes damage. Truth is it's a $40K boat and just depends where you spend the $40K.

Cliff


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## Shams (Mar 16, 2010)

Hi Cliff,
I couldn't reply to PM because I don't have enough posts here.

Not much going on. I put in an offer with a condition to either trade or sell my boat with the broker...Don't know what kind of response I'll get. She needs a lot of work ...which will cost time and money so my offer reflected this. Owner my not feel the same way as I do about the value of the boat in it's current state.
Still need a new survey and sea trial...have not seen the sails yet, run the engine or tested any sysyems.

Sean


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## CliffRuckstuhl (Oct 21, 2009)

Sean,

I got an email from the broker yesterday telling he it was still for sale. Was just curious as to what was going on with it.

Cliff


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## bshambrook (Sep 8, 2007)

*Morgan Nelson Marek running backstays*

In communicating with an owner of the 1983 "R" racer version of the Morgan Nelson Marek (larger cockpit, shorter cabin, simple interior) he questioned why a specific standard version (smaller cockpit, larger cabin, very elegant interior) did not. The particular boat has attachments on the transom for running back stays but did not have any included. In looking at other standard versions none seem to have running back stays...is that correct? Would having them be an advantage when racing or even necessary?

In looking at the the boat there seem to be three versions..."R", and two standard (one with closed fore and aft berth and one with closed forward but simply an open quarter berth aft). Are there any other versions? What is the PHRF for the standard model?

Any insight would be most welcome as I am considering purchasing one.


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## westcoastcat (Aug 3, 2010)

I ended up buying the MN Morgan 36 in Arizona, it does have running backs though they were not installed or apparently ever used by the p.o. The boat also has a provision for a babystay. My rigger out here raced on one of these years ago out of Marina Del Rey, that boat did not have running backs or a babystay. Boat is still in the boat yard having work done, hope to be in the water next week.

By the way this boat has an enclosed forward and enclosed aft cabin, and seemingly short cockpit.


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