Trailerable Tugs

[Carl Martin]

How's this for a trailerable trawler: https://www.greatharbourtrawlers.com/tt35.html

 

[Fletcher500]

I saw the Seapiper for the first time in DP last week. It was in a broker slip, and a for sale sign was out. Perhaps it was still sold, and it was for marketing future boats. Interesting boat, very narrow beam.

 

[ssobol]

If you are talking about Ranger 27's and Nordic 26's than the more appropriate comparison is the C-Dory 25, not the 22. The 25 (or Venture 26) do have an enclosed head.

An advantage to the C-Dory line is that they are not as fancy as some of the others in terms of interior finish. Yeah, this means less teak and more exposed FG. However, it also means that maintenance is a LOT simpler. For instance to get at or add wiring there is no need to remove panels or headliners. If you take out the fabric items, you can pretty much just hose the thing out if you need to.

Some people may not care for the utilitarian appearance of a C-Dory interior, but the people who actually work on them are probably quite happy with it. I am.

 

[Genesis]

Trailerable

I have a 26’ Ocean Reef trawler. I live in MT and have trailered it to Anacortes three times...two days ago the most recent. It has been to AK five times on the water from Anacortes. It has an Isuzu 60 hp diesel engine with 2100 hrs and still running strong. I may sell so if you are interested maybe you can take a peek. My email is aliddell7@gmail.com. I am at Cap Sante marina now.

 

[Todd2]

Look at the size of that Great Harbor TT35 in comparison to the pick up truck (in the attached pic above). That thing is HUGE (for a trailerable).

 

[ssobol]

I think of the TT35 as "moveable" vs. "trailerable". It would certainly be much more of an adventure to trailer it around than a 25' boat.

It's probably not something people will do on a regular basis. But it is better than having to hire someone to haul your boat when you want to change sailing locations.

 

[Nomad Willy]

I have a Ranger R-27 classic. Texas made me register my boat as a "trawler". "Tug" was not an option, although I may have preferred that. I'm curious as to why you make the distinction between trawler and tug regarding the Rangers. Are you referring to the "classic" inboard diesel versions (which I have) or the newer outboard gas versions? I can see your point of view on the newer full planing hull, faster outboard versions; but then I can't consider them "tugs" either. If regarding the classic versions, other semi-displacement hulls are considered "trawlers" - so what's the difference?

Just interested in your opinion (and a civil discussion). Thanks.

Todd

Todd that’s a hard one to answer. So many variables.

And I can’t answer it w/o offending some to many.
First of all my first trawler was an Albin 25. Not a trawler in one way and a very important way .. displacement/weight. The first trawlers were called Heavy Cruisers. Old Monk designed 40’ wood boats usually w gasoline power. Flathead 6cyl engines that were more “marine” than gas or diesels of more recent times. But the kind of power does reflect on trawlerness. Mostly because the ability to cruise long distances is a big part of trawlerness.
But IMO the #1 element of trawlerness is weight. This usually separates the trawlers from others most positively. Another very telling feature is hull design. I’ll call this element #2. The most trawler-like hull is the full displacement hull but most trawlers are semi-disp. By a wide margin. Full displacement enters into it because of range and seaworthyness. With the exception of running inlets w breaking seas the FD hull is more (and in many cases much more) capable of dealing w heavy seas. And seaworthyness is an important element of trawlerness because while going long distances one more frequently encounters bad boating weather.

So we have these elements of trawlerness.
1. Weight
2. Hull. FD, SD or planing.
3. Seaworthyness.
4. Range.
These are the elements of trawlerness that seem most important in the definition. But they may not be present in a big way in a trawler. The Albin 25 is definitely a trawler IMO but they are light boats (2 ton). They are FD, very seaworthy and capable of long range cruising. That would lead one to ask “then why couldn’t other elements of trawlerness be overlooked”? Try substituting. With a planing hull other elements of trawlerness wouldn’t be possible so you’d be missing too much to be a trawler. Also the weight factor was put into the fray in the 50’s or after the war. The weight of the diesel engine alone suppressed the beginning of rec trawlers for a some time.

There is a very large range of semi-displacement hulls (mostly called trawlers) re their seaworthyness, range and displacement.
Many trawlers are close to not being trawlers because if you took off their big keel and lightened them up they’d plane nicely. So you could almost call these boats planing hulls. But they act more like SD hulls because of weight and drag (of the keel).
Many trawlers are considered FD by most skippers just because they don’t go much over hull speed. But if you just put a small engine (underpowered) in even a planing hull it would only go slow. But considering the four elements of trawlerness they likely would not measure up. A true SD hull (IMO) should have some rocker to the hull bottom and should not carry most all of her midships beam to the stern. Seaworthyness and range elements. Look at the Albin 25. She’s got a narrow transom and not enough submerged transom to bother mentioning. Some of the later model versions are more SD though.

OK now lets get to trailerable trawlers. There are some but most are not. If you’ve got heavy displacement it can’t be gracefully trailered. If they have a narrow beam it’s unlikely they will be seaworthy enough for long distance cruising. Most have outboards so their weight distribution is flawed w lots of (re the weight of the whole boat) weight not even in the boat but astern. Balance is quite to very important for seaworthyness and is also involved in efficiency. I’ve often said there’s no such thing as a trailerable trawler. Not really 100% true. But true enough to not use the expression w/o examining the OB or trailerable boat in question objectively and shutting out advertising hype. Trawler is a pop/buzz word now and most know if a boat is called a trawler it will sell better. People like to tell their friends they have a trawler. They’ve got more hair on their chest and wear less yachty shoes.

Marin Faure said some years ago that there is only one kind of trawler. A north sea fishing boat that “trawls” for fish with nets, spars and lines specifically to accomplish that kinf of fishing. Has nothing to do w pleasure boats. He knew better but he did have a point.

I said it then and I’ll say it now that all these trawlers should be called “Heavy Cruisers”. Nobody should have ever uttered the word trawler in pleasure boat company. It would be much more clear that OB boats, IOB boats and trailerable boats were not HeavyCruisers.

Tug style boats are just a style .... from the WL up. That’s all.

So Todd that about sums it up for my opinion.

 

[Bryant]

Row borough.

Unfortunately we are on the west coast and no Rosborough's anywhere near us...

There is a dealer on Whidbey Island, Wa that sells Rosborough boats, or used to. EQ Marine.

 

[Todd2]

Nomad Willy,

WOW Wasn't expecting such a detailed reply. Thanks for sharing your opinions.

Todd

 

[Nomad Willy]

Todd2,
Detail is needed to make much sense.

If I was able to wave a magic wand I’d say lets just call all cruisers cruisers. Some may be called Heavy Cruisers but most just cruisers. But then they would need to have the capabilities of cruisers. Accommodations, some range, seaworthyness and other general apeal to cruising people. I LOVE OB cruisers.

 

[Bryant]

Trailorable Trawlers

But really...back to my original question and folk's experience with trailerable trawlers in general???

The Ranger 27 has much more usable space than the Nordic 26. The Nordic is way over priced. Go with the Ranger.

 

[Bryant]

Trailer trawlers

But really...back to my original question and folk's experience with trailerable trawlers in general???

If you are looking at a trailerable boat, the Ranger 25 is a better boat than the 27. They are essentially the same boat but the 25 is much cheaper. Rossborough makes a 24 with an enclosed head in the back of the main cabin.
The C Dory 25 has an enclosed head, hot and cold water pressure shower, AC/heat, fridge and is very affordable. I have a C Dory 22 and it handled Puget Sound in very rough conditions.

 

[Bryant]

C dory

If you are talking about Ranger 27's and Nordic 26's than the more appropriate comparison is the C-Dory 25, not the 22. The 25 (or Venture 26) do have an enclosed head.

An advantage to the C-Dory line is that they are not as fancy as some of the others in terms of interior finish. Yeah, this means less teak and more exposed FG. However, it also means that maintenance is a LOT simpler. For instance to get at or add wiring there is no need to remove panels or headliners. If you take out the fabric items, you can pretty much just hose the thing out if you need to.

Some people may not care for the utilitarian appearance of a C-Dory interior, but the people who actually work on them are probably quite happy with it. I am.

I agree. We have a C Dory 22. We have had it 10 years. It's beauty is its simplicity.

 

[Vashon_Trawler]

The brochure for my Vashon identifies it as a "Vashon Pocket Troller". In this fishing configuration, it is indeed a real troller. My configuration (no fish hold) is called a diesel cruiser. There was also a motor sailer version.

 

[Carl Martin]

The Ranger 27 has much more usable space than the Nordic 26. The Nordic is way over priced. Go with the Ranger.

You can get into a used NT 26 in the 50-60's which is about half what a used Ranger 27 goes for. We've always been big fans of the Nordic Tug 26 & 32.

 

[Benthic2]

You can get into a used NT 26 in the 50-60's which is about half what a used Ranger 27 goes for. We've always been big fans of the Nordic Tug 26 & 32.

I'm not sure this is a fair comparison, as you can find Nordic 26's from the 80's but Rangers weren't made back then.

 

[Nomad Willy]

I’d buy a NT26 over a Ranger any day. They have a good SD hull w/o the narrow beam of trailerables. The Ranger is well laid out though and they are an enjoyable space to be in. And trailerability is a big plus. The NT26 is kinda like a baby GB36 IMO. I like the NT 32 even better. The hull has rocker. Something I’d like to see on all trawlers.

 

[Benthic2]

what is "rocker" ??

 

[MurrayM]

what is "rocker" ??

Rocker, as I know it, describes the bottom of a boat when viewed on the beam.

A river kayak would have lots of rocker, in that the hull would start curving up towards the bow and stern pretty much near the centre of the boat (so it could turn on a dime) whereas a sea kayak would hardly have any rocker, making it easier to track a straight line through waves.

 

[Carl Martin]

Actually a long full keel is what makes a boat track straight at low speeds. Full keel sailboats have a lot of rocker but will track straight as an arrow. Nomad's Willard has lots of rocker but a full keel & will track very well where as a Lobster Boat would typically have no rocker at all but a full keel & will also track straight at low speeds. Rocker is what keeps displacement hulls from dragging a bunch of water behind them which is why they are so efficient.

 

[Vashon_Trawler]

Nomad Willy and I have FD hulls that are almost identically shaped. I hardly create a ripple at low speed.

 

[Sailor of Fortune]

If the OP wanted a trailerable trawler For launching at boat ramps, the Cdory and the Ros are the ones. Both outboard boats, both well known and good reps. The inboard boats can be trailered,yes but probably not launched from most boat ramps. Nothing wrong with either scenario...just needs to be defined.

 

[Nomad Willy]

Good point Jack,
I watched a guy w a big PU truck launch a 16’ foot (or so) fairly flat bottomed skiff (like most so called trailerable trawlers) and I think he was in the water above his rear axle and still he had to power off to get launched.

Here in the PNW there are many steep enough paved launch ramps so that won’t be a problem. Crowded in good weather though.

 

[ssobol]

Good point Jack,
I watched a guy w a big PU truck launch a 16’ foot (or so) fairly flat bottomed skiff (like most so called trailerable trawlers) and I think he was in the water above his rear axle and still he had to power off to get launched. ...

Needs a long tongue trailer.

Or this:

Extend a hitch boat and sailboat trailer hitch extensions

 

[Carl Martin]

There are about a half dozen owners trailering their Scout 30s that I know of.
At about 6 tons loaded it takes a 1 ton dually to get the job done but with a 28" draft it is doable.

 

[Nomad Willy]

Carl,
Looks like the truck would cost more than the boat and trailer.
I can see why you need a bow thruster.
Wonderful slippery hull.

Is this a FG replica?

 

[Carl Martin]

Carl,
Looks like the truck would cost more than the boat and trailer.
I can see why you need a bow thruster.
Wonderful slippery hull.

Is this a FG replica?

It's a fiberglass replica of a 20's raised deck motorcruiser with about 50 built back in the 80's. Currently priced from the 50's to the 90's with recent sales in the 70's & 80's. Burns just over half a gallon at 7 knots. I've never had a thruster & have gotten by since we got her in 2000. With the raised deck the interior is bigger than it looks from the outside.

 

[melissar]

Thanks, everyone, for your thoughts. We are in contemplation mode.

 

[Mule]

I think of the TT35 as "moveable" vs. "trailerable". It would certainly be much more of an adventure to trailer it around than a 25' boat.

It's probably not something people will do on a regular basis. But it is better than having to hire someone to haul your boat when you want to change sailing locations.

What I do not understand is WHY that TT35 is not on. 5th wheel configured trailer. That bumper pull looks dangerous as hell.

 

[ben2go]

There are about a half dozen owners trailering their Scout 30s that I know of.
At about 6 tons loaded it takes a 1 ton dually to get the job done but with a 28" draft it is doable.

It's a fiberglass replica of a 20's raised deck motorcruiser with about 50 built back in the 80's. Currently priced from the 50's to the 90's with recent sales in the 70's & 80's. Burns just over half a gallon at 7 knots. I've never had a thruster & have gotten by since we got her in 2000. With the raised deck the interior is bigger than it looks from the outside.

Those raised deck cruisers are sweet boats. I also like the Elcos from the 20s and 30s. I'd love to have one but a bit more than I can swing at the moment.