36' trawler how far would you go

[mvweebles]

Don't understand the "To the OP" comment.

The OP seemed to question the wisdom of a 36-footer sailing out of San Francisco. My only point was the boat is adequate, but they need to evaluate their skills and appetite for the weather conditions that are normal along the coast. It's actually not a bad ride even under normal conditions (5-8 foot chop in the afternoon driven by 25-30 kt NW winds). As other's have said, the boat can take more than the occupants, myself included.

The GB36 really is a great boat. Great choice to you and the OP. If I have one gripe, its the teak decks. But GB does them pretty well.

 

[OldDan1943]

My boat is in P'cola so I have Mobile Bay, Perdido, Pensacola Bay, Chowtawatchee Bay and the entire ICW. Love it. I have, however, spent much time on the East Coast ICW and it's estuaries. Love it.

Some places can get a bit boring like the Dismal swamp but, cant get lost. LOL

 

[OldDan1943]

Generally a boat is designed and built to take more punishment than the people inside her.
The difficulty lies in the proper maintenance and the skill of the operator.
The skill will most definitely improve over time. We can all hope our skill will bring safely through the storm and to the dock.
Maintenance.... a must, for when the motor stops making noise we want to be tied up or worse case, at the end of a tow rope.

 

[Bryant]

GB 36 cruising

The OP seemed to question the wisdom of a 36-footer sailing out of San Francisco. My only point was the boat is adequate, but they need to evaluate their skills and appetite for the weather conditions that are normal along the coast. It's actually not a bad ride even under normal conditions (5-8 foot chop in the afternoon driven by 25-30 kt NW winds). As other's have said, the boat can take more than the occupants, myself included.

The GB36 really is a great boat. Great choice to you and the OP. If I have one gripe, its the teak decks. But GB does them pretty well.

Interesting you said that. I shopped and shopped until I found one with the teak decks removed and the deck glassed. I know it's GB heresy but while I love the GB philosophy, I also believe that form follows function. In other words, I didn't want to deal with all the issues of a teak deck. LOL.

BTW, my wife and I will be at the St Pete Boat Show on the 5th of Dec. If convenient, I would like to get together and talk.

Thanks for the exchange.

 

[OldDan1943]

I'm not too sure I would be really comfortable in a 5-8ft CHOP.
Per a beam sea, I can tack.... to reduce the effect.
I just dont want to be a pebble in a tin can. SMILE
What did I do with my helmet???

 

[Bryant]

GB 36 cruising

Generally a boat is designed and built to take more punishment than the people inside her.
The difficulty lies in the proper maintenance and the skill of the operator.
The skill will most definitely improve over time. We can all hope our skill will bring safely through the storm and to the dock.
Maintenance.... a must, for when the motor stops making noise we want to be tied up or worse case, at the end of a tow rope.

AGREE! Maintenance, Maintenance, Maintenance! And then more Maintenance! Fix it before it's broke. Replace it before it's worn out.

Skill comes. Nothing worse than being broken down because you didn't address an issue before you left the dock. And we are all guilty of that.

 

[Bryant]

GB 36 cruising

I'm not too sure I would be really comfortable in a 5-8ft CHOP.
Per a beam sea, I can tack.... to reduce the effect.
I just dont want to be a pebble in a tin can. SMILE
What did I do with my helmet???

5 ft beam sea or beating is unbearable. 8 is dangerous and miserable from either direction in a trawler. If you want to endure those seas, you get an appropriate sailboat, which is designed for that.

 

[mvweebles]

BTW, my wife and I will be at the St Pete Boat Show on the 5th of Dec. If convenient, I would like to get together and talk.

Thanks for the exchange.

Nice to meet via TF Bryant. Long story, but last year I decided to refit our 1970 Willard 36 that we've owned for 20+ years versus sell and replace for an extended cruise. Bottom line, we are headed to Ensenada MX, south of San Diego for a gam with the company doing the work and we return to St Pete Dec 8th, or it would be great to meet.

Given the rain in our neck of the woods, I'm sure you're happy with your glassed side decks.

Peter

 

[OldDan1943]

AGREE! Maintenance, Maintenance, Maintenance! And then more Maintenance! Fix it before it's broke. Replace it before it's worn out.

Skill comes. Nothing worse than being broken down because you didn't address an issue before you left the dock. And we are all guilty of that.

Diesel, fuel, air, oil, cooling. That's it (I think) on a non-electronic engine. Electronic diesels, "Hello Towboat."
Gasoline engines? I will admit they mystify me ..... So many other things can go wrong that will mystify me and many other folks, at my expense.

 

[Bryant]

GB 36 cruising

Nice to meet via TF Bryant. Long story, but last year I decided to refit our 1970 Willard 36 that we've owned for 20+ years versus sell and replace for an extended cruise. Bottom line, we are headed to Ensenada MX, south of San Diego for a gam with the company doing the work and we return to St Pete Dec 8th, or it would be great to meet.

Given the rain in our neck of the woods, I'm sure you're happy with your glassed side decks.

Peter

Wow. Long cruise. I've spent much time in Ensenada years ago. Dangerous now. Be careful.

Interestingly, I looked at a small Willard before I bought the GB 36. I really like them. I'm going through a long process of refit.

Shoot me an email when you get home and we can get together.

 

[mvweebles]

5 ft beam sea or beating is unbearable. 8 is dangerous and miserable from either direction in a trawler. If you want to endure those seas, you get an appropriate sailboat, which is designed for that.

Assuming you track the weather reasonably well, 5-6 footers are something to endure for a few hours in the afternoon, at least along the Pacific Coast, so its manageable --- usually. For deliveries, I often made a judgement call on enduring junk for a few hours to get past it versus hunkering down for a day or two. I don't know other coasts, but on the Pacific, if you tuck into the coastline - 1-mile off the surf or so, you can knock-down about half of the junk. A good delivery skipper knows the normal weather patterns and will plan accordingly. I delivered a lot of boats north out of Dana Point CA (Nordhavn and Selene) which is about 24-hours run from Points Arguello/Conception (strike fear in California recreational boaters), so I'd leave at 10pm to hit those points at midnight or so. Occasionally I was slammed, but for the most part, it was the calmest part of the day. This is fairly common knowledge so not exactly Merlin-the-Wizard, but helps to have done it or bump into people who have (standard cruising conversations).

I have no desire to run boats like I did when I was delivering - the folks who say the boat can take more than I can are 100% right, and I can take a lot. You get used to it, but not something I look forward to in my spare time. And my other half has threatened mutiny more than once - had to hide sharp objects once.

 

[OldDan1943]

5 ft beam sea or beating is unbearable. 8 is dangerous and miserable from either direction in a trawler. If you want to endure those seas, you get an appropriate sailboat, which is designed for that.

LOL, I learned to sail at a very young age. I can still remember tacking back and forth while not losing the over all straight line. Watch the compass and the clock.
Same as running a compass line in the middle of the woods. Been there, done that and closed the cut block. SMILE
If you are comfortable or reasonable so, you will end up at the desired spot. SMILE Remember, BYB, bring your own bucket.

 

[T210DRVR]

Boats are a bit like small planes. On the West Coast we routinely travel across mountains that would terrify a flat lander. On the other hand flat landers fly around Thunderstorms that scare the heck out of me.

My take on the discussion is that you have to understand yours and your boats limitations. Also, always have plan B & C in your pocket and be willing to change plans if things aren’t working out. Finally, respect the weather. Don’t go out if the weather doesn’t look good. The sea can be almost as unforgiving as the sky.

 

[OldDan1943]

The idea is not to go out when the weather is bad or expected to be bad but, the weather can change. That's when you rely on the boat design and your skill.

 

[mvweebles]

Wow. Long cruise.

To clarify - we took Weebles (Willard 36) from San Francisco to Ensenada last year to start a refit that will finish in a couple months - trip from SF to Ensenada was 500 nms and took 75-hours nonstop. We are flying to San Diego then driving to Ensenada in 2-weeks to meet with the folks doing the work - NizaMarine.com. When the work is done, we'll probably head north to the PNW for next year, then slowly work our way south through The Canal, and eventually to Florida. If we're still eager to cruise, Bahamas and perhaps the Loop. Open-ended to say the least.

If Weebles were a GB36, I wouldn't hesitate to do the same. I'd want stablizers (as Weebles has), but that's about it.

 

[OldDan1943]

Stabilizer are fantastic. I had them on my N46 and did not hesitate running outside at night with green water against the pilot house windows.
Alas, stabilizer on my AT34 would be a bit of over-kill. It only draws at max, 3ft. Rough weather? I will just stay at the dock or anchored.

 

[mvweebles]

The idea is not to go out when the weather is bad or expected to be bad but, the weather can change.

These days, the change is not that great. If you go out expecting flat seas, maybe you see 3-foot wind chop. Uncomfortable and maybe you would not have gone if you'd known, but not dangerous. Uncomfortable, yes. When I was delivering along the Pacific Coast, there were telltale signs of how the day would shape-up. Small white caps start to form at around 17-kts of wind and the wind builds from there. If they appeared before 11am, would be a long, bumpy day as the winds would build to 30+ with infinite fetch (6-foot wind chop at 5-seconds). If after 1pm, not too bad - winds wouldn't build past 25 or so (4-footers). They almost always dissipate around sunset or so. Point being is that there is a range of acceptable weather that may vary, but compared to crossing oceans, it's pretty straightforward, especially with modern weather products that give a reliable view up to 3-days in advance. That said, part of the art of deliveries (which I have long since forgotten) is understanding that taking a mild pounding for a few hours often makes sense to get through a frontal system that could hold you back for a couple days if you don't push through.

Bottom line, weather is seldom as expected, but it won't be outrageously different than expected either. At least for coastal cruising where you almost always have a bail-out option within a 24-hour window. Much different than crossing an ocean. It's why I have no problem endorsing the GB36 for coastal cruising. I wouldn't be cavalier about crossing Gulf of Teuhentepec in a GB36 where weather is notoriously fickle and dangerous and has taken out large commercial vessels, but it's a fine boat for dawdling long distances.

 

[OldDan1943]

LOL
All this talk about unpredictable weather makes a person wonder how and why Columbus made it across the Atlantic.

 

[Voyager3]

My KK Manatee can handle a whole lot more then it's master. That might somehow fit into a good definition of a coastal cruiser. The master not the boat. Boatdesign.net has been trying to answer that question for a lot of years.

 

[SteveK]

LOL
All this talk about unpredictable weather makes a person wonder how and why Columbus made it across the Atlantic.

Climate change. Back then it was ideal winds sending you only in the direction you wish to travel or no wind so you can catch up on sleep. None of this modern day blows and hurricanes.

 

[OldDan1943]

Climate change. Back then it was ideal winds sending you only in the direction you wish to travel or no wind so you can catch up on sleep. None of this modern day blows and hurricanes.

LOL Your supposed logic "blows".