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Old 08-01-2013, 09:17 AM   #1
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Great Harbor Trawlers still in business?

I am curious to find out if Great Harbor Trawlers AKA Mirage Manufacturing is still in business?
The reason I am asking is because their site seems outdated and generally you don't find much info on the web about their boats.
The GH N37 is one good looking trawler with serious space and specs for its size.
Does anyone have any news about the builder and also any info on how it handles in rough weather considering they are shallow draft trawlers with no external stabilizers.

Cheers
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Old 08-01-2013, 10:46 AM   #2
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I chartered an N37 in the Abacos a couple I years ago and can attest to the great space for a 37 footer. Two staterooms and a huge kitchen. Plus a big stand up engine room.

We were in protected waters so I can't say anything about rough weather handling, but with the flat bottom and wide beam it might be uncomfortable?

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Old 08-01-2013, 01:02 PM   #3
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I chartered an N37 in the Abacos a couple I years ago and can attest to the great space for a 37 footer. Two staterooms and a huge kitchen. Plus a big stand up engine room.

We were in protected waters so I can't say anything about rough weather handling, but with the flat bottom and wide beam it might be uncomfortable?

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It is a nice spacious boat for its size no doubt about it. I've read somewhere about a person who chartered the boat as well in the Abacos and posted a good overall review about his experience aboard the N37. However he was amazed, when he asked the skipper to venture further out to sea and he hesitated to do so.
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Old 08-01-2013, 06:19 PM   #4
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I looked into these a 3-4years ago, but the extremely slow speed would be a real problem with maneuverability in most currents.
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Old 08-01-2013, 06:27 PM   #5
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I believe I saw you guys on the N37 close to Hope Town in the Abaco's a few years ago, At that time I was in a blue 35' Contender named Fishing Fool. I could see why the skipper might have been hesitant going offshore. It didn't seem like it could handle running through the channels if there was anytime of surge. I hope you guys are doing well.
Tailwinds,
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Old 08-01-2013, 06:49 PM   #6
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Nick,
Mirage is still in business and is building boats.
The boat is well built. I do not have the N37, but am very happy with a GH47.
Cheers,
Henry
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Old 08-01-2013, 07:49 PM   #7
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Hummm,
Seems many there are uneducated, inexperienced opinions and conjectures reference the sea handling capability of Great Harbors. I can assure all, that in my extensive experiences, these are very good handling boats. I am a full time live a board cruiser on an N-37 with over 30,000 miles under the keel. I've traveled the entire length most of the western Rivers to include the Ohio River , and adjoining rivers and the middle and lower Mississippi. I've done the great loop twice both routes through Great Lakes and crossed the Gulf of Mexico corner 6 times and made offshore runs of up to 340 miles and cruised Maine. They are the best handling 37' boat I've ever been on. The hull design is by Lou Codega who is a very respected and highly credentialed professional Naval Architect. The hull is a "form stable"(his term not mine) design to create stable stiff hull that is self stabilized. I suggest those wanting the designer's perspective should query him. I'm just a very happy end user and cruiser. Slow they are, as these are displacement hull speed only trawlers with heavy construction (hoist weight on mine at last haul out was 46,000lbs.). Several owners make multiple day off shore runs. It is a fact that one travels all over the Pacific after being run from Jacksonville Fla thru the Panama Canal to Hawaii. Also one ran from Jacksonville to Bermuda and then to Newport RI. Both which are not on my agenda.

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GH N37 "Carolyn Ann"
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Old 08-01-2013, 08:34 PM   #8
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Good to hear you Henry.

Bob F/
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Old 08-02-2013, 06:47 AM   #9
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Hummm,
Seems many there are uneducated, inexperienced opinions and conjectures reference the sea handling capability of Great Harbors. I can assure all, that in my extensive experiences, these are very good handling boats. I am a full time live a board cruiser on an N-37 with over 30,000 miles under the keel. I've traveled the entire length most of the western Rivers to include the Ohio River , and adjoining rivers and the middle and lower Mississippi. I've done the great loop twice both routes through Great Lakes and crossed the Gulf of Mexico corner 6 times and made offshore runs of up to 340 miles and cruised Maine. They are the best handling 37' boat I've ever been on. The hull design is by Lou Codega who is a very respected and highly credentialed professional Naval Architect. The hull is a "form stable"(his term not mine) design to create stable stiff hull that is self stabilized. I suggest those wanting the designer's perspective should query him. I'm just a very happy end user and cruiser. Slow they are, as these are displacement hull speed only trawlers with heavy construction (hoist weight on mine at last haul out was 46,000lbs.). Several owners make multiple day off shore runs. It is a fact that one travels all over the Pacific after being run from Jacksonville Fla thru the Panama Canal to Hawaii. Also one ran from Jacksonville to Bermuda and then to Newport RI. Both which are not on my agenda.

Joe
GH N37 "Carolyn Ann"
Good to hear that the boat can handle herself well at sea.
When the time comes I would order the boat to have Lugger's installed instead of the Yanmars. Can get cheaper spare parts (I hear Yanmar's are a little pricey) and probably better torque but will lose out in fuel economy.
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Old 08-02-2013, 07:36 AM   #10
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We've had a GH N37 winter in our yard a few times. The poor guy spends as much time giving tours as working on his boat. Whatever you think of it, it IS a head-turner. It's so salty-looking it's almost cartoonish.

Anyway, he gets asked about how it handles in seas all the time, and he has nothing but praise for it. I have to admit I had the same concerns, just looking at the hull out of the water. But there's no denying the first-hand experience above, and that I've heard from this other owner.
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Old 08-02-2013, 10:20 AM   #11
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Whatever you think of it, it IS a head-turner. It's so salty-looking it's almost cartoonish..
Good description of the boat and I don't care how she handles at sea...I can't get by the "cartoon" effect.
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Old 08-02-2013, 11:05 AM   #12
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We had met a coule traveling the country both river and blue water. It was the N37 and I have to admit my suprise when yes, I asked for a tour, it is a 50 foot boat in a 37 foot hull! Amazing use if space inside. They have been out for six years at that point a few weeks ago. We are in Chattanooga TN and they were at our marina for a while, they are now on their way to MN! I told my wife that it is not the prettiest boat from the outside BUT!!!! Holy cow, the interior where you live will get your attention to say the least. We are now looking at the larger one to buy for when we hang it up and cruise. Read their website about the Fl to Bermuda then to CT run, all open ocean.

The couple we met has a blog, very well written and lots of pictures. Check it out, boats name is Young America, great people, Fred and Linda.
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Old 08-07-2013, 08:03 PM   #13
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When cruising down the ICW, I've been hailed a few times to ask if my boat was a GH. The GH 37 and the Manatee do look a bit alike, but outside of the spaciousness, there is little in common. The GH and N-37 series have a 15'10" beam. The GH 37 has a roomy engine compartment, but the N-37 has to be seen to be believed. Stand up and walk around both engines. The boat is almost twice the weight as my 25000 lb. Manatee, and only a foot longer. Solid glass hull, but the bottom is pretty flat, so big chop must be a bit challenging, and I've been told by a broker that in a cross wind, you'll be crabbing a bit. The twin 54 HP Yanmars are fine with me, and both props are skegged so she can sit on her own bottom. I can't say I like the materials used for the interior, but I'd take one in a heartbeat. Recently, one of our most faithful Krogen owners switched from a 39 Krogen to an N-47 GH. I can't wait to get his comparison report, but these are two very different boats and there's no way to have the same expectations of either.

I happened to be in Green Cove Springs, FL with the sales rep when each model was docked. I thought I'd like the GH series better, but I was stricken by the N series. It's a warehouse. Heck, I pulled up a hatch and took a stairway down from the pilothouse into the 15 X 5 bosons locker, and I couldn't even tell where I was in the boat. If I had my druthers, I'd go with an N-47, but I'd be tickled with an N-37. I'd also love to Charter one in the Abacos or on the St. Johns River, FL, where they offer seasonal rentals.
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Old 08-07-2013, 08:37 PM   #14
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. I am a full time live a board cruiser on an N-37 with over 30,000 miles under the keel.
GH N37 "Carolyn Ann"
What's your tankage, what's your fuel burn (at what speed), and therefore what range do you plan for?

Great looking boats indeed!
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Old 08-07-2013, 08:42 PM   #15
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Very interesting boats. Seems they are built in Gainesville.
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Old 08-07-2013, 08:53 PM   #16
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A friend of mine is in the process of finalizing a deal on Semper Fi II, the second demo in the N37 series, and it sounds like an exceptional vessel for cruising the eastern seaboard. The fact that one made it over to Hawaii on its own bottom can't be a bad thing.
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Old 08-07-2013, 09:11 PM   #17
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it sounds like an exceptional vessel for cruising the eastern seaboard. The fact that one made it over to Hawaii on its own bottom can't be a bad thing.
Concur!!

Anyone seen/heard of a GH up in the PNW or inside passage?
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Old 08-07-2013, 10:01 PM   #18
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The tankage on our N-37 is 500 gals fuel, 300 gals of water, and over a 100 gal holding tank(I've measured it at 128 gals.) Our average fuel burn at 2000-2100 rpm (6.8kts/8mph) in static water is 2 gals per hour for both engine and some genset time. I am very very comfortable with 1200 miles between fueling and that leaves a substantial buffer. Theoretically 1500 mile should be no problem and leave 25% buffer. I don't trust gauges so have a dip stick to verify the tank level. We are a displacement hull so the hard chine is not a problem...our hull is very similar to a commercial tug which also has hard chines. Also, a big plus is the sea chest which I can clean from inside the boat.
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Old 08-08-2013, 05:10 AM   #19
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Great Harbor Trawlers

Quote:
Originally Posted by healhustler View Post
I can't wait to get his comparison report, but these are two very different boats and there's no way to have the same expectations of either.

I happened to be in Green Cove Springs, FL with the sales rep when each model was docked. I thought I'd like the GH series better, but I was stricken by the N series.
I first saw these Great Harbor trawlers down in Green Cove Springs myself a couple of years ago. Two of them were out of the water and I took a bunch of photos, but I don't have them with me over in Thailand at the moment.

Anyone have some photos of the bottoms of these vessels?

I climbed aboard one of them, It was quite impressive.

Ah ha,...I just found my own photos I took that day in Fla...posted over here:
YachtForums.Com - View Single Post - New to Yachting; 13 Million to spend -

.....more pics on postings #80, 81,82,83,84 on that forum
New to Yachting; 13 Million to spend - - Page 6 - YachtForums.Com


Expensive boats if I remember correctly !!
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Old 08-08-2013, 05:30 AM   #20
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The tankage on our N-37 is 500 gals fuel, 300 gals of water, and over a 100 gal holding tank(I've measured it at 128 gals.) Our average fuel burn at 2000-2100 rpm (6.8kts/8mph) in static water is 2 gals per hour for both engine and some genset time. I am very very comfortable with 1200 miles between fueling and that leaves a substantial buffer. Theoretically 1500 mile should be no problem and leave 25% buffer. I don't trust gauges so have a dip stick to verify the tank level. We are a displacement hull so the hard chine is not a problem...our hull is very similar to a commercial tug which also has hard chines. Also, a big plus is the sea chest which I can clean from inside the boat.
Thanks for the info!!
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