Power Cat vs. Trawler dilemma: Please Advise

[BandB]

Keep in mind that Great Harbours have been (on their own bottoms) to Cuba, the Caribbean, to Hawaii via the Panama Canal, Florida-Bermuda-Newport, etc. All pretty adventurous passages - if that's your thing.

We see a lot of them in the Bahamas. One day we saw three anchored together off a small island. We left them with their island and went on to the next.

 

[Bay Pelican]

In an ocean crossing, you're more likely to be concerned with fore and aft movement than side to side. The boat will be stabilized and you're not likely to take the waves directly to your side. We're not talking anchoring. When those occasions do arise of 15' or 20' waves, then you're not likely to go below to sleep but take very brief naps in the salon or pilothouse if you can sleep at all. But those become pretty much "all hands on deck." Regardless you're not going to take those waves on your side.

Our trip from the Turks and Caicos to Trinidad had almost always beam seas. On the northern coast of the the Dominican you had the Atlantic swell coming from the north as we cruised east. This continued through the Virgins. Once south of St. Martin we had the Trade winds from the east as we were traveling south.

When I slept underway I found the athwartship bunk more comfortable than the fore and aft master berth.

On a power boat I have never experienced seas in which I could sleep but would be thrown out of my berth.

 

[healhustler]

Hey Larry,

I was never able to discern any meaningful difference in handling or even windage between the flybridge and non-flybridge N37s. The only real disadvantage to the flybridge is in terms of air draft (and price.) And as far as asking Ken to add a keel? Ever met Ken?

You know, Eric....that is very reassuring information about the flybridge N37, especially coming from you who probably has as many N37 sea miles as anyone out there. Yeah, you've got a point about asking Ken about adding a keel. No I have not met Ken, but I've heard enough stories to know that even if I did feel passionate enough to try it, it might not be safe to ask him.:lol:

 

[Donsan]

I've always thought if I ended up with one, I'd ask Ken Fickett to add a center keel to it

Wouldn't that defeat the purpose of a boat designed for shoal draft?

 

[cardude01]

I think the N37's already have twin skegs...

https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/236x/5d/2a/47/5d2a479cf42bf44ce17ebd9da6b6c7df.jpg

https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct...qkK86kaHoaEe6dsp9x_pZZ8Q&ust=1461694228488155

Wonder if these skegs will hold the weight of the boat so you could work on the hull at low tide?

 

[kraftee]

Absolutely, the twin skegs will hold the boat up quite evenly if you can find a nice sand bottom with at least a three-foot tide.

In fact, one of the GH37s was DROPPED onto her bow and keels at a Florida marina about 10 years ago. They had set her up really high on the boat stands without chaining the stands together. Bow slipped off - followed by the stern. From several feet up. No damage to the skegs - but the insane G-forces sprung the pilothouse doors and splintered the master stateroom wood furniture.

 

[Mule]

The flybridge model of the N 37 does not (I would guess) add siginificant windage. The GH37, that is a different matter altogether. I pass on the bridge because I would far rather have a huge solar array, minimize generator wear out, while being almost completely energy independent.


There are 2keels, one for each shaft, I do not see how another keel would help anything. They track straight as an arrow stock. A gyro stabilizing system however?? But what do I know. These are heavy boats, with a massive amount of tankage on the very bottom, so they are, in reasonable seas very stable. Short of leaving this hemisphere I would not hesitate, using some common sense, to go about anywhere. AND in comfort.

 

[mixman]

We "planned" on getting another (larger) powercat for extended cruising as our 30x10' powercat has been great over the past 12 years. Trailerable, off-shore capable (a number of cruises to the Abacos), and very lean on fuel (1.5gph at 8 knots, 8gph at 17 knots). But a 36' trawler (twin diesel) somewhat fell into our laps and that will be the extended cruising boat. Note that we have no plans to get rid of my cat as we love that boat too much!