Smaller, moved away from trawler?

[Bryant]

I love my 84 GB 36 but for lots of reasons, not the least of which are our yearly hurricanes, I’m considering downsizing. Good Lord, have you seen the Cutwater/Ranger price tags? I could completely refurbish my GB to new condition and including the original price I paid for it, still have 100k in the bank. Downsizing at triple the expense doesn’t make sense. I’m considering a Mainship Rum Runner or a Rossborough, although a Camano Troll 30 is a pretty good option as well. It would just be nice to throw my boat on a trailer and park inland when the hurricanes come and lose the stress and worry.

 

[rgano]

Got this little beauty for 90K four years back, but it was barn kept and in new condition loaded with everything you can put on one. There are soft top versions with less gear for maybe as much as 20K less. As the name Pilot suggests, it is designed to cruise along at 15 MPH or so in a short chop. It is not a high-dollar Back Cove or MJM, more of a Ford, but it satisfies all my current boating needs, especially since it can be trailer hauled (if you have one) for short distances to hide from storms or seasonal changes, but mine hangs in a lift out back; so no barnacles, etc, etc. Generator/AC/fridge/vacuflush head/minor cooking capability satisfy the occasional need to overnight.

 

[OldDan1943]

Generator/AC/fridge/vacuflush head/minor cooking capability satisfy the occasional need to overnight.

Minor cooking can be solve with one or two 120 vt portable induction plates (as seen on TV) and an induction/microwave oven.
I know of one woman who brags about cooking a complete Thanksgiving dinner.
It all has to do with timing, as every good cook knows. (I'm still learning that part.)

 

[rgano]

That's what we have along with a small nuker, but no why wife is leaving her double ovens, large cooktop, big fridge and big nuker to cook anything aboard, especially TG dinner. Four years, and the induction plate has yet to be used. Pre-cooking for any overnight is her mantra.

 

[Bryant]

Downsize

Got this little beauty for 90K four years back, but it was barn kept and in new condition loaded with everything you can put on one. There are soft top versions with less gear for maybe as much as 20K less. As the name Pilot suggests, it is designed to cruise along at 15 MPH or so in a short chop. It is not a high-dollar Back Cove or MJM, more of a Ford, but it satisfies all my current boating needs, especially since it can be trailer hauled (if you have one) for short distances to hide from storms or seasonal changes, but mine hangs in a lift out back; so no barnacles, etc, etc. Generator/AC/fridge/vacuflush head/minor cooking capability satisfy the occasional need to overnight.

That’s a great looking boat. I’m definitely interested in something like that in the future.

 

[rgano]

Well, you should come on over for a ride sometime. We can also talk Grand Banks, either the 36 I took up to Lake Michigan in 2017 or mine own 42 sold four years back!

 

[NComfort]

We downsized from a PT41 trawler, lots of teak, decks and all. Cruised the BC Coast at 7.5 knots. We lived aboard quite comfortably. Once we moved back to land we downsized to a Tollycraft 30 twin gas that we only had for 2 years before moving back to diesel engines. We now have a Norstar 30, originally built in Bellingham. She is an express cruiser of sorts, no fly bridge, well thought out use of space, in our opinion, and cruises comfortably at 22 knots. We also still cruise alot at 8 knots but for crossing Sutil Channel for the umpteenth time or catching the tides coming into Campbell River, we'll put her up. We are enjoying having the option of speed. You are dependant on water conditions, other boat traffic and wood in the water and it does require constant diligence travelling fast. There is a significant difference in the handling of the Tollycraft vs the Norstar with the Norstar being a much easier boat to handle in close quarters even though their weight is about the same but it is definately a world of difference. We are very happy with our choice.

 

[BruceK]

Oh, I thought it was the latrine and hospitals on a cruise ship

The destinations are the excuse of the cruise. Can I say I've really been to Puerto Rico after being there for 5 hours with the cruise ship... and of course the ever famous Lido deck....lol.

Ah yes, the "Chew n Spew",as I call it.

 

[Bryant]

Downsizing

Well, you should come on over for a ride sometime. We can also talk Grand Banks, either the 36 I took up to Lake Michigan in 2017 or mine own 42 sold four years back!

Thanks. I would enjoy that. My GB is in Pensacola so I’m over that way quite a bit. What does your boat weigh?

 

[IntoTheBlue]

We had moved from a MS 390 down to a MS Pilot 34 the up to a MS Pilot 43. And yes, I did work as a captain for a Mainship dealer. We have currently been in our MS Pilot 43 for almost 14 years and the layout, size and overall set-up has worked well with us. We find it a great platform for long trips and even better for extended stays in one area (mostly done on anchor or mooring).

You had mentioned the sailor to trawler scenario, which is similar to what we are going through now, which is the larger boat owner thinking of downsizing. It has many similarities, getting older, maintenance, etc.

Yet, if we are to continue the type of boating that we are currently doing, our boat works well, and a downsized boat would work OK. So the bottom line is that we would not downsize if continuing to do long term cruising, with extended stays on anchor or mooring.

However, we are looking forward and see that we desire a change in our cruising style. So a downsized boat may fit the bill. We still have a few seasons left, but we have been discussing a change, which may move us to one of the Ranger Tugs (or similar platforms) in the near future.

My thought is not to change the boat (especially if it works well for you) to make it easier to do what you're already doing. Rather to consider "downsizing" if you are looking to modify your cruising habits.

 

[friz]

Oh, I thought it was the latrine and hospitals on a cruise ship.

Spoken like a true sand crab. How about "heads" and "sick bay"?
As you were, carry on, smartly.

 

[BandB]

Spoken like a true sand crab. How about "heads" and "sick bay"?
As you were, carry on, smartly.

Wifey B: Well, it was for our resident cruise fan, Mark. Next time I'll say heads and sick bay perhaps.

 

[Haloo]

We recently bought a Kingfisher 3125 GFX. Our first boat. The boat is 37’ LOA, 10’ beam, has twin 300hp Mercury outboards, is made of aluminum, has a smallish cabin, a refrigerator, one head (just installed a composting toilet), a two burner alcohol stove (fast boat, slow coffee), and is trailerable. This forum helped immensely in our choice.

Over the past few years we visited boat shows, marinas, and brokerages. We looked at trawlers and tugs. I fell deeply in love with a 46’ Tolleycraft. Then....we bought a small (16’) camper trailer. We love the camper! We have to walk around each other to move about in it, but find it’s coziness very appealing. After multiple long trips the appeal hasn’t worn off one bit.

So why would we need a large boat if a small camper fits all of our needs? Our little camper allows us to go where larger campers can’t, and it’s easy to maneuver. Maybe a smaller boat would give us some of the same advantages.

I started spending more time on the TF to learn about liveability issues on boats, engine issues, and boat handling. This forum is great! We learned that small would work for us — especially since we’ve never experienced large.

We’ve also learned that we can maintain this boat and it won’t break our bank account. Now we’re living on it until sometime in October. We plan to live on it all next summer. Maybe in a couple of years we’ll trailer it to the Great Lakes and boat there for a couple of years.

I remember in one discussion on TF someone mentioned that many people have the fondest memories of the smaller boat that they used to own. So...we downsized our thinking and bought a smaller boat.

 

[BandB]

We recently bought a Kingfisher 3125 GFX. Our first boat. The boat is 37’ LOA, 10’ beam, has twin 300hp Mercury outboards, is made of aluminum, has a smallish cabin, a refrigerator, one head (just installed a composting toilet), a two burner alcohol stove (fast boat, slow coffee), and is trailerable. This forum helped immensely in our choice.

Over the past few years we visited boat shows, marinas, and brokerages. We looked at trawlers and tugs. I fell deeply in love with a 46’ Tolleycraft. Then....we bought a small (16’) camper trailer. We love the camper! We have to walk around each other to move about in it, but find it’s coziness very appealing. After multiple long trips the appeal hasn’t worn off one bit.

So why would we need a large boat if a small camper fits all of our needs? Our little camper allows us to go where larger campers can’t, and it’s easy to maneuver. Maybe a smaller boat would give us some of the same advantages.

I started spending more time on the TF to learn about liveability issues on boats, engine issues, and boat handling. This forum is great! We learned that small would work for us — especially since we’ve never experienced large.

We’ve also learned that we can maintain this boat and it won’t break our bank account. Now we’re living on it until sometime in October. We plan to live on it all next summer. Maybe in a couple of years we’ll trailer it to the Great Lakes and boat there for a couple of years.

I remember in one discussion on TF someone mentioned that many people have the fondest memories of the smaller boat that they used to own. So...we downsized our thinking and bought a smaller boat.

Incredible job of a boat search where you identified your requirements, dealt within your likes and dislikes and found what sounds like to me is your perfect boat. In some ways, it's an anti-trawler, in that it's outboard, fast, trailerable, but to me, trawler forum is about cruising and exploring, not a specific type of boat. Great job of selection.

 

[ctjstr]

I've been a fan of the Ranger and Cutwaters since they've been out. Thought for a long time I'd end up with one. Price was keeping me back.

I now have a couple friends that have 29 Rangers and both have the same complaint...just a lack of room and comfort in the "salon". We tend to be out often in the fall/winter and end up spending a fair amount of time indoors on the boat. The more I thought about it and compared their layout to my Camano, I just didn't want to lose even more space. I'll stick with my boat and save a couple hundred k.

 

[NCheaven]

Interesting size.....

....looking far into the future. I'm very happy with my Camano which I bought 5 years ago. (Volvo TAMD41P-A is outstanding!) But, when I hit 80 or so, climbing up the ladder to the FB, etc., might be the time to look at a sedan cruiser, no FB, just for safety reasons. The extra speed reduces concerns about weather surprises, etc. So, I browse Yachtworld now and then looking forward 8 years from now.

In the mean time, the natural beauty of NC's vast system of rivers and sounds along the coast makes 6 to 8 kts just right, so many coastal colonial towns to visit between the Dismal Swamp to Morehead, the FB provides the best view imaginable, and the Camano/Volvo combination is just right for these waters and the ICW in either direction.

Thanks for posting about the CB - virtual dock walking when our nights are in the 20s!.