Thompson Kona Trawler - Opinions

The Thompson Trawlers, blue water boat, coastal cruiser, passagemaker?

What's your opinion?

Bill
Kwajalein

Thompsons and Thompson / Nelsons are good sturdy boats built on a commercial fishing trawler hull. The boats were built by Thompson and then the interiors were finished by the owner or another facility, so the interior finish and quality varies a lot. Nelson bought the molds from Thompson and completely finished the inside of their boats.

They are definitely coastal cruisers; easily cross from FL to the Bahamas; most certainly not a passagemaker.

Ted

We have a Thompson 44, while it's not a Blue Water vessel most cruising is doable. As usual one has to pick their window of opportunity with the weather. Our cruisin range is approx. as a minimum 1100 km to upwards of 1400 km.

The perfect boat "drinks 6, feeds 4, sleeps 2"

O C Diver/ El Sea, thank you for the reply. Now please tell me what makes this LRC NOT, a blue water boat? Is it the hull design????? I understand that the hulls are very durable. Their's one on Yacht World, Rambling Rose, I believe, that looks really nice.

Bill
Kwajalein

"Now please tell me what makes this LRC NOT, a blue water boat?"

Every aspect of a boat must be created / selected from the start to create a true Blue water boat.

As a start the deck and the house is seldom strong enough for a wave to climb aboard.
Sure the windows can be reinforced , but hard to beef up what the windows are built into.
Or what the deck house is fastened to.

Fuel tanks will be far larger , water too, storage space will be a larger % of the boat , not empty space.

There will be hand holds so occupants NEVER have to move about with out one being used.

The engine and transmission will frequently come from a big truck or industrial source not an auto or farm implement supply.

Old boats will frequently have a robust enough hull lay up, but the rest is too expensive to change , for Offshore.

However lots of folks have used a commercial weather services and TIME TIME TIME to get from A to B, with an ocean to cross, to lower the risks.

FF, now I see the light. At least I've gained a little more understanding. I guess as long as the weather is nice you could cross the Pacific in a row boat,,,, (just kidding).

Bill

Generally blue water / passagemaker vessels have a low center of gravity, somewhat deeper draft and a fair amount of ballast to remain up right if they take a big wave on the beam. Below is a picture of a Thompson / Nelson I was looking at. It is a shoal draft cruiser with likely a too high center of gravity. Ok for a <100 mile trip from FL to the Bahamas; not a good choice for North Carolina to Bermuda (650 miles). If you are doing the crossing in a day, you can pick your day. If your crossing is 4 to 5 days or more, good chance you will get some heavy weather off shore.



Ted

We take our Thompson where ever we want, only thing is we know our limitations. Not that we are not able to go Blue Water but as posted in number 3, "one has to pick their window of opportunity with the weather".

I have removed the Oxygen Tent area, done away with the mast and lowered the center of gravity. Still when the seas kick up it can be a roller coaster ride.

The Thompson's are commercial grade as for the hull and made to carry tons of catch, which again lowers the CG. They usually come with a truck type engine and large fuel and water tanks. I feel they are a true slow going trawler as compared with what one may find in the current supper market rags today.

If you are considering a Thompson, go for it, they only made around a 100 for pleasure use.

EL Sea, would like to see what you did to your Thompson, photos please.
Kwajdiverbill@yahoo.com

Interesting about lowing the CG. I'm learning guys, keep it coming.



Bill