Does my boat fit in ?

Hi Guys

I found this forum very interesting and was wondering does my boat fit into this TRAWLER forum.

I have a 1980 31' Mariner. You Aussies will know what it is. Powered by twin V8 petrol engines.

The little cruising we do is at displacement speeds of about 6 kts.

If the boat subject doesn't suit the forum I am happy to sit back and read your adventures.

Welcome aboard. 6 kts is a great speed.

Marty

Welcome.

Been hanging around these crazy boating folks for awhile myself.
They accept almost anyone, with boat, no boat, maybe want boat, not sure if wanting boat.

Just don't like folks selling stuff.

So, post away, and maybe now, or maybe after 10 posts, let's see some photos.

bluebyu said:

Welcome.

Been hanging around these crazy boating folks for awhile myself.
They accept almost anyone, with boat, no boat, maybe want boat, not sure if wanting boat.

Just don't like folks selling stuff.

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Selling stuff is fine, so long as it goes into Classified. And you left out "used to have boat, and am nostalgic." Like your name, by the way. Blue Bayou. Linda Ronstadt (Roy Orbison also sang it, but Linda made it).

Welcome and we're more interested in you that your boat and you may have an interesting opinion from your quarter that we would not think of.

I second blubyu on selling stuff ..... except your own things.

I'd like to see your state, province or country in the signature or under avatar. First name would be nice too. But everybody probably knows where Sydney is. And if you were from NY that also applies.

Greetings,
Welcome aboard. Hell, you'd fit in even if...

Heck, they even let me hang out here. I guess they're hoping I'll learn something one of these days.

Yup, very inclusive bunch. They are even nice to those of us whose trawlers look dinghies next to their 40+ monsters!

Thanks for all your kind remarks. Nice looking boats.

I'm interested to hear how much cruising you guys do per year.

GFC what speed do you normally cruise at ?

I like to cruise at about 6 to 7 kts. I find this speed easy on the boat and I don't have to sell a kidney to fuel it up.

Flybridge, I can just let it idle along at ~950 rpm's at 9.8kts, and that's where I usually am running. If I boost it up a bit to 1050 rpm's it's doing about 12kts but it's pushing a pretty good sized bow wave. If I want to cruise on plane I get up to about 1750 rpm's and I'm doing about 22kts.

WOT is 2150rpm's and at that it's doing 30.1kts - 30.3kts.

When I sea trialed the boat we ran at WOT for a bit over 10 minutes to see how the cooling system worked and if the boat was propped right. It was, and ran right at the published WOT of 2150 rpm's and the speed varied between 30.1kts and 30.3kts which was the published speed.

We were on a flat lake (Lake St. Clair near DTW) with light fuel and water, 7 people on board and very little wind. Needless to say I don't run at WOT very often because it's burning ~65gph at that rpm.

Flybridge, FYI, regarding your comment about selling a kidney, we're still running on fuel we bought a bit over a year ago. I haven't filled I up this year yet. When I do I'm guessing it will take about 500 gallons. I don't keep close track of fuel consumption but if it takes 500 gallons that'll be somewhere around $2,250. We've put a bit north of 100 hours on the boat this year so that figures out to about 5 gallons per hour, which is not too bad for a cruise speed that's close to 10kts.

Gotta love those Cats.

Fit in where?

GFC that's interesting info. I'm running at 1200 RPM at 6.5Kts at 18 lts per hour.

So I guess that's not too bad for two 5.7lt petrol v8's.

I asked the question because I was keen to hear what others were cruising at.

Thank You.

Six/seven knots (7.3 max), 125 hours a year average.

Flybridge31 said:

Thanks for all your kind remarks. Nice looking boats.

I'm interested to hear how much cruising you guys do per year.

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My log suggests I'm averaging about 120-150 hours a year. I cruise at around 5.5 to 6.5 knots and use 1/2 to 3/4 gallons per hour.

Flybridge 31, let me be the first of a number of locals to welcome you aboard TF.
Of course your boat fits. I`ve been suggesting another Aussie replace his Kingston, trashed on its mooring by a loose boat, with a Mariner 31.
You`ll find fuel is one of the lesser expenses of your boat. Except if you run those V8s hard. Where are you located?

Welcome FB31
If they let us motorsailers in, they'll let anyone in.
Hey - I was considering a Mariner 31 when shopping around. Come on in and tell us about it.

Hi AusCan

I'm guessing you know what a 31 Mariner is.

It's suppose to sleep 4, we've done it a few times just overnighting it but it was a little cramped.

The enclosed shower and toilet make it very comfortable.

I've owned it for about 7 years and for the first few years we used it a lot, but over the past few years we have bearly used it. To the point where I hadn't driven it for nearly three years. Which is not good enough.

A few weeks ago I had it antifouled cleaned up serviced and moved it to another marina with plans to use it for fishing and some cruising up the coast to Pittwater and the Hawksberry.

With the bad weather we have been have in Sydney at the moment I been reading Alan Lucas Cruising the New South Wales Coast and reading a lot of the posts on this forum.(They're great)

We have always had boats but this is the first cruiser I've owned so it's been a bit of a learning curve.

I know this might sound pittyful but even though I'm retired I don't seem to have time to use the boat, and when I do I don't have anyone to play with cause everyone is busy. It's I love to but.....

So it's ready to go so lets go. That's the plan anyway.

FB31,You might like: A Cruising Guide to the Hawkesbury, Cowan, Broken Bay and Pittwater, by J & J Powell, published by Deerubbin Press, advertised in Afloat, probably stocked by Whitworths.

Welcome Flybridge 31. If they let me in they will let anyone in. The PT 35 or Polarus as it is known in Aus is hardly a "trawler" but in my experience with this forum its more about the experiences with your boat than the type of boat you have that counts. I can relate to your dilemma re usage as I live in Perth and our boat is moored in Middle Harbour but each time we get to the boat we dont want to leave even if it is just a trip to Sugar Loaf or Bantry Bay. 7knots is good!!

Wow Rebel, you made me feel bad. My boat is a 15 minute drive from me.

You've used your boat more in the past few years then I have and you live on the other side of the island.

Good on you. That's being keen.

FB31 - I have trouble lining up others to boat with as I don't work a normal Mon-Fri shift. Luckily I don't mind going out on my own for a cruise or a fish.
I try to get out every couple of days while I am home, but work OS 6 months of the year.
Even if the weather is ugly I often waste an afternoon puttering around on the boat, sometimes achieving something, sometimes not.

Most of us on TF, myself included cruise at 6-8 knots. (Me closer to 6) although we have a few speedsters who like to stir up the water.

Welcome Fly, if I can call you that..? I have a Mariner 31 moored next to me at Horizon Shores marina, which is just north of the Gold Coast, and fortunately just further enough north to dodge that nasty hail storm a few days ago. Boats further south at Gold Coast City Marina had thousands of dollars damage. Some of the hail was baseball sized.
Mariners 31 and the 34, certainly come within our sphere, although most owners of them run them much faster, as they are a true planing hull, really. Still, I'm not one to lose sleep over the old under loading chestnut. As long as they are not running too cool, who cares, and if you are happy at displacement speed, so be it. I might even have a sort of pic of one if I can find it, but it'll have to wait until I'm on my laptop, I don't have many pics on my pad.

Peter B said:

Welcome Fly, if I can call you that..? I have a Mariner 31 moored next to me at Horizon Shores marina, which is just north of the Gold Coast, and fortunately just further enough north to dodge that nasty hail storm a few days ago. Boats further south at Gold Coast City Marina had thousands of dollars damage. Some of the hail was baseball sized. Mariners 31 and the 34, certainly come within our sphere, although most owners of them run them much faster, as they are a true planing hull, really. Still, I'm not one to lose sleep over the old under loading chestnut. As long as they are not running too cool, who cares, and if you are happy at displacement speed, so be it. I might even have a sort of pic of one if I can find it, but it'll have to wait until I'm on my laptop, I don't have many pics on my pad.

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Sounds like you were lucky! Pendana a 62 Nordhavn posted pictures on their Facebook, there're whole deck overhang was like cottage cheese, and they also got there're fiberglass chipped.

Hi Pete

I know what you mean. My brother lives on the Gold Coast and he got water damage from the hail.

Needs a new ceiling in the kitchen and a new kitchen and his only been in this house for 2 years.

I'd hate to think of the boat damage on all those boats up there.

Hi Flybridge 31. Its not so much a matter of being keen as addicted and the only way to get my fix is to book early with Virgin or whoever to get low airfares and fit in whatever time is available. Hopefully next year will be the start of actually retiring ha ha. However even on our mooring we have multi million dollar views but my advantage over the others with the same views on land, I can move. I hope you can find the time to enjoy your boat more. This addiction is good

There was some talk about fuel consumption and speed. 1900 RPM + - 2 GPH = 7.5 to 8 KTs. Doesn't mean though in the Pacific Northwest that is SOG. I can carry 980 gals of fuel full.
Welcome.. I found a LOT of experience and advice on this site.....there are a lot of guys with a lot of opinions, experience and knowledge... which is great!