is it, or is it not, a trawler

Brand new to powered vessels... been on a sailboat for a while now... moving to a '79 42 LRC.... when I went to get it insured, Boat US said the LRC is not a "true" trawler, but is what they call a "modified deep V" ... they actually list it on the insurance binder as a '79 Marshall. Californian isn't even mentioned.

so now I am confused

What makes a trawler, a "trawler"? the hull or the superstructure?

So did you get insurance? That is a more relevant issue than the marketing mumbo jumbo defining a trawler. At least the Coast Guard has it right, M/V or S/V.

tmiller1116 said:

What makes a trawler, a "trawler"? the hull or the superstructure?

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The hull.

Greetings,
Welcome aboard.

N4712 said:

The hull.

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Along with the power or lack of

It's a state of mind

Where's Marin when you need him?

Who needs Marin. Meridian said it best.

Started out as commercial fishing types; slow, steady & reliable. Morphed into slow, steady, and comfortable. Older sailors liked them, 'cause they didn't have to pull lines & hurt their backs. Having a "trawler" became cool, so the comfort factor was increased; TV's, etc. Older sailors grumbled, but stayed with the type. Now, almost any comfortable, slow type can be a "trawler". 'Course we are also adding speed, etc, so that we now have "fast trawlers". Most of all, it is a life style; comfortable.

Greetings,
What's in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet....

tmiller1116 said:

Brand new to powered vessels... been on a sailboat for a while now... moving to a '79 42 LRC.... when I went to get it insured, Boat US said the LRC is not a "true" trawler, but is what they call a "modified deep V" ... they actually list it on the insurance binder as a '79 Marshall. Californian isn't even mentioned.

so now I am confused

What makes a trawler, a "trawler"? the hull or the superstructure?

Click to expand...

chc has it correct. Insurance wise, it doesn't matter whether the LRC is classed as a MY (Motor Yacht) or a trawler- the vessel is not a planing hull. Sounds like Boat US is pushing the vessel type to increase its rating base (translation- more cost to you).

sunchaser said:

So did you get insurance? That is a more relevant issue than the marketing mumbo jumbo defining a trawler. At least the Coast Guard has it right, M/V or S/V.

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Sounds like he did, as he mentions an insurance binder.....

tmiller1116 said:

Brand new to powered vessels... been on a sailboat for a while now... moving to a '79 42 LRC.... when I went to get it insured, Boat US said the LRC is not a "true" trawler, but is what they call a "modified deep V" ... they actually list it on the insurance binder as a '79 Marshall. Californian isn't even mentioned.

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When I moved over to Boats US, years ago, I asked why they used "Marshall" and not the name "Californian." They said their policy lists "Manufacture" and not "Make". Plus it better identifies the boat since the name "Californian" has been passed back and forth between several different manufactures and different styles over the years, which is true.

I just looked at my current policy and they do list mine as a "trawler" though and like yours it has a semi planing hull. But not to worry, the style is immaterial. You'll love your Californian in any case, they're a great boat.

ps: It's like what makes it a "Yacht" or a "Boat". . . As previously stated, "It's a state of mind!"

The OP (or Boat US) missed the determining factor- "Which way do the windows slant?"

My insurance company only breaks it down to either motor vessel or sailing vessel. Having a motorsailer, I was able to choose, so went with a sailing vessel, which was about 30% less in premiums. No extra for having reverse slanting windows.

Quick replies:

1. Yes we got insurance
2. I can easily see Boat US finding ways to charge more
3. Comfort is good (we are live aboard and the sailboat is getting smallish feeling)
4. There are a *lot* of windows!

Perhaps "what is a trawler" could be best looked at by boserving what is not a trawler. And by what most people think a trawler is. We are pleasure boat trawler men so we should know ... right?

Weight
Limited speed
Hull type
Diesel power

But many boats represented here don't have many of these features. But they DO have the one feature that identifies the boat as a trawler and that is style. If the owner thinks it is a trawler and he can convince friends (that may include us) it may be a trawler. And I suspect that anybody asking a group of trawlermen what a trawler is followed by identifying what boat he has is admitting he thinks he dosn't have a trawler and is hoping it will be blessed as such.

But there are few boats here that are 100% trawler. Most have features that are clearly not trawler like but the one feature that is most sure to identify a boat as a trawler is her cabin style. You've all heard the expression "if it looks ... and smells like .... and sounds like ... then it is a". It's basically a style. Appearance features like fwd slanted wheelhouse windows or a keel that a planing boat wouldn't be caught dead with. Tack on some small feature that looks trawler like and POOF .. a trawler.

I am thinking of a boat that has only one of the four elements of trawlerness that I mentioned above and most all will consider it a trawler but it has only one of those features.

So trawlerness is only vaguely defined and conceived. And how a boat looks is the most influential element of what makes it a trawler.

I had a very different view of what a trawler was when I joined TF 5 years ago. But I've learned from the members here that trawlers are boats that allow their owners to commit playacting that identifies their boat to have design features that identify it as related to real trawlers that drag a "trawl" across the sea floor.

There you have it. None of us have trawlers. But most of us have boats that are related to the real thing in several ways .. frequently small ways.

One thing that would (IMO) identify a trawler is a big rudder. Never thought about that before but it seems to hold water.

manyboats said:

One thing that would (IMO) identify a trawler is a big rudder. Never thought about that before but it seems to hold water.

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tmiller1116 said:

What makes a trawler, a "trawler"? the hull or the superstructure?

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The owners attitude.

Never mind. I see Meridian said it better.

A broker's need to make a sale will often turn a boat into a trawler.

tmiller1116 said:

3. Comfort is good (we are live aboard and the sailboat is getting smallish feeling)
4. There are a *lot* of windows!

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Mr. tmiller
Off the topic, but I see you are live aboard? Lot's of windows. . .yes! No insulation in the ceilings and you live in Oregon and it's winter!!

What are you doing for heat??

Best way to find out what a trawler is...don't confuse yourself with asking people on Trawler Forum...way too many egos and narrow minded opinions...

Probably do better on any other forum where about 90% would get an almost perfect score if you showed them pics of lot's of examples....

Or, you could start your own website called "Motor Yacht Forum", featuring your own boat on the home page headliner. If nobody joins, you've probably got a trawler.

Larry that's great.

Wer'e never going to define a trawler .. never have .. never will.

I'm all for discussing heat though. I have plastic windows and thus better insulation.

Is the OP satisfied about the meaning of trawler?

Right On . . . it's just like what's a "tug"? Is a Nordic tug, American tug, or Ranger tug really tugs. In it's strictest sense, of course not. They're pleasure boats that share a few style similarity's with a class of work boats called "Tugs."
Larry B

Believe most would agree this is neither a trawler nor a tug.

markpierce said:

Believe most would agree this is neither a trawler nor a tug.

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Now I completely agree with that statement, it's not. It does however look like a heck of a lot of fun.

markpierce said:

Believe most would agree this is neither a trawler nor a tug.

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? Imposter?

It`s like a hippopotamus. Hard to describe, but if you see one you`ll know what it is.

Did somebody really say "trawlers are cool?" I thought only young women in short skirts decided what was cool in this world. Cigarette boats are deemed cool. I think perhaps it's anything that blows their skirts up, and/or is expensive might be the definition. Slow and practical ain't cool.

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