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Old 02-11-2014, 06:21 AM   #13
KalaKai
Veteran Member
 
City: Lake Pontchartrain
Join Date: Feb 2014
Posts: 35
Thanks for all of the replies (and the welcome aboard!).

* sail to steam: yes, I'd miss the costs, range and relative comfort of sail, but think other conveniences of power would compensate. The problem is I've never been offshore on a trawler, so I"m only guessing on how they handle seas.

* Bahamas: I was amazed at how lost in time the Abacos were when we visited on our sailboat. I frankly hope people maintain their reluctance to make the trip or the Abacos will end up like the keys or Caribbean . But yes, the trip was much easier than many coastal trips I've made. We sailed from Marathon to West End and were doing 13 knots over ground at times thank to the gulf stream with favorable winds.

* Boat choice: I'd like to know how people feel about the trade off from an older higher end trawler vs a newer Mainship. There seems to be about a 15 year trade-off at the 150-175 price range. What are the 'real' advantages of the Grand Banks level boats versus the Mainships? Would buying 15 years older negate some of the quality benefits due to increased probability of aging systems failures?

* twin vs single: I'm wanting twin engines for safety and maneuverability reasons. I guess thrusters would solve docking, but I'd feel much better with 2 engines when 100 miles offshore or in a narrow channel with tow boats nearby. This being said, it seems that more than a few of the 'offshore' boats are single engine. I assume I'm missing something here.

thanks again
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