Best Blue Water Trawler

TDunn said:

...If you want to talk power blue water boats this boat is on the next dock at the marina. Spirit of Zopilote...

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Spirit of a (turkey) vulture? Now there's an usual name.

healhustler said:

Yeah, that Watson 48 would be all the sea-cottage I'd ever need. Meat and taters.

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And where do these Watson people happen to be..?

About us

healhustler said:

Yeah, that Watson 48 would be all the sea-cottage I'd ever need. Meat and taters.

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4,200 nm range at 8 knots. That's 22 days worth of fuel. it would cost $8,000 to fill that big bastard up! Good lord. Must be nice to be rich.

kthoennes said:

Spirit of a (turkey) vulture? Now there's an usual name.

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I believe the owners original boat, Zopilote, was lost off of Alaska/PNW and his replacement was named "Spirit of". Owner is Bruce Kesseler, the television director, among other things.

I guess I should have narrowed this down a little. Under $2m and undeR 60'.

zoomie said:

I guess I should have narrowed this down a little. Under $2m and undeR 60'.

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Aaaaw..now you tell us..!

Hang on............hang on...putting limits - size and $$$$$ is cramping everyones style a bit - next you`ll be defining what type of anchor it should have - BTW, anyone got an opinion on anchors?

I really enjoy Big Bud. The funny thing is while I was working in Afghanistan a couple of years ago I drew up my dream boat, line drawings all specs right down to what equipment it would have and it came out looking pretty much exactly like Big Bud. Every system was very simple and everything was easily accessible with removable panels. Drew her up at 55 foot, so IMO the best Trawler/Passagemaker is one that is comfortable but NOT complicated. It should have what is needed for self sustainment in remote locations when help is not within arms reach where the everyday owner with a few tools can fix and maintain her.

knotheadcharters said:

...IMO the best Trawler/Passagemaker is one that is comfortable but NOT complicated. It should have what is needed for self sustainment in remote locations when help is not within arms reach where the everyday owner with a few tools can fix and maintain her.

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a "BUB", Bug Out Boat.
I like it!

At $2,000,000 US and 55 feet we are conceding the ocean crossing market to the sailboats as well as a few fairly affluent. There are Nordhavn 46s available for under $500,000 US and they are quite capable of circumnavigating.

They even come with two anchors on the bow.

Greetings,
Mr. BP. "...two anchors on the bow." Fair enough BUT do they come with complimentary deck shoes?

manyboats said:

Nordhav'n's arent Trawlers.

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Forgive my ignorance, but how would you categorize a Nordhavn?

Op, easy...Time Bandit!

Nordhavns aren't trawlers because they go slow and are displacement vessels. Also ride rough seas very well, and There's an abundance of interior space.


How about that for a mind twist.

Are we talking recreational trawlers or real fishing trawlers? I haven't been keeping up with the thread..

Larry: The Torsk is a slightly younger sister of mine (2 yrs younger). I note that she is for sale in Montenegro as is mine. The Torsk's recent pics. show a solar collector on the second deck side rails. I would assume she has similar tankage as mine with at least a 4,000 NM range. One thing about the Romsdals is that you are not having to guess whether or not they are capable or whether the hull design can do this or that in different seas. They have all "been there done that" boats. Proven ability many times over.
I was divorced just before I purchased Ulysses and I think that she has been with me just about as long as my wife was.
dan

Bay Pelican said:

... There are Nordhaven 46s available for under $500,000 US... They even come with two anchors on the bow.

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What kind Marty?

$2million budget for a passage maker dream boat.

I'd buy Mark Pierce's Coot(or sister ship) add appropriate hvac and generator for well under 20% of budget. The balance of said budget would pay the shipping cost for delivery world wide.

Why not? Even the mega yachts typically cross oceans as cargo.

Coot "landing" in Oakland from China:

BruceK said:

What kind Marty?

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Certainly not the right anchor and definitely without enough chain.

Why not? Even the mega yachts typically cross oceans as cargo.

It is even easier , and far cheaper to build a boat that will simply fit into a std 40 ft shippimg container.

As bigger containers be come common it gets even Better!

Room for 4 and the narrow hull required would give an amazing performing boat.

FF

FF said:

Why not? Even the mega yachts typically cross oceans as cargo.

It is even easier , and far cheaper to build a boat that will simply fit into a std 40 ft shippimg container.

As bigger containers be come common it gets even Better!

Room for 4 and the narrow hull required would give an amazing performing boat.

FF

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It's all an individual thing. Some cross like the chicken just to get to the other side. We're going to cross when we do so for the experience of crossing. We don't want to just experience the two sides but we trip across as well.

I saw an N46 for WAY under $500K.
Can't remember where but I think it was up for about half that.


Tetra wrote;
"Forgive my ignorance, but how would you categorize a Nordhavn?"
Passagemaker.
They are easy to identify. See the book Voyaging Under Power.
They are optimized for crossing oceans .. not coastal cruising. The only time they are in their element is en-route across an ocean. Once you get across they are not the boat to have. Trawlers and other types are much more suited to coastal cruising and all that goes with it like rivers, swamps and lakes.

Mid 90's N46 are selling in the high $ 300k range, some owners try to get closer to 500 but they sit on the market. They are a great boat but they are slow.. fast cruise for a N46 is 7kt.. and not even in the mid 7's. The are comfy, well built and have proven themselves over time.

There are other boats that will do the same thing as a N46, but not very many. One of the things that keep Nordhavn's popular is their resale.. 90's N46 sell for more than they did new..

HOLLYWOOD

eyschulman said:

What is your definition of best? The most comfortable-the safest-the fastest-the most fuel efficient with longest range- the biggest best anchor-the best engineered or built-the shipyest looking-the one with the best engineering numbers for the job-the one with the best advertising and resale value??????? You do know there is no one correct answer except in the eyes of the beholder. And then there are sail boats on many levels the better choice for blue water.

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Exactly. Well said.

And on another note, on what basis does nordhavn get the crown?

Or is this also about the "best" marketing??

hmason said:

I don't understand the use of diamond plate flooring in the engine room. It's hard on the knees/feet, and collects dirt. It tears up oil pads if you try to wipe an oil spill off it. There must be a better material.

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Boats are sold based on looks not utility.

ssobol said:

There is a guy who went completely around North and South America without touching land in a 27' Vega. Not a trawler, but I think that qualifies as a blue water boat.

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Didn't someone cross the Atlantic on a tire tube?

Wxx3 said:

Exactly. Well said.

And on another note, on what basis does nordhavn get the crown?

Or is this also about the "best" marketing??

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If one is looking at "production" boats that have done blue water I believe they more than likely have the most cumulative miles. From what I have personally observed they are built heavier with the thought of big water taken into account in their design.
Your k42 is another boat that is capable of doing blue water.. but.. and don't take this personally.. I don't think is has the same ability to handle what the ocean CAN serve up at times.

Does every blue water passage need a Nordhavn.. nope.

The latest N46 I am spending time on I tried to get the buyer.. now owner to look more closely at the K42's but he was set on the Nordhavn brand. Resale was his reason but I believe Krogen's are pretty much the same in that category.

As a more coastal oriented boat I think the K42 is a better boat than the N46 and has better accommodations.. the K42 is better on speed/fuel economy. Both boats suffer from crappy engine room access.. I have the same crawl E.R. in my Ocean Alexander and I long for the old dance hall size of my E.R. on Volunteer.

Every boat has a compromise in some way.. too big/small.. fast/fuel economy.. space/comfort vs. safety at sea.. the list goes on.

The question in my opinion is really best answered by budget and size of boat.. the difference long term of comfort is exponential as the length of a blue water boat goes up.. my trips on a N46 vs. a N57 the bigger boat is HUGELY more comfortable in the same size seas than the smaller boat.. at about three times the cost.

HOLLYWOOD