Does anyone go from a trawler to sail?

healhustler said:

Dude: Why compromise? A Fisher Pilothouse or even this spiffy Beneteau 46 Cabinetta!

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??????

That actually looks kind of cool.

So this boat I'm kind of sorta but not really looking at is a Beneteau 46.

Any of you sailor types (or surveyors) have opinions on this builder? I don't need the best of the best, but I don't want junk either. I've heard some of y'all slamming the Beneteau "fast trawler" or whatever they call it due to crappy thru hulls and other problems I can't remember.

How would a Beneteau compare to an Island Packet on build quality? I have an Island Packet and it seems pretty solid with good systems, wiring, etc.

CPseudonym said:

My wife knows beyond any doubt I'm nuts and she decided sailing is not for her the first time she saw one slap the mast into the water.

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Well luckily that didn't deter me...although a bit scary at the time.
Funny story is when we made the maneuver we did manage to stay on the boat, although I was standing on the rail. Gerry held on to some line and we righted quickly. We both were glad no one was nearby to see our sailing skill.
I was upset that in his grip on the rope he cut his hands and bled all over the sail... that I had made ( sewn!) It was a catboat and a monster size sail. I know I'm a heartless wench, but do you know how hard it is to get blood out of dacron?

Next day some wise guys at the marina said..."that was a nice move you made"

...

I have a mast and boom on my trawler. So when I need my sailing fix, I just crank on my winch for awhile.

Beneteau is a good builder of production sailboats. Now, I say that with a bias in favor of Catalina, another production sailboat builder but the Beneteaus are fine.

Can`t remember the name, but I`m sure a TF member posted about selling the trawler to return to sailboats. Maybe the same person mentioned in post 7 above.

BruceK said:

Can`t remember the name, but I`m sure a TF member posted about selling the trawler to return to sailboats. Maybe the same person mentioned in post 7 above.

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The Promise or Compromise I believe was the boat name. Not sure of the screen name.

Comparing a Beneteau with an Island Packet is like comparing a Chevrolet with a Cadillac. Nothing at all wrong with either vehicle but.........which would you really rather have?


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cardude01 said:

That would obviously be the logical thing to do. Why did you have to break out the logical argument-- I'm in romantic mode here!

?

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Then you'd make the perfect sailboater...full of wanderlust and far from reality!!!! Hence boats that sit in marinas and collect dust...and rust!!!

McGillicuddy said:

Comparing a Beneteau with an Island Packet is like comparing a Chevrolet with a Cadillac. Nothing at all wrong with either vehicle but.........which would you really rather have?

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I get the gist of what you are saying....I think. But I do not think it is a good comparison. The IP is a better built boat. But it is a HORRIBLE light wind boat. So If all you are gonna be doing is sailing the bays and day sailing, the IP is a very bad choice. The Beneteau is a perfectly fine boat. Nothing wrong with it and it is a decent light wind boat. And it would serve perfectly well offshore. I have a friend with a House in Roatan and a 47 Beneteau. He takes that thing back and forth all the time. Perfectly capable offshore boat as well as light wind boat. So for what most people do with their boats, the Beneteau is a better boat....although the glass may not be as thick or heavy. I see this mistake all the time....buying a boat for the wrong reason. And I agree with DLHays.......I would go Catalina over Beneteau. But that is personal preference as I think they are pretty close in overall quality and build.

Cardude: Put a hydraulic davit on your 'comfortable boat' and carry a Zuma, Laser, Sunfish or some 'fun toy'. Who knows. A jet ski may add another dimension to a 'speed challenged' trawler!

After you muck about, haul it back aboard and relax in the AC using some of the wonderful hot water you have, then sit back and regale everyone with your adventures that day.

If you want sails keep what you have and add the mast. You already own a capable motor sailor.

CPseudonym said:

If you want sails keep what you have and add the mast. You already own a capable motor sailor.

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This is probably what I would do.

Didnt we go through the exercise of you wanting the mast awhile back?

It would be a nice boat that would certainly be fine for western Hemisphere cruising. Maybe more as I don't know the boat well enough.

A friend of mine left the Bahamas in May on his 40 something Lagoon Cat. Motored 5 straight days because of wind patterns.

Helped move my friends sailboat from Jersey to Charleston, motored 80 percent of the way.

Seems to me, unless crossing oceans with favorable tradewinds, distance (not necessarily long distance) sailing has become a motorsailing sort of adventure. Mainly, because no one wants to get caught some place by bad weather or they just want to get there.

A motorsailer is the best of both worlds and the worst....but fits my brain ....so that ought to tell you something about my brain...

The cost of swapping boats probably wouldn't cost much more than you adding that mast. Use the mast for your wanderlust in the Carribean, then take it off for your Great loop, put it back on for one last grand sail. Then take it off when you are absolutely too old to be climbing masts ....... and you can still have it for sale with the boat when you buy your final boat like the rest of us.

A beautiful, handmade wooden canoe on some far off mountain lake. By then I will be so sick of maintaining boats and salt water.......maybe you will be too....

I probably need to go on a long offshore cruise in a sailboat to get this out of my system. ?

"Didnt we go through the exercise of you wanting the mast awhile back?"

Yes, but that was almost a year ago. Cut me some slack! ?

I can't wrap my head around adding a mast-- it seemed too involved with the chain plates and rigging and winches, and I don't think it added value (maybe reduced it?). My estimate from the factory, back when they were still in business, was like $80k. I don't know any local riggers who could do it for a reasonable amount, and I don't know enough to supervise the job, so that's why I backed away from that idea.

I appreciate all the ideas and advice so far. I didn't expect, posting this on TF, that I would get a chorus of: Do it dude! You're a genius! Why didn't I think of that! (You people are my reality check).

My pipe dream is to get to the Caribbean some year, but I'm cheap enough that I don't want to spend mega bucks chasing my dream, which I realize might not actually happen. And really, I don't know why the Caribbean is stuck in my head-- I've never even been to the Bahamas in my own boat (but have chartered two times). If I'm never going to get to the Caribbean, and it's possible that I will not, then I agree the sailboat swap idea is probably a stupid one.

cardude01 said:

I probably need to go on a long offshore cruise in a sailboat to get this out of my system. ��

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probably the quickest and cheapest fix....:lol:

CPseudonym said:

If you want sails keep what you have and add the mast. You already own a capable motor sailor.

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That's what I was thinking. I was wondering if the mast step was alredy in place.Pull that drawing back up that you had with all the rigging on it. I thought it looked pretty cool .

This was a drawing Tad did. I agree it looks cool, but I never found a builder. I had a buddy who was sort of interested, but he moved to NC to get away from my crazy ideas.

cardude01 said:

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This was a drawing Tad did. I agree it looked cool, but I never found a builder. I had a buddy who was sort of interested, but he moved to NC to get away from my crazy ideas.

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Yep, I still like it . If your bored and looking for something to do this would be a cool project to take on. Texas is a big place somebody will want to do the fabricating .

CarDude,

Might a fellow sail addict offer a modified 10 step plan for your recovery.....

I too came from sail (6 boats from 14' to 41'), and currently searching for the perfect (for us) trawler. I knew I wouldn't be able to do without my occasional "sail fix" even while enjoying the age induced compromises of a more stable trawler type boat. So, when I sold our 1998 Beneteau 411 Marea (the last beautiful line boat they made IMO), I bought a nice little trailerable catboat with a folding mast that can be rigged and launched in 10 minutes. I use it in the local lakes and bays to maintain my sanity while continuing the hunt for our trawler. My intention is to also tow it behind the trawler to enjoy with grandkids as we anchor along the barrier islands between home (Matagorda Bay) and Port A....our sailing grounds for the last 30 years.

If your IP suits your needs as a trawler, why give up the $$$ and comfort just to get your sail fix?

Not to unapologetically hijack this thread, but if anyone out there along the gulf coast knows of a 10-15yo DeFever 44 or a DeFever 49CPMY owner that may have hinted at selling, please hook me up with them! I've scanned Yachtworld daily for the last couple years, so if it's listed, I already know about it....

Hey Greysailor,

I'm in Rockport so really close to you. Thanks for the thoughts and advice, and if I see one of those Defevers I will let you know.

Think of that rig as a square master. You'd do awesome reaching or running with that rig.

Sometimes I am a little wistful for the silence of sailing.

Then I'm brought back to the view out the salon, the wide open view, 100 gl of fresh water, no heeling, the view out full size Windows, sitting above the waterline for dinner, the view. I'm happy with occasional sunfish forays to refresh my sailing time.

I'm planning a cat charter this march in BVI. Easier to fly to a boat for 10 days use than owning two boats.

A cat charter in the BVIs is on our to do list. I think we are going to go in July with some sailing friends.

I was thinking about charting through LateSail. Have you ever used that service?

Sailtmm.com

What's the concern with "hearing the engine(s)?" I hear them when I fire them up, when I go to pee, when I grab a snack, and just before I shut them down. Other times I keep a watchful eye on the gauges. Seems quite enough for me. BTW, at our average ages we are lucky to even hear the engines.

When I had a sailboat I also used the term "motor sailing." Now that I'm on the dark side, I've come to understand that "motor sailing" is like being "a little bit pregnant."

cardude ,
With this rig just think of all the shade rigging options you would have for the
Carribean .

"Not to unapologetically hijack this thread, but if anyone out there along the gulf coast knows of a 10-15yo DeFever 44 or a DeFever 49CPMY owner that may have hinted at selling, please hook me up with them! I've scanned Yachtworld daily for the last couple years, so if it's listed, I already know about it...."

I know you said you know of all the DeFever's on yacht word but still I wonder if you talked with the Jay Bettis brokerage house in Kemah. He had a couple at his dock that looked pretty good.


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At $2/gal diesel, I want a fast boat.

At $5/gal, I go slow.

At $10/gal, I'm getting a raghauler.

cardude01 said:

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This was a drawing Tad did. I agree it looks cool, but I never found a builder. I had a buddy who was sort of interested, but he moved to NC to get away from my crazy ideas.

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I'm willing to bet that if you contracted with Tad Roberts he could find a rigger and fabricator that can pull that all together before Halloween. To me his design is far more aesthetically pleasing than the factory rig.

Besides, since when has boating been about adding value to anything besides your sanity?

Yeah really, I don't know where I came up with that "added value" comment. ?