Best choice ........

Hey all; I'm new and my name is Dispatch ........ I'm thinking of buying a Trawler ....... you know, one of those second homes into which we pour money ...... So what brand is the best ...... which holds her value?? Dis .........

Depends on what you want to do with it...

Where do you want to go?
Who is going with you?
What's your budget?

Welcome to the forum! The best brand is the one you have, want, or are buying. It will hold it's value extremely well, until the day you sell it.

Ted

red ones

Want to intercostal ...... Some Maine, some Keys, Bahamas?? ..... Maybe the Grand Circle ...... cheap budget ......... Have Girl Friend that is greatly interested ...... Saw a GB classic 49 for $112,000; low hours on engines ....... Probably high hours on everything else ...... but who knows ....... ??

Dispatch said:

Want to intercostal ...... Some Maine, some Keys, Bahamas?? ..... Maybe the Grand Circle ...... cheap budget ......... Have Girl Friend that is greatly interested ...... Saw a GB classic 49 for $112,000; low hours on engines ....... Probably high hours on everything else ...... but who knows ....... ??

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Is the Grand Circle anything like the Great Loop?

Big difference between ICW capable and the Bahamas.

What's your boating experience?

Ted

Hey Ted ....... What's ICW? And yes, maybe its the Great Loop ~~ up Hudson, Great Lakes, down Mississippi ...... I think that's it. I've done a lot of competitive sailing but age and my Girl Friend has moved us towards power ...... Just exploring ......

ICW=IntraCoastal Waterway

What's your all-in budget for purchase and ongoing annual costs?

O C Diver said:

The best brand is the one you have, want, or are buying. It will hold it's value extremely well, until the day you sell it.

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We have a winner!

My boat is the best brand, I forgot.

?

FlyWright said:

ICW=IntraCoastal Waterway

What's your all-in budget for purchase and ongoing annual costs?

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Ted, Yes, I got that - ICW ...... tried to reply but this site takes some time ...... Don't know all in budget ...... What percentage of price do you expect overall upkeep and specialized maintenance to be ........ ??

Specialized maintenance is a factor as every year one has to upgrade ..... but general maintenance ..... 15% ...... ??

Dispatch, maintenance costs will depend a lot on how much of it you can do yourself.


Take me, for example. I do all my own waxing, bottom painting, changing the oil and filters, changing impellers, washing, etc.


My maintenance costs run far less than 5% of the value of the boat. For me, it's a labor of love. I'm retired so I can go down to the boat (10 minutes away) any time I want, spend a few hours putzing around and if I get tired I wrap it up, go home and often take a nap. Most jobs don't have to be completed in one day. If I split a job between 2 or 3 days, who cares?


If you want to buy a boat and cut down your maintenance time and costs, buy one with a fiberglass hull and very little wood on the exterior. This weekend I oiled all the wood on my boat which consists of frames around the interior cupboard doors, wood trim, etc. Took about 2 hours and looks nice. ZERO wood on the outside of my boat and that's part of the reason why we bought this particular brand.

Dispatch said:

Hey Ted ....... What's ICW? And yes, maybe its the Great Loop ~~ up Hudson, Great Lakes, down Mississippi ...... I think that's it. I've done a lot of competitive sailing but age and my Girl Friend has moved us towards power ...... Just exploring ......

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Think you need to charter for a week. Get a feel for living aboard and how much space you need. Competitive sailing is all about the destination; cruising is about the journey.

There are several sites on looping (Great Loop). They will give you some ideas on air draft, water draft and capacities needed. Then you need to mesh that with requirements for Bahamas capable (if you're serious about going there). If budget is an issue (everyone has one), buy the smallest boat that will fit your needs.

Ted

Start at the library , you need far too much information for a site to provide 20-30 books worth for you.

Dispatch said:

Hey all; I'm new and my name is Dispatch ........ I'm thinking of buying a Trawler ....... you know, one of those second homes into which we pour money ...... So what brand is the best ...... which holds her value?? Dis .........

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Definitely not mine...but I still love her for all her imperfections...

It sounds as if you need to nail down specifically what you want to do, with a budget. As mentioned a Bahama crossing has WAY more requirement/capability than just a Loop boat.

The Loop canals have either a 16 or a 19' max height clearance. That limits how high you can be for boat size to do the loop.

If you're happy being weatherbound more it opens up more options for lesser sea keeping ability. (And price).

gaston said:

red ones

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I like almond ones...

FF brings up a great point. What books have you read to date about your dream? Many here might have some great suggestions for reading material that can get you started in the right direction.

The first two that come to my mind are:

Chapmans:
https://www.amazon.com/Chapman-Pilo...=1-1&keywords=chapman+piloting+and+seamanship

Nigel Calder:
https://www.amazon.com/Boatowners-M...l-Essential/dp/0071432388/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8

cappy208 said:

It sounds as if you need to nail down specifically what you want to do, with a budget. As mentioned a Bahama crossing has WAY more requirement/capability than just a Loop boat.

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Oh horse hockey!

It's only 50 miles to Bimini from Fort Lauderdale.

On good days people have crossed on Wave Runners.

The smallest boat I've crossed in and continued on into the Bahamas with was a 24' long outboard powered boat.

Almost every "loop boat" could manage it just fine with a little basic planning and an eye on the weather.

Lov youse Guys ..... Good reads and I'm on it ......

Ok ..... the Mechanical and Electrical is a 2005 edition ..... With technology moving a light speed, the recommendations may be behind the curve ....... ??

Dispatch said:

Ok ..... the Mechanical and Electrical is a 2005 edition ..... With technology moving a light speed, the recommendations may be behind the curve ....... ??

Click to expand...

The basics are still the same.

Start reading about boat differences,

FREE in line,

Yacht Survey Online: Buying, Owning, Maintaining a Boat or Yacht by ...

www.yachtsurvey.com


Jan 1, 2016 - Over 160 Articles by David Pascoe, Marine Surveyor(retired). yachtsurvey. ... New Prices for David Pascoe's Books + Worldwide Distribution.

Guru ...... Sweet ..... Gone keep me up for a while ........

dont believe a lot of what Pascoe says

Capt.Bill11 said:

Oh horse hockey!

It's only 50 miles to Bimini from Fort Lauderdale.

On good days people have crossed on Wave Runners.

The smallest boat I've crossed in and continued on into the Bahamas with was a 24' long outboard powered boat.

Almost every "loop boat" could manage it just fine with a little basic planning and an eye on the weather.

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..... I can't believe how many fear the dreaded crossing.

Sure it can be a handful...but so can a lot of bodies of water down the ditch.

You might have to wait a long time for a weat her window....unless you are ready and can cross at a moments notice with something more than a 5 knot boat.

For the uninitiated, its a start ...... Not opening my wallet tomorrow ...... !!

psneeld said:

You might have to wait a long time for a weather window....unless you are ready and can cross at a moments notice with something more than a 5 knot boat.

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Isn't that reflected by the earlier comment that it is up to the OP to determined what kind, speed, type, age, vessel that will fit their needs/budget? (Needs and wants past the loop or a Bahamas crossing). It's not determined so much by what has done the crossing. Sure a waverunner can do it. But I'm pretty sure one wouldn't want to do a loop in a jet ski. (Or a pontoon boat).

I'm sure a 35 year old boat with punky wooden window frames and 2.5x 3' glass windows in front would elicit more inspection than smaller newer aluminum frames to help decide a more capable boat.

To each their own. But I certainly wouldn't 'advise' someone that 'any boat that can do the loop is capable of a Gulf Stream Crossing'. Those are not necessarily synonymous.

cappy208 said:

Isn't that reflected by the earlier comment that it is up to the OP to determined what kind, speed, type, age, vessel that will fit their needs/budget? (Needs and wants past the loop or a Bahamas crossing). It's not determined so much by what has done the crossing. Sure a waverunner can do it. But I'm pretty sure one wouldn't want to do a loop in a jet ski. (Or a pontoon boat).

I'm sure a 35 year old boat with punky wooden window frames and 2.5x 3' glass windows in front would elicit more inspection than smaller newer aluminum frames to help decide a more capable boat.

To each their own. But I certainly wouldn't 'advise' someone that 'any boat that can do the loop is capable of a Gulf Stream Crossing'. Those are not necessarily synonymous.

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And as Capt Bill pointed out...you can get to the Bahamas in a small open boat or jet ski...but I wouldn't do the loop in either...but it can and has been done.

Crossing the Albemarle on a 25 G 35 day or the lower Chesapeake or Pamlico can sink you in a crappy boat too.....

Crappy boats belong at the dock...not on the loop or crossing to the Bahamas.

And all but the most chuckleheaded would blindly do either....yes they are out there and my advise is not for them...just reasonable folk.