Anybody heard about Popilov Yachts trawlers?

65ft steel trawler, 2 engines, 2015 for $460,000
https://www.yachtworld.com/boats/2016/Popilov-Popilov-20M-2960111/Russia

builder looks legit, looks like in late 2017 they were building hull #3.
Popilov Yachts

The interior looks cheap, list of components is rather simple, but 1/2 the price of the comparable Privateer and 1/3 the price of Bering.

Any ideas?

Seems like a good deal.

Interiors are easy to upgrade - that should not be a show-stopper. Good quality equipment. Good Spanish diesel. If you are thinking about new construction then you can reconsider the V-drive since a steel boat can be modified easily enough. I understand that the "V"s can be durable enough.

If you are saving a half million compared to a western "name brand" will that be enough incentive to own? Is this too far outside the box for you?

Everything is just a personal choice. Might be worth a visit for you.

My main concern is the hull building/coating quality. As far as I understand the modern "high-end" steel hulls (Bering, Privateer) are very well protected from rust by the quality of the steel and various coatings/epoxies. I am not sure that survey would show the quality/thoroughness of the coatings in the inside of the hull.

What questions would you ask a steel trawler builder to make sure you are getting all modern bells and whistles in hull construction?

I am flying this week to Russia for the World Cup anyway, maybe it's worth a detour south to take a look at this one...

Lines not terribly attractive.

Think about on-going maintenance, upgrades etc.
Electronics will be easy
You'll want to locate service and parts for the engines & gear boxes in your area.
Piping, plumbing & hydraulic fittings well be a challenge. It's all going to be metric. Difficult to source in the U.S.
Numerous smaller things will present challenges as well. Appliances, trim and finishes, etc.
These are not show stoppers, but do your homework first.


6mm, not quite 1/4", plating seems a bit on the light side to me for a 20 meter boat.