Pacific Trawler question

[richard pattison]

I am considering the purchase of a 2000 40' Pac Trawler.
In general, I am looking for comments about the boat: comfort, reliability, seaworthy-ness, etc.
I am concerned that there is not a designated cabin for guests - however small. The salon has a curtain to enclose a small settee, but that seems minimally sufficient. There were, I am hold, some 40 footers with a second cabin. Any info?
Boat will be used in PacNW primarily.

 

[SaltyDog]

Why have space dedicated to guests? Minimally sufficient is real life sensible. How much time do you realistically plan to have guests aboard? What good is that setup when you have no guests?

Just my opinion.

 

[Marin]

(Richard-- Private Message sent with PT info.)

 

[richard pattison]

Pac Trawler

(Richard-- Private Message sent with PT info.)

Thank you for the prompt reply. I will follow up with those names mentioned.
BTW, we have met, briefly, several years ago. I am a pilot for a well-known seaplane airline locally, and we discussed a video (which never really came to be).

 

[DinghyDog]

The PT design prioritizes living space over sleeping space. As a couple with only occasional guests, it works very well for us. However, if your plan is to accomodate friends, family/grandkids on a more consistent basis, I would say a traditional aft stateroom and v-berth arrangement would be a better choice. That said and unless you already have, I would further consider your guest requirements over the long term. We've found a single weekend outing is usually sufficient for most friends and family members to check that boating experience box.

Mike

 

[Baker]

The PT design prioritizes living space over sleeping space. As a couple with only occasional guests, it works very well for us. However, if your plan is to accomodate friends, family/grandkids on a more consistent basis, I would say a traditional aft stateroom and v-berth arrangement would be a better choice. That said and unless you already have, I would further consider your guest requirements over the long term. We've found a single weekend outing is usually sufficient for most friends and family members to check that boating experience box.

Mike

Very well said. You have to be VERY honest with yourself with how often you will actually have guests aboard. I know you have these dreams of being able to entertain guests/family/kids/grandkids but in reality, it likely ends up being a weekend or two a year. Are you going to sacrifice the type of boat you buy for that one or two weekends??? Again, I know you want to...I know there is likely a "dream" of all of these awesome weekends with said guests mentioned above. But reality is likely different from that dream. So in this case, it is good to be a little bit more selfish!!!

 

[Chuck Gould]

I am considering the purchase of a 2000 40' Pac Trawler.
In general, I am looking for comments about the boat: comfort, reliability, seaworthy-ness, etc.
I am concerned that there is not a designated cabin for guests - however small. The salon has a curtain to enclose a small settee, but that seems minimally sufficient. There were, I am hold, some 40 footers with a second cabin. Any info?
Boat will be used in PacNW primarily.

On any given day, the overwhelming majority of boats in the Pacific Northwest are cruising with no more than two people aboard. A lot of people who are willing to go out for an afternoon cruise would turn down the opportunity to spend the night. I have heard many people remark that they just assumed the adult kids and grandkids would be champing at the bit to spend extended periods of time on the boat, but after buying a boat they discover that a couple of days- every couple of years- is sufficient for most of the relatives they originally envisioned as almost permanent fixtures aboard.

Many 40-footers, including mine, are single stateroom. We've had an overnight guest for maybe 5 nights in the last 3 years. We have day cruise guests far more frequently, but they aren't interested in spending time in a stateroom. I think the rare overnight guests are at least as comfortable in the converted salon as they would be in a shoebox size "private" compartment, and the room taken by the guest stateroom has to come from somewhere.