10-12 knot cruise trawler 26-32'?

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Personally I wouldn't buy a flybridge boat smaller than 28'. In my opinion its too much up high on a small boat. Your post immediately made me think a Cape Dory 28 would be the perfect fit.
 
dwhatty said:
This a prop cage. Highly desirous in Maine waters due to lobster trap buoys.
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How big of a hit does speed and GPH take with one of those dragging through the water? I'm considering a shaft cutter over a prop cage.
 
Got to decide if you want it trailerable or not.

A flybridge diesel boat with decent living quarters capable of 12kt cruise, and be trailerable is kind of like trying to get 10lbs into a 5lb sack.

I am not a big fan of a full featured trawler in the 28-30ft range. And even those are barely trailerable. All the systems and stuff you need to travel comfortably is MUCH more pleasant if it is spread out in a 35ft + hull. All the same stuff, just not so cram packed.

With a boat, you can't have everything.
 
ForceMultiplier said:
OK, let me modify it to 9-12 knots cruise speed. :) As much as I enjoy cruising along at slower speeds, 6-7 knots just ain't gonna cut it.
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Recently purchased a Symbol 45 Pilothouse Trawler. It cruises nicely in the 10-14 knot range, but with twin Yanmar 440s fuel economy is a relative term.
 
JLD said:
Maybe I missed the requirement for the OP's boat in this thread to be trailerable, but while your comment above may be true for a Sundancer 260, I don't agree that it is for a larger Sundancer.

Your boat is a pretty neat little boat, and I could see how it would be a great trailerable boat for use on large lakes, while affording one the option to trailer to different boating areas. :)

Not sure, though, if this is a boat that I would want to take offshore. A Sundancer 320, however, with its 11 1/2 foot beam, and 21 degree dead rise is a nice combination for coastal cruising in nice weather. Also, while I think sterndrives (I/O's) are a good fit for some boats, if I planned to keep a boat is saltwater, sterndrives would not be my choice.

As I noted is an earlier post, there is no one best boat for everyone. A boater needs to really think, and be realistic, on how they will use the boat they plan on buying. This will influence the choices of newer/older, sterndrives/inboards, diesel/gas, trailerable/non-trailerable, go fast/go slow, cruiser/trawler/houseboat/other, flybridge/no flybridge, inland/coastal, freshwater/saltwater, etc., etc., etc.

Jim
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You are 100% on offshore. While the Land-n-Sea does have positive floatation, one must have a prudent weather sense to go far offshore.


However, the requirement for an offshore boat comes at a high price for the inshore boater. Here is a Land-n-Sea rafted to an offshore boat negotiating the same wake while anchored.
https://youtu.be/FCBVEW2wf7Y
There were nights where we slept like babies, while my buddy anchored nearby was nearly rolled out of the rack from the motion. Also, we don't have to slow or alter course while engaging wakes.


And I agree that the I/O is not the best choice for an in the water boat, but the trailerability negates almost all of those 'in the water' concerns I encountered with my slipped trawler.
TrawlerSide.jpg



We spent a lot of time reading this forum when thought a trawler would be just the ticket for us. We bought this 35 footer and to be sure it had all the comforts of home, but it, like the houseboat we enjoy now, was just a coastal cruiser. And being in charter service it didn't cost us a cent to use/maintain but it was a lot of responsibility and offered only restricted/limited cruising.



I know I'm boring the hard core trawler owners here with this houseboat BS, but I've got to think there are other folks who think a trawler is their only choice for a comfortable family or liveaboard boat. I'm just offering my houseboat discovery for those folks.
 
jeffnick said:
I know I'm boring the hard core trawler owners here with this houseboat BS, but I've got to think there are other folks who think a trawler is their only choice for a comfortable ....
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No one boat, no one design..... will satisfy everyone.
You want a trailerable houseboat/trawler, that is fine with me. Your money. SHRUG

If you never plan to go into the ocean, maybe your selection is perfect for you.
I know my American Tug is not a true offshore boat but, in my mind, it can take the weather and waves better than that houseboat/trawler.
You can trailer your boat, I cannot.
My AT can be a good loop boat, I don't know about your boat.
It is one thing to choose your 'weather window' for starting but, what happens when the weather window closes while you are out there..... Your only defense maybe to go for shore..... I may go for shore too. SHRUG

You enjoy your boat design, we will enjoy our boat designs. SHRUG
 
Greetings,
Mr. j. "I'm just offering my houseboat discovery for those folks." Quite a valid opinion and post IMO. For what some folks want, it may be just the ticket.


I have gotten the impression on a few occasions from a small number of newbies that they must have a trawler style vessel to fulfill their wants when another style of vessel would serve quite well IMO. Some seem to be more interested in the costs of fuel than buying a more suitable boat that may be gas powered.
 
ForceMultiplier said:
This is MY thread, and I say houseboat talk is fine. :rofl:
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Force..... love it.


Just remember, you're on a trawler forum.... :rofl:


And, as been mentioned over and over, it really depends on what you want and your style of boating. Personally, I'd not have a houseboat or pontoon boat if given to me... just not "my" needs or wants. I also don't want a fishing boat even if a million dollar Viking.



My little Mainship is great for what I do... a coastal cruiser. It's dirt cheap to own and operate and has all the amenities I want.



But, not perfect... there's times it's too big, and times it's too small, or not fast enough or too hard to dock.



All compromises.
====


As to Force's requirements, there's a lot of good info on this forum for him, but looks like he has a very narrow selection of boats that fill his wants. I could very well be in his shoes sometime, except that Ill never want to trailer a boat (bigger than a kayak). BTDT and just not something I'd want to do.



To each his own.
 
ForceMultiplier said:
This is MY thread, and I say houseboat talk is fine. :rofl:
Click to expand...




Force..... love it.


Just remember, you're on a trawler forum.... :rofl:


And, as been mentioned over and over, it really depends on what you want and your style of boating. Personally, I'd not have a houseboat or pontoon boat if given to me... just not "my" needs or wants. I also don't want a fishing boat even if a million dollar Viking.



My little Mainship is great for what I do... a coastal cruiser. It's dirt cheap to own and operate and has all the amenities I want.



But, not perfect... there's times it's too big, and times it's too small, or not fast enough or too hard to dock.



All compromises.
====


As to Force's requirements, there's a lot of good info on this forum for him, but looks like he has a very narrow selection of boats that fill his wants. I could very well be in his shoes sometime, except that Ill never want to trailer a boat (bigger than a kayak). BTDT and just not something I'd want to do.



To each his own.
 
If everyone had the same needs, wants, desire and money, we would all be driving the same brand of car. SHRUG
 
Thought I'd throw in two last comments if you get serious looking at "tugs" or express cruisers. In the size category you are considering, I would recommend staying away from the latest fad - out board motors. Now I am talking my area, not yours, but here a dinghy is pretty much a necessity. I won't go into all the types, RIB's when it comes to barnacles is pretty much the best way to go. So if you look at the Cutwater video again, just the early intro, ask yourself where'd you put the dinghy. The best laziest answer is off the swim platform using davits. Some might say putting an arm up above that allows you to hoist one up, this sounds like work to me and in a bit of a wind, a hassle. So when looking at boats and you go ga-ga over one with outboard(s), ask yourself where the dinghy is going to go, and the answer is a stern drive I/O motor to free up the swim platform.

Second suggestion, completely radical: Ditch family and friends (lol) and move to La Conner in Washington state, link to google map below. La Conner has to be one of the most protected moorage locations in Washington and British Columbia. Its located on a "river"? If you go south you have access to excellent cruising, go North and you will cruise where God cruises into the San Juan and Gulp Islands, Jarvis and Princess Louisa Inlet, Desolation Sound, the Broughton area, and Alaska.

https://www.google.com/maps/place/L...042f63e48924e!8m2!3d48.3887142!4d-122.4962752
 
Trawler 26

I have to respectfully disagree with rsn48. An IO/outdrive is the worst thing ever invented. It’s a boat show deal. Avoid that at all costs.
If you are in the market for a 23 ft “trawler” the Rossbourogh, the Cuttwater, the Ranger Tug or the C Dory with the 4stroke outboard is what you want. I just re powered my C Dory 22 after 20 years from the original outboard.
If you want a 23 ft boat, you don’t need a dinghy.
 
Bryant wrote;
“If you want a 23 ft boat, you don’t need a dinghy.”
Not so. The reasons for having a dinghy are still there. And the biggest reason should be as a lifeboat. You can just use smaller and lighter dinghies as appropriate. Many options available including short kayaks.
But I agree w you that IO’s are not desirable but if I found the perfect boat w an IO .. and a good one I’d buy it.
And for your info those boats you listed aren’t trawlers. Trawlers are “heavy cruisers” and if they don’t make “heavy” part they don’t quality.
 
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ben2go said:
Spira International's Sitka built to 27 feet with the flat bottom. The plans show options for building to 30 feet with a V entry bow. It's the boat I wanted to build but the speeds I would run calls for displacement or semi-displacement hull. I would be plowing water and burning fuel for nothing in a planing hull at 6 to 8 knots.

Spira International Inc - Sitka Offshore Pacific Power Dory
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For a better speed range I’d look at the Bahaman or Key West. The curved chine works better at 9-11 knots and thereabouts.
The Straight chines of the Sitka is better for planing ... faster speeds. Like 15+
 
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With the new Merc stern drive engines, the 6.2 litre in my case, 350 hp, the engine has been built from the ground up to be a marine engine, not an auto engine that has been marinized, so internal fresh water cooling system, for example.

Servicing the engine and leg is about the same as a diesel engine which is known for more expensive parts, more expensive servicing compared to gas. Mercury started building their own V8's about 4 years ago instead of using something like the Chevy block 350 that was my last engine. The cooling system was a horror show and looked it when the engine was partially disassembled.
 
Nomad Willy said:
Bryant wrote;
“If you want a 23 ft boat, you don’t need a dinghy.”
Not so. The reasons for having a dinghy are still there. And the biggest reason should be as a lifeboat. You can just use smaller and lighter dinghies as appropriate. ...
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The Rosborough 246s have an option for a crane and a dinghy on the hardtop. Saw one with a small hard dinghy at the last boat show I went to.

If you need to abandon ship a proper life raft would be better than a dinghy. A valise type does not take up much room.

There are many more considerations when choosing a boat than just "where do you put the dinghy."

One big advantage to O/B power (IMO) is all the extra space available inside the boat.
 
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Another big advantage of outboards is not having a hot, noisy engine directly under your feet while motoring along.
 
ssobol,
I love outboards and where we live now I’d rather have an outboard that the Willard. The Willard was perfect in Alaska though. We don’t boat much at all now and the covered moorage is hard to justify.

A guy has a 22’ ChrisCraft OB cruiser for sale a few miles from here. Those old plywood boats only need half the power of the modern plastic boats. Very few old plywood boats in good shape though. This one looks it but ??

Force,
NJ is a long way from Alaska. Did you build the Tolman?
 
I love I/O bashing. They're not so bad if you understand how they work and can repair them. They are still a pain in the but and require a good bit of maintenance, especially in salt or brackish water. As much as I like them, I still prefer a good ole straight inboard diesel. I hate OBs. They are also theft candidates in some areas.
 
Greetings,
One of the advantages of outboard(s) is the ease of changing your power plant. Overall cost of an engine swap is basically the engine and a few extra bucks to have it bolted on. NO idea of cost of diesel as compared to a gas engine but would certainly make the "demon explosive gas" argument moot.

https://www.oxe-diesel.com/
 
RT Firefly said:
Greetings,
One of the advantages of outboard(s) is the ease of changing your power plant. Overall cost of an engine swap is basically the engine and a few extra bucks to have it bolted on. NO idea of cost of diesel as compared to a gas engine but would certainly make the "demon explosive gas" argument moot.

https://www.oxe-diesel.com/
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And if you break it, just swap for a new engine.
 
ssobol said:
If you need to abandon ship a proper life raft would be better than a dinghy. A valise type does not take up much room........One big advantage to O/B power (IMO) is all the extra space available inside the boat.
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I could not agree more!:thumb:
 
ben2go said:
I love I/O bashing. They're not so bad if you understand how they work and can repair them. They are still a pain in the but and require a good bit of maintenance, especially in salt or brackish water. As much as I like them, I still prefer a good ole straight inboard diesel. I hate OBs. They are also theft candidates in some areas.
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Ben, someone steals your OBs, just buy new ones via the insurance. Take the opportunity to upgrade the OB too.

If someone can lift a 100hp OB off the transom with the boat in the water, I dont want to meet them at night.
 
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