Definition of trawler?

[Bob Noodat]

I was told in an EE course (in 1961, I should add) that an 'engine' creates its work output strictly internally, while a 'motor' requires an external energy input to generate useful work
Joe

A course, them engineers ain't zackly philologists, no how.



It really comes down to the English Language. Which, unless I am wrong, is the language of the English people. By a lucky chance one of us a least IS English. That, by a happy coincidence, would .... be Me. Now, if we are renaming it the American Language, I shall of course retire apologetically.



In the vernacular, in England, standing by a car, you might say "This old motor car of yours, how big's the motor, then?". Similarly for a boat. Curiously though I might also say "Those Seagulls are good engines". Anyone know what a Seagull is?



I stand by my definition.

 

[Northern Spy]

"Those Seagulls are good engines". Said nobody, ever.

 

[Bob Noodat]

"Those Seagulls are good engines". Said nobody, ever.

Did too. Just they couldn't be seen for the blue smoke.

 

[Xsbank]

Anything that floats and doesn’t plane.

 

[CapeWhaler]

"Date wood. Marry fibreglass."

Succinct and perfect. NorSpy, I doff my watch cap.
Joe

 

[syjos]

Date wood. Marry fibreglass.

That's the best line I've heard in a long time.

 

[Northern Spy]

Did too. Just they couldn't be seen for the blue smoke.

Fair enough. [emoji846]

 

[Art]

I liked gold colored Neptune Mighty Mite 1.7 hp o/bs better than British Seagulls!

My 1st o/b was a Mighty Mite. Bad sassss little beast. Bought it with my hard earned $77 while in 4th or 5th grade. Put it on a 6'6" fiberglass "pixie" dink dad hung onto our boat's davits. Lasted a few hard used years!

 

[rolomart3]

If one does not like spending a lot of time in a boat, one should not buy a displacement (trawler) boat.

 

[markpierce]

If one does not like spending a lot of time in a boat, one should not buy a displacement (trawler) boat.

Do you favor the voyage or the destination? If it is the destination, boats are the least cost-effective.

 

[markpierce]

"Those Seagulls are good engines". Said nobody, ever.

My former 5-horsepower, single-cylinder Seagull never needed more than three pulls to start over 20-plus years.

 

[markpierce]

Most trawler forum members have boats with two engines, well capable of hull speed. But what the heck.

 

[BruceK]

Date wood. Marry fibreglass.

Wood and date go together well.

 

[Fish53]

As a commercial trawlerman for over forty years I struggle at times with the moniker "trawler". As a trawl is a type of net and the boat designed to tow a trawl is of course a trawler my preference is to use the word only for a fishing vessel of that type. Obviously things have moved way beyond that now with virtually any powerboat with a cabin that's designed to cruise ends up being referred to as a trawler. My personal view is that if it doesn't have a diesel engine, full displacement hull and is at least modestly seaworthy it ain't a trawler.

 

[Nomad Willy]

Fish, the diesel engine part seems valid but ....
I struggle a bit trying to apply it.

Off hand I can’t think of any boat I’d call a trawler that comes/came w both a gas and diesel option. If that continues your definition or relative statement seems very valid IMO.

But there are quite unusual boats that technically are hard to classify as a trawler but are a trawler. The 25’ Swedish Albin is w/o doubt a trawler IMO but they lack what I deem the most important element of trawlerness .... mass. I think they are only 4,000lbs. No heavier than the average 25’ boat. I owned a A25 for 6yrs and think of it as a genuine trawler. But if someone started an argument w me I may be hard pressed to prevail. Especially since the A25 also lacks trawler-like styling and to some here the “look” of a boat is all important re classification.

 

[rslifkin]

I don't know that I'd say a trawler necessarily has to be heavy. Although many are, because unless they're small enough to be trailerable, weight isn't a big concern for slow boats.

 

[mvweebles]

As a commercial trawlerman for over forty years I struggle at times with the moniker "trawler". As a trawl is a type of net and the boat designed to tow a trawl is of course a trawler my preference is to use the word only for a fishing vessel of that type. Obviously things have moved way beyond that now with virtually any powerboat with a cabin that's designed to cruise ends up being referred to as a trawler. My personal view is that if it doesn't have a diesel engine, full displacement hull and is at least modestly seaworthy it ain't a trawler.

Around 2000, I delivered a new N46 from Dana Point to PNW. I stopped in Ft Bragg CA, a good sized fishing village. I docked alongside a line of post-war era salmon boats. The guy on the boat next to me give the N46 a long look, eying the paravanes and raked windshield. He's right out of Central casting minus the corn cob pipe.

With a distinct hurumph, he said "we get a few f-ing yachts here. That's one that looks like she'll get it done!"

Pretty sure that means the N46 at least qualifies as a trawler.

 

[Fish53]

This has been and will be picked apart for years which is why I expressed the purist view of a trawler being a fishing vessel specifically designed to tow a trawl. Just as we see many boats referred to as tugs that never tug anything there are boats referred to as trawlers that have never seen a net. As far as basic design I feel a deep full displacement hull with some weight and breadth as an essential element. Maine herring carriers are full displacement but rather narrow and fine, while looking very similar to the eastern rigs like in my avatar they make poor trawlers but are beautiful boats. All that said I really don't care if someone wants to call an 18ft outboard a trawler, it really doesn't affect me much.

 

[Fish53]

Around 2000, I delivered a new N46 from Dana Point to PNW. I stopped in Ft Bragg CA, a good sized fishing village. I docked alongside a line of post-war era salmon boats. The guy on the boat next to me give the N46 a long look, eying the paravanes and raked windshield. He's right out of Central casting minus the corn cob pipe.

With a distinct hurumph, he said "we get a few f-ing yachts here. That's one that looks like she'll get it done!"

Pretty sure that means the N46 at least qualifies as a trawler.

While I seldom make decisions based on random people I meet on the dock that look salty that may be the case however "getting it done" defines very little without defining what it is that you're actually trying to do. Certainly plenty of pleasure trawlers can be reasonably good seaboats but that doesn't mean they'd be good in the North Atlantic during a winter blow of 80kts, which before it's asked yes I've been in many times. That's one of the other elements of a trawler I didn't bother to mention.

 

[Chrisjs]

I usually say that a trawler is kind of slow like a sailboat but it can go in a straight line. No need to zig and zag unless that's your thing.

 

[Fish53]

I don't know that I'd say a trawler necessarily has to be heavy. Although many are, because unless they're small enough to be trailerable, weight isn't a big concern for slow boats.

If you view fuel usage tables you'll notice that weight even on slow boats makes a difference on the pocketbook and available range. The rule of thumb is 1 hp per 500 lbs., each horsepower generated costs money and tankage.

 

[rslifkin]

If you view fuel usage tables you'll notice that weight even on slow boats makes a difference on the pocketbook and available range. The rule of thumb is 1 hp per 500 lbs., each horsepower generated costs money and tankage.

It does make a difference, but it's a much smaller penalty than on a fast boat. And depending on the hull design, etc. the penalty may be more or less for a given boat.

 

[Nomad Willy]

I don't know that I'd say a trawler necessarily has to be heavy. Although many are, because unless they're small enough to be trailerable, weight isn't a big concern for slow boats.

If the’re not heavy they plane and aren’t a trawler.

 

[Simi 60]

.

That said, there's nothing wrong in building a pleasure boat whose hull, propulsion, etc. are akin to real trawlers.
But since no "pleasure trawler" on earth has ever been used for dragging nets, the trawler definition, which is pointless on a pleasure boat in principle, became more aspirational than technical.

:

Cough cough

This was ours prior to her conversion.

Looking around the anchorage I am in today there as at least 5 others who used to drag nets as well.

 

[ddw36]

Has anyone simply thought of "pleasure trawlers" as "cabin cruisers"? That's what they are, so if a real trawler is converted to a pleasure boat, it becomes a "cabin cruiser," no longer a "trawler."

 

[Simi 60]

Has anyone simply thought of "pleasure trawlers" as "cabin cruisers"? That's what they are, so if a real trawler is converted to a pleasure boat, it becomes a "cabin cruiser," no longer a "trawler."

Only if you define a boat by its cabin and not its hull shape.

I can plonk a fiberglass Ferrari body on a land rover but it doesn't make it a sports car.

 

[ddw36]

Only if you define a boat by its cabin and not its hull shape.

Don't most people select the type of boat they want by whether or not it has a cabin? IOW, how many people in the market for boats go by hull shape, rather than by having a cabin?

 

[Simi 60]

Don't most people select the type of boat they want by whether or not it has a cabin?

I never said whether or not it had a cabin.

IOW, how many people in the market for boats go by hull shape, rather than by having a cabin?

We and many others who require load carrying, economy and passage-making capabilities choose by hull shape.

Ours would have looked silly with a Pershing style cabin but it would have still been a full displacement trawler.

Same as a pershing hull with a traditional trawler/Cruiser type cabin plonked on top will never be a trawler.

Ergo, its the hull that defines what it is not the cabin styling.

 

[Art]

I never said whether or not it had a cabin.


We and many others who require load carrying, economy and passage-making capabilities choose by hull shape.

Ours would have looked silly with a Pershing style cabin but it would have still been a full displacement trawler.

Same as a pershing hull with a traditional trawler/Cruiser type cabin plonked on top will never be a trawler.

Ergo, its the hull that defines what it is not the cabin styling.

Ergo, IMO... it is the hull, superstructure, flying bridge and cabin that define our Tollycraft as a "Pleasure Cruiser"! Not a Trawler!!

 

[Art]

Cough cough

This was ours prior to her conversion.

Looking around the anchorage I am in today there as at least 5 others who used to drag nets as well.

I really like your boat in both its showings... certainly used to be a "Working Trawler". Guess could be called a "Pleasure Trawler" now. Both ways have that infamous word "Trawler"!

To me, in its current design format, "Pleasure Cruiser" fits "The Bill"