Does a trawler have weather and motion issues like a sailboat?

[river251]

I"ve been thinking for a year about getting a boat when I retire soon. I looked at sailboats, but it seems like a continuous fight avoiding or getting caught in the weather--sailboats take a long time to make a passage. Also, the ceaseless heeling and rolling seems exhausting, from the videos I've watched.

Are trawlers, or motor yachts in general, different in these regards, or pretty much the same?

Thanks
Jim

 

[mvweebles]

There are more similarities than differences. It's a Ford vs Chevy type debate. The differences are extreme to those who have chosen one over the other. To outsiders, a nice anchorage and solitary sunsets look pretty much the same from the deck of a sailboat or a trawler.

Owning a boat requires money and time. It's usually a monogamous relationship. Sail or power.

Peter

 

[DavidM]

Sailboats may heel in a significant wind, but they are stable in that mode, more so than a trawler. A trawler even a blue water capable one like the Nordhavn will bounce around more than a sailboat will. Dynamic stabilizers will help with this though.

And the majority of sailboats are stable and strong enough to make a blue water passage. Not so with most trawlers.

David

 

[kthoennes]

We still do both regularly -- we own a cruiser with a top speed of about 15 knots (I wouldn't call it a trawler or even a trawler wanna-be, it's a 37 foot aft cabin power boat), and then we charter just about every year on 40-50 foot sailboats. You'll probably get a lot of suggestions like this, but you really have to spend time on both and get a feel for your own preferences. On comfort and space, they are very different -- the biggest sailboat we ever chartered was a 55 footer, and our 37 foot cruiser still seemed more spacious. But then we do still love sailing, feeling connected to the wind and weather, tuning sails. Heeling over until water just kisses the rail, it's exhilarating. We do usually end each sailing trip agreeing that sailing is a lot more physical work but a load of fun. I could write you a long answer here but you really need to spend time on both.

(What you think is general or average comparative speed of the two vessel types should not make the decision for you. I'm reminded of the first day we took delivery of our boat, we were motoring out of Narragansett Bay in very rough weather and one of the Volvo Ocean Race sailboats blew past us at over twice our speed. Now vessel range, that's different, that discussion could fill a library.)

 

[boating rich]

We have been sailers our whole life up to our current power boat. Sailing is keeping the whole boat and systems running. Power boating is more centered around keeping the engines happy which for most is two large engines which are way different than a small sail boat engine to get you back to harbor if the wind shuts off. With the power boat, we find ourselves thinking about where to get fuel way too often which I never thought about in our sailboats. On the positive side we can make our own electricity which opens up AC and heating options which we never had before. Nothing nicer than leaving a cold harbor in the morning all comfortable with the heat cranking. Lastly sailboats’ value is the boat, powerboats’ value is mostly the engines with a little boat mixed in.

 

[psneeld]

We have been sailers our whole life up to our current power boat. Sailing is keeping the whole boat and systems running. Power boating is more centered around keeping the engines happy which for most is two large engines which are way different than a small sail boat engine to get you back to harbor if the wind shuts off. With the power boat, we find ourselves thinking about where to get fuel way too often which I never thought about in our sailboats. On the positive side we can make our own electricity which opens up AC and heating options which we never had before. Nothing nicer than leaving a cold harbor in the morning all comfortable with the heat cranking. Lastly sailboats’ value is the boat, powerboats’ value is mostly the engines with a little boat mixed in.

definitely a limited overview of both boating selections......

To the OP.... there are so many possibilities in your question...books have been written ty hat v dont adequately cover the whole topic. Powerboats at sea may have terrible motion but can be stabilized. Sailboats have all kinds of motions to but are generally stabilized by their sailplan.

Many more open ocean voyages are made by small sailboats than small powerboats because of certain characteristics .

 

[firehoser75]

Also, I think it depends greatly on where you plan to use it (cruise) and how you will actually use the boat.
I have owned both types. However, around here in the summer, the wind is normally light, fickle, or non-existent, or on the nose to where you want to go. Also, often we are trying to time a rapid at slack water, so knowing your speed over ground is important and the wind is so variable in that regard. So for us, we motored our sailboat way more than we sailed, in essence it was a trawler with a mast that we occasionally sailed. When we did sail, we loved it!!
With our trawler, we are warmer and much dryer on cool rainy days, the boat is definitely roomier, with more features and/or luxuries. Both our boats were/are close to the same length overall, and this trawler cruises at about 1-1.5 knots faster than the sailboat. Our trawler is capable of 15+ knots, but no Nordic Tug owners go anywhere near that speed (average would be 7-8 knots).
If you anticipate going offshore, or often into open water, a sailboat is probably the better option, with a specially selected trawler (feature wise) being workable as well.
Non-stabilized trawlers (like my NT) can be uncomfortable with beam seas, with a snappier roll than a sailboat under power. Sailboats don't like beam seas either unless they are under sail, then the combination of sails and deep keel will help to reduce roll. Trawlers (like above) will handle waves on the bow (or angled near there) and following or quartering seas fairly well. The quartering seas will require constant steering adjustments or speed adjustments if your boat is capable of that.

 

[Comodave]

There is no comparison IMO, with a trawler you can almost always make good a course rather than tacking. So you get to your destination much faster even if there is no wind. You will have much more interior room and light coming into the boat. As to fuel costs they are not the cost you may think and you don’t have to buy sails so it is somewhat of a tradeoff. But a lot of people like sailing. But you rarely see older people selling their trawler and buying a sailboat but you do see a lot of older people selling a sailboat and buying a trawler.

 

[DDW]

I still have a foot in both. Without knowing a lot more about your situation, in general I'd say that retirement age is not the time to begin sailing. It could be the time to begin trawling. Charter one of each and you will be way smarter than you are now even if there is a captain involved.

 

[Comodave]

Do you have a significant other? If so you need to be in agreement.

 

[Toki]

I also have a tug and a sailboat, both about the same size. The sailboat is far more stable and less rolly, under ALL conditions. Think about it, my sailboat has 3600 Lb of lead 6 feet down, and a heavy mast going 40 feet up. It takes a lot of sea churn to counteract all that and get the boat rolling. The tug, with it's flat bottom and shallow draft, feels every ripple.

And the sailboat cruises under motor at 6.5 Kn, not much slower than many trawlers, sipping less than 1 gal/hr. And it goes in that same direct path as the trawler. However, in the sailboat I do have the option of hoisting some rags and shutting the motor off.

 

[RT Firefly]

Greetings,
Welcome aboard. A goodly part of your decision will be your boating area and how you want to spend your time aboard. When the wind dies, or it's from the wrong direction, you'll be a power boat.

As mentioned above there are some advantages to a sailboat in weather BUT, personally, I would rather cruise in my bedroom slippers with a mug of hot soup on the dashboard than huddled over a wet, potentially cold cockpit with damp clothes on.
Just a bit biased....

 

[Comodave]

Greetings,
Welcome aboard. A goodly part of your decision will be your boating area and how you want to spend your time aboard. When the wind dies, or it's from the wrong direction, you'll be a power boat.

As mentioned above there are some advantages to a sailboat in weather BUT, personally, I would rather cruise in my bedroom slippers with a mug of hot soup on the dashboard than huddled over a wet, potentially cold cockpit with damp clothes on.
Just a bit biased....

+1.

 

[GoneFarrell]

So, river jim, tells us what else about boating you have been thinking of for the last year, that would help a lot!

I do both sail and trawler crawling, they are both good with their pluses and minuses, depending on you and your partners likes/dislikes.

Connecting the water wind and sky correctly with a sailboat is magic when good.

I love the big spaces/windows/views from my trawler that goes anywhere I point it, within reason.

East coast, west coast. You mention passage, that is a big step up from coastal cruising.

 

[BruceK]

Some non exhaustive thoughts to add to others. Unfavorable weather is a factor for both but wind direction becomes important for sailing. Tacking into a headwind for long periods is not fun. Heeling is not a huge issue, if you are on the wind the boat usually adopts a degree of heel, varying with wind strength. A sailboat will normally have an engine so you have alternate propulsion. Unless you have a big sailboat space will be more limited. There are few things on a sailboat as satisfying as turning off the engine after leaving the berth and having the boat and crew settle to silent powered propulsion, a trawler can`t give you that. A trawler will mostly have a genset, less likely on a sailboat but they do exist, though wind and solar generation is more likely. It`s common to see people convert from sail to power as they become older, less fit/agile. That said, there are plenty of older sailors, but if you are coming to boating later in life, the trawler path will probably be an easier one to take up than sailing, and a lot less to learn.

 

[bgillroy]

Bruce , are you single handed? Or others with you? Competency and experience level?

 

[Seevee]

I could argue there's a BIG difference, but really depends on what your mission is. For my ICW traveline and the Loop, a power boat is CLEARLY the choice. That's why I don't want a sail boat. Get all I need on my windsurfer.

 

[cardude01]

I could argue there's a BIG difference, but really depends on what your mission is. For my ICW traveline and the Loop, a power boat is CLEARLY the choice. That's why I don't want a sail boat. Get all I need on my windsurfer.

What kind of windsurfer do you have? I recently revived my old Bic Techno 293 and was having fun on it until I broke the fin in some shallow water.

 

[markpierce]

Don't most boaters like me "day sail" and avoid long passages?

 

[FF]

Size matters , but even air craft carriers get sea motion when the conditions get bad.

Most trawler folks travel on the days that are not harsh, and anchor or go to a marina when it gets rough .

As you gain experience you will know your own personal travel likes & dislikes.

 

[High Wire]

All boats rock and roll. Some more than others. Charter a trawler or two and see if you like it.

 

[bayview]

The steading effect of wind on sails and a keel make sailboats steadier in the same conditions than a power boat. A properly sailed boat once heeled and on the wind is quite steady.

 

[Scrib]

Generally speaking a sailboat pitches and a powerboat rolls. Different motions for sure but you can get used to both of them by spending time on the water. That time will also define at what point you get uncomfortable being out there. It takes a pretty rough ride for me to get uncomfortable but my wife starts to get white knuckles in a 2-4 ft sea so you can guess when we call it a day ; <)

 

[NowhereHome]

Have you met Cat(amaran)? Both for sail and power they are generally more stable in most conditions. Some complain of bucking in beam seas.

Downside is finding dock space as they are generally pretty wide.

 

[Glaukos]

When I was boat shopping in 2008-10, with my wife and I both age 65, I looked at motor-sailors, thinking they might be a good compromise, and not caring about racing. Having done very little sailing, the first thing that turned me off was "too many strings," as one friend put it. The side decks tend to be narrow and cluttered and the top of the cabin, upon which you must occasionally walk, is likely cambered. You never know if the vertical line that you are tempted to grab for balance is made fast or will give way when you grab it. I find most sailboat cockpits cramped and uncomfortable for lounging. Visibility is generally not good when steering, depending on the set of the sails and the configuration of the dodger. No dodger? Then foul weather cruising will be uncomfortable. Want to see what's around a beautiful anchorage while you are preparing meals or eating them. Not likely on a sailboat. Go down into your cramped cave and forget about your surroundings. Work on your engine? If you are a contortionist. (But some power boats are the same.) The choice was easy for me after I looked at a few motor-sailors and sailed with a couple of friends. Happy with my trawler after ten years.

 

[Hippocampus]

Have done passages on mono, multis, power and sail. Think many generalizations so far. There’s a reason for generalizations but they don’t apply in the specific.
Multis can give a terrible ride. They tend to pitchpole/hobbyhorse. Some people are quite sensitive to that motion. They tend to have a jerky motion and may momentarily stall or burp going to weather. They tend to slide off wave faces a bit more which can be disconcerting.
All boats corkscrew. Variation is in at what speed and what angle off the stern are the waves.
All boats roll. Multis less but even them. Monos can roll quite a lot. If reefed and in big seas the sails are alternately loaded and relatively unloaded as the waves block the wind so you can get quite some rolling.
Life on a slant can be difficult particularly when the degree of heel is constantly varying such as in a seaway.
On power, sail, mono or multi it’s fairly common to need to vary angle of attack to improve crew comfort.
Skill sets are different but much is shared and nether is easier to master.
Understanding weather, colregs, navigation, and systems ( electronics, AC, engine, watermaker, electricity plumbing etc) .is all the same. There’s little difference in work load involved in running the systems and maintenance work load in either a power or sail cruiser. Some say there’s more credit card captains on power than sail and more ignorance of Colregs. I think that’s not true. Personally have encountered very knowledgeable and ignorant people on both. Have heard tragic stories of unprepared people getting on 50’ power and 50’ sail. Either require pretty much the same skill set and the gradual gaining of experience over time to be safe. Learning to sail decently ( not masterly) is easy. I’ve taught crew in 3 or 4 watches and they then been able to get the same vmg as seasoned salty sailors.
With current devices ( multi speed winches, powered winched, sail handling devices such as in boom or in mast or Dutchman for main and roller furlers for head sails) there’s no strength requirements for blue water sailboats. My 100lb, 4’10” wife had no problems doing her watches.
We’re transitioning to power. With a FD trawler range is a non issue. Boats we’re looking at have 1500nm plus range with 10% reserve. Reason is multi fold. We’ve never owned a trawler so looking forward to anew experience. She fell 10’ when the boat was on the hard. Broke her foot in 3 places. Her balance is still a bit off now one year later. We’re both tired of wet and cold. We’re both tired of the chores getting underway and putting the boat to bed that’s involved with sailing. We don’t want to give up passage making or multi day transits so a FD boat makes sense rather than a semi displacement, or small tug.
The vmg issue is misstated as well in my view On our last sailboat 200+nm per day wasn’t unheard of . Going 8 to 10 kts for hours or days wasn’t uncommon. I know from having buddy boated that’s we can expect less days work( miles per day) out of the trawlers we’re looking at where 6-7kts will be the norm. People forget good captains to look at their pilots. You pick you travel months when you can expect good weather, wind speed and angle. Would expect at the same size for passage sail would have shorter passages than power.
This OP needs to not buy a boat any boat until he acquires the basic knowledge and skill set shared by all safe boaters power or sail. How he does it depends on him. Still think experience not courses, books nor schools is the best way to do that. Unfortunately that opinion seems to be a weakening distant voice.

 

[Lepke]

I sailed when I was young, but still preferred living on a powerboat for comfort.
Now with arthritis, etc., a sailboat is out. In my 70s, I solo my boat most of the time. Solo is a lot easier in a powerboat.

It takes a big powerboat to cross oceans in order to carry enough fuel. They roll, but there are ways to reduce it.

To me living in a sailboat was like living in a cave.

 

[FF]

All boats will roll, the good sea kindly boats are easier on the occupants , so easy to cruise on.

The roll period on many boats is 4 or 5 seconds , from full depressed on one side , back to that condition.

What makes a sea kindly boat is how the roll checks.

Rounder bottom boats will usually do the reversal smoothly (even if they have rolled a bit further) hard chines can be like a multi hull, a rapid snap.

Usually a change of heading can ease a barforium.


A 5 deg heading change will only add 5 miles every 60 miles .

 

[Hippocampus]

Many current sailboat designs are “raised saloon”. Our last sailboat had views of 270 degrees of the outside. Could of had portlights in aft bulkhead for 360 views. The living in a cave statement is no longer true. There were 3 steps on the companionway. Even current monos are basically single level living and multis have always had that attribute. There are more steps in the trawlers we’re looking at . Current design shows a increasing dichotomy between coastal/charter designs and blue water boats. The blue water boats having nearly no open spaces to traverse in order to improve safety when moving around in a seaway. The other current coastal sailboat designs are much like current trawler designs and emphasize open space to a greater degree. Think much here reflects sailboat designs of thirty years ago not what’s going on now. Going back twenty years ago NAs started putting portlights on the hulls(not house) of sailboats. The three lights on the sides of Oysters are are prime example. You could see the water and horizon sitting down on those boats. Not at all a cave. That design feature is now quite common as modern adhesives have improved so dramatically.

 

[mvweebles]

A very good friend had a Brewer 46 PH sailboat that we sailed extensively up/down the pacific coast between San Francisco and SoCal. Strong boat and comfortable. I don't really mind life at an angle but even with the pilot house, visibility is nowhere near as complete as a decent trawler.

He now has a 52 foot power cat which he bought as his wife suffers horribly from seasickness. It's helped her somewhat, mostly at anchor. Underway, he prefers the motion of a stabilized mono trawler. I do too.

Peter