How long did it take you to find and purchase your first trawler

[drb1025]

It took us several years of looking online, at boat shows, and chartering before deciding on the DF46. We had an express cruiser for awhile, then a sport fisher, during the time in our lives when we had a schedule to keep. I knew a trawler would be ideal for the PNW and for us due to their economy and safety. Like Phil Fill, my wife immediately liked the DF and so did I. I had in my mind that a GB42 was going to be the one. We chartered a 42 Europa, but I kept banging my head every time I sat up in bed. And every little wave splashed on the windshield. I'm sure I would have learned to duck eventually and use the wipers more, but we found nothing objectionable about the DF46, except the size was pushing it a little, but that isn't a problem either, with two way headsets we can easily communicate while docking. It took a while to get the seller to accept our price, but well worth the wait.

[READY2GO]

It only took us about two months once we decided that we wanted a trawler. We had been living on a 25' sailboat for a year and a half and traveled a little over 2K miles down to Florida on it. Consiquintely a 36' trawler seems like a mansion to us. We looked at about 5 or 6 trawlers in our price range, but I knew what I wanted and when I stepped aboard Island Queen I knew she was the one. We have lived aboard her now for a little over a year with no regrets. I believe that if you know what you want it won't take long to find the boat.

[markpierce]

Got what I wanted.

[GalaxyGirl]

Good question....
I have been at it for a year, but no luck yet.

[FlyWright]

I looked for about a year, but it seemed like a moving target. I learned more and more as I looked at more boats and realized I wanted something larger than 28 ft, diesel(s), cockpit, flybridge (not as frequently used as I thought it would be), fishable and kid safe. Once my needs and wants were narrowed down, I found the boat in a matter of a few months. But I had to look at quite a few pigs to find her.

I would have found her earlier, but the boat age criteria I selected (1980 or later) prevented her from showing up on my internet searches. A broker pointed me in her direction while looking at yet another distressed boat.

[Codger2]

It took my wife and I about 3 hours after we decided we wanted a trawler. We liked the Offshore boats and found one at Cabrillo Isle Marina. (Crealock 48, hull #1) We had no intentions of buying one that day but after boarding Nido Del Mar, we were hooked. Made an offer which was accepted at midnight that same day, bought a loaf of French bread, some cheese and wine and spent the night on the boat. (Before we closed!)

[bshanafelt]

22 years of reluctant looking before the 'uh, oh' moment.

Spent alot of time unjustifieing a large boat purchase due to cost of upkeep, moorage etc. Had settled on the idea of finding an unfinished hull project and fitting it out in the backyard.
Almost started that a couple of times. Glad I did'nt. My estimates of time and $$ to finish out such projects would have been grossly under.

Was about ready to pull the trigger on one of those unfinished ones, when I thought to look about the web to see what was currently available.

Thus came the moment.
My first look at pics had me quite worried. Great lines, nice style.
The specs really made me nervous. 200 engine hours, 3 year old boat, modern systems in a 'classic' style replica boat.

Have had one other love at first sight experience(the Admirial).
So, I knew with a proper survey, I would now have a second mistress.

The boat was being sold in Canada. The US dollar was trading around +$.60 at the time(2002). That was a nice perk.

The Admiral said buy the boat you dope. What can you say to a woman who is willing to share?

2nd best decision I ever made.


The project boat would still be under construction. Instead, we have cruised and used this boat for the last 11 years.


moral: get off the fence.

[Capt Kangeroo]

Started looking (ie: dreaming) about 40+ years ago, found and bought it at first sight 2 years ago. During the intervening decades I had little money but a bad case of 2foot-itis & owned just about anything that floated, incl some that didn't for long but never lost sight of the end goal, the perfect trawler.

Keep looking, when you see the one of your dreams you'll know. When you find it scour the country for every one that's for sale (or not) & buy the best one you can find in your price range.

bshanafelt above said it well, "get off the fence."

[beachbum29]

Still haven't. It's the next boat we want to purchase in the next 2-3 years.

[Alemao]

I spent about one year to find and to buy mu first boat and about one year to find and to buy my last boat

Sergio "Alemao" Sztancsa, Sent from my iPhone using Trawler

[Sailor of Fortune]

UHMM....0 time? A friend called me up with a boat in the "Want Ad". I sent him to check it out. Then I sent my brother to check it out and I bought it sight unseen from 1200 miles away. It was better than either one reported. It was the little Albin 25 I had for a while.

[Pineapple Girl]

After many years of sailing and owning sailboats we were in our first "partnership" and were planning a sail to Hawaii with the partners. We decided a few months prior to the trip that we were going to dissolve the partnership when we returned from Hawaii and we'd buy a trawler. We started looking on yacht world maybe two months before we left in July. We bought the boat in August and have no regrets. That was three years ago this August. We can see ourselves keeping this boat "forever."