Outboard powered Trawlers?

[SCOTTEDAVIS]

We all know that is is not uncommon that over time the definitions of words and terms change, new words are added every year to the Websters.

Not that facts should change an old favorite argument for some.

As someone not yet famous once said "get with the times man".

 

[Moonstruck]

As someone not yet famous once said "get with the times man".

Good advice from a Pilgrim driver.

 

[healhustler]

Good advice from a Pilgrim driver.

 

[Nomad Willy]

Ron wrote;
"As for the term "Trawler", words change meaning over time for better or worse. Remember what "gay" used to mean? How about "green"? It used to be a color. An "engine" is a machine that burns fuel to make power while a "motor" converts an external source of energy (usually electricity) to power, so what about the term "outboard motor"?

In common usage in the USA, the word "trawler" is applied to boats that are powered by engines, not sails, travel relatively slowly, have living accommodations and generally look like a trawler."

Good post Ron. In this day using the word trawler most people would think of the pleasure boat. The vernacular does change. And here of course nobody's "trawling" for fish.

 

[Rustybarge]

A good argument for outboards.
Boat Engine Comparison: Outboard vs Sterndrive vs Jet Drive | Boating Magazine

There are quite a lot of commercial boats that go out to the wind farms that have jet drives, and a few patrol boats with I/O; but obviously these comparitive tests were on very light sports boats.

There is a valid argument for OB's on the right vessel, but I'm not sure a conventional trawler qualifies. But Maybe those alloy Alaskan boats just sneak into the OB section because although they look like trawlers their hull forms seem to be planing or semi-displ.

 

[Nomad Willy]

A special hull for an OB trawler could be a flat or nearly so (in the stern) boat w an OB well ahead of the far end of the stern. The bottom portions of the hull outboard of the well tunnel would turn up to very near the WL. 2/3rds of the stern would be FD and the prop would be deeper in the water and well ahead of the stern. Should be very efficient for an OB and some seaworthyness advantages too. Good hull shape for an aluminum or steel boat.

 

[Rustybarge]

A special hull for an OB trawler could be a flat or nearly so (in the stern) boat w an OB well ahead of the far end of the stern. The bottom portions of the hull outboard of the well tunnel would turn up to very near the WL. 2/3rds of the stern would be FD and the prop would be deeper in the water and well ahead of the stern. Should be very efficient for an OB and some seaworthyness advantages too. Good hull shape for an aluminum or steel boat.

I think you have put your finger on the problem: the prop coming out of the water when the bow pitches Down.

Clever idea to locate the OB leg slightly further forward from the stern.

 

[Marin]

As for the term "Trawler", words change meaning over time for better or worse..

Yeah, you're right. I know it's tilting at a windmill. As a writer and someone with a lot of interest and knowledge of history, it just pisses me off when a word starts being used incorrectly because of ignorance, or in the case of "trawler," a bunch of marketing bozos who thought their product would sell better if buyers thought it was something it wasn't.

Your take is based on reality, mine is based on wishful thinking.

 

[Mule]

While serving on a DE (destroyer escort) we shadowed a Russian "trawler" from south of San Diego to Alaska. The "trawler" was a snooper boat filled with electronics. The Navy called it a Trawler. They were fishing for secrets, not fish....just sayin....btw, 1970.

 

[Marin]

While serving on a DE (destroyer escort) we shadowed a Russian "trawler" from south of San Diego to Alaska. The "trawler" was a snooper boat filled with electronics. The Navy called it a Trawler. They were fishing for secrets, not fish....just sayin....btw, 1970.

Yes, those "trawlers" were a somewhat common sight in the waters around Hawaii. The ones I saw or saw film of were actual fishing trawlers that had been set up for electronic snooping. Some of them actually pretended to fish, or maybe they really did fish in an attempt to look innocent and get closer to whateve they wanted to get closer to.

 

[healhustler]

Some time ago, I sacraficed my davit head for this genuine trawler net and drum assembly. Although I don't have a license to trawl, the davits are perfectly located by which to sling the trawler net into the water. Retrieval is easily facilitated by davit winches and my spiffy dinghy crane just off to the port side. This means that at any moment, I could dispatch the net and "trawl". With the other trawler attributes of my boat, my TF trawler certification should be assured.

 

[Northern Spy]

There was lots of fun and games with the AGIs near the first marker, Papa Hotel, off of Pearl Harbor. By the 80s they were dedicated spy ships with no pretenses of fishing.

 

[cappy208]

Being Quixotic is one of my pastimes also.

Earlier I mentioned the Rosborough. They are (to my knowledge) the only trailer able, planing hull trawler that have all three power plants ( inboard, outboard and inboard/outboard) in use commonly. The length varies from 24'6" to 28 depending on the drive system used. The outboard on a transom mount is the longest.

Personally, I think the outboard on the transom bracket makes the most sense. Largest cockpit area, most interior stowage, and ease of engine maintenance.

 

[Rustybarge]

Some time ago, I sacraficed my davit head for this genuine trawler net and drum assembly. Although I don't have a license to trawl, the davits are perfectly located by which to sling the trawler net into the water. Retrieval is easily facilitated by davit winches and my spiffy dinghy crane just off to the port side. This means that at any moment, I could dispatch the net and "trawl". With the other trawler attributes of my boat, my TF trawler certification should be assured.

That's a fantastic idea for tying a line off the stern to tree on the shore , and dropping your anchor off the bow to 'anchor off' the shoreline.

...there must be 500yrds of rope on that drum!

 

[Marin]

That's a fantastic idea for tying a line off the stern to tree on the shore , and dropping your anchor off the bow to 'anchor off' the shoreline.

Actually, a stern-tie line is almost a requirement on any cruising boat in the PNW. In many anchorages it's the only way one can moor in them; anchor first, set it, then run the stern line to shore to a rock, ring, or around a tree, although you have to be very careful not to damage the tree if it's a live one.

Some boats have fixed reels clamped to the handrails to carry the stern line. We carry ours on a portable garden hose reel that has a stand so it sits solidly on the deck. We carry 600' of 1/2" poly line (so it will float). My wife made a canvas cover for it to minimize the UV degredation of the line.

Photo below (off the web) is a typical scene one sees everywhere along the coast from Puget Sound through SE Alaska.

 

[Al]

Marin- As a resurrected Forum member of long standing. I say resurrected due to comments made during your absents from posting. I thought you a passed on legion in your own time (m- - d?) by the comments made by some of your "Best" forum friends and acquaintance.
Nice to see some of the current comments you are posting to adjudicate your standing.
On the other hand, there were some "snerdly" like post. I kept a list which I could PM to your attention./:lol:
On the subject of what is a "Trawler" I am in full agreement with your view. I would ask for your interpretation of the conversion of a full fledged commercial trawler as you describe to a personal use vessel "Commercial Cruiser" perhaps?

In all seriousness, you are to be taken seriously in matters of what ever the term.

Regards,
Al Ketchikan (Bridge to Nowhere) Alaska

 

[rwidman]

Yeah, you're right. I know it's tilting at a windmill. As a writer and someone with a lot of interest and knowledge of history, it just pisses me off when a word starts being used incorrectly because of ignorance, or in the case of "trawler," a bunch of marketing bozos who thought their product would sell better if buyers thought it was something it wasn't.

Your take is based on reality, mine is based on wishful thinking.

I wish people would stop claiming that something is "green" when clearly it is not. It is black or white or red or has no color at all and they call it "green".

 

[Marin]

On the other hand, there were some "snerdly" like post. I kept a list which I could PM to your attention./:lol:

While I certainly appreciate the offer, I'll pass. I'm half-French and one of the traits I inherited from my father is to be "snerdly" about almost everything. So your list is undoubtedly very long.

While we can debate the term "trawler," the original poster's concept of an outboard-powered cruising boat is certainly doable. There have been a lot of great examples posted throughout this thread.

One of the great advantages of an outboard is its ease of service and repair. Even if the boat is too big to be easily trailered to the mechanic, the motor is easily accessed by the mechanic who comes to the boat.

 

[rwidman]

......... One of the great advantages of an outboard is its ease of service and repair. Even if the boat is too big to be easily trailered to the mechanic, the motor is easily accessed by the mechanic who comes to the boat.

The same can be said of inboards or I/Os.

In the case of gasoline engines, outboards are far more expensive to buy than inboards. They also require some special tools and the availability of aftermarket parts is far less than the marinized GM engines commonly used in boats.

Outboards cannot be directly compared to diesel engines.

 

[Al]

Well now, it appears the question remains. : "On the subject of what is a "Trawler" it would be asked for interpretation of the conversion of a full fledged commercial trawler as describe by Marin to a personal use vessel. "Commercial Cruiser" perhaps?

 

[Marin]

I'd call it-- and do call it--- what it is. A "converted trawler."

There are some nice looking ones (first picture) and some not so much (second picture).

The first one is a 102' trawler that was built in the UK in the 1960s and fished commercially until 1997 at which point it was converted to what they are calling an "Expedition Yacht."

The second one I think was actually a troller, not a trawler, or maybe it was a seiner, but regardless, they should have left it as it was.....

 

[healhustler]

Speaking of outboard trawlers, a promising candidate for a lightweight diesel outboard would be the development of the Duke Axial Engine. A bit like a Wankel, but much more efficient, lightweight, and the gasoline version has already been tested on kerosine. It's compactness and less weight would also make it ideal for a hybrid, but being an internal combustion engine running on fossil fuel, will they get the money? Interesting though.

Duke Engines' incredibly compact, lightweight valveless axial engine

 

[CPseudonym]

A lot of folks apply "trawler" attributes and slow cruise C-Dory boats. One moved into the berth adjacent to mine that's about 27' with a 150 HP Evinrude outboard and 15 HP kicker. Dang nice boat too. Profile shot would be tough for an amateur eye to distinguish between it and Eric's Willard.

 

[deckofficer]

Speaking of outboard trawlers, a promising candidate for a lightweight diesel outboard would be the development of the Duke Axial Engine. A bit like a Wankel, but much more efficient, lightweight, and the gasoline version has already been tested on kerosine. It's compactness and less weight would also make it ideal for a hybrid, but being an internal combustion engine running on fossil fuel, will they get the money? Interesting though.

Duke Engines' incredibly compact, lightweight valveless axial engine

Not diesel, but almost diesel compression of 14 to 1 on 91 octane petrol.

 

[Ski in NC]

Outboards are great for high speed skiffs and boats traveling generally local. On a long trip, if impeller goes bad, not easy to fix offshore. Any problem under the hood in rough seas? No easy fix, and might not be safe to even lift the hood. Gasoline fire risk. Whole motor dunks with a big sea behind. Weak reverse thrust. And then the poor BSFC, especially at lower power settings. There's a few reasons outboard are not popular on long distance cruising boats.

I'll stick with an inboard diesel for now.

 

[Art]

I think Richard was getting about 4 nmpg on that passage. The most efficient outboard I know of isn't quite a trawler, has a much higher cruise speed of 16 kt but does get 4 nmpg at that clip. Slow down to 14 kt and sip at 7 nmpg.

MC30

Bob - That's an interesting little boat. 7 nmpg at 14 knts - I'm impressed! TY for posting link.

 

[deckofficer]

Bob - That's an interesting little boat. 7 nmpg at 14 knts - I'm impressed! TY for posting link.

I wonder what mileage the MC 30 would get with a couple of Yanmar 36 hp diesel outboards? Remember those two diesel outboards, 27 hp and 36 hp?

 

[Ski in NC]

Bob - That's an interesting little boat. 7 nmpg at 14 knts - I'm impressed! TY for posting link.

Specs for the MC30 give 12-14lph at 14kts. That's 4.4 to 3.8nmpg, not 7. Still good numbers, but not as good as 7!!

 

[deckofficer]

Specs for the MC30 give 12-14lph at 14kts. That's 4.4 to 3.8nmpg, not 7. Still good numbers, but not as good as 7!!

Maybe the marketing department did the web page......

"Imagine gliding effortlessly across the water at a 14 to 16 knots cruise while consuming only 2 to 4 gallons of fuel per hour!"

The proof comes from owners. I'm a member of the MotorCat forum, and all the owners cruise too fast for good mpg numbers, always over 20 kt.

But multiple owners of the Aspen proa catamaran using a single inboard diesel got 4 nmpg on their last big PNW outing, while Aspen marketing doesn't claim such good numbers. That doesn't generally happen, real world experience better than the hype.

 

[healhustler]

While in route from Indiantown FL to Stuart, FL on the east coast, I came across this backyard built, trailer-able trawlette set up for single or twin outboards. All glass, it must have been a lot of careful labor, but it was on its way to Indiantown to be sold. Reportedly, the hull design is a proven Wellcraft 25. No more to be built, so the owner/builder says...so, one of a kind.