Steel Trawlers - Pros and Cons

[Capt. Kirk]

I looked for a thread on this subject in TF and I was surprised not to find one. Probably just user error on my part.

I'm planning to buy a trawler in the 45' to 60' range. Searching for the right boat. Almost all the boats I have considered to date are fiberglass, but I am intrigued by some steel boats.

I'm a big fan of fiberglass boats and have owned many thru the years. I've also owned a number of small wooden boats, but would avoid buying a large wooden cruising boat, given the maitennace requirements. I've never owned a steel boat.

What are the drawbacks to steel? What are the maitenance considerations?
Here are some of the things I've heard:
- You need to keep all the bilges bone dry.
- You need to keep on top of painted finishes and immediately touch up any exposed spots.
- It is harder to find boat yards to work on them.

How about the pros? What makes steel better than fiberglass?
I imagine a steel hull would be preferable to FBG in many groundings.
It is easier to cut out and replace a section with steel than FBG.
What else?

What are other considerations?
Insulation?
Electrolisis?
Maitenance issues?

FYI - I am okay with rugged looking. I prefer strong and durable to pretty.

Looking forward to your input.

Thanks.

 

[Comodave]

I have never owned a steel boat so I am not an expert on them. But I can do virtually any repair to a glass boat. I can’t do that to a steel boat. In salt water I would be concerned about rusting, especially where it can’t be easily seen.

 

[IRENE]

We spent a few years looking at boats before purchasing our fiberglass trawler.

There were several very nice steel ones we looked at including Kristen, Real Ships, and three customs in particular (A.F. Theriault, Benford). There was a Dutch boat and a few Chinese boats. Except for the Kristen, which has sold twice since we looked at it, all seemed to languish on the market for some time. I suspect their respective selling prices were soft - I perceived a weakness in the market for steel. I’m not taking the position that they are inferior, just that I wanted the option to get out sooner with more preservation of capital.

The other reason was maintenance. I am fairly ignorant about maintaining steel, and I am around steel boats nearly daily and notice the rust. I did not envision a needle gun in my retirement tool inventory. Now, part of me thinks that chasing the rust and having a nice working finish, vs. a yacht finish, may not be any more work than washing and waxing the fiberglass.

I don’t think steel would be an obstacle at boat yards; there are many many places that work on them.

Happy Hunting

 

[ddw36]

You might look into the steel Diesel Ducks, but you'll probably have to build one, as very few are on the market. People keep them. Depending on your circumstances, the 382s & 462s offer a lot, but you could go up from there. Suggest contacting Seahorse Marine if interested.

 

[plittle2005]

Steel Survivability

A friend was bringing his new-to-him Diesel Duck home to FL, via the gulf, when he fetched up on the rocks off Mobile Bay. He pounded for 3 days straight before being hauled off. I didn't know the wave conditions, but he said it was thumping pretty good! The boat was reported as "undamaged" after this.

I don't think a glass boat would have survived. Steel is easy to fabricate with minimal tooling, won't corrode and thin out if kept painted, is tough, not brittle, and can survive being dented to hell in a collision or storm at the dock....what's not to like? Yes, my own boat is glass, but if I wanted to circumnavigate, it would be steel.

Phil Little, Weehawken NJ, 1992 Carver 33

 

[mvweebles]

Pro- hell-for-stout.

Con - rust and resale (in US). Rust is a non-trivial concern. Sure, welders are globally available, but tearing out joinery to get to steel is not a welding job, it's fine carpentry.

Example of a nice steel trawler - Dutch built. A well cared for sistership recently sold after a couple years and several price drops from an already reasonable price

https://www.yachtworld.com/boats/1985/lowland-trawler-3506604/

Peter

 

[woolf]

Very much depends on the proper initial design for building in metal. Then comes build quality in structure, conservation and outfitting by an experienced and quality-consciuous shipyard, not price-driven only as with many builders of mainly commercial craft. That comes at a price though - but still competitive with top notch platic boats. Same for later repairs and upgrades.
Here in Europe, names like Vripack, Kuipers, Vitters, Jongert, Nordia, ... come to mind.

With such vessels and regular maintenance, you will not have more problems or higher running costs with steel, than with other materials - but will be travelling in a bullet-proof boat.

We are on our second steel boat from top tier builders and would not want to change for any other material.

 

[klee wyck]

Your question quoted below is an age old question. The answer you get will likely depend upon what geography you are asking the question in. Steel is very well accepted in Europe for example, and very poorly accepted in the US. If you are in the US, tread carefully buying steel unless you are buying a boat for your self for the long run. They sell slowly and under value here.
If you are buying your last boat, that can be great news for you. See some comments in the body of your inquiry below.

I looked for a thread on this subject in TF and I was surprised not to find one. Probably just user error on my part.

I'm planning to buy a trawler in the 45' to 60' range. Searching for the right boat. Almost all the boats I have considered to date are fiberglass, but I am intrigued by some steel boats.

I'm a big fan of fiberglass boats and have owned many thru the years. I've also owned a number of small wooden boats, but would avoid buying a large wooden cruising boat, given the maitennace requirements. I've never owned a steel boat.

What are the drawbacks to steel? What are the maitenance considerations?
Here are some of the things I've heard:
- You need to keep all the bilges bone dry.
Not really. You need to keep the bilges well coated so that they are protected from exposure to salt water. Same with the exterior of the hull, right?
- You need to keep on top of painted finishes and immediately touch up any exposed spots.
- It is harder to find boat yards to work on them.
Not true in my experience in the PNW. Not at all.

How about the pros? What makes steel better than fiberglass?
I imagine a steel hull would be preferable to FBG in many groundings.

Do you plan a hard grounding? How often does this really happen? In the PNW, some make the case for steel based on log strikes. Do FRP hulls often get holed? Does not seem like it. I think underwater gear protection from keels may be the more important aspect of groundings and log strikes in terms of frequency of risk. But, no doubt, in a hard grounding or a high speed strike of some waterborne junk, steel is very likely to fare much better.
It is easier to cut out and replace a section with steel than FBG.
Again, with care, why would you need to do this with either material.
What else?
Durability and dryness among others. I have owned several metal boats and a few FRP. I have surveyed a few other FRP boats in the interest of buying something that I could sell more easily in the US. FRP is not for me and this is likely a personal bias. I have never experienced an FRP boat that is not subject to moisture intrusion over long time periods and the boats feel that way on the interior. My metal boats do not act or feel that way. They are dry.
I have never experienced a steel boat that has not required some babysitting of her coatings in terms of preventing and addressing corrosion. Comes with the territory. Not cheap for sure, but no more expensive than the depreciation trajectory of FRP boats. A well constructed and cared for steel vessel is literally ageless/forever. I do not have that opinion of FRP.

I think this decision is more personal than it is material over the time period that most folks intend to own a boat.
For me, it is metal. I currently own two big boats in steel and am nearly certain that the next boat will be metal as well. Just can't warm up to FRP and willing to stipulate that that may be more psychological than material.

Final word? Buy the boat that grabs your heart and keeps you safe. For me, that will be a metal boat.

What are other considerations?
Insulation?
Electrolisis?
Maitenance issues?

FYI - I am okay with rugged looking. I prefer strong and durable to pretty.

Looking forward to your input.

Thanks.

 

[GoneDiving]

Here steel vessels are typically converted commercial vessels which means they are hella tough, 000's of miles range, come with massively over engineered equipment for private use, may have decades old technology on board, may have zero sound insulation, many have single pitch roofs that will take large solar arrays and very large cockpit areas. Sales prices are depressed when comparing to 'glass as they are not as "sexy". All of these could be positives or negatives depending on your priorities.

I would certainly look for one that has had a caring private PO vs straight from a commercial unless you are looking for a project boat. Any faults can easily be cut out, up to and including huge sections, but yes the impact on interior fittings needs to be considered.

Cheers

 

[Comodave]

A friend was bringing his new-to-him Diesel Duck home to FL, via the gulf, when he fetched up on the rocks off Mobile Bay. He pounded for 3 days straight before being hauled off. I didn't know the wave conditions, but he said it was thumping pretty good! The boat was reported as "undamaged" after this.

I don't think a glass boat would have survived. Steel is easy to fabricate with minimal tooling, won't corrode and thin out if kept painted, is tough, not brittle, and can survive being dented to hell in a collision or storm at the dock....what's not to like? Yes, my own boat is glass, but if I wanted to circumnavigate, it would be steel.

Phil Little, Weehawken NJ, 1992 Carver 33

This is true, but I have been boating for 55 years and have never run aground like that so to me that isn’t worth the downside of a steel boat. If I ever run aground like that is when Boat/US will have to step up to the plate and buy me a new boat.

 

[Sailor of Fortune]

People fear what they don't know and would be happy to pass that "expertise" on to you. Steel boats are just another building material that has its own traits. Ask how many steel boat owners about there blistered hull... There is real value in steel hulls because of the public bias in the US yacht market. Survey and don't overpay because its steel. Many peeps here have been around it both professionally and on the yacht side.
Notice that most of the naysayers admit they have never owned a steel boat...

 

[mvweebles]

People fear what they don't know and would be happy to pass that "expertise" on to you. Steel boats are just another building material that has its own traits. Ask how many steel boat owners about there blistered hull... There is real value in steel hulls because of the public bias in the US yacht market. Survey and don't overpay because its steel. Many peeps here have been around it both professionally and on the yacht side.
Notice that most of the naysayers admit they have never owned a steel boat...

While I'm not a total naysayer, I have never owned a steel boat. I have also never owned a ferro cement boat and am pretty sure I don't want one even though it's just another building material with its own traits.

I'd have no issue with steel. In the US, many are inexpensive because they are either converted work boats, or of European provenance not well known in the US. It's a pretty good material for one-off construction.

My only complaint about steel is not exterior rust, but interior. A fancy interior hides the nooks and crannies where rust forms. Keep the design more utility and I'd have no issues, would even prefer steel. That said, some of the world's most respected builders construct metal boats - Feadship being one.

Peter

 

[Irish Rambler]

Regarding rust on steel boats, I've surveyed quite a few older boats and all had interior rust. Modern steel built boats should have the interiors spayed with expanded polyurethane down to the waterline before fitting out to eliminate rust, this is also a great sound/heat/vibration preventative.
Its also extremely beneficial on new build fibreglass for the same reasons.
With a steel boat you can reckon on a full repaint every 8/10 years. Any scratches need to covered in 20 mins to stop the rust before a more permanent repair can be done.
Pushing a heavier boat also takes more fuel. Excellent boats if they are built up for quality, not down to a price.
Yes they will stand a grounding, but navigation lessons would be cheaper.
It all boils down to cost.

 

[Capt. Kirk]

We spent a few years looking at boats before purchasing our fiberglass trawler.

There were several very nice steel ones we looked at including Kristen, Real Ships, and three customs in particular (A.F. Theriault, Benford). There was a Dutch boat and a few Chinese boats. Except for the Kristen, which has sold twice since we looked at it, all seemed to languish on the market for some time. I suspect their respective selling prices were soft - I perceived a weakness in the market for steel. I’m not taking the position that they are inferior, just that I wanted the option to get out sooner with more preservation of capital.

The other reason was maintenance. I am fairly ignorant about maintaining steel, and I am around steel boats nearly daily and notice the rust. I did not envision a needle gun in my retirement tool inventory. Now, part of me thinks that chasing the rust and having a nice working finish, vs. a yacht finish, may not be any more work than washing and waxing the fiberglass.

I don’t think steel would be an obstacle at boat yards; there are many many places that work on them.

Happy Hunting

Thanks for the valuable feedback If you don't mind me asking, What make and model of boat did you end up buying?

 

[Capt. Kirk]

Pro- hell-for-stout.

Con - rust and resale (in US). Rust is a non-trivial concern. Sure, welders are globally available, but tearing out joinery to get to steel is not a welding job, it's fine carpentry.

Example of a nice steel trawler - Dutch built. A well cared for sistership recently sold after a couple years and several price drops from an already reasonable price

https://www.yachtworld.com/boats/1985/lowland-trawler-3506604/

Peter

I imagine some repairs, like the sanding or sandblasting rust and repainting would be a huge job if it is behind the joinery. If you actually need to cut out rust, I assume you would typically be able to do so from the outside - thru the hull, right?

 

[Comodave]

People fear what they don't know and would be happy to pass that "expertise" on to you. Steel boats are just another building material that has its own traits. Ask how many steel boat owners about there blistered hull... There is real value in steel hulls because of the public bias in the US yacht market. Survey and don't overpay because its steel. Many peeps here have been around it both professionally and on the yacht side.
Notice that most of the naysayers admit they have never owned a steel boat...

That would be my first concern. How to sell it when you are done with it. Not saying they are good or bad, just maybe really hard to sell.

 

[fgarriso]

The Lowland 47 steel hull trawlers are well built boats and will last almost forever if kept up. I have had two 60' steel trawlers. They weren't as good looking as some of the GLASS boats but were a hell of a lot tougher and stronger.

https://www.yachtworld.com/boats/1985/lowland-trawler-3506604/

ALSO most commercial vessels are built out of steel.

 

[Delfin]

I imagine some repairs, like the sanding or sandblasting rust and repainting would be a huge job if it is behind the joinery. If you actually need to cut out rust, I assume you would typically be able to do so from the outside - thru the hull, right?

A properly coated steel boat doesn't present those problems. I spend less than 8 hours a year keeping my steel boat looking pretty pristine by touching up dings with a Dremel tool and an airbrush, and normal washing. I have no interior rust and no exterior rust other than wear and tear dings I repair. That after 20 years on the paint (Awlgrip).


Two summers ago in Ketchikan, I had a fault in my Kobelt remote controller that allows me to shift the gear, operate thrusters and the rudder from the top deck, outside. The fault resulted in the electronic controls going into full throttle forward and before I could disconnect, I had traveled the 200' or so to the breakwater and drove the boat up onto the rocks at about 5 knots. With full throttle in reverse I was able to dislodge her after 30 seconds or so. The damage was scratches in the steel and bottom paint, which is going to require some additional paint work at Philbrooks boatyard in Sydney where she is currently getting bottom paint. A FB boat would, IMO, have had major damage.

 

[Hippocampus]

Personally prefer Al. Can forgo paint altogether on topsides. More strength with less weight than GRP. Given it’s lightness can put that missing structural weight to more productive purpose. Can still be light ice certified. Stretches or dents instead punctures with almost all serious impacts. Not as abrasive resistant as Fe but much more than GRP. Still a faraday box but not magnetic. Unlike carbon or vacuum foam repairable just about anywhere. ( carry a TIG) .

 

[Rufus]

My brother in law owned this 36 Vinette....that's him waving good bye in the photo. We were departing for the North Channel. Never saw Jim again.

Great Lakes boat. Single Cummins. Painted the bottom every coupe of years. No rust inside or out. Sold in the mid-$20k's when he passed away. It was a bit early Home Depot on the inside but somebody got a steel.

 

[woolf]

Personally prefer Al. Can forgo paint altogether on topsides. More strength with less weight than GRP. Given it’s lightness can put that missing structural weight to more productive purpose. Can still be light ice certified. Stretches or dents instead punctures with almost all serious impacts. Not as abrasive resistant as Fe but much more than GRP. Still a faraday box but not magnetic. Unlike carbon or vacuum foam repairable just about anywhere. ( carry a TIG) .

The aluminium Dashew 64 FPB have 6500 pounds of lead ballast within the fuel tanks to compensate for the „light“ (compared to steel) alu structure.


Vripack is back to steel hulls in its Doggersbank vessels, some previous aluminium units required complicated trim tank arrangements to provide for light arrival stability.


For a typical „trawler“ design envelope, I would always stick with a steel hull / aluminium superstructure combo, built by a top quality shipyard.

 

[Capt. Kirk]

Personally prefer Al. Can forgo paint altogether on topsides. More strength with less weight than GRP. Given it’s lightness can put that missing structural weight to more productive purpose. Can still be light ice certified. Stretches or dents instead punctures with almost all serious impacts. Not as abrasive resistant as Fe but much more than GRP. Still a faraday box but not magnetic. Unlike carbon or vacuum foam repairable just about anywhere. ( carry a TIG) .

What about aluminum?
A lot of beautiful yachts have been built in aluminum?
I don't see that many listings for them on the east coast of the US, other than large old Burger and Broward motoryachts.

What do you all think of aluminum vs. fiberglass vs. steel?

 

[Capt. Kirk]

The aluminium Dashew 64 FPB have 6500 pounds of lead ballast within the fuel tanks to compensate for the „light“ (compared to steel) alu structure.


Vripack is back to steel hulls in its Doggersbank vessels, some previous aluminium units required complicated trim tank arrangements to provide for light arrival stability.


For a typical „trawler“ design envelope, I would always stick with a steel hull / aluminium superstructure combo, built by a top quality shipyard.

For those who can't afford the Dashew 64 or to build a trawler with an aluminum superstructure and steel hull, I ask...

What about aluminum?
A lot of beautiful yachts have been built in aluminum?
I don't see that many listings for them on the east coast of the US, other than large old Burger and Broward motoryachts.

What do you all think of aluminum vs. fiberglass vs. steel?

There is a 57' Bruce Roberts in Chesapeake, VA. Anyone know anything about her?

 

[ghost]

Personally prefer Al. Can forgo paint altogether on topsides. More strength with less weight than GRP. Given it’s lightness can put that missing structural weight to more productive purpose. Can still be light ice certified. Stretches or dents instead punctures with almost all serious impacts. Not as abrasive resistant as Fe but much more than GRP. Still a faraday box but not magnetic. Unlike carbon or vacuum foam repairable just about anywhere. ( carry a TIG) .

I’ve observed a number of aluminum boats that start with paint and then forgo it later. Usually not all at once, just gradually.

 

[O C Diver]

Having owned a steel boat, I wouldn't be afraid to own one again. That said, one that has been poorly built or poorly maintained, can require a great deal more to restore the inside of the hull depending on the interior insulation, walls and coverings.

If I were doing passage making and / or traveling to remote locations (such as Alaska) the added survivability of hitting submerged objects such as lost shipping containers, would make it an equal or better choice than fiberglass and maybe aluminum.

Ted

 

[Mako]

I had a couple of shipyards quote me the option to build in aluminum instead of steel and the hull prices were double. So in the end it depends on your budget, for a new build. For used boats I would imagine that a costs would be higher as well.

 

[Hippocampus]

Agreed but hull is 10-15% of “out the door” cost. Al becomes cost effective with one offs or small production runs especially when compared with mold and tooling costs of grp. Agree it’s more expensive than steel. Then there’s the advantage of being able to use simple power tools so possible for the average Joe. No water or plasma cutters. Light grind and TIG after the initial splash for modifications or rebuilds. Just need a tent or enclosure, simple power tools + portable TIG set up and good to go. Given Al is common enough on land applications don’t need rare to find specialized equipment/workers as you do with cored construction or even solid grp. With modern alloys and understanding of corrosion/electrolysis no rusting from inside out if suitable wiring, protection and other measures taken. There’s a reason you see Al replacing grp in commercial,SAR and crew small boats. Ridden hard and put away wet, banged around but still come back for more. Even the Dutch masters of metal yacht construction have been increasing Al over Fe output Vripack aside. Do you have more information on that? It’s interesting.
Don’t know of any Fe recreational trawlers certified to survive a 360 roll over but know of several Al ones. Vripacks experience is of great interest. Others are taking a different tack. Expect the future “typical” recreational long distance or high latitude trawler to to be more of an evolution of Dashews thinking then Beebes. Hydrocarbon restrictions, changing weather patterns and preferences of prospective owners would seem to be heading in that direction imho.

 

[Mako]

In my case the hull cost was significantly higher than 10-15% and that added cost I couldn’t cover. Also my design was a heavy trawler and switching to aluminum was actually a disadvantage. Plus I’m not a big fan of aluminum in general, so once again, I didn’t feel it was worth it.

 

[Hippocampus]

Agree choice of material is decided by design parameters which is decided by program. So in your case Al made no sense. Don’t see too many Fe planing hulls either.

 

[Jaybo]

I have a GRP hull in North America, but I owned a steel converted Dutch barge and have rented a number of Dutch steel kruisers and kotters in Europe. Many of the Dutch yards produce small runs of impeccably built vessels where quality is never in doubt. I personally love the feel at the helm of a good steel boat; they are stable in the water and truck beautifully. And they're brick shirthouses, which is comforting in crowded waterways. There are people on this thread much more knowledgeable than me on hull maintenance, but if you're interested in steel, be comforted by the fact that in Europe there are lots of sturdy barges reliably chugging away that are over 100 years old.