Thoughts on widebody boats

[Sailor of Fortune]

Loved those side deck covers until I didn't... Delivering a Defever 52 in the mid 80's from the Boston Boat show to the Annapolis boat shoe, tied up in Port Jefferson NY at the end of a fixed pier. Wake went by and sent "overhang within inches of pilings at low tide. All I could think of, is if we were in a lock, linehandler would be crushed.

 

[markajh]

Loved those side deck covers until I didn't... Delivering a Defever 52 in the mid 80's from the Boston Boat show to the Annapolis boat shoe, tied up in Port Jefferson NY at the end of a fixed pier. Wake went by and sent "overhang within inches of pilings at low tide. All I could think of, is if we were in a lock, linehandler would be crushed.

Sounds terrible. I think if we take into account every scenario the only thing left to a boat would be a drawing and a dream. I like catamarans due to the virtual unsinkability factor. HOWEVER they are butt ugly to me. You can get mega-yachts - but look at a 10 year old Azimuth - it's like an old car that aged poorly.

With a trawler it's an instant classic - in most cases. And it's sea worthy. I don't feel I'm going overboard when I walk the decks. I feel protected at sea. My dogs like taking laps around the boat

That aside, there are compromises. I'd love 3 watertight bulkheads and any number of things. Your experience is really telling of a rolling where the top section should curve in similar to the hull. Personally, I like the protection and exercise a lot of caution in all aspects of boating.

It's like a motorcycle. Doesn't matter how careful you are. You will go down - it's a matter of when. Be prepared and minimize the damage.

 

[swampu]

Got it. Is the hull the same one that is on the commercial boats or was it modified for pleasure use?

The hull was built in one yard, the hull was then towed to Kennedy engine were the twin 6-71's and gears were installed, then the boat was towed to Kramer's yard for the cabin and house construction. So I've been told.....The typical shrimp boat of the time would have only had one keel with one engine and gear, this hull has 3 keels, the wheels are inset into the keel so the boat would set flat in low water situation, the design and build were common of day for a shrimper, the concept was kind of the hot rod version.

 

[GFC]

What happens if you get whitewater breaking up there? I suppose that boat is not really intended to go too far offshore - although it must be a good coastal cruiser.

One doesn't really need to go offshore to find waves sending green water up over the bow. This one knocked my anchor light lens off, and it sits 20' above the water line.

This was on the Columbia River last June.

 

[markpierce]

My boat is fat with a 13-foot beam versus 35-foot length. Sufficient width for saloon and walk-around deck, and fuel consumption under two gallons an hour.

 

[markpierce]

One doesn't really need to go offshore to find waves sending green water up over the bow. This one knocked my anchor light lens off, and it sits 20' above the water line.

This was on the Columbia River last June.

Steep waves bring spray well over the boat and one needing to hang on to "survive" the bucking, isn't unusual in the eastern portion of Suisun Bay when the prevailing winds counter the ebb tide. ... We're having very strong ebbs this year because of heavy rains and heavy snow melt.

 

[Nomad Willy]

Topsail wrote;
"Regarding true trawlers versus fakes, many of the yachts marketed as trawlers are not real blue water cruising boats."

Bluewater boats are passagemakers not trawlers. But a lot of boats (not yachts) aren't very seaworthy and lack any serious efficency as well.
And yes you're right a lot of so called trawlers are not trawlers. They mostly are cruisers styled like trawlers.

 

[RT Firefly]

Greetings,
Good grief! 128 posts. Hopefully the OP now has some insight into wide bodied recreational boats...Bottom line: Horses for courses OR run what ya brung....

 

[theTopsail]

Greetings,
Good grief! 128 posts. Hopefully the OP now has some insight into wide bodied recreational boats...Bottom line: Horses for courses OR run what ya brung....

Yup. I have listened to some good viewpoints regarding wide body boats! Think I will run with what I brought.

Thanks --

 

[Art]

Word "Wide" has a rather wide body of ever widening reasons to widen or to not widen!


Wide boats, wide cars, wide planes, even wide butts have their place in useful mannerisms. Trick is to get something, anything thing, wide enough but not too wide!


Personally I rather like many things wide... but not all.


And, yes, I do like reasonably wide mono hull boats for several reasons. Wide boats with fairly wide interiors but with reasonably narrow walk around decks are my favorite type of design.

 

[Benthic2]

I think the side deck/interior room issue is more relevant on shorter boats. For example: If you skimp a little on the side decks to save 2 feet of interior cabin width, that's much more significan't on a boat with an 11 foot beam than one with a 16 foot beam.