Is a trawler for me

[FOG]

Originally Posted by WesK

He said he was 70, not that he was dead! And he doesn't have a sailboat, he doesn't currently have a boat at all.

I disagree with your advice. He is an experienced boater, just not with a trawler. A trawler is pretty similar to a sailboat that's operating under power, not sail. The "systems" are the same and there's nothing "scary" about a trawler that's different from a sailboat.

It's actually very common for sailors to transition to trawlers as they get to the point in life where operating a sailboat becomes difficult physically.

Agreed.
You can always buy a trawler with a mast & boom. I did, and it made me feel better about going to the dark side.

Welcome aboard.

[Fletcher500]

We all know, and have read about people who have had their boating adventures end due to health issues. We will all be there soon enough. I say get it while you can.

[South of Heaven]

Well, I think its all relative. Getting into a 50'+ trawler versus a 30'er is a huge difference. If you're already questioning the move from a sailboat to a trawler then I wouldnt go too big. Get something manageable at first and use it for a season or two then upgrade to a bigger rig if you feel the need.

[WillMcclard]

Wow lots of quick responses, thanks.

We do not have a boat now. When we lost our tri 5 years ago we were done with boats forever. My wife has been pushing to try it again. No pun intended. I made the statement that if we ever did it again it would be in a power boat, and here we are.
When we cruised Baha and the west coast of mexico we decided that we did not like a rollie boat on the hook. In a poor anchorage or one with boat traffic, our 30 ft mono with 9ft beam was work when we were supposed to be hanging out and having fun.

Are trawlers more stable at hook than monohull sailboats? If not can flopers make them stable?

We really like the idea of living above the water with views instead of in a hole that you have to climb in and out of.

Will

[rwidman]

Originally Posted by WillMcclard

................. Are trawlers more stable at hook than monohull sailboats? If not can flopers make them stable?

We really like the idea of living above the water with views instead of in a hole that you have to climb in and out of.

Will

I can't tell you about the stable part but selecting your anchorage helps.

For the "view", you can't beat a trawler with a large flybridge.

[CaptTom]

Originally Posted by WillMcclard

When we cruised Baha and the west coast of mexico we decided that we did not like a rollie boat on the hook. In a poor anchorage or one with boat traffic, our 30 ft mono with 9ft beam was work when we were supposed to be hanging out and having fun.

Are trawlers more stable at hook than monohull sailboats? If not can flopers make them stable?

We really like the idea of living above the water with views instead of in a hole that you have to climb in and out of.

Many trawlers roll quite a bit. Mine can really get going with the right frequency waves on the beam. You usually find less pitching underway on a trawler vs. a monohull sailboat, although a sail does help keep the roll down in both situations (underway and anchored.)

I have heard very good things about flopper stoppers and similar. You'll want at least one boom that extends abeam to attach them.

The comment about living above the water rather than in a hole is pretty accurate. It really does make a huge difference in your outlook and mood. And in good weather, it's hard to beat a flybridge for just hanging out.

[markpierce]

Originally Posted by CaptTom

... it's hard to beat a flybridge for just hanging out.

... where the effect of rolling is exaggerated.

[WillMcclard]

Once we started flirting with boats again, I looked at some sailing cats. They are rock solid on the hook, but they do not have the interior comfort of a trawler, and way too many wires and things that could break. We think we are in for a trawler.
My wife really likes the mainship 34 trawler. It is probably like a floating condo, but should be be plenty good for the Bahamas.
It has a nice layout. Stairs to FB gate to the swim platform, nice master state room.
I like the older mainship 39. Has all the same cool stuff plus larger fridge more beam. Should be more stable.
Do they get about the same fuel economy?
Maybe i should start a new thread to talk about pros and cons of different trawlers?

Will

[FOG]

One of the reasons I bought a trawler with a mast & boom was the ability to use a flopper stopper. However, the boom doesn't extend as much as a sail boat, but it should still work. I plan to make one out of the old aluminum fuel tank. One more project.

[rwidman]

Originally Posted by markpierce

... where the effect of rolling is exaggerated.

This is true and is a good reason to buy a boat with upper and lower helms.

We find though, that the vast majority of the time the flybridge is very comfortable and that's where we operate from perhaps 90% of the time.

"Rolling" is subjective and what is OK for one person may not be OK for another. Even the QE II rolls under some conditions.

[High Wire]

Charter a trawler for 4-7 days. Then you will have a much better idea of what you want.

[Hamrow]

Will, i think you're on the right track and if you want more comfort, yes it might be worth comparing the 34 to the 39-ft LOA. at those lengths you can start getting into the decisions of whether you want 1 or 2 staterooms, 1 or 2 heads, showers, etc. I see some mainships were gas, so if you're looking for efficiency, you should probably look towards a well-cared for diesel.
Not to kick off the old "single vs. twin" debate but since you asked about efficiency, i'd submit that a single is likely to burn a bit less fuel... there are long discussion threads in this forum on this topic.
If a single, you'll appreciate at least a bow thruster. The wife and i had the same thoughts about visibility out windows, which ultimately steered us away from sailboat-like buried saloons and we ended up extremely happy in a semi-displacement trawler. now we have great window views both in the pilot house as well as the saloon (we didn't want a FB but thats a personal choice). We love all the space in our mono-hull and don't have floppers or stabs, but we have hard chines and a nearly 16-ft beam, so rolling hasn't been a factor for us.
It seems like you could really benefit from getting aboard several different trawler makes before you make your decision. Best of luck to you!

[O C Diver]

Originally Posted by WillMcclard

Are trawlers more stable at hook than monohull sailboats?

The term trawler covers a wide range of boats. Some with the traditional round bottom and soft chines can be quite rolly. Those with hard chines (semi displacement or semi planing) can be much more stable at anchor without anti roll devices. A lower center of gravity (no fly bridge ) also can make a huge difference.

Ted

[DHeckrotte]

Will, we are among the many sailors who have moved to the dark side. We bought our 'Terminal Trawler' almost two years ago. We tired of the clambering but did not tire of the beauty of being on the water.

I had planned that the learning curve involved with a more complex and different sort of vessel would be slow enough to not be painful; turned out not true given the age and condition of the boat that we liked and bought.

Trawlers are attractive to sailors, I think, because they're commodious, safe for old salts/farts to move around on, often 'traditional' in appearance, and just a little faster than a sailboat. I think the real difference between trawlers and other power boats, besides speed, is the helm door which enables the person at the helm to see and to get on deck more quickly, and without clambering.

Our TT does seem to roll more at the dock than the adjacent powerboats, even with chines.

[FF]

"can be much more stable at anchor without anti roll devices"

At anchor , in smooth water every boat is grand.

The hassle with chines is they cal lift the side of the boat far more rapidly and let it down faster in a beam sea.

Its the change in velocity (rapidity of the change) that causes discomfort.

[WillMcclard]

We like the idea of foregoing the flybridge for more stability on hook but the boats I find without FB increase the cockpit area at the expense of interior space. The mainship 34 pilot puts the galley down in a hole like a sailboat and I'm not sure it is still a trawler.
I see the flybridge as creating lots of windage, and instability in smaller trawlers, but they have the galley and salon in a windowed area and the main cabin more than just a v berth, all in 34 to 39 ft.
Boats are such compromises. We like the floating condo, but want it to be safe and stable.
Larger ground tackle, flopper stoppers, only doing short hops on nice days, and never be far from help, will have to make it work.
Perhaps there is our perfect boat out there that we just haven't found yet.
If a small trawler is too rolly at hook for us can flopper stoppers be used without a boom?
Has anyone had experience with using them?
Perhaps anchorages in the Bahamas and east coast are much better than Mexico and we are fretting about nothing.

[IronZebra]

Perhaps look at a motorsailor that has a good range on the engine only. Then you can fair weather sail if you feel like it. Naticat are ketches with smaller sails to handle when you do. Also solid fiberglass so no worries on soft decks.

1985 Nauticat 33 Ketch Sail Boat For Sale - www.yachtworld.com

1971 Gulfstar 36 Sedan Pilothouse Motorsailor Sail Boat For Sale - www.yachtworld.com

1986 Nauticat 36 Sail Boat For Sale - www.yachtworld.com

1979 Nauticat Motorsailor Ketch Rig Sail Boat For Sale - www.yachtworld.com

[Bob Cofer]

In most cases the FB does not add to the living area but does make for a nice lounging space. If you find a boat that suits you removing the FB is not an impossible task. We did that on our 32’ Grand Banks.

[psneeld]

My Albin 40 which has a 34 foot watetline and fine entry. It rolls very easily.

If in an anchorage that is rolly, i will boom and hoist my dingy out to one side just a few inches above the water. One it makes it harder to steal, two it cuts down the rolling noticeably.

The boom isnt long or able to go out past 45 degrees or so, but a flopper stopper would be as effective and maybe more so than the dingy. So if I ever start using anchorages that would benefit from full time flopper stoppers, it would be easy enough to fashion and fit a few brackets and arms amidships using stays up to the mast.

[WillMcclard]

My wife has found a blog from some cruisers who spent 20 years on a 34 trawler in the areas we are interested in. They mostly anchored and wrote a book about anchorages on the icu and Bahamas. They did not have enough problems with rolling to address the issue.
Thanks psneeld. I also found some info about rigging stabilizers on boomless boats. I think i can let this issue go now.
Thanks for the boat references and picture of a flyless flybridge boat. What I really learned was how lazy I am. Boats with sails and rigging tend to worry me. Bright work flat out scares me. That must be why I'm attracted to the mainships so much. When I see pictures of them I see no wood exposed to the weather.