I am new here. I have had many small fishing boats over the years. Now in the Market for a 28'- 36' Trawler/Tug style for cursing and living on part time. But I seeing people talk about a Troller. What is the difference between a Trawler and a Troller. ??? I am just a ol' country boy from Indiana. The bigger boats are all new to me.... But I can talk Tractors with the best of you....lol
Trawler vs Troller
- Thread starter Littlejoe
- Start date
The friendliest place on the web for anyone who enjoys boating.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
A trawler is a fishing boat that uses trawl gear to catch fish. A trawl net is pulled behind the boat and it has a "mouth" that is held open by a pair of large, heavy panels called "doors." All the components of this rig are controlled by winches and drums on variety of masts and booms. The net is pulled along close to the bottom where it scoops in the fish or shrimp that are being fished for. The net is then pulled onto the boat and emptied of its catch.
A troller is also a fishing boat but it uses a large number of individual lines with baited hooks or lures. These are pulled at various depths behind the boat and are distributed down the length of a line with a very heavy weight at the bottom. Trollers typically have two of these lines, one on each side of the boat suspended from a long pole called an outrigger. The lines are deployed and retrieved by small powered winches called "gurdies." When fishing, the boat is controlled from the stern where the fisherman pulls the lines in and unhooks the fish, and places them in fish well for cleaning and icing down.
The word "trawler" has been given a corrupted use for marketing reasons to recreational boats that originally possessed some of the qualities of fishing trawlers, namely the hull shape and economical speed and, to a degree, the appearance. The marketing idea which was hatched in the early 1970s so far as I can tell was to project the rugged, tough, and seaworthy image of a real trawler onto a recreational boat to make buyers think they were getting a more rugged, tough, and seaworthy boat than they actually were. Needless to say, the recreational boating crowd fell for this hook, line, and sinker, thus the common use today of the term "trawler" to describe what most definitely isn't one.
Since the marketing ploy was so wildly successful, all the recreational boat makers on the planet have wanted to cash in on it. So today the term "trawler" is applied to virtually any recreational type of boat you care to name regardless of its size, configuration or speed.
The term "troller" has not been used in this way, and so continues to refer only to a fishing boat that uses this method and type of gear for fishing.
A troller is also a fishing boat but it uses a large number of individual lines with baited hooks or lures. These are pulled at various depths behind the boat and are distributed down the length of a line with a very heavy weight at the bottom. Trollers typically have two of these lines, one on each side of the boat suspended from a long pole called an outrigger. The lines are deployed and retrieved by small powered winches called "gurdies." When fishing, the boat is controlled from the stern where the fisherman pulls the lines in and unhooks the fish, and places them in fish well for cleaning and icing down.
The word "trawler" has been given a corrupted use for marketing reasons to recreational boats that originally possessed some of the qualities of fishing trawlers, namely the hull shape and economical speed and, to a degree, the appearance. The marketing idea which was hatched in the early 1970s so far as I can tell was to project the rugged, tough, and seaworthy image of a real trawler onto a recreational boat to make buyers think they were getting a more rugged, tough, and seaworthy boat than they actually were. Needless to say, the recreational boating crowd fell for this hook, line, and sinker, thus the common use today of the term "trawler" to describe what most definitely isn't one.
Since the marketing ploy was so wildly successful, all the recreational boat makers on the planet have wanted to cash in on it. So today the term "trawler" is applied to virtually any recreational type of boat you care to name regardless of its size, configuration or speed.
The term "troller" has not been used in this way, and so continues to refer only to a fishing boat that uses this method and type of gear for fishing.
Last edited:
Doesn't matter whether it's a trawler, a troller, or any other style of boat. They're all good for cursing!
markpierce
Master and Commander
- Joined
- Sep 25, 2010
- Messages
- 12,557
- Location
- USA
- Vessel Name
- Carquinez Coot
- Vessel Make
- penultimate Seahorse Marine Coot hull #6
Okay, I was wrong. I guess George wanted to stand out from the toy boat trawler world. Actually, he probably didn't want to use the word "trawler" to describe his boats because now "trawler" has become synonymous with run-of-the-mill plastic toy boats that look like bars of soap and he wanted his boats to not be thought of in that vein.
Goes to show you if you want long enough eventually the pendulum swings back the other way.
CPseudonym
Moderator Emeritus
Only 10% of the boats on this forum look anything like those
My wild guess is less than 2% do but they are the better looking boats.
Diesel Duck
Senior Member
My wild guess is less than 2% do but they are the better looking boats.
Agreed!
markpierce
Master and Commander
- Joined
- Sep 25, 2010
- Messages
- 12,557
- Location
- USA
- Vessel Name
- Carquinez Coot
- Vessel Make
- penultimate Seahorse Marine Coot hull #6
Says Mister Troller.
dirtdoc1
Senior Member
- Joined
- Apr 12, 2016
- Messages
- 472
- Location
- United States
- Vessel Name
- Ann-Elyse II
- Vessel Make
- North Pacific 45
So let me see if I get the difference between a trawler and not a trawler. A trawler has a full displacement hull and if it looks like a trawler but has a semi-displacement hull it's not a trawler?
I think there is another thread on this subject.
I think there is another thread on this subject.
Nomad Willy
Guru
Hey dirt,
Most trawlers are SD.
Most trawlers are SD.
dirtdoc1
Senior Member
- Joined
- Apr 12, 2016
- Messages
- 472
- Location
- United States
- Vessel Name
- Ann-Elyse II
- Vessel Make
- North Pacific 45
Really? Even the fishing trawlers and trollers? Or are you referring to pleasure boat "trawlers"?
Sabre602
Senior Member
- Joined
- Oct 19, 2017
- Messages
- 442
- Location
- United States
- Vessel Name
- Kingfisher
- Vessel Make
- 37' converted gillnetter/crabber
If it looks like a duck, quacks like a duck, and you call it your "duck," it's a duck.
Of course, my boat isn't a trawler at all. It's a seiner, a crabber, and quite possibly a gillnetter. Or was, anyway. Now it's a yacht. Or a motor yacht. Hell, maybe it's a cabin cruiser!
Just ask someone whether or not their trawler has ever hauled trawl gear. No? Then dub their vessel a more accurate name, the dreaded "trawler yacht."
Of course, my boat isn't a trawler at all. It's a seiner, a crabber, and quite possibly a gillnetter. Or was, anyway. Now it's a yacht. Or a motor yacht. Hell, maybe it's a cabin cruiser!
Just ask someone whether or not their trawler has ever hauled trawl gear. No? Then dub their vessel a more accurate name, the dreaded "trawler yacht."
Last edited:
Salish Nomad
Senior Member
- Joined
- Jan 13, 2017
- Messages
- 317
- Location
- Anacortes WA U.S.A.
- Vessel Name
- Salish Nomad
- Vessel Make
- American Tug 34
My father, during his lifetime of commercial fishing in S. E. Alaska owned several trollers, but no trawlers.
dirtdoc1
Senior Member
- Joined
- Apr 12, 2016
- Messages
- 472
- Location
- United States
- Vessel Name
- Ann-Elyse II
- Vessel Make
- North Pacific 45
Hi Sabre & Helen,
Do your boats have full or semi displacement hulls? My guess is that they are both full. Also, are they stabilized and if so, passive or active?
Actually I take that back. I think Defevers are semi, although some had more rounded chines than others. I like Defevers. I was seriously looking for one before I bought my current boat. The 2007 49PH that I wanted was just out of my budget. What a nice boat!
Thanks,
Do your boats have full or semi displacement hulls? My guess is that they are both full. Also, are they stabilized and if so, passive or active?
Actually I take that back. I think Defevers are semi, although some had more rounded chines than others. I like Defevers. I was seriously looking for one before I bought my current boat. The 2007 49PH that I wanted was just out of my budget. What a nice boat!
Thanks,
Last edited:
Salish Nomad
Senior Member
- Joined
- Jan 13, 2017
- Messages
- 317
- Location
- Anacortes WA U.S.A.
- Vessel Name
- Salish Nomad
- Vessel Make
- American Tug 34
Arthur DeFever says in the original literature for the Passage Maker 34, that it's full displacement.
Salish Nomad
Senior Member
- Joined
- Jan 13, 2017
- Messages
- 317
- Location
- Anacortes WA U.S.A.
- Vessel Name
- Salish Nomad
- Vessel Make
- American Tug 34
No stabilization, just added lead ballast by the previous owner.
MurrayM
Guru
OldDan1943
Guru
- Joined
- Oct 2, 2017
- Messages
- 10,595
- Location
- USA
- Vessel Name
- Kinja
- Vessel Make
- American Tug 34 #116 2008
How many arounds of lead and where did you place it? Did you fiber glass it in place?
