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Old 02-01-2022, 08:06 AM   #21
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@red rascal, thanks! This is create information and VERY helpful. Will check out the Bayliner – seems pretty affordable. That range would be just fine…there’s a lot to explore and mostly, we just want to get out of Seattle; San Juans can be a week trip! I suspect most of the time, we will be happy going slow, but it’d be great to have that extra speed we are looking for when needed. Miss the feel of the vanagon, but love the 4x4 and off-road capability of the Taco. Peace!

@RT Firefly, agree. Doubt we’d go too far on a weekend trip, but the point is well taken.

@Portage_Bay. Yeah, Shilshole is currently listed as a 1-2 year wait…will look further into this.

@TrawlerJoe….yeah, only closed helms will be a requirement, as is heat!

@slowgoesit, I think we’d lean toward getting’ there, but want the ability to get there. Like you say, we are probably in the middle. While Shilshole might be the current goal, agree a broad net will be needed.

@FF, @rslifkin, will look more closely at SF boats…have looked a little, but some I have seen just are heated with the stove and we want “real” heat; I haven’t seen many for sale used (C-dory, Sea Sport), but I may not have been looking in the right place. Will also learn more about hulls.
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Old 02-01-2022, 09:18 AM   #22
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https://www.yachtworld.com/yacht/197...ridge-8065361/

I would suggest staying on the smaller side at first. If you love it you can move up in size. This is a really clean well maintained boat that a friend is selling. Might be something worth looking at. Also worthwhile to check out what marinas will allow you to keep the boat at the slip it was at when you buy it. Some in Everett do this, not sure about your area. (But it at least gets you a slip until one opens up in your area)
As a slip is harder to find than a nice boat some days. We went with the sport fisher style, plenty of room for a few people, can go fast or slow. Lower rear deck for fishing/crabbing. But as others mentioned fuel burn is a concern. We have more $ than time right now so we want to get to where we are going fast. As time moves on, we will change up to a slow boat as we will have more time than $.

I am also a fan of a lower helm if the upper is not covered/heated. It gets cold and lonely up there when the weather sucks.

Another place to check out a lot of boats at one time is Bannanabeltboats. You can walk through a ton of different styles, get a feel for the size/layout and type of boat that will work for you. As everyone has different ideas of what they need to have vs what they want to have.
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Old 02-01-2022, 10:56 AM   #23
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if not already mentioned, the PNW has logs.

My boat cruises at 7.5 knots - this is comparatively slow.

I still manage to hit logs.

The consequence of a log strike is much more significant if you are going 15-17 knts.
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Old 02-01-2022, 11:27 AM   #24
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A few of things to think about given what you're asking.

The vast majority of 'trawlers' are based on planning hulls. Boats like Grand Banks and Ocean Alexander just used smaller engines at the start and were not capable of higher speeds, as time went buy they added the power to get up on plane. Of course they weren't optimized for planning.. The reason I say that is that I'd recommend looking at a variety of boats to see which one suits you, don't hang up on the 'trawler' label. In our case we set out to buy a Grand Banks and ended with a Tollycraft - just fit our needs better. Our boat will do 16kn but we run 8kn @5gph, which seems similar to what I see in other "trawlers" that use hard chine flat run hulls. In fact the only time I do go on a plane is just to run the engines up to speed sometimes.

Think about where you cruise the boat. If you like the San Juan islands then consider keeping the boat further north. Its far faster to drive up I5 90 minutes than to run the boat up Puget Sound and Saratoga Passage. I spent decades with the first and last day being all day to/from the islands. Now I have an hour to cross Rosario and I'm where I want to be. The point being if you want to weekend in the San Juans its much faster to drive up there than run a boat no matter how fast that boat can go. That may impact your speed needs.

You should buy a boat in good condition from a reputable manufacturer. You have a wide price range - so did I. But keep in mind the purchase cost is just the start. Make sure you purchase a boat that's well maintained and get both vessel and mechanical surveys. Also, depending on how 'social' you are some boats have very active owners communities in the PNW including Tollycraft, GB, OA, and Nordic Tug. There's plenty of opinions about boats to go around but I tend to trust what professionals say. All the boats I list above are well thought of brands but different from each other. Tollycraft and older OAs were typically Ed Monk designed boats - a PNW designer.

Finally make sure you know what features you must have and which you'd be flexible on. That includes the basic layout. As you look at boats you may spot something you really like. Example: In our case the direct access from the salon to an aft deck space where you can lounge was a huge plus we hadn't originally been looking for. Mechanicals do matter, some engine brands are more problematic than others. There are a few engines that have bad reputations - I don't want to start an argument here but talk to some experts. Typically you're safe with a well maintained Cat, Deere, Ford Leyman and parts are easily obtained. But ask around. In any case condition and maintenance are the most important, a good engine that's abused is worse than a delicate engine loved.
Good Luck!
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Old 02-01-2022, 11:48 AM   #25
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I got an Albin 28TE, kind of a "pocket trawler", plenty room for 1 couple.
Single inboard diesel from 250 to 370 HP.
I got the 300 HP Yanmar, it will cruise at 17 knots and top out at 20.
We do however cruise at trawler speeds frequently, quiet and more relaxed ride
while sipping fuel.
Inside shower, outside shower, small galley, a big double bed and a small double quarter berth. They all have bow thruster and most have electric windlass.
Good beginner boat as it is easy to operate and very "sea worthy".
Good quality build but they are getting old, a good survey required.
Prices from $50k to $90k.
I do charters with my Albin 28TE:

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Old 02-01-2022, 12:34 PM   #26
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@FF, @rslifkin, will look more closely at SF boats…have looked a little, but some I have seen just are heated with the stove and we want “real” heat; I haven’t seen many for sale used (C-dory, Sea Sport), but I may not have been looking in the right place. Will also learn more about hulls.
With a substantial enough tow vehicle, you could pull a C-Dory 25 or 26, or a Sea Sport 24, 26 or 27. Any of these could work for a couple, and cruise at 15-20 knots or a bit more, depending on engine. Some larger Sea Sports have diesel power. There are a handful of Sea Sports on Yachtworld.

After 7 years with our C-Dory 22, we upgraded to a 26-foot diesel/sterndrive powered Bounty 257, much like a similar-sized Sea Sport. It would cruise at 18 knots and 1.75 nmpg, or at 6-6.5 knots and 4 nmpg. Cruised and fished the Inside Passage with this one for 18 summers and nearly 40,000 nm, with a third crew some of the time.

If you decide not to go with a towable boat, a Camano 31 or Nordic Tug 32 could be a great choice. They would offer much more space, very pleasant and economical cruising at 6-7 knots, or more speed if you're OK with burning a good bit more fuel.
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Old 02-01-2022, 07:34 PM   #27
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Thanks for all of the suggestions! I look more closely at these options as we learn more. We are on the fence about trailering - it would require a much larger, heavy duty truck ($$$) than our Tacoma and traffic sucks in Seattle - the idea of a nearby marina (okay, the 5 blocks to Shilshole from our house) is very appealing, esp. since we don't have the land or driveway for a trailer or a boat.

The Nordic Tug is a beautiful boat, but probably out of our price range but looks SWEET. For our current use case, the Ranger Tug has a lot of appeal, and can appreciate the gas $$$. Hopefully, we'd find we're happy at slower speeds most of time time. Will definitely check out the Mainship, Albin and C-Dory (Sea Sport too maybe), Camano, Chris Craft and Rosborough suggestions. I'm sure thoughts will change as we learn and gain more experience so not super rushed to jump into anything right now.
One source who has been sharing their story is Martin with Let’s go channel surfing. He has a great YouTube channel where he shares his thinking and why he chose the Ranger Tug 27 with the outboard. Including his fuel burn analysis.
https://youtube.com/c/Letsgochannelsurfing
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Old 02-01-2022, 07:38 PM   #28
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@Ronr, Friend’s boat looks lovely. We are too uneducated to make the leap – hope something like is as well cared for comes along in the future. I have seen a few listings with an Everett slip and could definitely be a stop-gap measure. Also seen bananabeltboats – maybe should check them out when I take my class with NW Explorations in April.

@bshanafelt, point well taken!

@slowmo, putting tollycraft on my list to learn more about. We plan to retire to Bellingham so I figure once that happens, we’ll do more exploring of the San Juans. We haven’t been out enough to know where we want to go, but there looks like loads nearby. Looking forward to boat show this weekend to see new boats as a starting point (used boats then forthcoming). Will start to write a list of wants and ‘not wants’.

@LN-RTP, pretty boat!

@RCook, yeah, we are considering towing. We don’t have a heavy duty truck so that’s a $$$ factor and that size truck isn’t the easiest to drive around the narrow streets of Ballard. I bet you racked up some amazing memories with that much time cruising and fishing the Inside Passage.
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Old 02-01-2022, 07:39 PM   #29
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One source who has been sharing their story is Martin with Let’s go channel surfing. He has a great YouTube channel where he shares his thinking and why he chose the Ranger Tug 27 with the outboard. Including his fuel burn analysis.
https://youtube.com/c/Letsgochannelsurfing
''

Yeah, I've been watching his videos - super interesting and fun to watch.
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Old 02-01-2022, 08:11 PM   #30
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Trawlers don’t go 14 - 16 knots. They are too heavy.
But there are quite a few that will and most look like trawlers.

But for you I’d get two boats. A faster big outboard and a good suitable recreational trawler. If you keep your OB small enough and light enough to be trailerable a whole new world of boating will find you.
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Old 02-01-2022, 08:20 PM   #31
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Trawlers don’t go 14 - 16 knots. They are too heavy.
But there are quite a few that will and most look like trawlers.

But for you I’d get two boats. A faster big outboard and a good suitable recreational trawler. If you keep your OB small enough and light enough to be trailerable a whole new world of boating will find you.
Okay. Two boats. I’ll let my husband know he can’t quit his job!
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Old 02-01-2022, 11:49 PM   #32
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With a substantial enough tow vehicle, you could pull a C-Dory 25 or 26, or a Sea Sport 24, 26 or 27. Any of these could work for a couple, and cruise at 15-20 knots or a bit more, depending on engine. Some larger Sea Sports have diesel power. There are a handful of Sea Sports on Yachtworld.

After 7 years with our C-Dory 22, we upgraded to a 26-foot diesel/sterndrive powered Bounty 257, much like a similar-sized Sea Sport. It would cruise at 18 knots and 1.75 nmpg, or at 6-6.5 knots and 4 nmpg. Cruised and fished the Inside Passage with this one for 18 summers and nearly 40,000 nm, with a third crew some of the time.

If you decide not to go with a towable boat, a Camano 31 or Nordic Tug 32 could be a great choice. They would offer much more space, very pleasant and economical cruising at 6-7 knots, or more speed if you're OK with burning a good bit more fuel.
I have no relation to this Nordic Tug, but certainly worth a look: https://www.yachtworld.com/yacht/200...ic-32-8196659/
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Old 02-02-2022, 04:09 AM   #33
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Hello from Western Australia,

I am new to the forum, Ive grown up on sailing boats and am looking to buy a Trawler styled boat to life abroad here in West Aus, Apologies for Bombing this post. Could someone kindly tell me how to create a new post as I have a few questions to ask ?

Thanks in advance.
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Old 02-02-2022, 04:37 AM   #34
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Hello from Western Australia,

I am new to the forum, Ive grown up on sailing boats and am looking to buy a Trawler styled boat to life abroad here in West Aus, Apologies for Bombing this post. Could someone kindly tell me how to create a new post as I have a few questions to ask ?

Thanks in advance.
Go to top of the page, hit Forum, scroll down and pick subject. Hit New Thread.

I think.
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Old 02-02-2022, 05:42 AM   #35
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"We are on the fence about trailering - it would require a much larger, heavy duty truck ($$$) than our Tacoma and traffic sucks in Seattle".

For the adventurous there is a workaround.
A tractor from an 18 wheeler that has living quarters attached can be registered as a motor home.
The local regs mist be followed ,stove , toilet , but as a motor home a CDL is not required , anyone can drive it. What is required inside varies by state, do check yours.

RV Insurance is quite low, as is the initial cost.

While it may have too many miles to run another 200,000 every year a few thousand a year is no big deal.
Lots have automatic trannys , so rowing thru 15 or more gears is all gone.
You should be able to find a nice one for $10-$15K , and once registered as a motor home , very easy to sell and recoup your costs.

The laws for private vehicles uses the same limits for width , but IS limited an overall length.65ft LOA is common., shorter in some east coast states 55ft.

A concept for the folks that might wish to have an RV for small trips that could tow a boat or camping trailer.
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Old 02-02-2022, 07:03 AM   #36
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Excellent concept...search places like Ebay, MrktPl, RvTrdr using the term 'Toterhome' for one already built out.
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Old 02-02-2022, 07:37 AM   #37
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Tow vehicle vs. Slip... both are expensive. The tow vehicle probably is much easier to find, but for me a slip brings a lot more pleasure. There are days that are nice enough to enjoy being aboard, while sea conditions are too unpleasant to go anywhere. In a nice marina you'll meet friends and have a social community, maybe even a pool and a restaurant/bar. If you want a slip, start looking for one yesterday.

A slip inside the locks has the advantage of being in fresh water, but be aware that the locks can add stress and require a lot of patience on busy weekends. It can be a show unto itself, but an unwelcome one when you just want to "get there".
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Old 02-03-2022, 02:42 PM   #38
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huruta, you surely are getting lots of excellent advice! Here are a few more thoughts:

ComoDave's point - charter first - bears repeating. When we wanted to 'get into sailing', we luckily fell into a group of six that chartered a Cal 34 for a weekend. We explained to the Captain we were they to learn and he made sure it was the 'guests' who worked the boat. We had a blast and the main lesson for us was how much we didn't know. It also helped confirm how genuine our interest was. We then chartered a sailboat for a week owned by a retired USCG Captain who's 'package' was instruction first, recreation second. Day 1 was a one hour lecture and then learning how to raise and sail on a single sail. On Day 5 we were running the boat, coastal sailing after raising the hook and deflating the dinghy we'd used the night before (for our 'graduation dinner' ashore ). Those 2 experiences are the main reason we now knew what boat to look for, and that first great boat choice led to 30,000+ miles and 53 countries. If you are like we were, there's a lot of 'you don't know what you don't know' right now. The good news is that there are solutions to that puzzle.

It's natural to think of a boat in terms of length but you also need to consider its "size" in terms of its displacement (the weight of the water it displaces...or simply its weight). All things being equal - please note the qualifier - a heavier boat will require more power (aka: fuel burn) for a given speed. OTOH it may also better handle (re: its performance) the payload you put aboard the boat. In a stiff blow on the hook, it will require stronger/heavier ground tackle (and a safe way to handle it). Some longer boats will weigh less than some shorter boats. Some lighter boats are built stronger than some heavier boats due to advanced construction techniques and materials. When weighing which boats may be 'too much' for you and which are 'not big enough', just keep one eye on displacement and its implications.

You're getting lots of info thrown at you right now, so please just stick these two references away for later reflection. But you'll notice fuel consumption is discussed repeatedly in these posts...because it has such an elemental influence on the nature of power boating. And it sure looks like you're headed for a used boat, which will come with used engines. These two references will help you dig further into how a boat choice will affect your fuel expense, and on how 'long' (measured in multiple different ways) a given engine will last before needing a $$ rebuild or $$$ replacement.

https://www.passagemaker.com/technical/feel-the-burn
https://www.passagemaker.com/technic...my-engine-last

Good luck to you! You have a wonderful adventure in front of you.

Jack
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Old 02-03-2022, 06:27 PM   #39
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The thing with a slip is that you always start and end in the same place. If you have to transit awhile to get where you want to go, you end up spending a lot of time seeing the same things over and over again.

A trailerable boat opens up a much wider cruising area, even if you only trailer it 50 or 100 miles (an hour or two). Lots of big, nice lakes in the PNW that are not accessible to a boat that has to be slipped in Shilshoe.

So practically, you trade a bigger boat for a smaller cruising area or a smaller boat for a larger one.
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Old 02-04-2022, 09:25 AM   #40
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Often had a home port where the boat was kept when not is use or doing a project. But very commonly we are not in it. Would tell the yard they could use it for transients for weeks or even months as we went off cruising. (Usually could work out a discount calculated on occupancy). Have even taken the step of leaving the boat in non home port marinas if we briefly needed to get home or elsewhere for awhile. For a number of years had no home port at all (beyond what’s written on the stern). If we felt the need to have a guaranteed berth would take the week or month rate. Which way to go (home port or transient) depended upon cruising plans. Not liking marinas many years going transient with frequently anchoring was less expensive.
Think there’s a mindset a boat needs a prepaid permanent berth. That’s not true and often confining. A few months ago bought a boat in Connecticut. After purchase berthed therefor a few weeks. Then moved it to Rhode Island berthed there for a month. Then moved to Virginia. Will be worked on and resplashed come early spring. Will maintain a berth in that yard for 2 months as we explore the Chesapeake. Come June goes to Rhode Island for at least 2 weeks to get new flooring. Then drop that berth and cruise Maine. Come late summer do the Hudson. Then long hop the east coast to the Bahamas for winter. The get a berth for a month to do Xmas with family. So for 12 months no permanent berth .
While working did similar. Pick a cruising grounds and leave the boat there. Would either do flights or if closer one way vehicle rentals. Would move around . Have also done halvies on some boats. Half the time boat moored at my yacht club. Half the time at my partners .
Not a fan of trailering. Personally found it to be a major PIA. You take so much time and effort getting the boat in or out of the water you end up thinking twice about using it. For small fishing boats have used rack storage which was great but for small cruisers it’s a PIA and limited what you can own. Just my 2 cents
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