Why Move from Sailboat to Trawler?

[Don L]

For those that that have or are on here thinking of going from a sailboat to a trawler/power boat.

What are your reasons and what do you hope/plan/want to gain over living and cruising on a sailboat?

I have a 41' comfortable living on sailboat. What would I gain on a trawler (and I have been shopping)? My wife and I are interested, but she can not really tell me why.

This is an honest question not a flamer question. If you want to just do flamer responses I can not stop you, but I do know what to do for going forward far as your input.

 

[Fletcher500]

For those that that have or are on here thinking of going from a sailboat to a trawler/power boat.

What are your reasons and what do you hope/plan/want to gain over living and cruising on a sailboat?

I have a 41' comfortable living on sailboat. What would I gain on a trawler (and I have been shopping)? My wife and I are interested, but she can not really tell me why.

This is an honest question not a flamer question. If you want to just do flamer responses I can not stop you, but I do know what to do for going forward far as your input.

Many of us have a sailboat background but prefer trawlers for numerous reasons including the comfort as we get older. If you have been shopping and getting aboard power boats and don't see the reason to change, then it's probably not worth switching. Sailboats are great and sometimes are a better fit depending on your use case and cruising needs.

 

[AlanT]

Our progression was 33' sail, 34' sail, 49' Liveaboard Hylas sail, 47' Motor, 72' motor.

Sailing was fun on small boats. Then we lived aboard the 49' and sailed the world. Returning to the South Sound in the PNW we find little wind and many more opportunities to motor with friends and family and now grandkits on a motorboat than a sailboat. During this time I do miss sailing and have been lucky to have made a few passages off the W & E Coasts of the US on friends' sailboats since I became a motorboater.
~A

 

[SIBERNUT]

I like to sail, but at my age I wanna go from point A to B, not several places in between.

 

[mvweebles]

Don - full disclosure. I am an average sailor at best. I loved the adventure. Love of sail never quite caught me - was a means to an end. So my perspective is a bit different.

After about a year being a full-time delivery skipper, I stopped accepting sailboat clients. My reasons at the time:

1. Sailing is more dangerous. In my opnion, there are a lot more ways to get hurt on a sailboat than a powerboat. Sailboats usually have low lifelines, rarely have bulkwarks, and have all sorts of stuff flying around such as booms, blocks, sheets, etc. If I got injured, meant I couldn't work. The idea of going forward on a sailboat to free a sheet or secure an anchor scared the sh*t out of me.
   [*]Exposure to Elements. In my neck of the woods - the Pacific Coast - it gets cold. Even in the middle of summer nightime temps are in the low/mid 50s. That's a lousy watch to stand. FLorida and Bahamas have the reverse issue - dang hot.
   [*]Sailboats are slow. Even compared to trawlers. This cut twofold. First, slow is slow. Second, meant it was harder to make a living. Add-in that sailors generally think delivery skippers should pay them for the pleasure of delivering their 125nm/day sailboat, and it becomes a tough way to make a living.

I don't expect folks to agree with me, but that was my thinking. It hasn't changed in the 20-years between then and now. I think about a sailboat from time to time, and if I wanted to do some serious ocean passages, I would definitely make the switch. But for passages under 1500-nms or so, I am more interested in the trek and destination. I don't care how I get there as long as I get there with a modicum of comfort. I'm not a bring-the-kitchen-sink kinda guy so my heart is more old-school sail-cruiser (a dying breed these days).

Peter

 

[heysteve]

If you want to sit on anchor and look out the windows at whatever beautiful view surrounds you then you want a powerboat. Sailboats are great for ocean crossing, but once you decide you're not going to Hiva Oa then there's really no comparison in comfort and live-aboard space.

 

[mmullins]

For me, it depends on where I'm using the boat. I grew up sailing on the Chesapeake Bay. A sailboat on the bay is my choice of boat. But, for the last 30 years I've lived on the Tennessee River. And sailing sucks on a river. So, I have a trawler. As for a sailboat vs. a powerboat. I appreciate both equally.

 

[O C Diver]

You probably know sailors who sail most of the time. You probably know sailboaters that motor more than they sail. If you move into the second category, you will find there are a number of compromises to design that a sailboat has to have over a power boat.

Start with the sails and all the rigging. Remove all that and there's a lot of things you can do with the top side of the boat.

If you plan to motor most of the time, power boats are generally better configured to be under power than sailboats.

If a mono hull, power boats generally have a shallower draft and a much lower air draft, meaning they can go more near coastal and inland places.

Because of hull shape, most power boats have significantly more space for the same length.

With more space for the same length, one can have more creature comforts. Larger water tanks for more civilized bathing. Larger refrigerator and maybe a separate freezer for better food selection. A better equipped galley. Space for separation and quiet time.

Ted

 

[FWT]

Sailing is glorious on a crisp spring day. Truly.

However, too many days in the rain in a cockpit, too many days under too hot of a sun, and too many days motoring leads one to consider there is another option. A heated / cooled pilothouse and more elbow room beckoned.

 

[Delfin]

For those that that have or are on here thinking of going from a sailboat to a trawler/power boat.

What are your reasons and what do you hope/plan/want to gain over living and cruising on a sailboat?

I have a 41' comfortable living on sailboat. What would I gain on a trawler (and I have been shopping)? My wife and I are interested, but she can not really tell me why.

This is an honest question not a flamer question. If you want to just do flamer responses I can not stop you, but I do know what to do for going forward far as your input.

So you can cross the Atlantic in carpet slippers.

 

[Simi 60]

Yesterday we punched in 50nm from the reef to Bundaberg.
20 knots plus in wind and a solid tide affected chop to go with it - exactly on the nose.

A 45 ft sailing mono left about an hour before us, still motoring.
They were doing it tough as we went past. Wet and very slow
We dropped back to idle doing about 4 knots and overtook them, so those head seas were knocking them, doing 3 knots at a guess?

We sped back up to 6 knots for most of the trip in, our usual 1150 rpm for 7.5 knots was too uncomfortable for us on 60 ft and 65 tonne.

 

[Pete Meisinger]

Lots more room, more creature comforts, more reliable for planing point A to point B., less work to travel.

pete

 

[SteveK]

When younger, sailing was very satisfying in that you harnessed the power of the wind and made the boat move in the general direction you wanted to go. Not as easy as a power boat you just point and go, so a challenge that brought about a good satisfying feeling.

Aging however challenges the body to remain agile about the deck managing the rags.
What we once cursed we have become. Trawlers supply an ongoing desire to be on the water.

 

[Simi 60]

Our real reason is we simply could not get the comfort level and load carrying ability to spend months out at a time on a sailing vessel unless getting upwards of 65+ ft and 10x the cost to buy.

And then we likely couldn't sail it short handed so would be motoring anyway

 

[socalrider]

We went from a 41' cruiser-racer (First 405) to a 41' CHB trawler. Growing family didn't like the daysailing but loved spending the summer in the channel islands on our floating home. Absolutely no comparison in comfort both at sea and at anchor, living space, protection from the elements, passage times.

I'm a lifelong sailor and still love sailing my parents Alerion 28, but the only way I'd consider going back to sail would be a 45-50' catamaran (which to be honest we'd probably motor 80% of the time). The winds here are no good for getting anywhere.

 

[Antares]

Ours is a similar story. 3 decades of cruising and racing sailboats in the PNW were fun. When we quit racing and just cruised we realized had a really slow power boat with a really tall radio antenna complete with cramped living space.



It was time for more comfort afloat. We enjoy the views from large windows and the greater all around comfort boating. I occasionally miss the quiet and closeness to the water underway and in the midst of maintenance I miss the simplicity of the sailboat and it's fewer systems. Oh, and a big plus for the queen island bed. We no longer need be concerned about crawling over each other getting in and out of bed.

 

[fgarriso]

Don,

Let me list the reasons.
1. Four staterooms.
2. Three full dry heads with sperate showers
3. The wifey gets a full size tub.
4. King size master.
5. Two washers and dryers.
6. A 6' standing engine room.
7. Transatlantic range at 8 knots.
8. Large galley with full size ref/freezer.

That should be enough to get your wife looking.

 

[backinblue]

I'm 5 seasons into my first power boat after 3 sailboats. Don, it's not clear from your original question if you are talking mostly about accomodations or is it motoring vs. sailing to get somewhere because both are quite different. For instance do you mostly sail when you can or mostly motor your sailboat? Do you normally cruise long distances or just short trips with a lot of time at anchor or in a slip? Anyway, I'll keep my answers brief as not everyone will agree, a lot is opinion. The answers also have something to do with the type of power boat.

Main advantage is being inside vs. outside in bad weather. Have yet to need to put on rain gear though I still carry it.

Time to destination is about 4x faster traveling in a straight line at 15 knts

Generally better accomodations and equipment on board

Main disadvantage is sailing was more enjoyable for me. I would often sail all day just to be sailing with no destination. Now boating is more about getting somewhere and enjoying the destianation sooner. When sailing, the journey was the destination for me. Nothing like the peace of shutting off the motor and being pushed by the wind. However, not sure I still have the physical ability to sail, or it least it would be a lot more physically demanding at my age.

 

[OldDan1943]

Everything of importance is located inside the boat. Heads, staterooms, food and A/C.
We talk about a walk around berth and we dont have crawl over each other in bed. Easier to change the sheets.
Not living in a cave.
Weather gets a little nasty, you stay dry in a trawler. You are not out of the sun.
That ‘stick’ must clear fixed bridges. Even draw bridges can slow you down.
Those are the ones that stick out, to me.
You want/need to change course, trawler- turn the helm, sail boat, turn the helm and adjust the sails.
But, as always, your money. Everyone wants to cross the ocean but few do it. Going to Bermuda or the islands in the south east or to Hawaii and the islands on the west coast but seldom do we hear of folks actually crossing the ocean.

 

[Jeff F]

I went from sailboats to a trawler/power boat 7 years ago to travel rivers and waterways. I'm now on my second trawler, and have recently been trying to make the case to myself for swapping back to sail.

It's a tough case to make. I'm tempted occasionally by motorsailors, but it's very rare that I see a sailboat that I'd choose over my current boat.

 

[PhilPB]

You wait for far less bridge openings.

 

[DDW]

For me, it depends on where I'm using the boat. I grew up sailing on the Chesapeake Bay. A sailboat on the bay is my choice of boat. But, for the last 30 years I've lived on the Tennessee River. And sailing sucks on a river. So, I have a trawler. As for a sailboat vs. a powerboat. I appreciate both equally.

I agree with this. In the PNW where I keep my trawler, a sailboat is relatively useless for sailing. On SF bay where I currently keep my sailboat, a trawler is relatively useless (for anything but a dock queen liveaboard).

It depends on where you are, where you are going, and what you intend to do with it. If one was clearly better than the other for everything, there would only be one.

 

[mvweebles]

OP - I'd be curious to hear what brought you to look at power vs. sail. You've obviously made a serious commitment to cruising and spent many years doing it a aboard a comfortable and well equipped sailboat. Why change?

Sail-to-power topic is a frequent one on TF. My observation of the common threads is that people simply age-out of sailing. They want a similar adventure without the work and effort. Plus, they want more creature comforts aboard than a modest sized sailboat can comfortably carry. A 42-foot trawler is large enough for a chest freezer, a 50-inch TV, and multi-zone AC with plenty of generator to run them.

Before my fellow TF'ers take umbrage, hear me out. I say this because when newbies come asking about what boat should they buy, the responses have a dominant theme: 36-feet is possible but really something in the 40s is needed to carry the desired kit to make cruising enjoyable. I'd say a 42-foot trawler has the interior space of a sailboat in the low/mid 50s.

TF demographic is a bit older, guessing some financial success in life and can afford some comforts. Maybe they have adult children or grandchildren, and they'd like space for their family to visit. One TF member loves to make pizza and has a Camp Chef pizza oven on his back deck. They are done with minimalist sailing.

Bottom line is I suspect there is more to it than the rejection of cave-like interior and other platitudes that are routinely cited. It's not that simple, just as it isn't as simple as many sailors say when they suggest power is boring and powerboaters are only interested in the destination, not the journey.

To wrap up, I'd be interested to know the thought process that led you to start investigating power. Sounds like you want to continue to cruise, but something is driving a change of platform.

Peter

 

[Don L]

OP - I'd be curious to hear what brought you to look at power vs. sail. You've obviously made a serious commitment to cruising and spent many years doing it a aboard a comfortable and well equipped sailboat. Why change? Well that is the question and I am trying to decide if I am thinking of changing on a whim so am trying to identify what I expect to gain.

Sail-to-power topic is a frequent one on TF. My observation of the common threads is that people simply age-out of sailing. They want a similar adventure without the work and effort. Plus, they want more creature comforts aboard than a modest sized sailboat can comfortably carry. A 42-foot trawler is large enough for a chest freezer, a 50-inch TV, and multi-zone AC with plenty of generator to run them. Well I already have a 42" TV, a freezer that holds 2 months worth of meat, 2 air conditions, a queen size berth, a great standup shower etc. I have lived and cruised a lived on this boat full time for 6.5 years.

Before my fellow TF'ers take umbrage, hear me out. I say this because when newbies come asking about what boat should they buy, the responses have a dominant theme: 36-feet is possible but really something in the 40s is needed to carry the desired kit to make cruising enjoyable. I'd say a 42-foot trawler has the interior space of a sailboat in the low/mid 50s. Looking at boats for sale it appears it is going to take a larger trawler than my sailboat for us and be around 46-49'


To wrap up, I'd be interested to know the thought process that led you to start investigating power. Sounds like you want to continue to cruise, but something is driving a change of platform.

Peter

I think 1 of the main drivers to change is that we don't get to sail enough! But I still thing sailing and make lots of effort to planning for conditions I can turn off the engine and SAIL!

We are still trying to identify the reasons to change, but the thought has been bouncing around in our heads for 6 years.

I will say that one of the reason is the draft. We could go to a lot more places (we think) if we didn't have a 6'4" draft.

 

[rslifkin]

I think 1 of the main drivers to change is that we don't get to sail enough! But I still thing sailing and make lots of effort to planning for conditions I can turn off the engine and SAIL!

We are still trying to identify the reasons to change, but the thought has been bouncing around in our heads for 6 years.

I will say that one of the reason is the draft. We could go to a lot more places (we think) if we didn't have a 6'4" draft.

Air draft becomes a factor as well on top of water draft. I enjoy sailing, but at the same time, power can go plenty of places that just aren't practical to go with a sailboat (either you can't due to draft, or you have to drop the mast and carry it on deck for part of the trip).



In my mind, things like this always come back to the question of "what do I like better vs what can I get better use out of?"

 

[Davil1]

thank all for taking the time.

many of the cited reasons have motivated my exploring.

What continues nagging at me is the perceived "safety" of having a mean to maintain propulsion in case of motor failure (sail).

And yes, toying with the obvious answer of a motor sail/pilothouse.

Besides the obvious, keeping the engine/engines meticulously maintenance that old sailor like me are used to, is engine failure a reasonable question?

I am sure this was a topic of consideration when you made the switch?

Thanks

 

[rslifkin]

thank all for taking the time.

many of the cited reasons have motivated my exploring.

What continues nagging at me is the perceived "safety" of having a mean to maintain propulsion in case of motor failure (sail).

And yes, toying with the obvious answer of a motor sail/pilothouse.

Besides the obvious, keeping the engine/engines meticulously maintenance that old sailor like me are used to, is engine failure a reasonable question?

I am sure this was a topic of consideration when you made the switch?

Thanks

Loss of propulsion is a concern on any boat, especially if you're in a confined area when it happens. But with good maintenance, engine failures or unplanned shutdowns are rare. And when they do happen, they're rarely catastrophic. Most often, it's just time to drop the anchor (if depth permits), crack open the toolbox and spare parts bin, and get to work on the problem.

 

[ranger58sb]

What continues nagging at me is the perceived "safety" of having a mean to maintain propulsion in case of motor failure (sail).

Besides the obvious, keeping the engine/engines meticulously maintenance that old sailor like me are used to, is engine failure a reasonable question?

Well-maintained diesels are generally very reliable. And then some like twins, just in case. There are "get home" options for some single-screw boats.

Near shore, a tow can be relatively easy, even if a bit irritating.

I suspect fuel maybe causes the most common failure, and there are work-arounds (a twin Racor assembly for primary filtration, etc.).

-Chris

 

[backinblue]

thank all for taking the time.

many of the cited reasons have motivated my exploring.

What continues nagging at me is the perceived "safety" of having a mean to maintain propulsion in case of motor failure (sail).

And yes, toying with the obvious answer of a motor sail/pilothouse.

Besides the obvious, keeping the engine/engines meticulously maintenance that old sailor like me are used to, is engine failure a reasonable question?

I am sure this was a topic of consideration when you made the switch?

Thanks

Engine failure should be your least concern. It's not a common occurence if you pay attention to maintenance and fuel supply/condition. We all drive vehicles everyday with no backup for an engine failure. Many commerical boats, ferries, etc, run almost continuously with no backup propulsion. And how many people who sail could truly get to anywhere they needed without any use of the engine? Unless you are going to remote places or far offshore, a towing company should be your backup plan.

 

[Davil1]

Thank you, Chris

agree, fuel is perhaps "the issue" in diesel engine, I do have dual Racor with individual pressure gauges installed, polish and clean the tank periodically and filter all fuel "before going into the tank".

Your comment on twin engines answer my concerns to some extent, and consider it in my considering a suitable (for me) trawler with all the negatives involving care and maintenance of two engines.

Also, your "get home" perhaps a transom mounted OB? is an idea I am considering

thank you