Almost underway!

[trawlerartist]

Hello, everyone,

Chris here... I am underway to find the trawler of my dreams. As I search I will be wandering through this forum gleaning info that I hope will help me in both my decision before I buy, and the "fun" that comes with ownership! At some point it will be a liveaboard situation, until then I'll learn all I can about my boat and the lifestyle from friends and fellow sailors. Truth is, I'm not new to the water or boats, but trawlers are a bit smaller than my last boat... I had a 1,092' steel hulled motoryacht named USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72). Sleeps 6,000, fresh bottom paint, full-beam sundeck, and awesome range.

So, thank you in advance for any advice, clever wit, and nautical tips.

Oh, by the way I'm looking for a 32' to 36'...

C

 

[jwnall]

Welcome aboard. On your last boat, were you the one giving the orders, or the one chipping the paint?

John

 

[trawlerartist]

John,

I was actually on the flight deck launching and recovering aircraft (green shirt)! Good times!! Nothing like taking 40 foot waves in stride!

...when they found out I was an artist they had me painting all kinds of things (murals on bulkheads, accumulators, squadron shields, etc), but very little haze grey!

 

[Victor_Chat]

Welcome aboard

 

[FlyWright]

Welcome aboard, Chris. Lots of good folks here with lots of info on boats and we all like to help our friends spend their money! You've come to the right place.

Do you paint pictures of boats? If so, got some pics you can post here?

 

[psneeld]

My son just got back from the Abe's last pleasure cruise (couple weeks ago) as a AWR3 on an H60. He wasn't that impressed...he goes back out on the second 1/2 aboard the USS Antietam. I said I think he'll enjoy the workings of the smaller ship but miss sme of the creature comforts.

Kinda like trawlers...cut off 1/2 the length and beam and you don't have 1/2 the boat...you have 1/10 the boat or less!

 

[psneeld]

Hello, everyone,

Chris here... I am underway to find the trawler of my dreams. As I search I will be wandering through this forum gleaning info that I hope will help me in both my decision before I buy, and the "fun" that comes with ownership! At some point it will be a liveaboard situation, until then I'll learn all I can about my boat and the lifestyle from friends and fellow sailors. Truth is, I'm not new to the water or boats, but trawlers are a bit smaller than my last boat... I had a 1,092' steel hulled motoryacht named USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72). Sleeps 6,000, fresh bottom paint, full-beam sundeck, and awesome range.

So, thank you in advance for any advice, clever wit, and nautical tips.

Oh, by the way I'm looking for a 32' to 36'...

C

If it's going to be a liveaboard...you can somewhat ignore the common advice "buy the smallest boat that makes you happy"...a liveaboard requires so much more than just a weekender/summer cruiser.

Yes you can get by with less...I love camping and sleeping in a hammock under a tarp...do I want to do it every night? Do my family, friends, wife, girlfriend want to?

So you really have to balance budget, future budget, operating style and true needs and climate all rolled into one to make a smart, long term decision.

I've lived aboard a spartan accommodation-wise, 30 foot sailboat in Ft Lauderdae when stationed in Miami, a 37 foot sportfish when stationed in Wash, DC and now my 40 trawler. I could never go back to that 30 footer...even in the tropics...just too much like camping.

Even a 32 trawler is bare bones liveaboard, not as much asspaces but storage. Will you have ashore storage?....and how tied down to it do you want to be???

Lot's to consider as a liveaboard...only 10 as much...probably less for just a pleasure boat.