First Post... looking for a trawler

Herderings · 10-30-2015, 03:00 PM

Hello,

We joined a while back but put the boat search on hold due to life. NOW ready to find that right boat. Mike and I live in Western MD...been running our dogsledding tour business which we just sold after 12 years--time for the 2nd retirement (Mike spent 32 yrs as a USMC officer.) We lived aboard our Valiant 40 sailboat--thinking we'd be extended cruisers. Alas, we have been BOATLESS for 25 years. After some 15 years on a wait list we've gotten a slip near Key West... safe and affordable. Perfect timing... so our intention is to be snowbirds--at least for the time being. Now to find the boat!

Looking for a trawler... but are limited due to slip size. Must be 12'4" beam or less--and since it's a floating condo, as long as poss with this beam. Diesel preferred... but will consider anything at a good price and close to FL. We also love tugs... and thinking about a trailerable tug (even tho it would be difficult to live on for 4 months) since we could tow it up to our lake.

I've narrowed our options down to a couple 36'... love the Marine Trader sundeck. Older 36 Grand Banks work--but pricey. A few 34's are narrow enough... Marine Trader, Grand Banks.

But my top price of $35K cash has us limited to pretty much fixer-upers... which scares me to death.

Hope there are some suggestions out there.

Thanks for any help,
Linda

**Bay Pelican** · 10-30-2015, 03:50 PM

Welcome aboard and good luck.

RT Firefly · 10-30-2015, 03:51 PM

Greetings,
Welcome aboard. "...which scares me to death.". As well it should. You may get lucky or you may adopt a project that would aptly be named "The Money Pit". Enjoy your second retirement but be VERY careful.

Capt Jack · 10-30-2015, 04:59 PM

Quote:

I've narrowed our options down to a couple 36'... love the Marine Trader sundeck. Older 36 Grand Banks work--but pricey. A few 34's are narrow enough... Marine Trader, Grand Banks.

But my top price of $35K cash has us limited to pretty much fixer-upers... which scares me to death.

Hope there are some suggestions out there.

Thanks for any help,
Linda

We are just purchasing our first trawler. My advice for the looking part is take your time and look at A LOT of boats! My bride and I have been looking for a couple of years and been on close to a hundred boats. Probably looked at a thousand or more online. We are in your same budget price range.

There is a lot of junk out there. You will get good at filtering them out after looking at a few. We found a 1984 34 footer with an 11'8" beam. Not perfect but darn good. Maintenance log on board, with receipts, current owner has had the boat 10 years and decent survey. A couple of things but it is a boat so there will always be a couple of things!

Have fun looking and keep the faith - you will find the right boat or it will find you!

John

Capt.Bill11 · 10-30-2015, 05:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Herderings

But my top price of $35K cash has us limited to pretty much fixer-upers... which scares me to death.

Hope there are some suggestions out there.

My suggestion at that price is forget about a trawler as a condo. Get a house boat and a nice skiff to run around KW in and enjoy your second retirement having fun enjoying your boats and not working on them all the time.

http://www.yachtworld.com/boats/1984...s#.VjPrY4b3aJI

Herderings · 10-30-2015, 07:20 PM

Thanks, Capt Bill. I sent a reply with the "thanks" button but do not see it here. I LOVE the houseboat idea--and that one you sent--and would do that for sure if they were allowed there. Tons of room! I've had three in downtown DC for many years before as a single gal... great way to live. Linda

Herderings · 10-30-2015, 07:24 PM

I hope ALL of you got my THANKS button messages. Thanks for the advice.... can't get enough of that! Linda

alormaria · 10-30-2015, 07:32 PM

You'll be getting a nice Marine Trader '34 for $34 large. It doesn't matter what year, they are all fixer-uppers.

For that matter, all boats are fixer-uppers weather you buy them as such or not.

Herderings · 10-30-2015, 08:28 PM

You can say that again... and thanks for your reply. I don't mind working on boats--continual hole-in-the-water as you know! Just don't want one so bad it sinks I'm doing it!

**Bacchus** · 10-31-2015, 04:36 PM

Have you looked at Albins??

1986 Albin Double Cabin Trawler Power Boat For Sale - www.yachtworld.com

Victor_Chat · 11-01-2015, 11:09 AM

Welcome aboard

bayview · 11-01-2015, 11:53 AM

What Bill said +100

Herderings · 11-01-2015, 06:14 PM

Thanks very much, Bacchus! No, I had not looked at Albins--for some reason I thought they were too beamy. Will check it out... oh boy, a whole new world!!

Liberty2015 · 11-01-2015, 06:50 PM

Welcome aboard

it would appear you plan on staying in the one spot ( marina slip) regarding your comments about the restricted beam, if this is the case I believe what Capt Bill is suggesting might be a good fit. On the other hand if you want to cruise, then take off the blinkers and write down what you would actually be happy with, ...... and try and make that work !!!........... sometimes this is a better approach and introduces new concepts and idea's.

Cheers Chris D Liberty