I think I just bought a boat.

[Gabriell]

On Monday I may have a boat.

I think I just bought a 1971 Roughwater 38 (35 ft) Ed monk trawler. A whopping 7knots.


It is an old girl, it needs lots of cosmetic love but the engine is sweet and slow, and it is beautiful (to me).

This isn't my first boat but this is my first real out on the ocean boat.

I am excited, terrified, all the feels.

I have a slip in a marina I love, it is pricier than it should be but where I want to be. The water on the bay is rough (I am spoiled by calm lakes) but the sea is calling to me.

This particular boat does come with a mast (yep it can sail) the rigging is available to me but not currently set up on the boat. My dilemma is storage and the person selling it to me is happy to cut up the giant wooden mast that I am not sure is in the best of shape (?) I know nothing about masts and sailing. I can't imagine managing sails but part of me feels like I should preserve all the parts and pieces but I have no idea how I would transport the mast home.

Would you find a way to preserve it or just let it go?

Why does this feel like I just got married? In love and scared to death.

I will be living on this forum as I have no idea what I am doing.

Off to find insurance, buy sandpaper, caulk, a mop and bucket.

 

[Hyperion]

Congratulations. May I suggest this guy's channel. It is also an Ed Monk trawler and I would imagine, right up your alley.

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLW5Twoc9L3oFaGRepFu5PJQPCPXgX8zIP

 

[SteveK]

Congrats & welcome to TF.

Do you have any pictures of the mast installed on the boat, maybe with sails too. I ask because I have not known a trawler that can sail. Several trawlers were rigged with a steady sail and I thought the monk was one of them.
You are right not to want to learn to sail with a trawler.

 

[twistedtree]

Congrats on the new boat!


Unless the mast is used for other things, like lifting a dinghy, I would take advantage of the seller's offer to remove and dispose of it.

 

[Bacchus]

Welcome aboard TF and to boat ownership.
Ibelieve the most common use of mast & boom on trawlers is as a crane to hoist dingy and toys aboard. I would say until you know for sure you are not interested find a way to preserve the rigging at least in storage.
How long is the mast?
You might be able to transport it with a borrowed boat trailer.

 

[KnotYet]

I would absolutely keep the mast and apply fresh coats of Awlgrip or similar varnish before reinstalling it with new rigging unless the old is ok. It may well enhance the boat's value.
This is assuming it was part of the original design.

 

[slowgoesit]

Agree that is probably more a steadying sale setup rather than a "motive power" setup.
I would keep it for the time being, at least until you sort out exactly what it is, and whether you want to keep it or not. Easy to dispose of later, $$$ to replace it at a later date if you get rid of it now.
Best of luck in your "possible" new boat, and Welcome to the Forum!

 

[mahal]

If your Roughwater 38 is a single screw, like the ones I've seen, the sailing rig is your get-home propulsion.

 

[Comodave]

Welcome aboard and congrats on your new boat.

 

[CaptTom]

Congrats!


We're gonna want pictures!


I'd keep the mast. No need to rig sails, but it's handy for mounting radar arrays and masthead lights, and for hoisting flags. Plus it just looks "right" there.

 

[rgano]

You may think you have a boat, but we don't until you put a photo of it here. Welcome, sorta, until then.

 

[Jeff F]

Welcome. I'm pretty sure there are other Roughwater owners here.

Life at 7 knots can be great. It's a mindset more than anything.

 

[Comodave]

Yes, we do require photos…

 

[SaltyDogg]

Congratulations on your boat and welcome to the forum

 

[Pete Meisinger]

You can't sail a trawler. The mast isn't tall enough, the sail isn't big enough and dragging that big prop will just about stop you dead in the water.

Some use the mast and sail for steadying, not very effectively.

It does lend a nice trawler look but generally more of a pain than it is worth. Mine is presently rotting out behind my garage.

pete

 

[Delta Riverat]

I'd keep it and cut it down.

Yeah, good for radar and good for making a loading-unloading boom strut and stabilizers.

But you won't need it sail height for those apps. And yeah, you don't need a sail either -

 

[Nepidae]

Bought a boat

Join the club, I think most 1st time boat buyers have the same feelings.

I'd keep the mast until you realize that you don't need it. Easier to keep than to remove and realize that you need or want 1 later. That is presuming that it isn't going to fall down in the interim.

Good luck and now the really expensive part takes place, keep your boat floating.

Have fun.

 

[Stonechamps]

Keep the mast

As a former owner of RW36 I urge u to keep the mast /dinghy lifter for all sorts of reasons ! Steadying sail , dinghy management , minimizing anchor swing and yes a little mobility if the engine quits etc etc. Good luck

 

[portager]

Congratulations on your pending purchase! I had a similar situation with my 32' Nimble Wanderer - Osprey. I purchased the motorsailer version because I couldn't find a trawler version for sale. In my case, the mast makes trailering Osprey more complicated and since my preferred marina has a 22' MHT bridge clearance to get to the Ocean, I'd have to lower the 34' mast >66 degrees to reach the sea. I hauled my mast on the boat trailer and hoisted it up to the ceiling of my garage. I'm designing a new, shorter "trawler mast" to mount sensors (radar, weather, GPS, Starlink, cellphone antenna, ...) and lift things aboard. I'm finding the old mast useful to see how it was attached and as a potential source of reuse fittings. I'd hang onto the old mast in case you decide you want to reuse some or all of it in the future.

By the way, some trawlers can sail. Osprey carried a large sail area, and my understanding is she sailed pretty well, especially if you run the engine while sailing to reduce prop drag. Osprey has a 75 HP Yanmar and can motor at 8 to 10 knots, the max wide open speed is ~11.4 knots.

Looking forward to photos even if she isn't looking her best yet. I assume you're still in the purchase process and getting a marine survey. I found some hidden damage during the survey and lowered the offering price accordingly. The original offer assumes no non-disclosed problems, so don't be afraid to reduce the offer if you find undisclosed issues.

 

[Aquafarm]

Congrats,
What about keeping the mast but modify it with a tabernacle or hinge? We have a short mast for radar, antenna etc and the mast folds to allow low clearance passage or transporting and storing the boat,

 

[Pete Meisinger]

From personal experience, you can't hinge the mast. Several reasons: The guide wires must be contended with, the internal and external wires must be lengthened or contended with (radar, lights, antennas, etc), HEAVY, really heavy, especially if you have a dome on top. And finally, it probably is not legal for the reason that if you can lower your mast you may be required to do it instead of requesting a bridge lift.

Just get rid of it or shorten it to about 7 feet.

pete

 

[Portage_Bay]

I have a hinged mast. With radar dome, spreader lights, mast head light and anchor light mounted. It works quite well. It is heavy. We use a 4 part fall to raise and lower the mast. The side wires are on lever quick connects, don't know what the real term is, with turnbuckles for quick adjustment. The rope fall remains in place as a forward stay. The mast is stepped on the lower cabin top, there is a plate on the upper cabin top that catches and traps the mast.

The reason is to keep the boat in covered moorage. You'd need a good reason to do it but it can be done. And it may not work if you intend to use the sails. As to using the hinged mas honestly it's more trouble putting the bimini, front and side curtains up and down than the mast.

If you're interested next time I'm at the boat I can get pix of the rigging and the hinge if you're interested.

PO did it so I have no idea of the costs. All I can say is couldn't not have been cheap because he was starting from scratch with having a mast and boom built.

A buddy has a KK42 with a hinged mast to keep his under cover as well.

 

[amapola]

Congratulations! I'd keep everything for a while. You may find another use for it. Good luck on finding insurance. Every company I know will not insure a boat over 30 years old.

 

[SteveK]

Congratulations! I'd keep everything for a while. You may find another use for it. Good luck on finding insurance. Every company I know will not insure a boat over 30 years old.

I just sold a 52 year old boat insured by Hagarty.
I just insured a 31 year old boat through Cowan.
In both cases I chose the best choice as in more than one. Is insurance for boats different outside of Canada? Or is the owner/operator part of the approval process and over 30 year old boat is a way to say no thanks?

 

[Airstream345]

Congratulations! Keep the mast and rig. Replacing it would be expensive.

For those of you saying you can't sail a trawler....ahem, maybe you just have the wrong trawler.

Recorded this in a 15-knot broad reach with just the jib and main out (not trimmed). The mizzen was still in the bag. To be fair, we had a 1-knot push, but we could make way, and the AP maintained our course.

Pics of the “sailing rig”. Great for stabilizing in most on the beam sea states and now we know it’s a viable “get somewhere downwind” backup to the main.

 

[Peter B]

The OP has not chimed back in. Maybe he didn't get the boat after all, or just too busy tidying up all the details..?
Let's hope he gets back to us with the outcome a s a p.

 

[Delta Riverat]

Maybe, maybe.

You either bought a boat or didn't buy a boat. To be or not to be, that is the question.

You do yes or you do no. You do "I think so", squashed like bug. Miagi San

 

[CaptTom]

No, like Schrödinger's cat, the OP is neither a boat owner nor boatless, until they post here.

 

[Gabriell]

I don't. I went out this week to get aquatinted with her and found that the person before me attempted to cut up the mast to remove it from just laying on the railing. I am going out today with a circular saw. It has a full mast, two big sails, I know nothing about sailing or rigging. This was designed to sail, kinda cool and strange.

 

[Gabriell]

I bought the boat but we were working out details. I wanted him to agree to get a water line gasket put in, get a few repairs done, and pilot it to my marina with me in it. I didn't get a sea trial because we had awful winds on the bay. It started up beautifully, engine looks and sounds great but I haven't been out on open water yet.