New member originally from England but in Fort Lauderdale now

[spanishladyg]

Thanks for letting me join this group.
I'm joining to get as much info about looking for a trawler suitable for cruising the "ditch". We have a budget roughly 300,000 to max 375,000 and whatever we buy must be pretty much turn key.

Thanks
Spanishladyg

[ranger58sb]

Layered approach. One is to list for yourself features you must have, features you'd like, features you absolutely want to avoid.


Second is to search yachtworld.com for single-engine diesel boats between 40-50' and under about $325K. This is a preliminary technique only, meant to put boat pictures in front of you... so you can look for brands/models that may seem attractive and have the right features. (Many of those same models will also have twin engine versions, but you can search on that later. The initial single-engine search will usually get you more "trawler-like" returns.)


Third is to look more closely at any other models from the brands that first appeal to you.


Other folks here can name some likely brands, but I'm usually a little brand-agnostic during early investigation. For example, we searched on boats with a flying bridge and STAIRS (not ladders) -- a must have, for us -- and that immediately eliminated lots of brands/models, got subsequent searches down to a much more manageable level.


Once you're into the search process and open up the criteria to include twin engines, you may also find many suitable boats that are not at all trawler-like -- motor yachts and so forth -- but which can be driven much like a trawler at your discretion.


-Chris

[spanishladyg]

Yes, thank you we have made a list sort of, finding something that "fits" is not so easy. Maybe I'm looking in the wrong place but 45-50ft in our price range look pretty scarce. We have been livaboards for more than 3 years now on our sail boat. She is now up for sale. We crossed the Atlantic from Spain in 2012/13 and have been cruising the Caribbean for 3 seasons. Its our second time in Fort Lauderdale now. We looked at a Grand Banks 49 and I hated it. We don not want teak decks or galleys below or "hands and knee fridges". No showers over the toilets either. I could go on but won't bore you. How do I post a new thread about looking for something?

Many thanks
Regards
Spanishladyg

[ranger58sb]

Easy to start a new thread, just browse to a likely section (General Discussion, maybe) and pick the New Thread button, give it a catchy (useful) title, add some sentences, e voila!


And if your thread title is something like "Looking for a cruiser under $300K" -- and your post hums a few bars about what features you'd like (separate stall shower) and features you don't want (teak), lots of folks here can probably provide good ideas.


In in the meantime, I wouldn't worry too much about cost first. Find boats you like, eliminate ones you don't, eventually that'll help you home in on decent candidates.


You might find some you like but are too expensive, for example, but then the same models a year or two older may come on the market -- or may already be out there somewhere -- and Bob's Your Uncle!


-Chris