Sailboat to Trawler Conversion

[Simi 60]

Originally Posted by Deep Sea

Converting sailboat into a trawler. Should be fun.

1) It'll never be a trawler - the same as strapping an outboard onto a bathtub does not make it a trawler.
And
2) Have you ever been on a yacht that lost it's rig and motored in any sort conditions without?
It ain't a pleasant experience

[Scooby5959]

I thought of this many many times, I have bought and sold a lot of boats over the years ,I will find a Boat that needs work keep it and use it for a while and move onto the next one , I run into great deals all of the time ,there is a 36 foot sailboat down at the port close to where I live , been sitting for at least five years a little rot in it here and there the interior is a little rough it’s has a like new inboard diesel engine in it that would be great, Everything you need inside birth head galley , everything including Some old electronics, I could buy this boat from the port or $50 but it Has to be moved , Shorten and modify the Keel , Strip the rigging , leaving a winch or two that might help you out down the road,Build a small pilot house , plywood and two by fours whatever ,clean up the fuel tank filters oil , head off to Alaska for a summer of your lifetime ,Total investment thousand bucks you could probably sell it for five when you’re done with it

[Nomad Willy]

A bit offensive re the bathtub Simi.

And if it has the essence of a trawler it is.
Heavy, non-planing, fair range … but it may not be a trawler w an OB. I say that and know that if one put an OB on a 25 Albin .. I think that’s a trawler but it’s lacking trawler essence on three counts.
1. Not heavy.
2. Lacks the trawler look.
3. Only moderate range.

There’s an iffy range of trawlerness. There’s a “Finn” boat on this forum that is deep into the iffy range .. but I’d but at least inclined to call it a trawler. Re the OB power I’d say hull bottom aft and speed range says much more about trawlerness than OB or not. But not many OB boats will have heavyness in their soec’s.

But here on the forum I can (or you can) talk about a specific boat repeatedly and use the word trawler. Few will call me out and many more will think badly about me and think of me as a horses ass.

But speed I think shoots more boats out of the trawler name that anything else IMO. If it planes it’s not a trawler IMO. But many will disagree … mostly those w boats that look like a trawler but know their not .. because they plane. And planing boats are not heavy.

Don’t misunderstand me. I’m not saying weight is a virtue by itself. Weight used wisely is great but just plain heavy is almost always sinful IMO. But in a lumpy sea weight does a lot for comfort. But I know of no boat where weight serves that purpose intentionally. That is just adding weight cuz less people complain.

What if I was to design and build a boat that tic’ed all the boxes of trawler but had a planing hull. I still wouldn’t call it a trawler.

[Nomad Willy]

Hey Scoby5959,
Great outlook for a young man but we’re mostly old here. Not complaining at all tho as I love to see things like this.

Where’s “Ocean Park”?

[Sailor of Fortune]

Originally Posted by Scooby5959

I thought of this many many times, I have bought and sold a lot of boats over the years ,I will find a Boat that needs work keep it and use it for a while and move onto the next one , I run into great deals all of the time ,there is a 36 foot sailboat down at the port close to where I live , been sitting for at least five years a little rot in it here and there the interior is a little rough it’s has a like new inboard diesel engine in it that would be great, Everything you need inside birth head galley , everything including Some old electronics, I could buy this boat from the port or $50 but it Has to be moved , Shorten and modify the Keel , Strip the rigging , leaving a winch or two that might help you out down the road,Build a small pilot house , plywood and two by fours whatever ,clean up the fuel tank filters oil , head off to Alaska for a summer of your lifetime ,Total investment thousand bucks you could probably sell it for five when you’re done with it

I love these projects! Reminds me of high school kids working on cars in the backyard.. Not especially "mechanic approved" but just some creative peeps fixing up something and having a ball and learning a bunch of stuff like life skills in the process.
Just because its not ABYC or whatever approved doesn'tmean it can't be done and have some real fun with it..... I have "rat rodded" many boats in both my youth and adulthood that wouldn't be politically correct in front of the local yacht club crowd but had lots of fun...

[Scooby5959]

Originally Posted by Nomad Willy

Hey Scoby5959,
Great outlook for a young man but we’re mostly old here. Not complaining at all tho as I love to see things like this.

Where’s “Ocean Park”?

We’ve talked a couple of times or communicated ,I guess on craigslist when you had your Willard for sale ,I’m assuming you sold it ,always wanted a Willard but I decided to back off on your boat once I realized how attached You were too that boat I didn’t wanna beat you up trying to buy form you. Like I said always wanted a Willard but I haven’t found one I could steal yet ,I have a trailer I could’ve put it on but there are plenty other boats ,I hope you don’t miss it too much or you’ll be looking for another one,Ocean Park is part of the Long Beach Peninsula , southwest Washington coast close to Port of Ilwaco ,a rather significant Coast guard Station Cape disappointment etc.

[Solly]

Some on here have said you can call anything you want a trawler.

I'd think what's most important is what do you want to do with it when done. 21' is awfully small. Putter around sheltered water, 1 or 2 people. Head, galley, and sleeping area. I'm guessing outboard powered. Not much room for enclosed steering.

What will you end up with that you don't have or can't do now ?? Other than no sails I don't see any advantage. But still you can always do it for the doing of it...

[Sailor of Fortune]

Originally Posted by Solly

Some on here have said you can call anything you want a trawler.

I'd think what's most important is what do you want to do with it when done. 21' is awfully small. Putter around sheltered water, 1 or 2 people. Head, galley, and sleeping area. I'm guessing outboard powered. Not much room for enclosed steering.

What will you end up with that you don't have or can't do now ?? Other than no sails I don't see any advantage. But still you can always do it for the doing of it...

I think a lot of the attraction of these conversions is because you can get a hull and maybe an engine for free or close to it. I don't believe they are "Trawlers" but still folks have fun with them..

[GoneFarrell]

Deep Sea,
I've seen it done, was really impressed. Wish I had taken pics. It was a converted high performance daysailer, a mini sled. Cuddy cabin stock, big bimini built aft. 9.9 Johnson would push it faster than my boat. Shallow draft, could stick it in places my boat could never go.

Go for it. Keep it simple and light.

[Simi 60]

Originally Posted by Nomad Willy

A bit offensive re the bathtub Simi.

.

To who - the bathtub?
I was not referring to the op's vessel as a bathtub, I was referencing an actual bathtub
I could have used a ski boat or an inflatable boat in the same analogy.

[Peter B]

The point some seem to have missed is this fellow, DeepSea, clearly walks to the beat of a different drum to the majority. And he has this old sailboat, which is past its best by date as a sailboat, but wants the satisfaction of converting it to something else that at his time in life would be more useful, and easier to use.

But he wants it to be THIS boat, not some other old has-been he might have been able to pick up cheap. Scooby he is not. Also, if he did that, what would he do with this boat..?

He wants to be able to sit back at some later time and tell folk that he converted an old sailboat he had, to this motor boat. Let's not even call it a trawler because even though most of our boats are also not trawlers, this boat of his will be even less so.

DeepSea, all I can say is go for it, taking on board some of the warnings given already, but be aware this forum is not going to be a mine of information on how to do what you want, but will only offer plenty of why you should not do it. Sorry, but you will have to use your own ingenuity and do your research from boat builder sources on line, staying away from forums, because as you found on the sailboat forums, they won't have much positive to offer either.

But hey, keep us informed. We will ALL be interested in how it all goes, for sure. And hey - you might even surprise some of the doubters...or not..? ☝️

[Nomad Willy]

Originally Posted by Simi 60

To who - the bathtub?
I was not referring to the op's vessel as a bathtub, I was referencing an actual bathtub
I could have used a ski boat or an inflatable boat in the same analogy.

You must be from BC where they put small outboards on bath tubs and race. Some are so modified you can’t tell they were once bath tubs. But you call anything a BT here and someone’s gonna think it’s his boat. Beware flying things past your ear.

[Nomad Willy]

Enter
terminal trawlers

A picture should come up.
I love this TT. Yup the one w the round ports on the back of the PH.
Excellent example of a converted trawler.
However it looks like it’s not addressed the stability problem. Probably just needs some big bilge keels.

[Deep Sea]

Originally Posted by Nomad Willy

A bit offensive re the bathtub Simi.

And if it has the essence of a trawler it is.
Heavy, non-planing, fair range … but it may not be a trawler w an OB. I say that and know that if one put an OB on a 25 Albin .. I think that’s a trawler but it’s lacking trawler essence on three counts.
1. Not heavy.
2. Lacks the trawler look.
3. Only moderate range.

There’s an iffy range of trawlerness. There’s a “Finn” boat on this forum that is deep into the iffy range .. but I’d but at least inclined to call it a trawler. Re the OB power I’d say hull bottom aft and speed range says much more about trawlerness than OB or not. But not many OB boats will have heavyness in their soec’s.




But here on the forum I can (or you can) talk about a specific boat repeatedly and use the word trawler. Few will call me out and many more will think badly about me and think of me as a horses ass.

But speed I think shoots more boats out of the trawler name that anything else IMO. If it planes it’s not a trawler IMO. But many will disagree … mostly those w boats that look like a trawler but know their not .. because they plane. And planing boats are not heavy.

Don’t misunderstand me. I’m not saying weight is a virtue by itself. Weight used wisely is great but just plain heavy is almost always sinful IMO. But in a lumpy sea weight does a lot for comfort. But I know of no boat where weight serves that purpose intentionally. That is just adding weight cuz less people complain.

What if I was to design and build a boat that tic’ed all the boxes of trawler but had a planing hull. I still wouldn’t call it a trawler.

I like the way you think Willy. My conversion will be slow (non-planing OB), heavy for a 21 footer (added bottom ballast for comfort and stability), trawler looking? How much can I do with a 21 footer?
Deep Sea

[Deep Sea]

Originally Posted by Solly

Some on here have said you can call anything you want a trawler.

I'd think what's most important is what do you want to do with it when done. 21' is awfully small. Putter around sheltered water, 1 or 2 people. Head, galley, and sleeping area. I'm guessing outboard powered. Not much room for enclosed steering.

What will you end up with that you don't have or can't do now ?? Other than no sails I don't see any advantage. But still you can always do it for the doing of it...

You are exactly right. All I want is for me and my mate to putter around in sheltered waters. Head, small galley, and sleeping area. All I have now is an unusable hull. I plan to put her to good use. All I need to do is to give her some TLC in the new conversion.
Deep Sea

[Nomad Willy]

Deep Sea,
Weight alone even if significant won’t buy you the kind of stability you want. You need a keel or bilge keels to dampen the roll movement. With the wrong timing of beam seas you could roll yourself silly w 3 toms of ballast. You should also know that “ballast to dampen roll” may be better along/under the sheer line. The idea being that you may be further away from the CG. That’s where the designer of the Albin 25’s told people to put ballast in the owner’s manual.

But I think you’ll be best served by sizable bilge keels in the middle (or a tad inbd.) of the turn of the bilge. Good to make them so the boat will rest on them when the tide goes out. When heeled sailboats can fill up w water over the rail, into the cockpit and into the boat from there. I thought about that w my Willard.

Yes your boat will be slow. But consider that there’s quite a difference between 3.85 knots and 4.25 knots. With fullness at the ends you’ll not only gain significant speed but the ability to carry more weight with’in a given length and beam. Consider all the things you’ll wann’a have on your boat. Like me you’ll prolly not have microwave converters or TV’s in your boat. But you may have other weighty things like spare anchors, rodes and fuel for a heater. How-a-bout another house battery?

The ability to carry weight in a boat is a good thing. Any weight that you don’t need is not.

[Deep Sea]

Originally Posted by Peter B

The point some seem to have missed is this fellow, DeepSea, clearly walks to the beat of a different drum to the majority. And he has this old sailboat, which is past its best by date as a sailboat, but wants the satisfaction of converting it to something else that at his time in life would be more useful, and easier to use.

But he wants it to be THIS boat, not some other old has-been he might have been able to pick up cheap. Scooby he is not. Also, if he did that, what would he do with this boat..?

He wants to be able to sit back at some later time and tell folk that he converted an old sailboat he had, to this motor boat. Let's not even call it a trawler because even though most of our boats are also not trawlers, this boat of his will be even less so.

DeepSea, all I can say is go for it, taking on board some of the warnings given already, but be aware this forum is not going to be a mine of information on how to do what you want, but will only offer plenty of why you should not do it. Sorry, but you will have to use your own ingenuity and do your research from boat builder sources on line, staying away from forums, because as you found on the sailboat forums, they won't have much positive to offer either.

But hey, keep us informed. We will ALL be interested in how it all goes, for sure. And hey - you might even surprise some of the doubters...or not..? ☝️

Thanks for the kind words Pete. I build small wooden boats as a hobby. I'm currently in the process of building Jeff Spira's 14' Seneca but I've never converted a sailboat hull to motor power. I joined this (and other forums) to learn the good, bad, and ugly. I feel that I'm getting it all, and learning a lot. The good stuff is good but I'm hopeful that the negative stuff will help keep me from making mistakes and getting into trouble. I've gleaned a lot of good info for my conversion from this thread already.


I think some of the sailors here have a tendency to stray from my purpose for this conversion. I love the build! I can't sail anymore (1st mate restrictions). I want to repurpose an unusable hull to a slow moving mini cruiser for sheltered waters. I don't worry about resale value as I've given all of my previous builds away to friends and family.


Deep Sea

[Deep Sea]

Great info Willy. Yes, along with repurposing most of the original keel into bilge ballast I certainly plan to have not only a sizable keel but also a pair of sizeable bilge keels to help with roll and stability. Cabin will (in the current plans) be of 3/8" sides and 1/4" roof making for a very light top end. No there will be no microwave or TVs. LOL. We like to look at the water and passing scenery. I will definitely carry 2 anchors but a second house battery, hummm...Hadn't thought of that but a good idea.
Deep Sea

[Bob M]

I had the opportunity to buy a trawler with a sail. It was 33 feet long, 8 ft. wide, aluminum hull with a small diesel that chugged along at 7 knots and 15 mpg. It had a stabilizing sail. To this day I regret not buying that boat.


Sailboats are trawlers: trawlers with a stick; the sail is rarely used.


On the Illinois River, we conversed with a sailboat crew doing the Great Loop. The masts were lashed to the deck. They thought it was a perfect Loop boat. We met another with mast removed, again on the Illinois. That crew had no plan for reinstalling the mast until they completed the Loop and sold the boat.

[Davil1]

Originally Posted by Deep Sea

Thanks for the welcome.

I'm currently in the process of converting my small (21') sailboat ation of one of their own. I'm hoping that you will be a bit more understanding.

-----------------------------
Hi Deep Sea
is this your boat?

https://sailboatdata.com/sailboat/cal-21