new trawler owner downunder

Hi all,

just thought I would introduce myself.

I recently bought a 43ft timber trawler powered by a Detroit 6-71.

This boat was purchased as a bit of a project and will undergo a fair bit of work over the next few years.

I have owned various smaller boats both sailing and power over the years but this one is the biggest yet.

Cheers
Brenton

Welcome from a fellow timber trawler owner. Gotta love those 6-71's. Any inside pictures? Paul

brenton said:

Hi all,

just thought I would introduce myself.

I recently bought a 43ft timber trawler powered by a Detroit 6-71.

This boat was purchased as a bit of a project and will undergo a fair bit of work over the next few years.

I have owned various smaller boats both sailing and power over the years but this one is the biggest yet.

Cheers
Brenton

Click to expand...

G'day fellow Aussie timber boatie! how are ya mate. Whereabouts are ya? I'm in Perth . There's a few Aussies on here!

Nice job on the old girl.

Sent from my iPhone using Trawler

Welcome brenton, from us in Adelaide. Nice boat you''ve picked up there. Still lots of years left in her with a bit of lovin'.
It appears you are from Sydney or is that just where the boat came from?

Welcome on board Brenton.
Looks like she will scrub up very nicely.
have you drawn up plans for the refurb yet or just sizing her up for the conversion.
It probably pays to use her as is for a while until you know what you want.

Cheers
Benn

I haven't taken any photos of the inside yet.

Sorry, I am from Sydney.

The trawler just had all of the electrics redone, a fair bit of caulking (precious owner like sikaflex) the keel cooler replaced, engine and transmission serviced and a scrape and anti foul.

It's amazing how much of a difference it made, it gets an extra knot now and runs much smoother.

I am pretty much sizing her up for the conversion which will likely commence in march next year as it will be coming out of the water for awhile to get worked on.

Cheers
Brenton

Nice bit of wood there Brent, welcome and I also look forward to watching your progress mate...

G'day Brenton and welcome to the dark side,
Looks like a good solid lump of wood you got there with lots of potential.
Don't be scared of sikaflex, thats what all the shipwrights down my way use and swear by it.
Adam

A handsome boat! The absence of a FB contributed to that assessment.

Nice project Brenton.
Welcome to the growing band of Aussie Timber Trawler Tragics on this forum!

Hi Brenton, Welcome aboard.
Pretty sure I boarded that boat displayed at the last Sydney classic/wooden boat show, it was "for sale" then. Built like a brick outhouse, needed some tidy up etc, was on a mooring near Leichhardt. Sound right?
I thought it was a very worthwhile project boat, the owner had done some work, it was livable, but $ and effort would be rewarded with a great boat.

Hi Bruce, it may have been this boat but i doubt it, it has been on the same mooring for about the last 8 years in Middle Harbour.

It has stacks of potential but needs a fair bit of work done to it.

The Bulwarks are the area most in need of some attention, or replacement actually as they are completely rotten.

Cheers
Brenton

thanks for the warm welcome,
I'm sure that i will be a frequent on here now....

first order of business, replace the plumbing and black water tank, this should be an interesting job.....

Hi all,

Thought I'd post some photos of my woodie.....
She, (MJC)



was built in 1964 in Townsville by KG Smith Boatbuilders for a guy named Wally Price who bought her to transfer his Freemason mates over to Magnetic Island for meetings at the Masonic Hall. Sometime in the 70's she was sold to Nth Qld Towing Company as a Line Launch taking the lines from ships to the wharf bollards. She now is on the Gold Coast. She has her original 36hp Lister Freedom diesel and she's going great. I've attached some photos.

Welcome bluecoast, nice to have another from Oz on board.

Nice lines on that woodie.
I love those Lister's. She'll run forever.


You probably deserve your own thread.

Welcome aboard bluecoast. What a handsome launch. Happy boating.

brenton said:

thanks for the warm welcome,
I'm sure that i will be a frequent on here now....

first order of business, replace the plumbing and black water tank, this should be an interesting job.....

Click to expand...

Ah...'interesting', is one imaginative word for it. Welcome aboard the board. Your proposed next project is my least favourite job. However, looking on the bright side, it should only get nicer from that job onwards.

I like it!

Brenton,
I'll bet Nautilus will roll right along w my Willy. Unlike my Willy your Nautilus has a fairly straight run aft so should make a thrilling ride running an inlet back in. Is that prop as big as it looks? That basic design seems quite common .. opps I mean popular .. down there. I love the DDs too.


Blue,
What a wonderful boat. Boats like that are very hard to find in the US.
I think it's interesting that there's not much other than engine in the engine compartment. Those Lister's are air cooled aren't they? Must have a big blower plumbed to the engine compartment? I'll bet it gets warm. You must be a member of the KIS club.
I'll be read'in and look'in at all you have to offer here Blue.

Bluecoast, there is a boat similar to yours in the Vallejo Marina but in need of TLC.

markpierce said:

Bluecoast, there is a boat similar to yours in the Vallejo Marina but in need of TLC.

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Hi MarkPierce, yes I suppose similarish. I wonder what motor she has....

Thanks all for the welcome. Manyboats, she's a water cooled engine, running at about 80 degrees Centigrade. I had to rebuild the old heat exchanger for a new aluminium one. I also need to slip her in the next few weeks.

BruceK said:

Welcome aboard bluecoast. What a handsome launch. Happy boating.

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Thanks BruceK

Welcome Brenton . Looks like your trawler is hauled out under the Ansac bridge. Will be a great project and we will look forward to your progress. Just hope it is not as extreme as Hendo

I am based in Middle Harbour. Was she up near Sugarloaf? Where do you intend to keep her now?

John

Gidday Brenton,
Im new here too mate welcome.
We have purchased a timber trawler 9 months ago aswell, looks to be roughly at the same stage, trawlers without the fishing gear on them a blank canvas so to speak which is what we where after, lots of work coming our way mate but will be worth it.
Cheers
Troy