New to The Trawler Forum

Hello All,
We are Newbies, so be Gentle. We are in process of purchasing a boat suitable for The Loop, with thoughts of becoming Live A Boards. We have Reached Out to a Trawler Forum member that currently owns The Same Boat we are about to Survey & Sea Trial with hopes of getting Real Time information on the boats Plus' & Minus'. We welcome input & opinions(Oh Yeah, we asked for it!!) as we look to possibly own a Marine Trader Tradewinds 43'. She is a 1990 with twin Cummins 210's, and other than needing a Good Detail, could be a good Starting Point as we try to make Her our own. Relatively low hours on the Twins at 1900, and a host of current electronics only installed a couple years ago, the boat has had its hull cleaned every 6 to 8 wks for years. We know price can be relative, but we believe we are seeing quite a bit of a difference in the quality, to many other Taiwanese Trawler of this era. For lack of a better term, the hardware & other equipment just seems 'Beefy." Very Solid. No leaks inside from any Window or Port hole. NO musty smell as you walk aboard, and the boat has been sitting unused for about 11 months. The current owner is now too old to cruise, and must pass it on. We negotiated down to the low $80's before the Survey - and will renegotiate from there if need be. Question? Have we reached a Good Place price wise, Give or Take a few thousand? We know what else we wish to do the boat initially, and see putting in another $10,000.00, for our comfort & piece of mind.
We Appreciate Any Information.
Tamara & Kim

Welcome aboard, and glad to have you with us.

Welcome aboard!!!! As far as your question goes, I do not know that market well but it does seem like a decent price by the way you describe it. Those engines should serve you well.

Ransom said:

Question? Have we reached a Good Place price wise, Give or Take a few thousand? We know what else we wish to do the boat initially, and see putting in another $10,000.00, for our comfort & piece of mind.

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If you've found the boat that fits your needs and your wallet, then you've reached a good place. I'd say the same thing if you'd reached a price $10k higher or lower. For the loop and possible live aboard, it's all about finding the fit. Also, if a boat is in better condition than most of it's age and type, then paying that premium is nothing at all, because not only will you save, but you'll get to use it sooner.

I like the reason it's available. Logical. Not someone who just decided it was more trouble than it was worth. Instead, someone who loved it but has just aged out of it.

Welcome aboard!!! As a new member (four months) the expertise here is phenomenal and the membership the friendliest I've seen. You've come to the right place, again welcome.

Welcome aboard.

May I ask, what is your boating history/experience?

BandB said:

If you've found the boat that fits your needs and your wallet, then you've reached a good place. I'd say the same thing if you'd reached a price $10k higher or lower. For the loop and possible live aboard, it's all about finding the fit. Also, if a boat is in better condition than most of it's age and type, then paying that premium is nothing at all, because not only will you save, but you'll get to use it sooner.

I like the reason it's available. Logical. Not someone who just decided it was more trouble than it was worth. Instead, someone who loved it but has just aged out of it.

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Thanks for the Confirmation. Yes, the boat appears to Have Been Loved. It just got a little too much for the Owner & His Wife. They have owned the boat since 1996, and are now in the 80's. A little Updating and She'll be ready again.
Thanks.
KIM

menzies said:

Welcome aboard.

May I ask, what is your boating history/experience?

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Well, I have been boating since the mid 70's, and I learned to handle large vessels in the oddest of places. Would you believe I worked in Walt Disney's Navy.
I originally started on a 38' Motor launch moving people around from their hotel's to the Park. I then learned to operate a 66' twin screw Motor Cruiser, doing much the same thing. I then learned to operate a 100' operating side paddle wheel steamship. A very Cool Old Boat, but Cheated a little, it had a bow thruster. I then learned to operate a 120' 200 ton ferryboat. After a while, I was made a trainer, and taught others to operate the same. Yes, we were LandLocked on the Seven Seas Lagoon and Bay Lake, but have made literally many hundreds of docking's in some pretty lousy conditions. In the last 20 or so years we've pleasure boated in and around the Port Canaveral & New Smyrna area as well as many trips to the Key's to try to sweet talk a few lobster out of the homes. It is now time to take that practical experience and put it to Good Use.

Great experience! I'll bet you know the horn signals cold! Almost constant around the WDW lakes.

I'd guess that 90% of the boating public do not know even the most basic horn signals!

Even scarier, 50% of these don't use their radios either!

Ransom
Wow... great experience from the inland Navy.
Welcome aboard TF...a great bunch of folks here with common interest but vastly different experience...and sometimes opinions

Sounds like you have done your homework.
Good luck w the adventure

Ransom said:

Well, I have been boating since the mid 70's, and I learned to handle large vessels in the oddest of places. Would you believe I worked in Walt Disney's Navy.
I originally started on a 38' Motor launch moving people around from their hotel's to the Park. I then learned to operate a 66' twin screw Motor Cruiser, doing much the same thing. I then learned to operate a 100' operating side paddle wheel steamship. A very Cool Old Boat, but Cheated a little, it had a bow thruster. I then learned to operate a 120' 200 ton ferryboat. After a while, I was made a trainer, and taught others to operate the same. Yes, we were LandLocked on the Seven Seas Lagoon and Bay Lake, but have made literally many hundreds of docking's in some pretty lousy conditions. In the last 20 or so years we've pleasure boated in and around the Port Canaveral & New Smyrna area as well as many trips to the Key's to try to sweet talk a few lobster out of the homes. It is now time to take that practical experience and put it to Good Use.

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Very neat, are you still there or now retired?

We are semi retired, have been for about 10 years. Our business interests should be able to be handled from the Loop. Communication being what is now - has made our lives much easier. The only thing that may not be easy is taking off and leaving an emerging Gaggle of Grand Children. Could be many quick trips home as we ease into this lifestyle.

Welcome, and sounds like you know enough already to be 'good to go', as they say.

Welcome to the form. If you get to the marathon area on you loop trip stop by harbour cay club marina. We are living aboard for 5years now and love it. Hope you get the boat.

Welcome aboard. Sounds like your going into this with your eyes wide open. Good luck and enjoy.


John
Sue Marie

Peter B said:

Welcome, and sounds like you know enough already to be 'good to go', as they say.

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If Perception Was Reality We'd Leave Tomorrow. There is still a Learning Curve to catch up too.

Thanks, You could very well see us there Winter after this one. When we should be making a turn to Port towards Lake OKeechobee, we're already talking about Wintering down there. You are off of Vaca Cut? We spent many Lobster Seasons all around the Big Pine Key area. Beautiful!!!!

Welcome to the forum, Steamboat Willie! Did you drive the boats in a costume or uniform? Bet you've got some good stories. Got any pics to show off?

Sounds like you're buying the boat at exactly the right time in your lives. Enough time to make it yours and ensure reliability while your getting to know her and while you're still working. If unexpected expenses arise, you'll be prepared to handle them...even if it means working another year or so. Once you retire, you'll be ready to cast off the lines and chase your passions. I think we can all relate to that.

I only have one question....

Were any of those Disney boats your drove being dragged around in a circle on an amusement ride in one of those lagoons in the park?

I always wanted to run the boat on the "Jungle Cruise".

Greetings,
Welcome aboard.

Great handle! "Steamboat Willie"

Well, Sounds like you are having a bit of fun at my expense. No, not a costume, a uniform, only the boats in the park were on tracks. We had the equivalent of Disney's Marine Patrol always keeping an on us and the guests that would were allowed to rent all types of watercraft and zip all over the 1000 acres of lakes. It really was an interesting time. I was real surprised they entrusted a bunch of youngsters with some boats that easily cost upwards of a million.
We are pretty much retired now, and are ready for a little something different. We are doing the survey on the boat were looking at in the morning in Ft. Myers. May leave it there through he Hurricane season, then bring it around to the Cocoa Beach, FL area. By March we hope to have everything configured enough to safely and confidently drop lines.
KIM

Very cool, Ransom. Sounds like an interesting job.

We only tease the ones we like! Welcome aboard!!

Can't use a sextant either

Never learned horns, whistles or toots. Radios make that all somewhat obsolete. I had to laugh the first time someone on the ICW told me on the radio that they would pass me with two whistles. I asked him to use English.

Gordon

rclarke246 said:

I'd guess that 90% of the boating public do not know even the most basic horn signals!

Even scarier, 50% of these don't use their radios either!

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No, I think your experience on Disney waters is really interesting and provided remarkable training, as I greatly respect Disney excellence.

I'll bet you could write a book on your career, especially guest interface!

Best of luck with your retirement!

PS: gotta love the name Steamboat Willie, right?

I don't know what it is, but I've got a real mental block when it comes to remembering the whistles. I know it's important so I have it written conspicuously at my lower helm. It's weird that I can remember my first employer's phone number but can't remember this!

FlyWright said:

I don't know what it is, but I've got a real mental block when it comes to remembering the whistles. I know it's important so I have it written conspicuously at my lower helm. It's weird that I can remember my first employer's phone number but can't remember this!

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Never mind, I`ve heard of people wearing a R green and a L red boatshoe. Or was it the other way around ? And, are they safe from Oliver?
5 whistles is easy, equates to "WTF are you doing?"

BruceK said:

5 whistles is easy, equates to "WTF are you doing?"

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Oh ya!!! Now that I have horns, that's my favorite one...especially for blowboaters who cross my bow just for the fun of it.

New

Hi all, I've been happy trawler Boater in a few weeks the Nordig Tug 37. on my first trip to transfer cruising around 560 miles in three days across the Baltic Sea (Europe) but was not typical of the driving fast, but now I have confidence in the quality and sea keaping.