So, I'm told there is a wealth of knowledge with no lines attached?

Hello to the nare-do-wells, dreamers, and the odd occasional craftsman rumored to be haunting this IP address.

Scars here. ( you'll get that story when I get to know you better )

I'm a semi-retired, electrician, machine tool service engineer, database administrator, computer guy and professional tech trainer. I never met a stranger, I'm about impossible to piss off, I like dogs, and I'm the most curious person I know. ( take that as you might ).

Yup thirty-five years in industry I still haven't learned all the good stuff,.. yet, so; I enrolled in machinist school last year. I'm learning how to make useful little pieces of metal out of big unuseful pieces of metal. Happy to report that while I have been responsible for some rather loud noises, more than a few strings of colorful language, and some decidedly soiled undergarments; no one has been seriously injured in the process. Thinking maybe I could have a[STRIKE]third[/STRIKE], [STRIKE]forth[/STRIKE], maybe sixth, I forget how many,... career.

Then I ([STRIKE]w[/STRIKE]she) decided, that while we really enjoy our little center console fishing boat, if we are gonna retire the way we hope to,... I better say, "forget another career, I need to build our trawler."

So, I've poked around the interweb thingy a little and read a book by some guy named Chapman, another by a fellow named Calder, some by Buehler, and Roberts, and part of one by some off the wall fellow named Colvin. I've been a draftsman, CAD designer, and recently moved into CAM design using MasterCam. Lofting, I get, welding, yeah passable, just rusty. Woodworking, tile, auto body work (Dad was a custom car artist) HVAC, and carpentry, yup ( got the tools and scars to prove it ) Plumbing and masonry are the only two trades I really don't get along with. Plumbing leaks, cinderblocks are heavy. Guess I'm gonna have to hire the through hulls and the ballast loading done.

So that is my dissertation on me. I won't talk too much about myself anymore forever and ever Amen. And if I do, feel free to direct my attention to this, my first post.

We think we want something in the 36-40' range raised wheelhouse. Something between one of Buehler's DD and a TY43. Can't decide on steel, or good old-fashioned wood. Don't know enough yet to decide. Then there is the, do you want to spend your retirement building a yacht or yachting? question.

What I come here hoping to get enlighted about are the things I will be glad to have learned here, on the cheap and easy way. What works, what doesn't, where is it frugal to substitute bits from HD instead of paying the $$$$ at the chandlers; and when is it a prelude to death by stupidity? Whos designs build better, where do you milk an extra knot out of a hull? Can a 40' trawler really do 8 knots with "pushme" sails and a 40hp Yanmar idling at a gallon an hour? What are the best recipes for sea-gull? And other important stuff like how to document a boat without paying 30% of what it cost to build it in taxes. When approaching southeast of disorder from the northwest do you in-fact sail through dis-disorder, or order-dis, or even dis-order-dis? I bet there is someone here, who knows the answers ( or at least would say they do ) to most all these questions.

Looking forward to an education, a few good stories, and hopefully a lot of new friends. -- Scars -- oh and by the way, if you folks don't talk about building boats here, could someone please direct me to someplace that does? and in that case, I'll be in touch in about four years.

Scars, welcome to TF. I think I'm just gonna pop some popcorn in the microwave (still haven't exactly figured out what makes them work!), relax in my recliner and watch this thread for awhile.


I'm not a trawler owner but these guys and gals (Hi WifeyB!) let me hang out here and be a social climber. I've been a boater for many years and I like to think it's many years of experience, not one year's experience over and over again.


Most everyone on here is a helluva lot smarter than I am, but don't let them get you into a "discussion" about which anchor is the best or gun control.


Again, welcome. Gotta run, the microwave just dinged.

Scars, What kind of anchor will you have on your boat

Might as well open the game! Kidding, Welcome Scars, sounds as though you are going to contribute good stuff to this awesome bunch of multi-culture cast of sea going pirates, one and all. One thing you can take to the bank, They are all honest in opinion,steadfast in comradely,truly dedicated to encouraging and supporting all things "Trawlerly".

Welcome.

Al-Ketchikan

Aye, Scars - Another Odd Bod!

Now that I've said HI!

Welcome. So you don't like masonry... too bad. It keeps ya young!

Happy Boating Daze! - Art

Well, if you build a boat half as well as you write, I believe you're going to be just fine...

Welcome aboard!

Welcome aboard. This should be interesting.

Welcome to the forum! Once upon a time I wanted to build a Diesel Duck. Spent a fair amount of time doing my research. Came to the conclusion that I didn't know what I didn't know. Reading books and talking to imaginary friends (people on the Internet ), only helps some. Only experience helps you know what you don't know. The knowing part refers to what you and the Mrs. want and need. There's a big difference between 36 and 40' when considering the interal space of a boat.

I found satisfaction from finding my boat (took years), refitting it, and making it what I wanted. I would have been disappointed with the DD I had originally selected. Nothing wrong with the DD, I just didn't know what I didn't know I would want. I like to think I was able to buy my second trawler first by spending a lot of time visiting boats for sale.

Ted

Welcome to the forum Scars!

Wifey B: It's really simple. Which do you enjoy most? Building or boating? Don't know your age, but for any of us, there's a limit to how much time we have and especially how much healthy time to enjoy to it's fullest. Also, what about family?

If you truly love the building part, then it might not matter to you that you never get to launch it or that by the time you do your peak time to really enjoy it has passed. If boating is your thing though, it might not bother you that you didn't build as there is plenty of crap to work on with a boat someone else built, especially if it's been around a bit.

What do you want to spend the next five years doing? The years you can be more sure of, the years you'll be the healthiest you'll ever be?

Whatever it is, do it.

Looking forward to your posts.

By the way, I've done a fair amount of masonry. CMU are, indeed, heavy, but you don't have to decide which one to pick up next and try it in place. Stone masonry is heavier than CMU, but the 'units' are often smaller. Rule #1: If you pick it up, it goes in the wall! I've done a lot of stone 'pointing', too. Interesting how joints you found difficult, interesting, ugly or pretty are completely impossible to find the next day.

Buy and fix don't build unless you really like building and are willing to pay extra for the privilege. Even better than buy and fix find a boat that a knowledgeable previous owner has put into good shape. Then again I have come across a few individuals who liked building so much that when they finished a project they could not wait to sell it off to start another. One of the hardest parts of selecting a boat and the life style it entails is knowing yourself and matching the boat to your actual needs be they real or imagined.

Wow Whata Welcome, friendly bunch ain'tcha?!

Just a quick reply to all. Thanks for the gracious welcome(s)

Don't be insulted if I don't respond to everyone, I'm more of a doer than a talker and even though I do enjoy a good yarn ( and lively BS session ) I'll be outdoors, in the shop, or at the college when the weather lets me. So, my participation here will be directly and inversely proportional to the number of sunny days in any given week,.... and how many friends need a hand.

I have many queries and inquiries to pose to you all, and I may just have to post a list and see what the consensus(es) are/is.

My wife and I do know, who we are, and what we want, and at the risk of sounding the bore, I'll tell you guys ( later ) what we have done both on and off the water, what "the dream" boat is and where we are headed. Then maybe you can help us figure out how to go about making it real.

One of the aforementioned authors, ( I forget which one ), had a formula for the perfect sized boat. It should be able to be crewed by one, sleep two, have dinner with four, drinks with a half dozen and monthly installments to none. Or words to that effect. I like it.

The only point of contention between my wife and I seems to be the necessity for sails. Sails are nice. But they are nice like cats. They are nice on someone else's boat. ( vermin that purr, IMHO) We've sailed some and I enjoy it; but like one enjoys three-legged potato sack races, a rousing game of gin rummy or even bowling. All fine endeavors and loads of fun to be sure, but as a means of reliable, schedulable transport? ah, no.

No worries though, our elder son, a strapping 6'2", 30-something just bought a Lagoon 410 that needs refitting and updating. He and his fiancé are sailing it to our "adopted" daughter's and her husband's home in Charleston for haul out. I intend to send my wife up that 60' stick in a stiff breeze just as soon as I am able. Then we'll see if she'd rather be handling sheets and reefing rag or hearing a reliable fuel-oil burning, boat mover humming away below decks. Don’t get me wrong, close hauled with the leeward lifelines slicing off whitecaps on a sunny day is a blast! But when it's 34 degrees, blowing force 8 and there are razor rocks 200 yards to lee and we gotta go, right now. Ah,.. sails? um, … no.

OK, maybe a little flopper stopper sail, or some "push me somewhere downwind" linen hanging above the pilot house would make her happy. Nah, I bet I can get her, her sailing ‘fix’ when we visit the kids on their boat. Meanwhile, I can let the diesel hum and the autopilot and gps navigate. AND I can chat with you all. Yeah, that beats ‘diss-en-Gordian-ing’ a jib sheet from a busted halyard block up 60’ with 8’-10’ banging on the beam. Me & Mine all snug in bed in our trawler, let ‘er blow. Yet another quandary worked out, go sail with the kids, come home and cruise on the trawler.

Geeze haven’t pitched the tent yet and I’m already exhausted., Anyway, gotta go put some more work into the porch roof before the boss gets home. Serious questions next time, till then, Fowling whether and fare sees!! – Scars -

Scars said:

My wife and I do know, who we are, and what we want, and at the risk of sounding the bore, I'll tell you guys ( later ) what we have done both on and off the water, what "the dream" boat is and where we are headed. Then maybe you can help us figure out how to go about making it real.

-

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Wifey B: You know who you are and what you want? Yes, she wants a sailboat and you want a trawler. If it's resolved by one coercing the other, then it will be a bad solution. You need to resolve that issue before you talk about making it real.

Edit: Or buy two boats.

Art said:

Aye, Scars - Another Odd Bod!

Now that I've said HI!

Welcome. So you don't like masonry... too bad. It keeps ya young!

Happy Boating Daze! - Art

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Welcome Scars.

Don't mind me Irish bro Art. He loves to get dirty!

Cheers Mate

H.


Art me Irish bro. Masonry may keep you young, but you will have an old back Mate.

Cheers

H.

Scars said:

I intend to send my wife up that 60' stick in a stiff breeze just as soon as I am able. Then we'll see if she'd rather be handling sheets and reefing rag or hearing a reliable fuel-oil burning, boat mover humming away below decks. – Scars -

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That doesn't sound like a lot of fun. Why would you intentionally try to traumatize her like this?

hfoster said:

Welcome Scars.

Don't mind me Irish bro Art. He loves to get dirty!

Cheers Mate

H.


Art me Irish bro. Masonry may keep you young, but you will have an old back Mate.

Cheers

H.

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H - Me fist fighten Irish Bro!

I'm 65 with strong back, hips and knees. Would be pleased to step back in the ring [as I'm confident you would too]. However, me eyes are now poor at best without glasses and I'm sure my knuckles would soon have searing pain. Otherwise... 3 on and 1 off would be a blast to play again.

PS: I do wear really good back brace when spending time lifting heavy masonry materials. Used to wear knee braces too... but since a few years ago began eating 2 to 4 bananas per day; need for knee brace disappeared. Potassium baby - does wonders!

Art said:

H - Me fist fighten Irish Bro!

I'm 65 with strong back, hips and knees. Would be pleased to step back in the ring [as I'm confident you would too]. However, me eyes are now poor at best without glasses and I'm sure my knuckles would soon have searing pain. Otherwise... 3 on and 1 off would be a blast to play again.

PS: I do wear really good back brace when spending time lifting heavy masonry materials. Used to wear knee braces too... but since a few years ago began eating 2 to 4 bananas per day; need for knee brace disappeared. Potassium baby - does wonders!

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Scars, Sorry for the slight highjack of your post Mate.


Art me Irish two fisted brawling Bro.

I still do step back into the ring with some of the youngster at the gym just to keep them on their toes Mate. With your bad peepers just get in tight and work the body Mate or you will be saying. "Cut me Mickey!" So stay in the bloke's chest and you will be fine!

I just did some masonry work. Laid me some bricks, blocks and a concrete pad. A weeks worth of work and I must say, I would rather be in the ring with the youngsters. I eat me bananas daily and I still run 6 to 7 miles a day at about 8 minutes per mile Mate and I am just a wee bit younger then you. So keep eating your bananas!

Cheers.

H.

Scar, I'm really looking forward to the argument you'll start when it's time to select your anchor, but it sounds like we're a long way from there.

As for building your own boat, I suggest you build the dinghy first. That may get the building lust out of your system. If it doesn't, keep building small boats until it does. In the mean time, buy a boat that's close to what you want and modify it to be your own.

By the way, I'm working on my sixth small boat. I have no desire left to build a big boat, but I think I'll keep building the little ones.

I know you don't like plumbing, but it is an essential part of a boat. That said, here is the book you need to read: https://www.amazon.com/New-Get-Rid-...F8&qid=1507392473&sr=8-1&keywords=peggie+hall

HopCar said:

Scar, I'm really looking forward to the argument you'll start when it's time to select your anchor, but it sounds like we're a long way from there.

As for building your own boat, I suggest you build the dinghy first. That may get the building lust out of your system. If it doesn't, keep building small boats until it does. In the mean time, buy a boat that's close to what you want and modify it to be your own.

By the way, I'm working on my sixth small boat. I have no desire left to build a big boat, but I think I'll keep building the little ones.

I know you don't like plumbing, but it is an essential part of a boat. That said, here is the book you need to read: https://www.amazon.com/New-Get-Rid-...F8&qid=1507392473&sr=8-1&keywords=peggie+hall

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Yes, Yes on the book! I am proud to keep a signed one aboard boat from The Head Mistress!

Al said:

Scars, What kind of anchor will you have on your boat:Vbanghead::"

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You mean anchors, Plural right? Goldielox Anchors of course, those are the kind I want.. What else is there? I'll rig mine with anchor rode tension sensors so when some drunk's electric dinghy OB causes Goldielox and myself to part company at 2:00 AM I'll know about it,..,, (I'm a very sound snoozer).

Masonry keeps YOU young maybe.

Art said:

Aye, Scars - Another Odd Bod!

Now that I've said HI!

Welcome. So you don't like masonry... too bad. It keeps ya young!

Happy Boating Daze! - Art

Click to expand...

Oh, l Like masonry just fine, when it's all done pointed, muriatic acid applied, and then pressure washed. Then it's beautiful in its own way, .... I'm just too 'ole' and too 'scrawny' to do it all day out in the sun.

Don't get me wrong though, I do like work, I can watch someone else do it all day long., and I'm not afraid of it either, in fact,.. I've been known to lay down and fall sound asleep right next to it.

Welcome aboard!

I gotta tell ya, I like work too, BUT, I sure as hell wouldn't build a boat myself. Commission one? Yes.

I do most if not all of the maintenance on my boat including engine, refitting, fixing whatever decides it doesn't want to work that day, cleaning, except bottom, I hire out for that. Yes I do plumbing too. Nothing worse than a leaky fitting.

There is plenty to do on any boat you buy. In fact enough to make it feel like you are building a boat from scratch.

A very wise forum member once told me, "Buy your last boat first" ( credit OC Diver, Ted)

Hey there! I've given much though and even spent a little money on small boat plans. I see myself to be somewhat of an 'industrial artist' type over a production boat duplicator. I intend to build at least one small one. And To All who have expressed the same,.. I do think buying a used trawler and refitting it and updating the drivetrain, systems, galley, and heads would really be the way I'd go to get into a trawler. As much fun as building a new one shiny & clean from the bottom up, would be, I'd rather be on the water.

I'll start a new thread when I decide which small boat to build. In the meantime, has anyone purchased this guy's package. I'm a little leary of products that don't let you take them for a test drive or let you have a look at what you're getting for the $$ you put out.

I also really like this lapstrake inboard, it may just be the first one,

I like the idea of a sturdy stable hull with a small inboard and a full-length keel.

Also, thanks for the tip on the removing stink book. I have read a bit on marine plumbing, and I have built a few houses and repaired some small issues with a marine shower, ( I said I don't like plumbing, I didn't say I don't know how to do it or that I hadn't done it, I'm just more a "sparkey" kinda guy,.). I intend to order a copy of your suggestion today. Thanks again. - Brett ( AKA Scars )

Oh my. I didn't mean to upset the spousal applecart. Trust me when I say we dream together, we plan together and we do together.

Married 35 years now. We put away "petty" a long time ago. So to put things straight, there will be three more boats in our future, a small daysailer, or weekender, probably an inboard dinghy, or 'launch' if you like. (hope to build that one) And whatever the wind blows our way in a trawler; and that is on top of our little center console fishing boat and the kids liveaboard cat. So you see we have talked it over. Until those additions to the fleet become reality we have joined a small yacht club on an inland lake where we're learning all the time, and we run around the lakes and coast in NC, and 3-4 times a year we haul the CC down to Charleston for a week or two fishing and just hangin out livin the dream.

Scars when I suggested you build the dinghy first, I was thinking stitch and glue plywood and you come up with lap strake! That's a pretty tough way o build a first boat. If you want something a little more challenging than stitch and glue, look for a strip planked design that blows your skirt up.

Can you think of a better way to appreciate what you're asking someone else to do than to have done it yourself? My father used to tell me when I was a kid that there is a big difference between knowing how something is done, and knowing how to do it.

Now, I'm never going to give birth to a child, and wifey will most likely never get kicked in the balls by a horse, so there are limits; but when you are a team, and your lives might depend on what you both know how to do? Damned right we're both going up that mast.

We take this approach, even with our little 19' fishing boat. You would not believe the number of spouses that can't a.) pilot the boat onto the trailer, and, b.) can't back a trailer down a boat ramp either.

You ought to see the men grinning and poking their wifes in the ribs when they see Tara ( aka wifey ) back a crew-cab, long bed, GMC dually down the boat ramp like an ole pro. We've actually, literally, had some 'ladies' scowl and throw insults her way because she can handle a truck that size. It is the dumbest damned thing you ever wanted to witness, and it's pathetic. anyway, I digress.

So I'm just sayin, she wouldn't be traumatized by going up a 60' mast. She may not like it, she may take some time to get up the nerve, but she'll eventually know every inch of every boat, heck every vehicle, we own. Ours is a long time relationship as I've said. She can't cook to save her butt, I happen to be a good cook. She's an RN with and can suture better than some Doc.s that have worked on me. I cannot untangle fishing tackle if my life depends on it, she untangles it faster than I can cut it off and re-rig a new set.

But those roles aren't the same as both of us knowing ( most times learning together ) how to handle a boat, the truck, the,... whatever,.. the unprepared are the first to die.

I suspect it might be helpful if I were to use some visual cues for a while so you nice folks can tell when I'm telling you stories 'tongue in cheek" perhaps fucia italics?, My dry sense of humor really does play better in person, honest

Somewhere out there is a retired boat builder willing, for a few bucks and some beer, to sit in a chair and yell and point you in the right direction. Find him and you are on your way. I did it when I was young and stupid and I built a hell of a boat. It ended up on the cover of a Caribbean novel.