Sailing vs. Trawlering

cardude01 · Apr 17, 2018

Larry is an excellent sailor as it turns out. When my drone was in flyaway mode and I was out on deck with the controller in O-sh$t mode, he whipped the boat around with full sails flying in an attempt to follow the drone.

Full disclosure, I’m not sure he remembered the sails were up. [emoji23]

dhays · Apr 17, 2018

cardude01 said:
Larry,

I’ve been watching the Sailing LaVagabond YouTube channel for awhile now, and they are are currently sailing across the Atlantic headed towards Florida. Their new boat is a 45’ Outremer catamaran, and it sure seems fast and stable. On the last video they talk about surfing down waves at 19 knots. Is that safe? Would you be comfortable ocean cruising on a cat? Is reefing early and often even more important on a cat because of all the stress on the rig?

I would not want to be in that type of water in a cat. If it goes turtle, all is over. You can knock down a monohull sailboat and it will come back up. If you roll it, you will have lost your rig, but you will still be floating.

Simi 60 · Apr 17, 2018

dhays said:
I If it goes turtle, all is over. You can knock down a monohull sailboat and it will come back up. If you roll it, you will have lost your rig, but you will still be floating.

If it goes turtle you have a massive highly visible life raft.

The mono on the other hand, if it loses a rig, can easily be holed by a still attached swinging mast section and sink.
It can lose its keel and sink
It can lose a through hull and sink
It has happened before, the ocean floor is littered with evidence.

I have had both types and have sailed and raced in some pretty wild conditions.
I doubt id ever go back to a monohulled sailing vessel.

RT Firefly · Apr 17, 2018

Greetings,
I will shamefully admit I've been on sailboats twice in my life. Thankfully they never left the dock. The wind is either too weak, too strong or from the wrong direction. Then it's iron spinnaker time.

Fletcher500 · Apr 17, 2018

I was a co owner of a sailboat 30 years ago and learned a lot from my partner who had an offshore racing background. The boat was sold when I got married because we could not afford a boat so I had fun with surfboards for my ocean fix.

Got back into boating seven years ago, and did the express cruiser thing. It made more sense to have the speed while my kids were still with us and we had limited time to go places. Great memories on a 39 Sea Ray that never gave me any issues.

Our kids are gone and we are getting closer to retirement, so on to the next phase, a single engine boat that cruises at 7 to 8 with lots of living space. Trawler versus sailboat is summed up well in previous posts by people who have much more experience than I do on sailboats. Also, the physical aspects with a bad back, knees etc. I couldn’t do the sailboat route even if I wanted to.

It’s all good. Whatever gets you on the water and makes you happy.

HiDHo · Apr 17, 2018

I sailed full keel sailboats for about 25 years, days weekends and months, twice to the Bahamas. There is a feeling that comes thru the tiller coupled with the wind and sound of the water on the hull. Sails set, and the power of the wind and sails set drawing the boat thru the water that has to be expieienced to understand the why of sailing. The physical requirements of sailing, spartan living and sailing in weather, convinced me it was time to transition to trawlers. I still would not turn down the chance to day sail a Cape Dory Typhoon, my favorite small sailboat if ever offered.
Bill

Pack Mule · Apr 17, 2018

I don’t know the answer but this is what I did and what I’m doing now

healhustler · Apr 17, 2018

cardude01 said:
Larry is an excellent sailor as it turns out. When my drone was in flyaway mode and I was out on deck with the controller in O-sh$t mode, he whipped the boat around with full sails flying in an attempt to follow the drone.

Full disclosure, I’m not sure he remembered the sails were up. [emoji23]

In addition to an excellent sailor and boat pilot, Bill has recently added drone acrobatics to his skill set. While I was at the helm and in the process of conducting the ultimate jibe, he actually flew the drone full throttle through the rigging without touching anything, then flipped her upside down for a perfect four point landing in the water. I haven't seen a more deliberate splash down since the Mercury program. :popcorn:

AKDoug · Apr 17, 2018

john61ct said:
I thought this was very telling

Sailors want to be right out in nature, no windows in between.

Giving up the creature comforts is often most of the point for them.

When you are at anchor, and the bears are on the beach, in a sailboat you have no idea they are. Likewise any form of wildlife near your boat when not underway... which was my point.

FOG · Apr 17, 2018

I love sailing and sailboats. Mostly sailed in SoCal and chartered in other locations.
Now own a trawler. Going to do the Great Loop. It’s the right boat for us for this trip. Might charter a sailboat when we get to the Great Lakes.
For me it’s pick the adventure and then pick the right boat for your adventure so it doesn’t turn into an ordeal.

Greatlaker221 · Apr 18, 2018

Simi 60 said:
If it goes turtle you have a massive highly visible life raft.

The mono on the other hand, if it loses a rig, can easily be holed by a still attached swinging mast section and sink.
It can lose its keel and sink
It can lose a through hull and sink
It has happened before, the ocean floor is littered with evidence.

I have had both types and have sailed and raced in some pretty wild conditions.
I doubt id ever go back to a monohulled sailing vessel.

I salvaged two trimarans racing in the Chicago to Mackinaw race in different years. Both had a lot of sail up when gusts hit. Both turtled and lost most of the rigging to wave action awaiting salvage. Both totaled. They actually have a very low profile when upside down. Hard to see even on radar until you are close. Cruising a cat or trimaran is one thing but racing temps some too close to disaster. Bury a sponson and the wind pushes you over. I’ll post a pic from my phone.

Greatlaker221 · Apr 18, 2018

This was 17 miles east of Milwaukee last year. Sold the business so now just a cruiser.

Simi 60 · Apr 18, 2018

Greatlaker221 said:
This was 17 miles east of Milwaukee last year. Sold the business so now just a cruiser.

]

Still better than a mono on the bottom.
And highly visible from an aircraft.

FF · Apr 18, 2018

"No question. If I was crossing oceans, I'd do it in a sailboat."

Larger sailboats are for long term distance cruising ,

as folks get older they want to go to distant shores less , and want all the comforts of a dirt house while afloat.

As we get older spending 14 hours stuffed into the roach coach , rather than 5 months sailing somewhere seems to be more popular.

Group9 · Apr 18, 2018

Westiculo said:
Seems like half the people on here switch over from sailing.
Why??

I haven't done it, but sailing seems legit - you save on fuel, it's much quieter without the engines running, and you can still use them when you want.

The only downfall I can see is bridge clearance and a few extra things to maintain. What's the rub??

This Grand Banks is our first boat, but if we could have afforded it we probably would have bought a sweet Catamaran. All that to say, I am very happy with the GB, just trying to figure out what I'm missing.

I can tell you why we switched.

1. More room.
2. My wife is developing some physical problems that make it hard for her to help sail.
3. Trawlering is like driving a bus. Sailing can be hard work, especially on a big boat. .We're getting older.
4. We found ourselves motoring more than sailing on our last cruise.
5. Financially, the increased fuel cost isn't a problem for us.
6. We found ourselves waiting for "trawler weather" for crossings and passages, negating the superior seakeeping ability of the sailboat.
7. Got tired of having tp plan trips around bridge height.

What do we miss? The indescribable experience of the sailboat, on a bit of a heel, making eight knots in twenty knots of wind, pushing through four to five foot seas, no noise but the boat moving through the water, and instead of a trying ordeal, of it actually being fun.

Sugardog · Apr 18, 2018

AKDoug said:
Most sailors (at least up here) seldom use their sails, they motor to get to their destinations. If you don't have a destination or don't care when you get there sails are fine. Maintaining the rigging is expensive and if you don't maintain it the consequences can be high. Sailboats also have an engine and mechanical system to maintain, so trawlers are about half as complicated.

The view out the windows of a trawler is much better than the view out of most sailboats. Also the amount of uncluttered deck space on a trawler vs the deck and rigging of a sailboat are different animals.

It's a balance of features, older sailors I believe realize how little they actually sailed and how much they just enjoyed being on the water and choose a simpler vessel that more closely matches what they actually have been using their sailboats to do when they switch over to trawlers.

JMO

Like hybrid cars, the worst of both worlds.

angus99 · Apr 18, 2018

We love sailing and don’t understand why, for some, it has to be a binary choice between sailing and motorboating. It seems like bashing sailing is more like a oath of allegiance for a lot of motor-yachters to prove that they fit in with the club.

Shutting down the engine, harnessing the wind and driving into a strong breeze are sensations we truly miss since we sold our sailboats. As others have pointed out, sailing is no way to navigate the ICW or travel any great distances on the east coast unless you’re offshore. We also don’t miss trying to live aboard our cruising sailboat. Back in the day, it was OK and even seemed luxurious. With a few more years and experiences under our belts, there is simply no comparison with the room and amenities of a trawler-style boat.

Our solution will be to buy a day-sailer or racing dinghy to get our sailing fix. But I will never say that sailing is any less worthy a boating pursuit than trawlering.

TDunn · Apr 18, 2018

I have made a compromise. I have my 33' trawler for calm days and I have my 36' ketch for the other days. Since we are getting older I also compromised with the sailboat - leisure furl main, electric winches and autopilot. The sailboat is actually more expensive to own than the trawler, but my wife likes it. I do enjoy shutting the engine off and just enjoying the quiet on the sailboat. In fact I only ran the engine 13 hours last year despite going out 50+ times. I really enjoy a day sailing when I don't start the engine. However, I also enjoy sitting in a beautiful anchorage at night in the trawler enjoying the sunset while sipping a glass of fine wine (without the bugs). Sunsets on the sailboat are normally viewed through a portlight because of the mosquitoes - IF the boat is oriented the right way.

MurrayM · Apr 18, 2018

I've heard that trawler people are heading somewhere, and sailboaters are exactly where they want to be at all times.

We came from sea kayaking and use our boat as a moveable base camp for explorations ashore in different anchorages. Also works great as a photography platform for marine wildlife that have erratic courses.

A sailboat wouldn't be as effective as our trawler for the way we use our boat, and sailboats around here motor about 90% of the time anyways because of how complex the islands & waterways are.

siestakey · Apr 18, 2018

Moonfish said:
We miss sailing. But not enough to go back!

We'll get our sailing fix in Tahiti this June, as my wife and I are captaining one of the nine catamarans on the Cruising Outpost Share the Sail. That should last us another couple of years...

Darren

Can we come

Moonfish said:
vs. Trawlering
Seems like half the people on here switch over from sailing.
Why??

I haven't done it, but sailing seems legit - you save on fuel, it's much quieter without the engines running, and you can still use them when you want.

The only downfall I can see is bridge clearance and a few extra things to maintain. What's the rub??

This Grand Banks is our first boat, but if we could have afforded it we probably would have bought a sweet Catamaran. All that to say, I am very happy with the GB, just trying to figure out what I'm missing

The Funny thing for us when I was young I taught sailing at the local yacht club and would crew on peoples sail boats although I enjoy it a great deal I still prefer motoring and this lifestyle. A few years ago we rented a sailboat for a week in the Virgin Islands and loved it

friz · Apr 18, 2018

I would think being becalmed for 3 weeks in the Azores would pretty much convince me of the virtues of the internal combustion engine. Don't relish being at the mercy of the wind. Also, I don't believe I would like spending hours on end 45 degrees off the perpendicular or when going from Point A to B having to go via C, D, & E. Albeit for ocean crossing it is much more readily done on a sailboat than a trawler. I have crossed the pond many times but that was with 500' of steel deck beneath my feet. I cringe to think what was the cost of fuel. Now this guy, Allen Cargile (attachment) apparently didn't hold much credence with conventional wisdom.

View attachment 1978 Ensign Magizine Article1.pdf

danderer · Apr 18, 2018

Group9 said:
What do we miss? The indescribable experience of the sailboat, on a bit of a heel, making eight knots in twenty knots of wind, pushing through four to five foot seas, no noise but the boat moving through the water, and instead of a trying ordeal, of it actually being fun.

Nicely put. Fortunately our club has a nice fleet of boats we can use to get our sailing fix.

mattkab · Apr 18, 2018

Basically a +1 here.

I love sailing. There's a time when sailing, where you have the sails up, you turn off the engine, turn the bow a bit downwind so the sails fill, and the boat shoulders into the wind and accelerates.... that moment is absolutely magical.

We don't have a sailboat anymore though. I shattered my elbow a decade ago, and it took almost two years to regain movement and strength in it -- and that hurt my sailing ability. Also, my daughter was born, and we found that much of our boating happened at the dock, so dock comfort is a primary priority in our vessel choices.

If we ever decide to cruise long distances, a pilothouse sailboat makes a ton of sense. If we cruise short distances, we will likely stay with trawlers or semi-displacement boats.

Irish Rambler · Apr 18, 2018

I'm a motor boater, having said that I've taken holidays sailing solo around the Greek Islands and up to Italy in a 27' mono hull.
My son rented a 43' catamaran and we sailed around the Whitsunday Isles (for about an hour and a half a day) the rest of the time we used by necessity the iron sail.
Sleeping in a double cabin in one hull nearly got me neutered climbing in and out of bed. When walking around the deck it can be a trip hazard for mature people.
The saloon was good though it was slightly larger than our own saloon.
Would I live permanently on board a sailboat mono or cat ?
Never in your wildest dreams, we're far too comfortable on our motor cruiser.

If any of you read my book 'Encore' by Geoff Woolley on Amazon you'll be familiar of when we'd just crossed come down the Atlantic coast on the West coast of Ireland and pulled into Plymouth. The Fastnet boat race had just finished and all the roughy toughy sailboats were all heading to their home ports, every single one of them were using the engine.
Says it all really.

geoleo · Apr 18, 2018

Sailing vs Trawler

I wont mention motoryachts as they are not seaworthy or have any range until at least 46ft long. I had cruising sailboats from 1970 until 2017= 47 years. I have had a trawler for 2 months! I'm 80 . Basically sailing is for adventurous hard more independent people and trawlering is for ex-sailors. Motoryachts are dock queens for status hungry wuses. Go at it! LOL

geoleo · Apr 18, 2018

Some trawlers are motoryachts in disguise.

Group9 · Apr 18, 2018

geoleo said:
Some trawlers are motoryachts in disguise.

Ours is only a trawler by the standards of the usual speed that we run it at.

geoleo · Apr 18, 2018

Irish Rambler said:
I'm a motor boater, having said that I've taken holidays sailing solo around the Greek Islands and up to Italy in a 27' mono hull.
My son rented a 43' catamaran and we sailed around the Whitsunday Isles (for about an hour and a half a day) the rest of the time we used by necessity the iron sail.
Sleeping in a double cabin in one hull nearly got me neutered climbing in and out of bed. When walking around the deck it can be a trip hazard for mature people.
The saloon was good though it was slightly larger than our own saloon.
Would I live permanently on board a sailboat mono or cat ?
Never in your wildest dreams, we're far too comfortable on our motor cruiser.

If any of you read my book 'Encore' by Geoff Woolley on Amazon you'll be familiar of when we'd just crossed come down the Atlantic coast on the West coast of Ireland and pulled into Plymouth. The Fastnet boat race had just finished and all the roughy toughy sailboats were all heading to their home ports, every single one of them were using the engine.
Says it all really.

Does not say diddly. When do power yachts have a "Fastnet " equivalent??

Montenido · Apr 18, 2018

After 3 sailboats, and 2 motor boats, I do miss sailing still. However, as has been pointed out already, the creature comforts and room aboard a trawler or motor yacht are just hard to resist. My last sailboat was 44' and very seaworthy. However, if you wanted to do a push up or sit up, there was virtually no space to lie flat anywhere. It was my wife who pushed for a change, otherwise I'd still be on my sailboat.

Someone mentioned how trawler folks seem to bash sailboats, but it has always been the other way around in my experience. My sailing friends all talk smack until they come aboard for cocktails. Then, they can't stop marveling at the room and comfort. I still get my sailing fix aboard a 50' sailboat that my friend owns. I love the view from the flybridge, especially in the Sea of Cortez. You just see so much more from an elevated perch. My drinks don't spill very easily anymore either. :dance:

Still love my sailing, but I am pretty happy on my current vessel.

Cheers, Bill

geoleo · Apr 18, 2018

Sugardog said:
Like hybrid cars, the worst of both worlds.

Your a little off-- "older sailors don't get fed up with motoring their sailboats---- they get fed up with being older!!!!:lol:

Sailing vs. Trawlering

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