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melissar

melissar

Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 16, 2018
Messages
88
Location
United States
Vessel Name
Breeze
Vessel Make
Grand Banks 36
Hi all, and thanks for adding me. I'm excited to see so much good information all in one place.

First, a little intro. I grew up on a 42' ketch in Seattle, long before living aboard was mainstream. (In fact, my folks had to go to the ACLU for help because I was under 12 at the time and wasn't technically allowed to live aboard at our marina. I was the first "legal" kid in our marine neighborhood. But that's another story...) So I grew up aboard boats and around boaters, then moved away, got married and had kids. My husband is from wheat country, a long ways from salt water, but we've had smaller watercraft the whole time our kids were growing up -- camping, tubing and skiing, cruising the Columbia and inland reservoirs, and some time up in south Puget Sound.

Now we are empty nesters and are thinking of buying a trawler, for all the tangible and intangible reasons you all have trawlers! For me, the gold standard was always the Grand Banks. In my mind, a 32' fiberglass GB is exactly where I see us. We love everything about them and that is the boat we've always gravitated toward when strolling the docks over the years. "Someday...sigh." BUT I know there are so many boats out there that might fit our needs and I'm looking for either confirmation that we should concentrate our search for the right fiberglass GB, or advice on other trawlers that we should be looking at.

Our hope is to possibly keep it on the Columbia for a couple years, nearer to our home in SW Washington. It would be a little more accessible and we could get "our feet wet," so to speak. Other options would be finding moorage up in south Puget Sound, not really a long drive for us, either. Until retirement, we hope to enjoy long weekends, and some longer (1-3 weeks, depending on schedules) trips up north. Retirement will be in about 8 years, and then I foresee us heading to Desolation Sound, maybe the Inside Passage, and other more adventurous forays. Just see where life takes us...

We are attracted to the GB because of it's reputation and persona, comfortable cruising, economy and resale value. (I mean, what if we find we don't like cruising in 10 years?) Our budget isn't huge, we need to make sure we have enough left over to drop into that "hole in the water." We'd like to keep it under $75k. Nothing bigger than the GB36, either.

So I'd love to basic advice from all you experienced trawler people, particularly those here in the NW. What other boats would you suggest we look for? Thoughts?
 
Welcome! We have a winter dock in Longview and go north in the summer, except this year we are cruising east up the Columbia and Snake Rivers.

If you are interested in buying a private dock in Longview, PM me. I may have a lead for you.
 
Welcome aboard. GBs are great boats, the only thing I don’t like is the built in setees. My back doesn’t work well with them.
 
Will definitely keep that in mind. We just stepped aboard our first one (well, in many many years for me) and spent a bit of time, but don't think I was paying much attention to how comfortable I was on the settee. This particular boat had new foam -- Tempurpedic, I believe -- but they do look upright. Those creature comforts are important!
 
Alaskan Sea-Duction said:
Welcome! We have a winter dock in Longview and go north in the summer, except this year we are cruising east up the Columbia and Snake Rivers.

If you are interested in buying a private dock in Longview, PM me. I may have a lead for you.
Click to expand...

Does it come with a "Shed"?:rofl::D:hide::hide:
 
Welcome melissar.

Grand Banks are great boats with a well deserved reputation. I have never been fond of them them because the configuration doesn’t fit with how I want to use the boat in the PNW. First of all, I want my primary helm station to be inside, not a flybridge. So keep your options open. When you search for boats look at a variety of boat in your budget range, not just GBs.
 
Since you have been out of big boats for a while, when you look at a boat you should spend some time just being on it and visualizing how it would or wouldn’t work for you. Our first priority in comfort is that there is no fixed seating. We use recliners due to both of us have had multiple back problems. Talk to other boaters in marinas and pick their brains as to what they like and dislike about their boats. Also don’t fixate on one particular boat or brand before you have done some looking. You may find something that works great for you that you had not even considered. Good luck.
 
Thank you! What other trawlers would you suggest we look at that fit our criteria?
 
I highly recommend touring as many trawlers as possible and start making your list of features you want. For us, it help eliminate boats from what felt like an overwhelming number of possibilities.

Also, really think about how you intend to use your boat, where will you go, how long will you be out and with how many guests?

In the end only you will know when you’ve found ‘the one’ but that only comes from looking at as many boats as possible.

Good luck!
 
You can get Powerboat Guide. It has specs and drawings of hundreds of boats not just trawlers. No affiliation. Also maybe go to a TrawlerFest if there is one nearby. They have classes and usually lots of private boats that are open to registered participants to look at. We wanted no fixed seating, no tall ladders since we are getting older and have a large dog, twin engines and galley down. I don’t want to start a huge discussion on single versus twins, twins were just our preference but if we had loved a single that would have been ok. I would not get hung up on a particular brand, but rather a particular boat that meets your needs and is in the condition you want. We are on our 23 boat. I love working and restoring boats so I look for a boat that needs some TLC. Just finished painting the whole boat yesterday. You need to decide what you want in a boat and what work you are willing to take on or have done by others. Good luck.
 
Great suggestions, Comodave...I will see if I can get ahold of the PowerBoat Guide, and also see if there are any Trawler Fests (great name!) near us. I hear you about being drawn to boats needing a little TLC. We have done the same with houses our whole married life...currently in an 1890s farmhouse that was abandoned for 25 years. Talk about a labor of love. We finally got it about 95% complete two years ago for our daughter's wedding. So the boat will really be our vacation property. Yes, work will be fine and expected. But it will be our happy place, just like our small boat is now, with the ability to go out longer and farther. We're tired of working, working, working on stuff and would rather spend our free time cruising, crabbing and fishing, kayaking, etc. If the grown kids want to come, great. If we have a berth for them, they are welcome to it. If we don't, there's always the cockpit, a hammock slung topsides, or shore camping. :) One day, a long time from now as our daughter is going back to school, there might be grandkids that could necessitate a different boat. But for now, it will be for the two of us to enjoy while we're young, agile and have many more years of adventures ahead of us. We have had the discussion of single vs twin engines, and I think we're okay with either. (Hubby a commercial airline pilot though, so as you can imagine, the more engines the better in his book.) We spent time on a GB 36 the other day -- things we liked and things we didn't. So now the search begins...
 
And also, we have a Labrador that will go with us. One of the attractions of the GB 32 over the 36 is the size of the aft cockpit. There will be more room for Lucy.
 
Now if I could find a boat suitable to bring my horse along, also...
 
melissar said:
Hi all, and thanks for adding me. I'm excited to see so much good information all in one place.

First, a little intro. I grew up on a 42' ketch in Seattle, long before living aboard was mainstream.

So I'd love to basic advice from all you experienced trawler people, particularly those here in the NW. What other boats would you suggest we look for? Thoughts?
Click to expand...

Welcome, Welcome!

I recommend you look closely at several different models of Tollycraft boats.

Happy Boat-Search Daze! - Art :speed boat:
 
melissar said:
And also, we have a Labrador that will go with us. One of the attractions of the GB 32 over the 36 is the size of the aft cockpit. There will be more room for Lucy.
Click to expand...

Then I would consider a means of getting the dog to the flybridge rather than a ladder. The dog will not be happy being below while all the people are on the bridge. We have 3 steps to the bridge that I modified so Radar can get up them. He is an 85 pound black lab. We went with a sundeck model because of that.
 
Comodave said:
Then I would consider a means of getting the dog to the flybridge rather than a ladder. The dog will not be happy being below while all the people are on the bridge. We have 3 steps to the bridge that I modified so Radar can get up them. He is an 85 pound black lab. We went with a sundeck model because of that.
Click to expand...

Well built sun deck boats are very cool!
 
So true and a really good thing to keep in mind. She would hate it if she couldn't be with us! I have a really cool set of folding steps that I use to get her in my truck; I will also see if those could be used on any of the boats we consider.
 
melissar said:
Now we are empty nesters and are thinking of buying a trawler, for all the tangible and intangible reasons you all have trawlers! For me, the gold standard was always the Grand Banks. In my mind, a 32' fiberglass GB is exactly where I see us. We love everything about them and that is the boat we've always gravitated toward when strolling the docks over the years. "Someday...sigh." BUT I know there are so many boats out there that might fit our needs and I'm looking for either confirmation that we should concentrate our search for the right fiberglass GB, or advice on other trawlers that we should be looking at.

Melissar,
You can't go wrong with a GB 32, assuming you find one that has been decently maintained. We purchased our 1990 GB 32 in 2016 and never looked back!. When I decided to switch from sail to trawler I knew I wanted a GB. I too had lusted after them for years....with good reason! For a couple (with occasional guests), it's about perfect. We especially enjoy the "back porch."

Their reputation for being among the best-built trawlers is well-deserved. First, they are, as the saying goes, "hell for stout." A history of good maintenance counts for a lot of course. After nearly 30 years, the basic structure, fit, and finish of our boat is nearly perfect. Every door, hatch, and drawer opens and closes like new--no jamming or binding at all, indicating that the hull has not torqued or tweaked at all. Much of the plumbing and electrical stuff is original and still works just fine. With a bit of wax, the gelcoat looks brand new. GB obviously used high-quality parts and materials and installed everything to a high professional standard.

Yes, they tend to be priced much higher than similar-looking trawlers, but with good reason, given the basic quality. They seem to retain their value quite well. in 2016 we paid about $125K for ours, in California. On Yachtworld I recently saw a 1990 in B.C., slightly better-equipped than ours, asking $US 130K. It sold within a few weeks, probably for near the asking price, I'm guessing. (For some reason, boats in the southeastern US seem to sell for much less).

A boat is a love affair, basically. I see people agonizing for years over which boat to buy. Arthur Beiser, author of "The Proper Yacht," said it best...."Buy the boat that makes your heart sing." Our boat looks good, feels good, and has a great reputation among boaters. What more could you ask for?

Good luck in your search.
Best Regards,
Oldersalt
Click to expand...
 
Thank you for that, Oldersalt. Boat selection has an intangible quality and yes, GBs have made my own heart sing since I was a little girl. Everything you say confirms that we should follow our gut as far as it takes us when choosing which boats to look for. I am really concerned now though after the conversation last night and thinking about how this boat would work with our labrador. The swim step and getting in and out of the dinghy will be easy, but can't quite resolve the flybridge access problem, particularly with the 32. She wouldn't be happy down below if we are up top. I think we could get her up on the flybridge on a 36, but we much prefer the 32 and the ample cockpit space. It just "feels" better. We obviously won't choose our boat based on the dog, but it is a very real consideration. Is there a thread on this forum specifically geared toward trawler pets?
 
Considerations

Hi Melissa R:

Dogs rule, and everything on a boat is a trade-off.

Your posts made me think of a beautiful, silly Lyle Lovett song, "If I Had a Boat."

And if I had a boat
I'd go out on the ocean
And if I had a pony
I'd ride him on my boat…

Enjoy your boat search,
Pea
with Dan & the pooches Birdie & Lucy Lu
 
I know that song...now I won't be able to get it out of my head today. :eek:

Growing up on a 42' sailboat, we had Bosun (a nice size mutt, perfect for the boat), then found a stray, very large Doberman. We had a parrot and a cockatiel, I had a pet mouse and oftentimes a kitty. Yes, it is all possible, if not advisable.
 
Our GB 36 is for sale and within your stated budget. If you are up in the La Conner area ours is listed with La Conner Yacht Sales and I would encourage you to take your dog aboard and see how it could get to the fly bridge. Of the regular access steps did not work, I believe a simple plastic 2 step for home use could give easy access for your lab when placed in the cockpit and up onto the aft cabin roof to the stairs above. But, go aboard and see if it would work for you. We loved the wide walk around of the 36.

Laconner Yacht Sales -
 
Hi Keith -- We were doing a little messaging last night, I think on another thread. I'm the one that will be heading up to Whidbey over the 4th and was hoping to get with your broker to schedule a time to look at your boat. My husband won't be with me, but I will get a feel for your particular boat, and see what I think. Hoping we can make that work.
 
Hi again,

Yes, I thought so but wanted to make sure. I will call the broker, Marcie and Art and let them know you are thinking of heading that way. The boat has been awesome for us. We went to the Broughtons on our last trip. 42 days aboard and 800 nautical miles. Fantastic trip!

Keith
 
Melissar,
We followed a similar path; kids went their ways, empty nest, downsized by selling the larger house we didnt need, and bought a trawler.
Lots of folks love GBs so i'm sure its a good option. However, there are in fact so many options this day in age for something in the trawler category. As others mentioned, it would be wise get your feet aboard many different manufacturers in that LOA range before you make a decision.
Also (perhaps you've already done this) it helps to make as detailed a priority list as possible; maybe separated into "must-have" vs. "nice-to-have", etc.
There's no right or wrong and everyone has their preferences, but for example for us we didn't want external teak to maintain, didn't want a flybridge, and definitely wanted a single engine with a full keel protected propeller (there's a fair number of stray logs in the PNW). I also like more working space in the engine room as well as maintaining and carrying spares for only one engine.
I know single vs. twins is a hot topic, but ignoring that, the point is; it sure helps to crawl around on a bunch of different boats to help you figure what's important to you. Good Luck!
 
Hamrow said:
Melissar,
We followed a similar path; kids went their ways, empty nest, downsized by selling the larger house we didnt need, and bought a trawler.
Lots of folks love GBs so i'm sure its a good option. However, there are in fact so many options this day in age for something in the trawler category. As others mentioned, it would be wise get your feet aboard many different manufacturers in that LOA range before you make a decision.
Also (perhaps you've already done this) it helps to make as detailed a priority list as possible; maybe separated into "must-have" vs. "nice-to-have", etc.
There's no right or wrong and everyone has their preferences, but for example for us we didn't want external teak to maintain, didn't want a flybridge, and definitely wanted a single engine with a full keel protected propeller (there's a fair number of stray logs in the PNW). I also like more working space in the engine room as well as maintaining and carrying spares for only one engine.
I know single vs. twins is a hot topic, but ignoring that, the point is; it sure helps to crawl around on a bunch of different boats to help you figure what's important to you. Good Luck!
Click to expand...

Well described!

In a nut shell: There's a trade off for everything, especially in boating!
 
Melissar.

We live about ten miles from La Center near Yacolt. We keep our 30' Campion in La Conner. We feel that the Islands is one of the very best places to boat. You may want to look up the Fort Vancouver Sail and Power Squadron. https://www.usps.org/index.php/sss-home They are nice folks that will help you in many ways with your boating endeavors.

Fred P..............
 
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