Magneto
Veteran Member
- Joined
- Dec 24, 2019
- Messages
- 65
- Location
- United States
- Vessel Name
- MV Moondance
- Vessel Make
- Nordhavn 35#20
Greetings all, I am new here and just posted a small introduction in the welcome area about us but will elaborate here.
My wife and I are retiring in 3 years and we have decided to purchase a trawler to travel the world in. This will be a full time live aboard lifestyle. This decision has been in the making for the last 2 years and after a lot of study, we are approaching the point where I need to draw on the vast ocean of knowledge and experience I have been reading here to pick our trawler.
We have narrowed down our picks to these three trawlers. Nordhavn seems to dominate the market in PR but consider the owners claim to have a Hummer of the sea, Tony Flemings Venture travels around the world and their followers speak for a family of many, and the Kady Krogen owners with nothing but praise for their decision to own a trawler that serves as the best living space trawler to call home. It comes down to what we want, need and can afford for our adventure to circumnavigate the world.
I am a retiring Electrical Controls Engineer so my thinking is purchasing the right tool for the job. So I will lay out the project much like I do as a project manager to the team.
Mission: circumnavigate the world in all weather conditions and anchorages from the Caribbean shallows to the deep waters of Pacific / Atlantic crossings. (In style and comfort).
Budget: 1-3 million. Time is 3-4 years before purchase. Persons are John & Carol husband wife team and Snoopy our furry son. We are shopping for a 2-person crew either family or professional crew.
Ok first question; Nordhavn vs Fleming vs Kady Krogen. I am leaning towards the Nordhavn because I like the protected prop. The keel wraps itself above and under the screw. Touching bottom does not get near the prop. I’m not fond of a one engine boat but I am looking at new vs used.
Next question. New vs used. This is a struggle I am currently experiencing. If you can afford it would you buy new or used? In cars, I have found you get the best deal if you buy a slightly used car that someone just couldn’t pay for or maybe it was a demo model with little millage. Everyone knows once you drive a new car off the lot it’s value just dropped thousands of dollars. So I ask: Is it the same for yachts? If any of these trawlers had 2000 hours use, I would consider them as slightly used but still has the new boat smell. Will the bank feel the same?
Our experience; Almost none. I have power boat and sailboat experience but nothing like this purchase. I’m a quick study and I have had a year of navigation and Captain license classes and my wife and I will study towards our captain’s license before purchasing. But that is why we are here. A lot of owners of these yachts have a story we want to hear. Why do you own them? What are the pros and cons of the choice you made?
A new purchase comes with a lot of company support and sea trials with experts from the factory. We plan on hiring a captain for waters we are not comfortable with and occasionally a crew when we are pampering ourselves. Face it, adventure is fun until it becomes too much work. Let someone else vacuum up the dog hair from stem to stern. A used boat will have support as well but it will have to have the qualities we want.
1. Stand up engine room
2. King bed located mid ship
3. Giant Fridge
4. Spacious fishing platform and cleaning station
5. Water-tight doors especially to the engine room
6. Protected prop from ice, rocks and logs
7. Redundancy Redundancy Redundancy
8. Water maker
Last question which narrows down the trawler is single engine verses twin engines. We are looking at a length of 60 -75 feet for comfort in heavy seas. This may be excessive and we could be talked down to 50. In the next years we will be on board checking out these lengths during bad weather. The downside with over 50 feet is the lack of port accommodations and cost of berthing. I’m not Bill Gates but I can chase Tony Fleming around for a little while. Then it’s Holiday Inn for us.
My wife and I are retiring in 3 years and we have decided to purchase a trawler to travel the world in. This will be a full time live aboard lifestyle. This decision has been in the making for the last 2 years and after a lot of study, we are approaching the point where I need to draw on the vast ocean of knowledge and experience I have been reading here to pick our trawler.
We have narrowed down our picks to these three trawlers. Nordhavn seems to dominate the market in PR but consider the owners claim to have a Hummer of the sea, Tony Flemings Venture travels around the world and their followers speak for a family of many, and the Kady Krogen owners with nothing but praise for their decision to own a trawler that serves as the best living space trawler to call home. It comes down to what we want, need and can afford for our adventure to circumnavigate the world.
I am a retiring Electrical Controls Engineer so my thinking is purchasing the right tool for the job. So I will lay out the project much like I do as a project manager to the team.
Mission: circumnavigate the world in all weather conditions and anchorages from the Caribbean shallows to the deep waters of Pacific / Atlantic crossings. (In style and comfort).
Budget: 1-3 million. Time is 3-4 years before purchase. Persons are John & Carol husband wife team and Snoopy our furry son. We are shopping for a 2-person crew either family or professional crew.
Ok first question; Nordhavn vs Fleming vs Kady Krogen. I am leaning towards the Nordhavn because I like the protected prop. The keel wraps itself above and under the screw. Touching bottom does not get near the prop. I’m not fond of a one engine boat but I am looking at new vs used.
Next question. New vs used. This is a struggle I am currently experiencing. If you can afford it would you buy new or used? In cars, I have found you get the best deal if you buy a slightly used car that someone just couldn’t pay for or maybe it was a demo model with little millage. Everyone knows once you drive a new car off the lot it’s value just dropped thousands of dollars. So I ask: Is it the same for yachts? If any of these trawlers had 2000 hours use, I would consider them as slightly used but still has the new boat smell. Will the bank feel the same?
Our experience; Almost none. I have power boat and sailboat experience but nothing like this purchase. I’m a quick study and I have had a year of navigation and Captain license classes and my wife and I will study towards our captain’s license before purchasing. But that is why we are here. A lot of owners of these yachts have a story we want to hear. Why do you own them? What are the pros and cons of the choice you made?
A new purchase comes with a lot of company support and sea trials with experts from the factory. We plan on hiring a captain for waters we are not comfortable with and occasionally a crew when we are pampering ourselves. Face it, adventure is fun until it becomes too much work. Let someone else vacuum up the dog hair from stem to stern. A used boat will have support as well but it will have to have the qualities we want.
1. Stand up engine room
2. King bed located mid ship
3. Giant Fridge
4. Spacious fishing platform and cleaning station
5. Water-tight doors especially to the engine room
6. Protected prop from ice, rocks and logs
7. Redundancy Redundancy Redundancy
8. Water maker
Last question which narrows down the trawler is single engine verses twin engines. We are looking at a length of 60 -75 feet for comfort in heavy seas. This may be excessive and we could be talked down to 50. In the next years we will be on board checking out these lengths during bad weather. The downside with over 50 feet is the lack of port accommodations and cost of berthing. I’m not Bill Gates but I can chase Tony Fleming around for a little while. Then it’s Holiday Inn for us.