Seattle, new to trawling, excited to learn all the diesel things

[PNW]

I'm Josh and my wife and I just picked up a Taiwan trawler for week-long trips around the Salish Sea, and day trips to Blake Island and back.
The ship is an '85 CHB 38' with twin Perkins. I don't really know a lot, as my previous were sailboats, but I'm currently not working and am making it my full time job to dive in and Begin understanding all the systems on board and their capabilities and maintenance schedules.

I have owned some old 70's sailboats, up to 34', so I'm pretty excited to move to an entirely different platform. I have off-grid dreams and this has tons of potential. I just need to make sure I don't take too many big risks in the beginning, and that's where I would LOVE your help, I want to just start putting all my questions out there and then my job is just soak up all the knowledge in the replies and go put in the hours of practicing it.

Here's what I have learned so far about the new boat, M/V Changing Tides:
A few main draws, I wanted to take long trips without insane fuel costs so diesel was a major focus of this idea. This vessel has Twin Perkins 185hp Turbo Diesel engines, and an Onan Diesel 8kW genset (not currently working, needs injectors serviced), and 400 gallons of fuel storage, so that seemed like a very good platform foundation from my limited knowledge.

boat type: trawler
condition: good
engine hours (total): 2200
length overall (LOA): 38
make / manufacturer: Fu Hwa

I had no prior knowledge about trawlers specifically but have known a handful of couples and single friends over the years who liveaboard around the Seattle area, and most of them lived in this shape of vessel, so when my wife and I decided it was time to focus on our Nautical Adventure Hilarity dreams, trawlers were top of my list. I knew they went slow forever and had tons of cargo space. One thing I had dreamed of doing on my Columbia 34 was to turn the v-berth into the galley as I've always felt those tiny v-beds were impossible to sleep in and generally became a storage zone. As you can see in the photos the previous owner actually managed to implement my exact dream scenario in a twin turbo diesel yacht, so I was in love soon as I saw that part!

I took the boat out twice during sea trials so I know I can confidently exit and enter the marina and dock without issue, as long as I have at least one crew mate to assist as I'm recovering from hip replacement surgery so I can't be running all over this thing with agility and nimble grace at the moment to solo dock it, just don't feel comfortable. What I want to know from the TF community is:

What is the minimum I need to know and be GOOD at before I can safely take my family out into the open Puget Sound?

I'm extremely risk averse and boating is one of the ways I streeeeeeeetch my comfort zone. So by default I want to read all the manuals, understand how all systems work, how they break, how to service and maintain them, and go through everything to make sure it works and has a backup if it's a critical system. Then go get my 100T Coast Guard license and then get in like 100 hours of time behind the helm.
In reality, when I got my first sailboat I hadn't even taken a class on it and I just took it out and figured it out and was scared outta my mind and could have easily died.
So I know there is a middle ground to reasonable preparation before a reasonably small outing, and then just going out longer, farther over time, but I need help with what's reasonable for this boat and the risks.

This has turned into a much, much longer intro post than I meant to write, but I'm trying to provide enough context to be interesting haha!

Cheers,
Joshua

 

[Comodave]

Welcome aboard. Congratulations on your new boat.

 

[Portage_Bay]

For your Puget Sound adventures you haven't got a lot to worry about as long as you are careful with weather. There is so much information available now it's hard to get surprised by bad weather on Puget Sound. Pick an app or service, watch the predictions, compare to real time when it can be found. Learn the weather systems here.

Join Boat US and get their towing assistance coverage. Great peace of mind.

Pay attention to boat safety which you probably already know from your sail boats. PFDs, fire extinguishers, smoke & CO detectors, bilge pumps, ground tackle. You know, all that safety stuff.

Start using your boat, that's the best way to learn it. You've purchased an older boat, unless you have endless time and funds it will never be perfect.

In my opinion one of the biggest issues faced on older boats is fuel. Clean fuel is essential. Change the filters, keep spares aboard, monitor things, if need be get the tanks cleaned.

As for getting the 100 ton certificate I question the usefulness of that for a recreational boater. Many of the "captain's schools" teach to pass the exam. Not information or training that is particularly valuable to the recreational boater. Yes, I know what I'm talking about having held a license since the mid 70s and watched the graduates of the "captain's schools". There may be better sources of education for you. America's Boating Club may be a good place to start.

 

[JackConnick]

Welcome.


I'm in Seattle too and made the change from sailing to a GB trawler a year or so ago.
You might want to look into joining a yacht club.
Get a USCG Aux inspection, they're free.


Jack

 

[GoneFarrell]

Is there a recent survey, anything on it to discuss there?

As Portage B suggests, start using a weather app to compare predictions to actual local conditions, like "Windy" or "Predict Wind." Most sailors coming over to the motor side have some weather experience.

Learn how to drop/set/retrieve your anchor safely, how to teach crew to do that too.
You will need that skill when fuel filter clogs and you lose propulsion!

One of the most hazardous things on a boat is a schedule: time vs weather state, learning when to no-go and or stay put on the lee of the island.

Radar: practice using that when the weather is good so its useful when the weather is bad.

And have fun doing it! Welcome aboard!

 

[ktdtx]

 

[darnold]

With diesel fuel is #1 2 and 3 cause of engine issues. As someone said previously have a spare fuel lift pump (if it has one) and spare filters on board. Have a close look at the tanks. Do they need replacing?

Next will be electrical - salt water and electricity do not play well together. You will be forever chasing bad grounds and corroded connecters.

I second the schedule comment. Don't be a slave to a schedule. If the weather is at all questionable you really don't need to travel to make a schedule. The latest rescue off Rosario is a good cautionary tale. Someone out in weather they should not have been out in because they needed to "get home".

 

[tozz]

For your Puget Sound adventures you haven't got a lot to worry about as long as you are careful with weather. There is so much information available now it's hard to get surprised by bad weather on Puget Sound. Pick an app or service, watch the predictions, compare to real time when it can be found. Learn the weather systems here.

Join Boat US and get their towing assistance coverage. Great peace of mind.

Pay attention to boat safety which you probably already know from your sail boats. PFDs, fire extinguishers, smoke & CO detectors, bilge pumps, ground tackle. You know, all that safety stuff.

Great post! I would add another thing for cruising out here in Puget Sound/Salish sea and that is to have a VHF radio in good working order and monitor at least ch 16/13 and maybe even 14 for vessel traffic information. It can get busy in the summer with recreational and commercial traffic and ch 13 is best for hailing ferrys and commercial boats that aren't always on 16.

-tozz

 

[Portage_Bay]

Excellent advice to the OP re vessel traffic. It's too easy for me to assume everyone understands a VTS and how to interact. I suggest downloading and studying the Puget Sound VTS manual. And fully understand Colregs Rule 10. Don't be "that guy" who makes a bee line from Shilshole towards Pt No Pt when headed for Pt Twonsend. Red course bad, Green course better.

As a note vessels required to participate in the VTS are not required to monitor VHF 16. They are required to monitor 13 and the appropriate VTS channel. Which depending upon where you are on the Salish Sea will be 14, 5a or 11.

And a note on 13. It is designated as bridge to bridge. Please don't clutter it up like 16 by calling your buddies on 13. Leave it to the vessels who need it unless you need to contact one of them.

One more note on VTS and those required to use VTS. Puget Sound VTS uses geographic points for positional reference, not GPS lat / long. The pilots and ship's masters will do the same. For example "Hanjin Seven Hatcher, this is Little Toot, Edwards Pt north bound. VTS, pilots and masters will instantly know where to look for you.

Great post! I would add another thing for cruising out here in Puget Sound/Salish sea and that is to have a VHF radio in good working order and monitor at least ch 16/13 and maybe even 14 for vessel traffic information. It can get busy in the summer with recreational and commercial traffic and ch 13 is best for hailing ferrys and commercial boats that aren't always on 16.

-tozz

 

[InTheRed]

Congrats. For me Job #1 was learn how to drive the boat. Perhaps you already have this down, but trawlers behave a lot differently than sailboats when docking in current and wind. We hired Captain Linda Lewis for close quarter maneuvering and she was great. Both my wife and I came out of it with a lot more confidence. Job #2 don't hit a rock!

 

[Action]

Welcome to the TF.

 

[delirious duo]

Welcome! Your going to enjoy the shallower draft and congratulations.

 

[SteveK]

@PNW
Before you take the family out?
Are you saying the family was not out on the sailboats, the 34 specifically?

What do you need to know at a minimum? I expect as a sailboater you already know the minimum, now you just have to become familiar with a boat that does not have sails. Previously with my sailboat, due to lack of wind was driven like a powerboat.

Experience with any boating can be adapted from boat to boat.

 

[porman]

Welcome. Do you keep your boat in the Duwamish? That kinda looks like Boeing in the background.

 

[Altair38]

Two small but important items that you need to learn. I didn’t when I moved up to a bigger boat with my first diesel engine.
There have been many mentions of changing the diesel fuel filter. Learn how to do it properly, with the correct model and filtration size filter i.e. turn off the fuel supply from the tank, disassemble, properly dispose of dirty fuel and filter, replace filter, add clean fuel, reassemble, open fuel supply, bleed engine and start engine. Run engine for at least 2 minutes to be sure all air is removed from fuel line.
Once you are all set with the procedure, be sure that you have all necessary filters, fuel, tools, paper towels and empty container(s) aboard. You won’t need them when conditions are perfect for cruising. However, when the wind picks up and you are hurrying to get back before dark, be prepared to have the engine sputter and die due to dirt stirred up from the bottom of the fuel tank and eventually clog your fuel filter. Now you will need to change the filter while you are bobbing up and down and drifting in the bay. (Anchor if proper depth and not in channel). This is the reason that Portage Bay recommended that you get your fuel tanks cleaned if needed. I didn’t.
2nd item is to have an AIS receiver and become familiar with it. If you don’t, then get familiar with the Marine Traffic App for cellphones. It is free and you can become familiar with it at home. In bad weather, most pleasure boaters slow up and proceed cautiously. However, commercial vessels have a schedule to keep especially ferries and they keep going.
You are off to a great start. I quickly learned that I could not survive making every new boater mistake myself. Eventually I started reading everything I could about boating and learned from the experts. You are already doing this. Congratulations and welcome.

 

[Mambo42]

Welcome aboard and I see you are in the same area as MV Freedom. They have a ton of videos on Youtube about your area and about maintenance of a trawler. Perhaps you already know them, can highly recommend their channel.
From what we have seen on their channel we have started looking at possibilities to come to the area and discover it for ourselves. Looks amazing.
Happy sailing.

 

[PNW]

WOW thank you so much to all of you for the wonderfully welcoming replies.

Comodave: thanks!

Portage_Bay: I joined BoatUS, thanks for the tip! I have a list of safety equip to purchase so I'm not too worried about simply having the basics onboard, I did learn at least that much from sailing. I am going to make a not in my pkm about this fuel cleanliness topic, I appreciate the heads up on that. I don't currently have much in the way of fuel-monitoring knowledge, so will need to do some research on how to set the boat up so I can tell when the filter needs to be changed, or what to test to find out if the tanks themselves need cleaning. I believe they are two aluminum tanks, and the previous owner who used the boat every summer for last 6 years said in that time the tanks have worked fine, but you have to go into the engine room to check the fuel level manually on a glass looking tube (which I thought was shocking but don't know enough to tell if this is weird or not). I see what you mean about the 100T cert, that's great advice so I joined the local US Power Squadron chapter and will look into their classes, as well as the Commodore here has said he will do crash&go practice at the guest dock with me until I'm comfortable with all the mooring scenarios (direction of approach, direction of wind, etc). I just want to understand the basic level-1 troubleshooting of engine room components before I start going very far from the marina!

JackConnick: I have joined the Duwamish Yacht Club, and have found the other members here to be very supportive and helpful. I am having a vessel inspection done by the Commodore but I'm not sure if he's looking for the same things they would in n Aux inspection, so I will look into scheduling one of those soon as well, thank you for that tip. If you ever want to meet up and do trawler stuff, let me know, as I am ready and eager to start getting into the trawling community around Seattle and learn where to go for what!

GoneFarrell: Yes, there was a survey done in the water less than a year ago, and the only recs on there were to cover some battery terminals and put the vessel name/port on the life rings. Does that mean the vessel is seaworthy? I certainly hope so! It seemed at least as solid as my other boats so I feel at least confident to sleep in it at the dock
I downloaded Windy and Predict Wind at your rec and will start getting used to those, thanks for the tip there!
I got pretty good at hand-anchoring in the sailboats, however this boat is much larger and has a windlass, so there is still much to learn in this department. Currently the windlass requires some servicing which I will write more about next time, so I can't take it out to practice anchoring stuff yet, but I agree this is a very important task to get down. As for the radar, I don't yet understand how to use the included Furuno setup at all, but I will ask more questions here after reading the manual and seeing if I can get it to show anything useful!

ktdtx: This is a great summary of my sailing career (and my tech career, come to think of it)!

darnold: Okay a lot of focus on fuel, I am starting to understand! I don't know what a fuel lift pump is yet so I will look into that. I also did look "at the tanks" BUT don't yet know what I'm looking for...how do I know if they need replacing??
I'm not sure what the electrical system looks like in total yet, but I have found that many things have new-looking wires, and a lot of wire ends are labeled, but the look of most wires that appear newer is that they were put there for function and then never properly cable-managed for aesthetics and maintainability. So I would like to document where things are wired from/to in my pkm and then start moving the wires to the sides and under/around things so they are out of the way not hindering me from getting around the engine room and that sort of thing. There are 110v and 12v circuit breaker panels by the main helm, but I have found what I think are distribution blocks kind of scattered around the vessel, in cabinets and the engine bay and seemingly random places. I remember trying to add accessories like light bars and winches to my jeep and had to deal with distribution blocks but I don't really want to try to mess with or clean up any electrical stuff until I first understand what is there and whether or not it already works.
I looked up that 6-person/2-dog rescue off Rosario, thanks for telling me about that! We definitely are not going to be on any schedule, we are both more into the journey than the destination

I will reply to the other comments next time, hopefully not such a long delay since I have the computer hooked up to internet on the boat now! Thanks again very much for helping me learn.

Cheers,
Joshua

 

[NSM]

There are several Power Squadrons in the Seattle area offering courses. Navigation, weather, boat electrical, etc. Worth poking around on their website. Classes tend to become scarce as boating season gets into full swing but pick back up again in the fall.

Boating Courses

www.usps.org

 

[socalrider]

Congrats!!! We moved from a 40' sailboat to a 41' trawler for our family of five and have never looked back. The learning curve is steep for the first year or so, but don't get frustrated. It gets better and better - as you learn and understand the systems on the boat, you'll be mystified a lower and lower percentage of the time. Having something go wrong and *knowing* what it is and how to fix it is a very good feeling. Even better if you have the tools and spare parts aboard already! It'll take a bit to get there but I found the process enjoyable.

Piloting is the same. I hired a captain for a couple of sessions. I suspect you'll find that a 38' twin engined trawler is much more docile than a 34' sailboat, so you're probably in better shape than most already. Your trawler will have more windage though and less keel, so it'll behave differently as pointed out. I spent several hours in an empty channel approaching various unoccupied mooring balls, attempting to touch each corner of the boat to them, maintain position alongside, etc. etc. which really helped my confidence. Have fun! Spend as much time aboard as you can!

 

[Bacchus]

I'm with Portage_Bay and NSM and others in that I'm a believer and supporter of all that America's Boating Club (aka USPS) has to offer. Join and take some courses. Many ABC clubs now include on the water sessions for some courses. The other benefit you gain in an instant network of fellow boaters with extensive and varied experiences to help you. It's sort of lije the TF community but instead of being virtual they are your neighbors and you get to interact in person.
I know some members that have gotten their USCG License to have the paper but have stated they learned more from their ABC courses due to the diversity of courses & seminars.

 

[PNW]

Quick update: I joined USPS and had the free USCG Aux inspection, great lads I met doin' that they invited me to join the auxilary which seems pretty neat.
After digging into the cooling and fuel and electrical systems I just was really unsatisfied with current conditions and immediately grounded the fleet until further notice. Admiral is disappointed but appreciative that I take her safety as a priority.
Currently pulling out the old primary power cables as one had a fried terminal end at the battery selector, and the whole elec sys makes no sense to me yet. I want to fully understand what is hot when, because at this point I didn't feel comfortable doing any troubleshooting of the bad ground issue (strbrd eng no longer starts, just clicks) because even with the boat off shore power I was not sure what would actually disconnect all circuits. I have had to do A TON OF CLEANING in the engine bay, as my cleanliness standards are super high, so I have not even gotten around to checking the Racors or raw water strainer or anything. The yacht club taught us about leaking AC current and our boat had 100mA so I would have had to dig into the system anyway, and am researching isolators to find out what we need. What do you all think between galvanic isolator vs isolation transformer ok 40 foot trawler that plans to do Salish Sea this year and if all goes well inside passage and down west coast in coming years? I'm pulling a bunch of cables and things now so any kind of reconfig to the foundational architecture that needs to happen, might as well happen now while I have things pulled and opened up, right?
So I have been digging through the huge stack of docs that came with the boat, and it appears we have a "charger" as well as an "inverter/charger" so I don't understand why we would need both of those yet. One is the Newmar PT-25, I think it's about 20 years old? The inverter looks much newer and says Outback Power Systems VFX2812M (which apparently breaks down to a 12v 2800w ventilated/mobile unit. Can I get along without the Newmar, and have the Outback charge as well as invert? It says it can do 40Amps AC continuous output, the Newmar is only 25Amps and that's split over 3 banks.
The current batteries onboard are: a set of 4x 2017 flooded 6v GC batts which I think are 220Ah ea (correct me if I'm wrong but that has to equal 440Ah @12v then, yes?) as well as a 2017 12v marine deep cycle group 24 that was maybe at one point used to start the genset (but seller said he never used the genset due to it needing injector work, so it spent at least the last 6 years not used as starting batt for genset) and the mid bilge and highwater alarm were also wired to it. And 2x (year unknown) Deka Gel 8D "starting batteries" which also ran most of the 12v components , I will have to go out and put each on the charger and then take a voltage reading on them but I can't imagine any of the 5 from 2017 have much life left on them, but as long as they are working then I will use them this season while getting used to the boat and taking daily load needs into my notes. Is it common to run things like 12v outlets, the horn, bilge pumps, water pumps, etc off these starting batteries? My gut tells me that a dedicated starting battery for each engine with shorter cable runs would be a better option, and I will be living on it and running the engines a lot so I don't worry about the starting batteries just sitting in storage for many months at a time. For now I have 7 batteries to use however and I would really just like to have reliable starting with simple wiring, and then a separate house bank system that's just house batteries going through the inverter. I don't know how practical this is though because I haven't had time yet to think about all charging scenarios with 2 alternators and 30Amps of shore power and an 8kw genset and 510W of solar and 7 batteries of varying chemistries and voltages...
What's next?? I haven't left the dock since the date of purchase but I'm having a good time learning about all of these systems. Seattle is supposed to have an 80 degree weekend in 1 week. Can I have the engines started by then so we can bum around the river and bay a bit?!

Stay tuned for more adventures!

 

[Iggy]

Welcome! Good luck on the new boat!

 

[tiltrider1]

I have always had a back up charger on board. I have almost never needed it. I needed it once WHEn I needed to send out the Inverter/charger for repair. I used it one other time to charge a dead dingy battery.

 

[RT Firefly]

Greetings,
Welcome aboard and congratulations. BUY TOW INSURANCE! First thing that I noticed and it may be the camera angle BUT install some sort of sturdy grab rail/hand hold in and/or around the galley to make egress and ingress safer IF the weather gets "sporty".

I fully understand your enthusiasm BUT....patience. Do NOT make any major changes for at least the first year. Live with your new mistress for a while to get to know her. Do ONE job at a time. Large or small-doesn't matter but complete that task before you start another one.

I would recommend this book: https://www.amazon.com/Boatowners-Mechanical-Electrical-Manual-4/dp/0071790330

IF you're tending to the electrical wiring, buy the proper tools and material.
IF doing mechanical work, buy the proper tools and material
IF "celebrating" a good day's work, have your libation(s) AFTER you've cleaned up the work area and stowed your tools.

Enjoy...

 

[dhays]

Welcome from another former sailor (my little sailing dinghy doesn't count).

When you get back out there after checking all the systems, I would offer one other little word of advice. Avoid big wind against the current. The trawler is not a sailboat and doesn't handle rough weather nearly as well as a 34' sailboat. Burying the bow in large waves in a sailboat is exhilarating. Doing it in a 38' trawler is quite a bit less so.

 

[PNW]

oh wow I just got to the Racors finally (the entire house bank of GC2s were in the way :eyeroll: making it all but impossible to service the dual 900MA setup. the previous owner said he never changed these in 6 years and they had 2 micron elements. that seems pretty...not ideal, is that the correct reaction? I don't really know marine diesel very well (although much better now after taking an intro class from Meredith Anderson a.k.a. Madame Diesel) but I would have thought if you're going with such a restrictive filter wouldn't you want to change them more often? Anyway, I am putting 30 micron elements in there to open up the fuel flow and because I'm not going to skimp on changing the downline filters regularly.

You all have most excellent suggestions and I thank you for keeping them coming, as well I have noted it would be better to move specific, individual questions to the relevent discussion categories, so I will try to move to doing that from now on.

I also have been posting on youtube and tiktok to show what I am finding. I wish I could record and stream everything because I think all of these complicated systems are very satisfying to clean up, learn about, and tinker with. it's just hard to get the cameras down where I'm at. after all, it's hard enough just getting me down there!

 

[Comodave]

All the Racor elements flow the same amount of fuel. The 2 micron one will just clog up sooner.

 

[Lepke]

2 micron filters keep your fuel clean. That saves wear on your injector pump and other fuel parts.
I have Detroit Diesels with a more complicated injector with tight fitting parts. I'm going on 12 years without replacing an injector.

 

[dhays]

oh wow I just got to the Racors finally (the entire house bank of GC2s were in the way :eyeroll: making it all but impossible to service the dual 900MA setup. the previous owner said he never changed these in 6 years and they had 2 micron elements. that seems pretty...not ideal, is that the correct reaction? I don't really know marine diesel very well (although much better now after taking an intro class from Meredith Anderson a.k.a. Madame Diesel) but I would have thought if you're going with such a restrictive filter wouldn't you want to change them more often? Anyway, I am putting 30 micron elements in there to open up the fuel flow and because I'm not going to skimp on changing the downline filters regularly.

My general recommendation is to use the filters that the engine manufacturer recommends. What I have been doing is to change one of the primary filters every year. I select one of the primary filters to use (not Both). I use that for a year, then replace it and switch to using the other filter. The upside is that I always have a clean filter ready to go if there is a sudden fuel problem. The downside is that I'm always using a filter that has been sitting in fuel for a year. Racor has said that just sitting in fuel will degrade their filters but the information is not super clear cut. I think the effectiveness of the waterblock is what degrades, not the filtration.

I end up changing my Racor filters more often than is necessary. However, it is relatively cheap insurance. We are fortunate to generally have pretty good fuel her in the Puget Sound.