Thinking about it, but . . .

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Uisce Beo

Veteran Member
Joined
Jan 15, 2025
Messages
26
Location
England
My wife and I are in the very early stages of saying, hmm - maybe . . .
A bit of our background and some questions and opinions sought - TIA!
First the background. I've been a boater most of my life. I've owned several small coastal sailboats and helmed and crewed on larger sailboats. In the old days (pre GPS!) I was active in the USPS and taught coastal and celestial navigation courses.
We currently are retired and live full time in a 58 foot narrowboat cruising the canals of England and Wales.
We have both US and Irish passports. The Irish passport allows us to live in England but we also have visa free access to mist if Europe.
We are starting to think about trawlers as the next adventure for us. But, at 67 and 68 while reasonably fit we simply don't have the stamina that we once did.
Can the two of us, with proper instruction, handle a 45-50 foot trawler? Piece of string I know but would be interested in your thoughts and experiences.
Where to cruise. I'm very drawn to a trans Atlantic cruise but would want to get some trawler time under our belts first.
I like the idea of the Great Loop but I wonder if there is maybe a similar European route? I know there are extensive canals and rivers in Europe but I don't know if a trawler is a good fit on them.
As a side not, neither of us are interested in hit or even warm weather - we're not interested in the Carribbean, etc fir that reason.
Lastly, what YouTube channels do you watch that might help us educate ourselves?
Many, many thanks in advance for any insight you can provide.
For interest, our boat moored in Wales after a recent snow.
 

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I can’t see why you would have any troubles handling a 50’ trawler.

What you need to be concerned with is how your wife will handle the wave action of open Water versus the tranquility of canal cruising.
 
Thanks. She has a little more trouble with sea sickness than I do but she's been on plenty of sailboats as well.
 
I live on a 41' President trawler and used to travel to Birmingham alot for work. Loved all of the canal boats and the lifestyle. Renting one is on my bucket list. A 50' Trawler is manageable for 2 people. I am sure that you know your limitations. Budget would be a big factor. A maintenance free boat that size will be a few bucks.
 
Can the two of us, with proper instruction, handle a 45-50 foot trawler? Piece of string I know but would be interested in your thoughts and experiences.

In general. probably, but there are trawlers and then there are trawlers. Some layouts are more easily traversed than others, so there'd be some shopping involved to get what suits and what allows you movement enough to be where you need to be when you need to be there. So to speak...

Where to cruise. I'm very drawn to a trans Atlantic cruise but would want to get some trawler time under our belts first.
I like the idea of the Great Loop but I wonder if there is maybe a similar European route? I know there are extensive canals and rivers in Europe but I don't know if a trawler is a good fit on them.

I'd guess you could select a boat that can go anywhere in Europe that Viking River Cruises can access. You might have a look at their tour "maps" and see if that gets you on a decent path toward discovery. And at the AGLCA site for U.S. Great Loop info (as well as here).

As to transatlantic on a trawler, you'll see posts here of folks who have done it, and posts about boats that can do it. Not my cuppa, on anything smaller than Royal Clipper... but rummage around the site a bit and see what folks have done/said. Stabilization being a typical topic. Range being another. And then there are trawlers (transatlantic capable) and there are trawlers (not so much).

-Chris
 
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I have no doubt that you and your wife could easily do the Loop, the Great Lakes, and near Coastal. I did all of the above single handed and was 60+. Saw many older couples in my journeys, with probably less experience than you.

With all due respect, trans Atlantic as the two of you, no. Unless you're buying a passagemaker to accommodate 4+ seasoned sailors, I wouldn't. You wrote, "But, at 67 and 68 while reasonably fit we simply don't have the stamina that we once did". You answered your own question. With a few exceptions, the Loop cruising days are under 8 hours. If exhausted, you take tomorrow off. There are no off days in trans Atlantic.

If you limit your cruising grounds to the Loop, inland waters, and near Coastal, you will end up with a decidedly more comfortable boat as opposed to a more expensive passagemaker.

Ted
 
A little perspective for you. I owned a 36 foot boat before my current 65 foot boat. By far the 65 foot boat is easier to handle. It’s 70 tons heavier than the 36, so it doesn’t get blown around in the wind. The 65 has twins, a bow thruster and side decks. The 36 was a single without side decks. Don’t get hung up on the size, but rather the functionality of the boat.
It sounds like you would enjoy the inside passage to Alaska. Might want to skip the Atlantic crossing and buy a boat in the location you want to cruise.
 
For the European canals you should watch "Great Canal Journeys" on Amazon Prime. There was also a series on PBS (now on You-tube) called "Barging through Europe".
 
For the European canals you should watch "Great Canal Journeys" on Amazon Prime. There was also a series on PBS (now on You-tube) called "Barging through Europe".

That was always fun to watch. For those who don't know, Prunella Scales was on Fawlty Towers. And Tim West is one of the 14 other British actors who populate almost every other show BBC or ITV or whoever produces. Hard to count how many times Tim bounced their rental off another boat. :)

Most of the episodes we saw were on the British canal systems, though...

-Chris
 
I handle my 57 alone so no doubt you can handle it.
 
Hi, and welcome from southwest Florida. I'm 74, my husband is 79 and we've been boating most of our lives in both power and sailing vessels. Since 2004, we've been cruising in our 48' trawler. With a power winch for the anchor and another to raise the dinghy, we manage just fine. Our cruising grounds mostly include southern Florida, the Bahamas, and the Chesapeake Bay. We have limited experience in the Caribbean but intend to head to the Rio Dulce, Guatemala in the near future to escape the hurricane season and have some needed cosmetic boat work done.
 
Welcome. I have a narrow boat booked for a month in March. Looking forward to getting a taste of the British canals.

I met someone there who had his narrow boat trucked to France and cruised there pretty extensively. I'm sure there are lots of places you could go on the continent but have no local knowledge.
 
Where on the cut is your hire boat? We will likely be on the Shropshire Union Canal between Chester and Nantwich.
Let me know if you're nearby. Could always meet up for a pint.
 
Where on the cut is your hire boat? We will likely be on the Shropshire Union Canal between Chester and Nantwich.
Let me know if you're nearby. Could always meet up for a pint.
Oxford Canal. Don't think I'll make it that far this time around.
 
My wife and I just bought a DeFever 44OC in Michigan (we live in Arizona). This was after a five year plan and search mission to find what we wanted and where to go with it. Was there reservation about operating the boat and costs, etc? Yes. But one day we are going to be dead and that will last a long time. So we might as well get going on the living part. We joined the Great Lakes Cruising Club and they put out live webinars weekly on operating boats like this, where to take them and how to maintain them. Invaluable. We also watch YouTube channels: WhatYachtToDo, SV Freelance, ONFIRE family, seattleboatguy and Aqua-Cultured. To name a few. Can't wait to get the boat out in May for the first shakedown cruise and then adventures in the Great Lakes for the next few years.
 
Welcome. I have a narrow boat booked for a month in March. Looking forward to getting a taste of the British canals.

I met someone there who had his narrow boat trucked to France and cruised there pretty extensively. I'm sure there are lots of places you could go on the continent but have no local knowledge.
I hope you’ll post of adventures here, I am interested in the experiences there.
 

Hello,
Here is a vlog of a couple sailing from the Netherlands across rivers and canals to the Black Sea.
From the Black Sea, the intention is to sail to the Mediterranean and then to............?
Is spoken in Dutch but with the Youtube subtitles it can be reasonably followed in English.
It is a very informative Vlog!!!
There are several opportunities to sail interesting routes in Europe, either by rivers and canals or by sea, or a combination of these.
Rivers and canals, Germany, Belgium, Luxenburg, Romania, France, Netherlands, Poland, Czech Republic, Hungary...... and so on.
Seas, Baltic Sea, North Sea, Baltic Sea, Black Sea, with adjacent countries, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, (White Russia, Russia) Poland Germany, Netherlands, Belgium, France, Portugal, Spain Italy, Greece, Turkey, Morocco, England, ........ and so on.
Many ship designs can be found that are designed to operate both on canals and at sea, the height and width are the determining factor, and lesser sizes the draught plays a role.
 
If you’re interested, I did a blog about the boat build, moving to England and our first year aboard.
That's interesting. Thanks. Looks like a great life for the dogs as well as the people!
 
We were coastal cruisers (east coast US) and now European cruisers. We a Albin 36 for about 15 years and other boats before and after.
We bought our current troller, a Diesel Duck 462 in Scotland, came down the Irish sea, across the English Chanel, down the French coast, across North coast of Spain and now halfway down the Portuguese coast. Oh, forgot to mention that we stopped in Wales, too! Short story is that having never before had them, I am now a strong advocate for paravanes, both at sea AND at anchor. Totally dampens roll and makes for a nice sleep in a bumpy anchorage.
 

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