Trawler Recomendations

[Kwandog]

Hey I’ve just create my account and am looking forward to gaining some knowledge and insight from the members in this forum.
I’ve been looking at trawlers for some time now and really want to make the plunge into getting a trawler for extensive cruising. a I want to see if anyone has suggestions on trawlers they would recommend.
I would want to have the ability to cruise through the Caribbean, all the way to Barbados or Grenada as well as Central America. The boat would obviously need to be seaworthy enough for this to be a possible. My budget is under $150,000. I know this is very broad but I would love to hear any suggestions.
I’m not new to being on the water as I’m a fishing guide in my hometown of Savannah, Ga but my experience/knowledge is limited to skiffs and larger center consoles. Thanks in advance.

 

[mvweebles]

Welcome to TF!!!

Your budget is tight. For the itinerary you describe, I can tell you you absolutely want a stabilized boat. You may want to look at older Defever 43s (maybe 44s) or Kadey Krogen 42s.

But if you really plan to run the Caribbean, you really want a stabilized boat. I promise.

Peter

 

[Comodave]

Welcome aboard.

 

[RT Firefly]

Greetings,
Welcome aboard y'all.

 

[Kwandog]

Thank you!
I have been on a few Kadey Krogens and that would be my dream boat but outside of the manatee they are just out of my price range. If I increased my price range to 170-180k, I’m afraid they would need work done(which would cost even more). I really like the Krogen Manatees but it sounds like from others that they might not be capable enough for that type of cruising.

 

[Kwandog]

Even more so when factoring in stabilizers for a boat.

 

[N4061]

Trawler Budget

I have to agree with others that $150K budget is light for the type of boat and mission you described. You will likely end up with a boat requiring more work than it's worth. Two potential options which may work is to scale back you boating plans and look for a smaller boat in the 25 - 35 foot range or consider a number of charters in the waters you mentioned.

Over the years I have seen people buy older boats on a budget then end up not having the funds required to fix them correctly. They get frustrated and up sell the boat at a loss without ever getting to enjoy them. What ever you purchase make sure you understand the cost of ownership. Trawlers are not inexpensive to own.

John T

 

[Mambo42]

Welcome aboard !
And I agree with others, you definitely want to have stabilizers. Mine did not have them when I bought the boat, but we had to retro fit them, did cost quite a bit of money, but absolutely worth it and especially in the area where you want to cruise........you will need them. The Caribbean can be extremely rough, only 1 month a year it is sort of calm, so it would be on my priorities list.

 

[catalinajack]

We owned a stabilized DeFever 44 for nine year0s, recently sold. Early on, I experiented in various conditions. I can assure you that the stabilizers make a huge difference on a DeFever 44.

 

[GrandWood]

Stabilizers limit roll is what I understand, which is the movement that causes sea sickness I’m told.

So if you don’t get sea sick, the stabs just make the ride more comfortable?

Other than comfort, is there anything else I’m missing?

 

[psneeld]

Stabilizers limit roll is what I understand, which is the movement that causes sea sickness I’m told.

So if you don’t get sea sick, the stabs just make the ride more comfortable?

Other than comfort, is there anything else I’m missing?

Lots.....

Safety is just as important as seasickness. A slip or fall from excessive motion (or less predictable motion) could be very bad.

Also can make certain underway maintenance easier/safer.

Reduces fatigue on long stretches.

Boat could be more efficient.

There's more that others may add....

I also heard/believe heave is more responsible for seasickness than roll.

 

[DavidM]

Make sure you really want to cruise the Caribbean before limiting your choices to those discussed above. You definitely don’t need stabilizers for coastal cruising in US waters.

David

 

[Simi 60]

And stabilisers can be as expensive or as inexpensive as you'd like.

$100,000 for active fin or spinney metal ball
Vs
Possibly under $5000 for paravanes and the arms can be used for flopper stopper at anchor as well.

 

[OldDan1943]

Welcome and permit me to offer you a bit of advice. Do not buy a project boat.

 

[Simi 60]

Welcome and permit me to offer you a bit of advice. Do not buy a project boat.

Depends

 

[Wxx3]

Yep. All the advice above is pretty much spot on.
You need some kind of stabilization for any off-shore traveling, though I did it for a year.

If you plan on going pas the Bahamas, the you need a boat that can do far off shore.

 

[Caballero II]

Welcome to TF!!!

Your budget is tight. For the itinerary you describe, I can tell you you absolutely want a stabilized boat. You may want to look at older Defever 43s (maybe 44s) or Kadey Krogen 42s.

But if you really plan to run the Caribbean, you really want a stabilized boat. I promise.

Peter

You're not going to find a stabilized boat for $150K. But, I respectfully disagree with Weebles that you absolutely need that. Lots of us get by without it. Stabilisation is definitely on my short list of things I wish I had on my GB 36, but there are work arounds. These include (on the left coast, at least) 1) being very weather conscious to avoid short interval seas on your beam, 2) tacking to quarter the seas on your bow or stern and accepting the longer passage times, 3) flopperstoppers at anchorage (cheap) 4) stern anchors to keep you headed into the swell at anchor and not lying in the trough (also cheap). I admit, I am not in the Caribbean, but in So Cal, we do get seas with a lot of fetch, and most of us get by somehow.

 

[Snapdragon III]

Boats with Paravane stabilizers would be fine too. May be easier to find one of those in your price range, but they are not super common.

 

[ranger58sb]

So if you don’t get sea sick, the stabs just make the ride more comfortable?

Other than comfort, is there anything else I’m missing?

Lots.....

Safety is just as important as seasickness. A slip or fall from excessive motion (or less predictable motion) could be very bad.

Also can make certain underway maintenance easier/safer.

Reduces fatigue on long stretches.

Boat could be more efficient.

There's more that others may add....

I also heard/believe heave is more responsible for seasickness than roll.

There's all that breakage from furniture and stuff flying throughout the cabin, too...

-Chris

 

[mvweebles]

You're not going to find a stabilized boat for $150K. But, I respectfully disagree with Weebles that you absolutely need that. Lots of us get by without it.

You're right - you don't need stabilizers. According to naval architects, stabilizers do nothing to improve the inherrent stability of a boat, just make it more comfortable (and, as Psneeld pointed-out up-thread, there are definitely safety aspects to being on a stabilized platform). But heck, if you really think about it, the only time folks like us need a boat is when the one you're on is sinking and there's one next to it that isn't.

But my comments were directed to cruising the Caribbean. I've attached a chartlet that gives some idea of the passages and distances. The sea state in the Caribbean is routinely choppy and challenging - Force 5 conditions (20-ish kts and 2-meter seas) are a 'good weather window.' Doing it in an unstabilized boat would get old really, really quickly.

Stabilizers limit roll is what I understand, which is the movement that causes sea sickness I’m told.

So if you don’t get sea sick, the stabs just make the ride more comfortable?

Other than comfort, is there anything else I’m missing?

I'm guessing you have not made a passage of reasonable duration on an unstabilized boat in active water which is what the Caribbean would be. It really wears on you and the boat. The human upright form-factor does not play nicely. The fridge becomes a Jack-in-the-Box and launches milk and eggs. Binocculars fall out of cabinets and take a divot out of sole or table tops. Within a few hours, you'll have bruises on your thighs from where you lean to a handy support. You sleep spread-eagled for stability, probably on the sole in the back of the boat. It's hard enough for many men to get their wife to enjoy cruising - unstabilized boat is an unforced error that will lead to yet another single guy on a boat. Is it dangerous? No. But when I think of cruising, its not the picture that comes to mind.

Make sure you really want to cruise the Caribbean before limiting your choices to those discussed above. You definitely don’t need stabilizers for coastal cruising in US waters.

This is excellent guidance.

Peter

 

[Gdavid]

A lot of aspiring cruisers don't fully understand the difference in coastal cruising and the passage making required to cruise the Caribbean. You could definite it in different ways, but I would definite passage making as a trip with one or more legs requiring at least one night spent at sea. This generally equates to spending greater time in less protected bodies of water, subject to greater deviation in the weather and potentially prolonged periods of heavy weather. With this defined, I would say you can easily reach and cruise the Bahamas in a non-stabilized, coastal cruiser type "trawler" but to go beyond, with any level of comfort, and more substantial vessel is required, which likely would have stabilization.

If blue water cruising on a budget is a goal, you really would have far more options in sailboats. Not all sailboats should be considered blue water cruisers, but a higher percentage are, compared to powerboats. For this reason, sailboats dominate remote cruising, and you would be better suited to find one in your budget.

 

[Turtle Blues]

As Clint Eastwood said "A man has to know his limitations"


I know my trawler is a coastal cruiser, side roll can become uncomfortable and in a beam sea it surfs like a turtle. Making a 3 day run offshore, without stabilization (which is a discussion by itself) would be beyond most peoples comfort range.
Charter a trawler in the gulf. A lot of older ones end up there and are very reasonably priced.
Then charter a cat in the islands. If you like it Reconditioned Leopards coming out of the rental fleet are plentiful.

 

[Simi 60]

You're not going to find a stabilized boat for $150K.
.

Entirely possible if you count paravanes as stabilisers.

 

[Simi 60]

. Making a 3 day run offshore, without stabilization (which is a discussion by itself) would be beyond most peoples comfort range.
.

Pick your weather window

I planned, waited and did a 7 day run to Vanuatu on the back end of a cyclone delivering a timber fishing boat that rolled like a pig.
Oil can calm for whole trip, no rolling.

Pic below was around 500nm out

 

[Turtle Blues]

Your weather Gods are more benevolent than mine.
Extra fuel drums at the bottom of the pic?

 

[Simi 60]

Your weather Gods are more benevolent than mine.
Extra fuel drums at the bottom of the pic?

Yep - extra fuel, had 6 from memory
And it was a month or two of waiting for that weather slot.
Patience and no time frame required.

 

[High Wire]

$150k budget, stabilized, deep Caribbean? Wouldn’t the PO be better off with sailboat?

 

[Mambo42]

You're right - you don't need stabilizers. According to naval architects, stabilizers do nothing to improve the inherrent stability of a boat, just make it more comfortable (and, as Psneeld pointed-out up-thread, there are definitely safety aspects to being on a stabilized platform). But heck, if you really think about it, the only time folks like us need a boat is when the one you're on is sinking and there's one next to it that isn't.

But my comments were directed to cruising the Caribbean. I've attached a chartlet that gives some idea of the passages and distances. The sea state in the Caribbean is routinely choppy and challenging - Force 5 conditions (20-ish kts and 2-meter seas) are a 'good weather window.' Doing it in an unstabilized boat would get old really, really quickly.



I'm guessing you have not made a passage of reasonable duration on an unstabilized boat in active water which is what the Caribbean would be. It really wears on you and the boat. The human upright form-factor does not play nicely. The fridge becomes a Jack-in-the-Box and launches milk and eggs. Binocculars fall out of cabinets and take a divot out of sole or table tops. Within a few hours, you'll have bruises on your thighs from where you lean to a handy support. You sleep spread-eagled for stability, probably on the sole in the back of the boat. It's hard enough for many men to get their wife to enjoy cruising - unstabilized boat is an unforced error that will lead to yet another single guy on a boat. Is it dangerous? No. But when I think of cruising, its not the picture that comes to mind.



This is excellent guidance.

Peter

View attachment 141789

Absolutely great way to describe the difference between stabilizers and no stabilizers and it is absolutely true. If I would not have decided to get stabilizers on the boat, by now I would have been alone already.
Must say the admiral was pretty surprised when I said the stabilizers were only there for her comfort

 

[Don L]

While the stabilized stuff is interesting and worthwhile:

A buying budget is the buying budget!

 

[Mambo42]

Stabilizers limit roll is what I understand, which is the movement that causes sea sickness I’m told.

So if you don’t get sea sick, the stabs just make the ride more comfortable?

Other than comfort, is there anything else I’m missing?

Psneeld described it perfectly, an unstabilized boat in a beam sea is absolutely no fun whatsoever.
We just crossed the Aegean sea to Turkey and it was once but never ever again. The wind (and thus the swell) comes predominantly from the North and we had to go West to East. It was a complete nightmare. Although we had stowed everything, still things in the cupboards started flying and we were holding on for dear life. Not so bad if you have to do that for 10 min, but if you have to do it for 8 hours a day and that roughly 7 tot 8 days in a row......it is starting to look like work. It drains you, it gets people (and animals) sea sick which means they truly don't like it anymore. You don't sleep, you become grumpy, tired, start making mistakes, not something I was looking forward to.
Fun part is that we had to get to Turkey (so the West to East route) in order to get the stabilizers installed
In all it was a great reminder why we needed stabilizers.

On one of the islands on the route to Turkey we had a 25 meter yacht as a neighbor for 2 days. They had fled in the middle of the night from an anchorage near Mykonos. 2 meter waves, beam on, nobody slept, all the guests sea sick, technical problems arising, they were gutted when they made it so Sifnos.
Stabilizers do limit your roll, but that gives you so much comfort and keeps you from being totally drained of your energy. Even though I don't get sea sick I still prefer a stabilized boat above a non stabilized boat.

The way psneeld described it is exactly the way it is. You will have to try to sleep spread eagle and you will be full of bruises by the time you make it into your next port. Your cocktail will already be shaken and stirred, so that is a positive, but cleaning up the boat is not fun. Cleaning up vomit and spending the night with people who proclaim they rather die is not exactly fun.
So if you can avoid going out to sea with an non stabilized boat...........I would do it.