Trawler wanted for great loop

[WWC]

Hello All, we are looking for a twin engine diesel trawler for our Great loop adventure in our recent retirement.
42’ - 50’ with two state rooms and two heads. 200,000.00 US dollar range and newer than 1990. We like the 43 Mainship, DeFever 44 and 49 and of course the Grand Banks 46 look for reference but open to others.
Thank you, Walter.

 

[JimW]

Wow, Congratulations on getting ready for the Great Loop! I wish you had posted this next year at this time . . . Making one last Bahamas trip in early 2026 and then will be ready to let the girl join a New Captain and Admiral for their adventures . . . We Looped in 2022, spent 3 months (2,250 nm) in the Bahamas in 2024, now getting ready for another shorter visit in the Bahamas in 2026! She a 41’ Tiger Marine Built DeFever with twin 200 Volvo’s, 10kw Phasor Genny and sips fuel. Check us out on Instagram @mv_classea for a look at her and where she has been . . . You are looking at some awesome choices. Good luck on your search and you all are in for the Adventure of a Lifetime!

Keep Smiling - Standing by-

 

[High Wire]

Are you looking for a fast boat or is 7-8 knots ok?

 

[WWC]

JimW, y’all have a nice boat. We plan on starting our retirement adventure sometime February/March 26. That’s if we have a boat and it’s ready to go. We plan on going to the Bahamas for some fun too.
High Wire, we are open to a 8 knot cruising speed.

 

[JimW]

The Bahamas are beautiful, out islands (Long Island, Cat and Eleuthera) are our favorites . . . Not overly populated, people are awesome, helpful and friendly . . . Fees have recently increased after years of low fees but in boat bucks, IMO well worth it . . . Enjoy the process and look forward to amazing boating experiences!

 

[WWC]

Thanks Jim
I’ve been watching Bahamas and the keys YouTube videos for a month trying to get all of the information I can; all the while wishing we were there.lol Yes, I had seen that BVI raised the fees quite a bit; we agree should be well worth the trip and fees.
Still hoping someone has a boat for sale or know someone who does that will pass the wife’s scrutiny. lol
The experience so far has been great so far we’ve met a lot of people at brokerage’s and boat yards that have been trying to help us. From Texas we drove to Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, Kentucky and Tennessee viewing boats in the last few weeks. So, we’re on the hunt!

 

[jtdums]

We are currently on our loop now in our 36' Sabreline Aft cabin. We love the boat and the size has been perfect for us with our dog in tow.
If you need to broaden your parameters, consider some of the 36' boats with aft cabins like the Monks, Grand Banks, etc...

We have the two cabin two head layout you speak of and it is great! We both can have a little separation when "necessary" and we have our own heads!

 

[ABfish]

In your price range, I would choose a smaller boat in better condition, all things equal. Bigger (more LOA and displacement) comes with higher maintenance expense, as many services are priced by LOA. Think dock fees, bottom painting, bottom diving, boat detailing and washing, etc.

A $200K forty-footer is more likely to be cruise-ready than a $200K fifty-footer.

 

[BB-marine]

There is going to be some proven Loop boats coming up now. The 2024/2025 Looper class will be coming to an end for many in the next few months and some have recently crossed their wakes. We finished in 2023. Our Loop boat was not what you are looking for but served us well. Good two person boat with just enough living space. I looked at larger boats with more room. Believe me there were times we wished that's what we owned. There were other times that I was glad we had what we had. We cruised at 8kts about 80% of the time and recorded good fuel economy for a short water length boat with twin Yanmar diesels. We did realize the fuel economy of a larger Grand Banks, Monk, DeFever, Ocean Alexander.... the list can go on of good vessels for the Loop. Your cost line of 200K will limit you to what you get and condition. We had the same budget but we had a different style boat in mind. I like trawlers they are awesome. They are also slow. Our plan was not to go fast but I like having that option. 8Kts on the Great Lakes when the weather changes and it does. Is not fun. 8 kts on the Bays and Sounds of Georgia and South Carolina, ten and fifteen and twenty mile open water runs in disturbed water get old at 8kts without the ability to step up and go. There were times that we were found ourselves in 3' to 4' sea's on days that were predicted for 1'. Getting off the Bays, Sounds. and Great Lakes sooner when rough was an option we enjoyed. We were not out running a storm we were just reducing the time we had to be getting rolled and tossed around. I remember a day on the Chesapeake. It was a good weather windows to go to Solomons Island from Yorktown. The tides were not cooperating with wind direction and the Bay was much worse than predicted. There were a lot of Loopers on the move that day in the Bay. We all got fooled by the weather predictions. It was a washing machine out there. Enough was enough I threw the throttles down and we set a cruise speed of 18Kts. We passed several Loopers out there cruising in their trawlers and Tugs making 8kts and getting rocked and rolled. All much larger boats. I received several radio transmissions from them asking how we were doing as the water was being thrown off our bow. "Doing fine now that we are up and cruising at speed. We were getting beat up at 8kts." When we made it to Solomon's and had relaxed for a few hours a few of those boats came in the Yacht Club we were staying at. The comments fro a few " We sure envied you when you went by us. It was a long day out there getting tossed around"

My point having the ability to get up on the water and go is a nice option. If the price range is 200K there are a lot more express cruisers and Aft cabin cruisers that will give you the comforts you are looking for. 8kt economical cruising range and the ability to cruise faster if and when you want to. We enjoyed our 34' Pilot, not everyones choice for many reasons but it worked for us. If a trawler is what you want it is a good choice. I just thought I would post a different perspective.
Brian

 

[WWC]

Thanks for the great comments, and BB I really appreciate you sharing your story of the Chesapeake. Your story is good ammo for me to push the big engines with the wife. Lol.
I’m a retired lineman turned farmer in Texas, and try to the best of my ability to pay in cash. That’s why I have the limited budget. We don’t mind hard work and preparing our choice in a boat for this adventure we have planned, actually that was part of the plan to make the vessel our own. What fun would it be to buy something you haven’t laid a wrench on? I want to know the systems and quirks of the machine I’m working with. I also sold our 45’ diesel pusher to have this adventure so, I don’t dare tell the wife she will need to down size. lol.
Thanks again for the suggestions and comments!

 

[ranger58sb]

t was a washing machine out there. Enough was enough I threw the throttles down and we set a cruise speed of 18Kts. We passed several Loopers out there cruising in their trawlers and Tugs making 8kts and getting rocked and rolled. All much larger boats. I received several radio transmissions from them asking how we were doing as the water was being thrown off our bow. "Doing fine now that we are up and cruising at speed. We were getting beat up at 8kts." When we made it to Solomon's and had relaxed for a few hours a few of those boats came in the Yacht Club we were staying at. The comments fro a few " We sure envied you when you went by us. It was a long day out there getting tossed around"

My point having the ability to get up on the water and go is a nice option. If the price range is 200K there are a lot more express cruisers and Aft cabin cruisers that will give you the comforts you are looking for. 8kt economical cruising range and the ability to cruise faster if and when you want to.

Thanks for the great comments, and BB I really appreciate you sharing your story of the Chesapeake. Your story is good ammo for me to push the big engines with the wife. Lol.

Yeah. the Chesapeake chop can beat your teeth out, sometimes...

But remember "big engines" are only part of the story, when it comes to powering through uncomfortable seas. There's hull form, for one; big engines don't make slow boats faster. And some hull forms associated with faster boats are only OK in "slow" sea states. Then too, there's that pesky fuel bill..

Just an observation... so yo don't lose sight of some potential "gotchas."

-Chris

 

[Jeff F]

But remember "big engines" are only part of the story, when it comes to powering through uncomfortable seas. There's hull form, for one; big engines don't make slow boats faster. And some hull forms associated with faster boats are only OK in "slow" sea states. Then too, there's that pesky fuel bill..

Agreed. I've looped a couple of times on my 50' boat with 135hp single engine, and have never found myself wanting more power. Big engines are negative in my book.

 

[ranger58sb]

Agreed. I've looped a couple of times on my 50' boat with 135hp single engine, and have never found myself wanting more power. Big engines are negative in my book.

Well, I didn't mean that I think they're automatically a negative. Just that engine and hulls (and user preferences) need to be balanced for purpose.

-Chris

 

[Jeff F]

I think we're in agreement.

When I look at boats like the GB 42 that had a range of power from 130 to 800 hp, I question why anyone today would seek out the higher hp versions. Do they really intend to run at 30 gph? Are they prepared for the higher maintenance and service costs that come with intercooling? What's a major overhaul going to cost? How does low speed economy suffer?

Seeking and maintaining higher hp in a 42-50 ft boat is counter to the OP's interests, by the sounds of things.

 

[Jeff F]

Well, I didn't mean that I think they're automatically a negative. Just that engine and hulls (and user preferences) need to be balanced for purpose.

I should add that you've offered great rationale here for choosing the boat you have. I wasn't referring to planing designs.

I see a lot of folks choosing planing MYs for their looping boat. I *think* it's because the number of trawlers built after 1990 is vanishingly small. The trawler fleet has aged out, and there is no affordable modern slow speed option.

 

[H-man]

Thanks for the great comments, and BB I really appreciate you sharing your story of the Chesapeake. Your story is good ammo for me to push the big engines with the wife. Lol.
I’m a retired lineman turned farmer in Texas, and try to the best of my ability to pay in cash. That’s why I have the limited budget. We don’t mind hard work and preparing our choice in a boat for this adventure we have planned, actually that was part of the plan to make the vessel our own. What fun would it be to buy something you haven’t laid a wrench on? I want to know the systems and quirks of the machine I’m working with. I also sold our 45’ diesel pusher to have this adventure so, I don’t dare tell the wife she will need to down size. lol.
Thanks again for the suggestions and comments!

I am in Rockport, Texas, a retired marine engineer with over twenty years of experience owning Defever trawlers. If you are in my area, I would be happy to show you and share some of my experiences.
Best HK

 

[Mike Lowthian]

Thanks Jim
I’ve been watching Bahamas and the keys YouTube videos for a month trying to get all of the information I can; all the while wishing we were there.lol Yes, I had seen that BVI raised the fees quite a bit; we agree should be well worth the trip and fees.
Still hoping someone has a boat for sale or know someone who does that will pass the wife’s scrutiny. lol
The experience so far has been great so far we’ve met a lot of people at brokerage’s and boat yards that have been trying to help us. From Texas we drove to Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, Kentucky and Tennessee viewing boats in the last few weeks. So, we’re on the hunt!

I am thinking of swallowing the anchor. 45 trawler 1982 2 diesels, 2 br, 2 head, good old sturdy boat. Very seaworthy. In the Bahamas now but close to Florida. Interested?

 

[WWC]

I am in Rockport, Texas, a retired marine engineer with over twenty years of experience owning Defever trawlers. If you are in my area, I would be happy to show you and share some of my experiences.
Best HK

Howdy fellow Texan,
We don’t go south much anymore but if we do we’ll give you a shout out. The wife and I love the DeFever’s especially the pilot house 49’ with the Portuguese bridge not practical for what we want to do but, the ship looks good! lol

 

[WWC]

I am thinking of swallowing the anchor. 45 trawler 1982 2 diesels, 2 br, 2 head, good old sturdy boat. Very seaworthy. In the Bahamas now but close to Florida. Interested?

Thank you for the reply but, our (family friend) insurance provider insisted we buy a vessel that’s over 1990 I know there’s other providers but there friends so…
Enjoy the Bahamas we hope to go there next year.

 

[Willow]

In your price range, I would choose a smaller boat in better condition, all things equal. Bigger (more LOA and displacement) comes with higher maintenance expense, as many services are priced by LOA. Think dock fees, bottom painting, bottom diving, boat detailing and washing, etc.

A $200K forty-footer is more likely to be cruise-ready than a $200K fifty-footer.

I agree! We loved our Mainship 34’ T (38’ overall)! The extra footage in larger boats incurred higher gas consumption and costs, dockage, insurance, and often harder to grab spot at a Marina. The side door at salon helm, two engines, dry head, galley down ( we didn’t have to live in the galley), and spacious flybridge made our cruising time comfortable and manageable. Enjoy your hunt!

 

[WWC]

Willow,
The hunt is going slow but we have faith. Lol
We’ve looked at many 43’ MainShips but no 39’ maybe we’ll expand our search to include the 39’ thanks for the suggestion.

 

[hollywood8118]

Thank you for the reply but, our (family friend) insurance provider insisted we buy a vessel that’s over 1990 I know there’s other providers but there friends so…
Enjoy the Bahamas we hope to go there next year.

I would think "a friend" who is a broker would work to find you insurance for a pre 1990 boat!

 

[Willow]

Willow,
The hunt is going slow but we have faith. Lol
We’ve looked at many 43’ MainShips but no 39’ maybe we’ll expand our search to include the 39’ thanks for the suggestion.

We have a 34’ and 40’ ( both in excellent condition) 2006 Mainships for sale in our Marina- right on the intracoastal in Beaufort SC.

 

[WWC]

Could you DM me the number for the 40’?
Thanks

 

[Willow]

Could you DM me the number for the 40’?
Thanks

Lady’s Island Marina. Beaufort SC.
Let him know Robin Fogg shared his contact.

John Douglas
United Yacht Sales, LLC
843-425-6888 (Work)
jdouglas@unitedyacht.com

 

[WWC]

Thank you Sir

 

[WWC]

Hi Y’all,
We’ve looked around the South and East coast along with Kentucky, Tennessee and Mississippi taking three separate trips totaling almost 12,000 miles (rental car of course lol) for our great loop trawler and have come to an very important decision; the wife wants a Mainship 43’ preferably 2 queen beds yep the holy grail for loopers so, if you have for sale or know of someone selling a Mainship 43’ under $250000 clean and in good shape DM me to discuss. If you’re on the loop now and about to cross your wake this could be your opportunity to have your boat sold before you finish in a few days or months.
Respectfully, All you haters keep your comments to yourself I don’t want to trade or participate in…I told you so’s and I would have done’s!
Thank you,
Walter and Donna