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Trawlers

1772 Views 39 Replies 10 Participants Last post by Don L, 1 mo ago

Don L

Discussion Starter · 2 mo ago

As I start my journey to the dark side I joined Trawler Forum. Turns out 1/2 the members there seems to be ex grumpy sailors. So doesn"t look going to dark side makes you non-grumpy.

So far I like this boat best in the price range an looking at. More importantly is that it is a price that should be reasonably close to what I can sell my 2001 41' sailboat for. It seems HUGE at 47', but my 41' sailboat is really 43' so not really.

What you think?

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capta

· #2 · 2 mo ago

Don L said:
As I start my journey to the dark side I joined Trawler Forum. Turns out 1/2 the members there seems to be ex grumpy sailors. So doesn"t look going to dark side makes you non-grumpy.

So far I like this boat best in the price range an looking at. More importantly is that it is a price that should be reasonably close to what I can sell my 2001 41' sailboat for. It seems HUGE at 47', but my 41' sailboat is really 43' so not really.

What you think?

Marine Trader Tradewinds Sd My boats for sale - Boat Trader

Find Marine Trader Tradewinds Sd My boats for sale near you, including boat prices, photos, and more. Locate Marine Trader boat dealers and find your boat at Boat Trader!

boattrader.com

That IS a huge boat compared even to a sailboat of equal length. If nothing else, if you plan to cruise the east coast, consider the cost of slips these days.
I'm not sure whether you are sailing alone, but with that freeboard you'll need some help docking sometimes. Few people are going to be able to jump to a dock from that height, so you'll have to bring her right alongside a dock, and hold her there until someone can get off safely and secure at least a spring line. Using someone on the dock is something I won't do, unless I have no choice at all, and even then, they often do not follow directions well and can really screw things up. I had a "helping hand" secure my bow line to the midships cleat on the dock, leaving me w/an 80 footer crosswise in the slip.
One of the great adventures one can do on a motor yacht that isn't practical on a sailing boat is the "Great Loop" or "circumnavigating the east coast" as I call it. I took a corporate yacht to Nova Scotia, through the Canso Canal to PEI and down the St Lawrence to Kingston. Some do the Erie Canal, but in doing so you'll miss Quebec, which I think is a HUGE mistake. The locks were also a blast (to me).
I went through the Lakes to Chicago, from where we took the Illinois River to the Mighty Mississippi, and down to NO. Last time I checked (a number of years back) 17' was the maximum air draft for that run.
Volvos require almost all OEM parts (super expensive), which makes it imperative you find a really good mechanic, well versed in them, to survey the engines for you.
You might want to look at smaller boats, as they would still be much more comfortable than the equivalent size sailboat, but much cheaper to operate than the one you posted the link to.
Good Luck.

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hpeer

· #3 · 2 mo ago

Lots of mechanical systems to maintain.

Arcb

· #4 · 2 mo ago (Edited)

Do some research on range. Some of those semi displacement hulls may not be the most efficient and you are carrying just over a metric ton of fuel. I would imagine you could go through that quick enough.

hpeer

· #5 · 2 mo ago

Have you ever looked at a Schucker?

This is a 440, I think they also made a 446.

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Don L

Discussion Starter · #6 · 2 mo ago

capta said:
You might want to look at smaller boats, as they would still be much more comfortable than the equivalent size sailboat, but much cheaper to operate than the one you posted the link to.
Good Luck.

I have been online looking for a few weeks now and I don't see us moving to anything less than a 42'. The one I posted is 47' and my current second favorite is 46'. I just don't think there is going to be a lot difference in operational costs between 42'-47'.

But I know nothing really and am exploring.

SanderO

· #7 · 2 mo ago

Personally I think this forum should be limited to sail boats and motor sails... it's called SAILNET not yachtnet

MarkofSeaLife

· #8 · 2 mo ago

capta said:
I'm not sure whether you are sailing alone, but with that freeboard you'll need some help docking sometimes. Few people are going to be able to jump to a dock from that height, so you'll have to bring her right alongside a dock, and hold her there until someone can get off safely and secure at least a spring line. Using someone on the dock is something I won't do, unless I have no choice at all, and even then, they often do not follow directions well and can really screw things up. I had a "helping hand" secure my bow line to the midships cleat on the dock, leaving me w/an 80 footer crosswise in the slip.

Can't you use the lasso technique of dropping a very large loop across the dock? It should be easier on a high sided boat?

I agree with you re dock hands. They think they can hold 10 tons of boat. Strong man. I just shove my boat in gear and test them. They get the message.

Mark

Arcb

· #9 · 2 mo ago (Edited)

You could probably lasso, but you'd want to be quick about it in an offshore wind.

That's a lot of windage for a sub 4 ft draft. She'd be a handful in the wind.

Reactions: 1

Don L

Discussion Starter · #10 · 2 mo ago

Only been to dock twice in 5 months. Probably can manage the timing.

If power boaters can do it ex sailboaters can do it

Reactions: 2

Arcb

· #11 · 2 mo ago (Edited)

Sure, docking a big power boat is like just about everything else.

Practice a bit and you get a bit better at it. Practice a lot and you will get a lot better at it.

Just saying docking a big kitey power boat isn't going to be as easy in breezy conditions as a sailboat.

You have a good attitude. Wait for the right conditions.

Reactions: 2

colemj

· #12 · 2 mo ago

Bow and stern thrusters, and if it is heavy enough the inertia resists quick changes with wind. Of course the momentum is the flip side of that…

Reactions: 1

MarkofSeaLife

· #13 · 2 mo ago

It's a crock. I used to be able to get a 68 footer and a 65 footer, sailboats, no thrusters, into marinas and Locks.
Yes if I had thrusters I would use them, but it's a cheat. You don't need them. You don't need a dock boy etc. Just learn.

Reactions: 1

tempest

· #14 · 2 mo ago

Boaters I see that manage docking well, use the wind strength and direction to their advantage. The ones I see that get in trouble ignore the wind and try to over-power it's effects.

Last summer, I watched the 80 year old owner of a 65 ft. Ocean sportfishing boat slide his boat into his slip, like he was easing a sleeping baby into a crib. Pretty narrow fairway and a hard turn to starboard into the slip. I never saw the bow thruster come on, barely a ripple from his props. I think he had Practice!

Reactions: 3

colemj

· #15 · 2 mo ago

There is a big difference between sailboats and trawlers in this regard. Sailboats have keels to pivot around, a lot of hull rocker often with ends out of water, and one can actually see the dock from the helm (and usually all sides and ends of the boat) even on quite large sailboats. None of those are true with most trawlers of modest size. While thrusters might technically not be required to plonk a boat onto/into a dock in some manner, they certainly make it a gentler less stressful event - bring the boat alongside until you are blind to the dock, stop, then nudge it in.

Reactions: 1

colemj

· #16 · 2 mo ago

Assuming a single screw. Duals provide extra control.

Don L

Discussion Starter · #17 · 2 mo ago

I didn't mean for this to become a sailboat verse trawler issue. Face it, both have their own suck and good issue far as boating goes.

To me the only reason to have a sailboat is to sail. Since I don"t feel I have been getting to sail enough the last 6 years I may as well switch to a trawler.

Reactions: 3

Arcb

· #18 · 2 mo ago

MarkofSeaLife said:
I used to be able to get a 68 footer and a 65 footer, sailboats, no thrusters, into marinas and Locks.

But those are sailboats... a Swan 68 has more in common with docking a Catalina 25 than it does a big flat bottom high windage trawler 😀

Still, it's just a matter of practice and getting used to the idea of being a lot more aggressive with the throttles, keeping your wheels turning and driving the boat too the dock rather than beside the dock.

Reactions: 1

hpeer

· #19 · 2 mo ago

When we bought our big boat I had a short email conversation with the first owner. I asked him, “If you have one bit of advice what would it be?” He replied without a seconds thought “Stay out of marinas.”

We eventually found out the boat had a “power boat prop” as opposed to a “sail boat prop.” When we switched to the new prop it made a world of difference, I was able to get much more reverse thrust, and significant prop walk. So now I can turn her tightly to starboard. Still can’t back for beans if there is any head wind, bow blows off before I can get controlled reverse headway.

capta

· #20 · 2 mo ago

MarkofSeaLife said:
It's a crock. I used to be able to get a 68 footer and a 65 footer, sailboats, no thrusters, into marinas and Locks.
Yes if I had thrusters I would use them, but it's a cheat. You don't need them. You don't need a dock boy etc. Just learn.

Once one begins to rely on thrusters, it becomes much more difficult to handle the boat should they fail. And those who use them indiscriminately (like when anchoring) will find they may fail often.
Some years back, I was told by a thruster dealer that the average lifespan on the tiny small craft thrusters is only about 100 hours. That may have increased since then, but probably not much.

Reactions: 1

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