Looking for a Trawler(I think)

J

jmas

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Havnt done much fishing this past year and thinking about more crusing. I dont know much about Trawlers but they seem like somthing that Ann and I might enjoy.
Any comments on what and where to start looking.
34'- 40'.
Dont think we would go for a new Boat but a few years old in decent shape.
 
Trawlers are a single purpose boat. They are unique in appearance and performance. Sea keeping, is believed by many to be superior to other forms of powered craft. Some believe on par with a sail boat. If your contemplating crossing large expanses of open water they are probably a good idea. On the other hand there are same size cruisers out there with roomier accomodations that are capable of running as slow as a trawler with the same economy.

Strongly advise you to rent one for a week and see if you can stand it.
 
If your thinking about a Trawler, I do at times, look at something a bit different like the Roughwater (Ed Monk) 42 or 41's they look like they might be my next boat.
Bill
 
The vast majority of "trawlers" sold are simply underpowered semi planning boats. Do yourself a favor and consider properly powered boats then you have the option of slow speed for economy and faster speed if you want.
The fuel used by a boat is not really related to the size or number of the engines but the speed, weight and hull design.

If it has square chines it is not a trawler regardless of what the marketing types would have you believe. If the hull looks like a sail boat with a stubby keel it might be a trawler.
 
In todays market there isnt much difference in price for used boats based on size. 42' is the minimum I would recommend for long term cruising.
 
Bruce you are correct about what is marketed and what really constitutes a true Trawler.
The Roughwater is not a trawler most have twin Detroit 8.2L diesels. They will do 19 to 20 knots when needed. The boats a bit different with the upper enclosed helm.
Bill
 
For starters get a subscription to passage maker magazine.... Trawlers come in many shape and forms from the classic Monk designs and older krogens to more recent offerings like the Camanos and even the tug inspired boats.

And there are also boats which can be operated as trawlers...
 
A much better forum is the Trawlers and Trawlering list. I tried Trawler Forum for awhile and it is the RBI champ of boating forums. Really Bad Information, that is. Well meaning, but naive rookie moderators. Caveat Lector!
 
First thing is to decide where and how you will be using it. On a lake? East or west coast coastal cruising? Crossing oceans??

Then decide how. Longshore passages up the coast? ICW trips? The great "fuel burning" loop?
 
Is Tony (Woodsong's) 36 Monk still for sale?
You might want to look at that in the classified section here on BE.
I think the asking price on Yachtworld has been reduced to $69k.
Bill
 
Who says trawlers are underpowered? Throw enough hp into anything & it will skip across the water. Underpowered is when the engine is beating itself to death just to make hull speed. How often do you see high powered large boats running at the speed that they are capable of? Not often. Not at the fuel burn it takes to make all of that weight move.

Give me a trawler with a large single. Can't beat the simplicity or the economy of a single. Those who want two engines in a boat most likely would have two engines in their cars if they could & for the same lame reasons.
 
"underpowered" is all a matter of what you're used to. If you like to bash around at 30kts then ANY trawler is underpowered and couldn't do 30k with 4 times the hp. Hull design simply won't allow it.

Personally I like my houseboat. About the same hp and speed as a trawler but a whole lot more room and less draft (something to consider on WCFL). If I were on the east coast and the Bahamas were an option the trawler would be more attractive, but I'm not.
 
Looked at Woodsong's 36' MONK. Looks like what I had in mind. Will check farther.
Thanks for all the info.
 
Under powered means that the hull is designed to be semi planning but the engines are too small to achieve that.

Look at grand banks for a perfect example. Their boats can and do plane with proper power but are sold with low power as "trawlers". What else make them qualify as a trawler except their low power?
 
quote:
Originally posted by pdecat

Under powered means that the hull is designed to be semi planning but the engines are too small to achieve that.

Look at grand banks for a perfect example. Their boats can and do plane with proper power but are sold with low power as "trawlers". What else make them qualify as a trawler except their low power?

Click to expand...


Their full deep keel and interior and exterior lay outs would be a few things that mark them as a trawler or trawler style boat.

I agree they have a planing hull. But the hull shape alone does not make a boat what it is.
 
If that is true that why are all sedans and ACMYs not trawlers??

It seems to me then that the real trawler type boats such as the Krogan, Gulfstar, Nordhaven all distinguished by their slippery hull design need a different name.

Isn’t hull design what differentiates trawlers from grand banks, Monks, Island traders et al?
 
There is a 37 C&C with a for sale sign next door at Bisc Bay YC . Looks well maintained, not sure what they are asking but must be on YW, it s called Grape Escape

The definition of trawler is always a source of discussion, the purists say most boats called trawlers are not trawlers...who cares :) recreational traslering is more about the cruising style than technical definitions
 
Trawlers come in many shapes & sizes, from something like an Albin 27 aft cabin up to the blurry line somewhere around the 50' or 60' area when they become motoryachts. Trawlers are generally diesel powered, often single engined, seldom really powered for speed, never fall into the 'plastic fantastic' or 'tennis shoe' shape & have a timeless design which only gets a little tweak from year to year.

Years ago the hull shape had to be full displacement to be considered a trawler hull but these days the semi displacement hull is much more common.

For trawler people the time it takes to get 'there' is of little importance. How much it costs to get 'there' is. Often 'there' is wherever they are when they have had enough of cruising along & are ready to drop the hook. They have boats much better setup to be self sustaining than the marina hopping go fast crowd.
 
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