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California to Alaska: Feedback

Discussion in 'General Trawler Discussion' started by Bluejacket, Jun 23, 2008.

  1. Bluejacket, Jun 23, 2008
    #1
    Bluejacket

    Bluejacket New Member

    Joined:
    Jun 23, 2008
    Messages:
    1
    Location:
    Sacramento Delta
    So, this recent California retiree's plan is to purchase a used, full-displacement hulled trawler yacht @ 40' in Washington state and bring it back to / register it in California. It would be a live aboard that would be kept in a Sacramento River Delta marina during the Winter and then headed North each Spring / early Summer to Pudget Sound - Southern Alaska for Northwest cruising during the warm months there. Questions:

    1. What months would be best (weather wise) to transit north along the Pacific Coast to Washington and later south back to California.

    2. My leading choice for such usage would be a used 39' Krogen. Anyone have an alternate candidate they think would be better suited?

    3. Is it safe to undertake such travel plans with a single diesel engined trawler and basic mechanical knowledge?

    4. How many hours are too many on a used diesel engine?

    5. How often would such a vessel need to be hauled out for maintenance? Routine mainenance of what type / cost?

    6. Are there significant offshore navigation hazards along the Pacific Coast?

    7. What exactly is a Genset? If it is simply a generator for use aboard a yacht when the main engine(s) are off, why isn't it simply called a generator?

    8. Do marina rules / regulations make it too difficult or prohibitive to live aboard? Are there ways around these prohibitive factors?

    9. What type of insurance issues could present for a trawler of this (proposed) size?

    10. How common is the "rogue wave" experience offshore?

    As you can see, I'm in the "information gathering" stage before reaching a decision on this lifestyle. Although it sounds tremendously exciting, it's also tremendously expensive and frightening without a great deal of experience. Suggestions, comments are welcome!
  2. JWY, Jun 24, 2008
    #2
    JWY

    JWY Senior Member

    Joined:
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    Messages:
    1,567
    Location:
    Ft. Lauderdale
    Welcome to YachtForums. You came to the right place for answers. All of your questions are valid and reasonable; however, most of your questions require a somewhat lengthy answer and may therefore deter responses due to the number of questions. I would suggest you do some research in the archives and you'll find many of your answers there. Let us know what remains unanswered and we'll inundate you with more than you probably want to know.

    Judy Waldman
  3. NYCAP123, Jun 24, 2008
    #3
    NYCAP123

    NYCAP123 Senior Member

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    11,208
    Location:
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    If you don't have friends with boats to spend time on do some charters to get a lot of experience before taking this beyond the dream stage. The answers to all your questions will come over time as they should.
  4. travler, Oct 15, 2008
    #4
    travler

    travler Senior Member

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    Oct 14, 2008
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    Location:
    roche harbor wa
    welcome to the forum i think the advice already given is good having made that trip more than once it can be done in a smaller boat but realy do you home work ther are several piont's and capes to go around that can be rough on any size boat

    fair winds and calm sea's travler
  5. NYCAP123, Oct 15, 2008
    #5
    NYCAP123

    NYCAP123 Senior Member

    Joined:
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    Messages:
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    Location:
    Long Island, NY
    "2. My leading choice for such usage would be a used 39' Krogen. Anyone have an alternate candidate they think would be better suited?"
    Can't get much better than that. Steady, stable, ecconomical. Only down side is speed.

    "3. Is it safe to undertake such travel plans with a single diesel engined trawler and basic mechanical knowledge?"
    Done all the time. Just make sure you have spare filters, belts, hoses and other repair supplies.

    "7. What exactly is a Genset? If it is simply a generator for use aboard a yacht when the main engine(s) are off, why isn't it simply called a generator?"
    Potatoes/Potahtoes

    "10. How common is the "rogue wave" experience offshore?"
    A 6 footer in a set of 3 footers is a rogue. Happens all the time. The ones you're worried about aren't all that common. More likely you'll get into an entire seastate that you won't be happy about. Remember to consider the swell height on top of which wind waves stand.