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Slow Trawlers vs Fast trawler

Discussion in 'General Trawler Discussion' started by Fish Catcher Jim, Oct 5, 2014.

  1. NYCAP123

    NYCAP123 Senior Member

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    I ussed to run a 51 Bertram that was hell on the hook it rocked so bad. SF are designed to go fast forward and to track well in reverse. Rocking at anchor isn't a high priority. You can however install a gyyro-stabilizer, although they're expensive and heavy. Fin stabilizers won't help on the hook. A keel does help. Also some trawler types have a stabilizer sail. Others, such as some Seatons, have outriggers that can be lowered to help stabilize.

    The biggest drawbacks to SF for me is the helm. Working deck from a SF generally involves running up and down a ladder. It also seperates the helmsman from the rest of the boat, as well as leaving him out in the weather (although you can button up a bridge and even have ac/heat brought up there. The Bertram had a nice bridge setup, but just to bring food up involved lowering a basket. Ladders are inconvenitent. Another drawback to me, as a smoker, is that there's no place outside covered from the weather. And we all know that smoking inside a boat is a no-no.

    Not sure what you're referring to with "sail drive", unless you're referring to a kite setup like Brian Eiland was referring to in a thread awhile back.
  2. Capt J

    Capt J Senior Member

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    SF are designed for drift fishing and trolling speeds. They are usually a lot more stable than a MY both drifting and slow speeds and anchored. They're also designed typically for a larger sea state. Obviously you want one without a tower, and you also want to make sure you're under 19'2 to the top of the hardtop. Going through the locks is easy on them as you have a cockpit in the rear with easy line access, good room on the bow, and visibility 360 degrees on most of them from the helm. Visibility of the sides and aft is tough on a lot of MY's.

    NYCAP Bertrams are an exception to a SF, and tend to roll a lot more than others. SF are designed for drifting and slow trolling. A cockpit shade that folds in half can help create more of a covered area.
  3. NYCAP123

    NYCAP123 Senior Member

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  4. NEO56

    NEO56 Member

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    The best way to resolve that is to retrofit a Sea Keeper unit into the boat, and while it's true that SF's tend to have a higher CG than most boats, it also allows a bit more space for things like tenders, and putting in a couple of poles in the Rod holders near the stern create a Sun shade for the entire cockpit for dining alfresco, or a nice shady spot to watch the World go by.
  5. Capt J

    Capt J Senior Member

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    Sportfish tend to have a lot lower center of gravity compared to motoryachts. They are designed to have the ability to put a tuna tower on them and still be stable. One with just a hardtop will outride most motoryachts. You also don't have this great big house above the rub rail like a motoryacht does.
  6. Fish Catcher Jim

    Fish Catcher Jim Member

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    Thank You Guys for all this input. I enjoy being a member here very much and infact its the only place i go now.

    SF is a wonderful boat, believe me I do agree with that. Now with that said I have to add this and correct me if I am wrong please, but it seems that if the galley and salon is up then normally the healm is up as in a flybridge and if there is a healm down the galley and salon tends to be down. Dont like that at all !!

    Now I know there are some exceptions to this and maybe more then I know but for the most part that is what kept me looking at trawlers and I totally absolutely in no way ever want an aft cabin trawler. When I walk in from the deck it better be a salon of some type. lol

    To me having to add stabilizers and what nots is not something I want to have to be doing. Now then if it was just me and my boat well things would be a lot different. I mean adding weights and stabilizers to boats and karts and cars is nothing new to me but this time around its a brand new ball game.

    Jim
  7. Fish Catcher Jim

    Fish Catcher Jim Member

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    If it was just me I would make a winter project of this and come spring well you know...............out of here and let the wind and the sea take me to where ever we gonna be. lol

    Attached Files:

  8. Fish Catcher Jim

    Fish Catcher Jim Member

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    Now this 50 Hat was nice all the way around but its the healm thing and on some like the Albin 36 TE the galley and salon are side by side and just an l berth dinette for relaxing is not gonna work but she is so beautiful.

    Attached Files:

  9. bernd1972

    bernd1972 Senior Member

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    Talking about these get-me-home Auxiliary engines: You also find them in the small Nordhavn. After all most problems with adult diesel engines are caused by bad fuel (the same fuel you´d use for your auxiliary engine). Normally, if not caused by bad fuel diesel engines don´t die without warning and most typical reason for a dead engine is neglect. So I guess what you need most is just another engine that is ignored all the time until you find yourself in trouble.
  10. olderboater

    olderboater Senior Member

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    But then if the only fuel on board is contaminated and unfit, it's not going to help you either, is it?

    Perhaps the best thing is a good fuel system with adequate filters and polishing.
  11. NYCAP123

    NYCAP123 Senior Member

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    The position of the galley has nothing to do with where the helm is. SF close over the front windows, so no lower helm. You'll generally find most boats with lower helms up north where it extends the boating season. Down south they go for just the upper helms more. You'll find lower (and often upper and lower) helms on many trawlers, several Sport Cruisers and motor yachts.

    Adding things like stabilizers and thrusters, etc. is not a big deal; just money. So if the boat you like isn't equipped as you'd like, just figure it into your offer. On almost any boat you buy you'll do a certain amount of refitting. After all, you have to make it your boat.

    P.S.- Problems can come from a lot more than just fuel. An electrical problem, clogged injectors, clogged air filter, a crumpled prop and a blown transmission come immediately to mind. So don't be too fast to discount the value of a get-home on a single screw boat.
  12. NEO56

    NEO56 Member

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    Jim, Not sure what your budget is, but Mikelson used to make a 61 Pilothouse, it's an SF with an upper and lower steering station, there's actually one currently on the market, they no longer make that model, but they do have a Nomad series that you might want to look into. Here's the 61 but it's sold, worth taking a look at the layout.

    http://www.mikelsonyachts.com/brokerage/m61_Reel_Estate.htm
  13. ranger58sb

    ranger58sb Senior member

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    We have stairs to the flying bridge, no ladder. That would be a deal breaker for us, now.

    We have a forward window, ditto deal breaker if without.

    No lower helm, but fully enclosed (on demand) bridge... so no big loss.

    We often cruise at 7-8 kts, but sometimes at 20...

    -Chris
  14. NEO56

    NEO56 Member

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    Jim, just so you know all of the Mikelson's were designed by Tom Fexas, they are semi-displacement hulls. Fast cruising speed, and fuel efficient design. The Nomad is a cross between a Trawler and a SF, or a Trawler with a cockpit. Disclosure: I am not in anyway associated with Mikelson, nor compensated in any way. I'm just a fan, the Sullivan brothers use the KISS principal, along with redundancy in their designs.
  15. Fish Catcher Jim

    Fish Catcher Jim Member

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    NEO56 thanks for the link and yea that is one nice boat.
    Now here is 2 links to check out
    1st one is for a Mikelson convertible gulwing...43 ft. Now this paticular one is not only designed by Tom Fexas but was his personal vessel. Take a look at the pictures or even down load the pdf. I could live forever in this boat and the bildge area or engine room even has a work bench area and lots of extra storager.... The wood is beautiful.

    http://www.curtisstokes.net/sport-fisherman-mikelson-gullwing.html

    ok 2nd link.....is to a 43 foot steerling atlantic and the name is justavaction. The wood and such in and on this thing is awesome and I do like the design as well. check them out.......please.

    http://www.curtisstokes.net/trawler-43sterling-yachtsr-justavacation.html

    Thanks again for the link and the north and south thing makes sense with the healms....
    Jim
  16. Fish Catcher Jim

    Fish Catcher Jim Member

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    NYCap123,
    The north and south thing with the lower enclosed healm vs the upper makes sense to me. The part about the healm and galley I was kind of just using it as a guide line for what I have seen. (sorry)

    Refit? I thought that was the next step after buying a boat new or used. LOL. Ya know you just have to !! No ryme or rerason one just has to is all.
    I guess if it should turn out to be a fuel issue well that is what you have a full saltwater membership with a towing company.

    Now then I know some about hydraulic drive and how it works, my question was more to the line of......has any one ever had this set up or used this set up as to get me home? Generator runs the pump.
    Jim
  17. NEO56

    NEO56 Member

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    Tom's boat is a real beauty...but thanks to Owner input, ladders to the flybridge are now stairs, and the Galley on the 43 and 50 are usually located aft just inside the salon door. One of my favorite places for a galley. Think about it, one of the most stable places underway for preparing a meal. I like the concept.

    No thought's on the Nomad series?

    P.S. Yes I checked out both links, Thanks. Don't you kind of feel like a kid in a Candy store sometimes? So little money and so many choices? It's frustrating to say the least. Sometimes you just want to throw up your hands, and give up....but don't. You'll come across a boat that will resonate in your soul and the Mrs. and life will be grand.
    Last edited: Oct 16, 2014
  18. Fish Catcher Jim

    Fish Catcher Jim Member

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    NEO56,
    The nomads are realy nice. The ones I found were all around 59 foot and as much as I would enjoy having something like that I do beleive its a tad to big.:(
    I must say whast I did see was real Nice to say the least.

    Kid in a candy store? Like how many can we get today? Way too many choises to choose from, I mean how do you settle for just one? I am sure the right one will be found and then life starts over once again.
    Jim
  19. NEO56

    NEO56 Member

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    That's the spirit! But going back to one of my previous posts here, You're first isn't going to be your last. You'll find one that will tug at your heart strings, and then the "what if's" will kick in. But it won't occur in any short order. In your travels, you'll meet tons of great people, who will welcome you and allow you to get aboard other boats, learn what works and doesn't work, for yourself and mate. You'll be amazed at the knowledge you'll acquire in your travels. I'm not talking about trading up...but just maybe moving sideways will open up new vista's. Please keep us updated on your progress. I look forward to your experiences.

    P.S. The amazing thing is that if you get in a bind, and have internet access, you can jump on YF and tap a virtual encyclopedia of knowledge and contacts anywhere in the World, to help your voyage be a whole lot easier.
    Last edited: Oct 16, 2014
  20. Fish Catcher Jim

    Fish Catcher Jim Member

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    Neo56,
    Thank You and I sure will keep you updated in our progress. Funny thing happened here. I am sure you know how much I claimed I had to have Twins or no deal. That 42 nordic tug that was liked so very much here has begone to draw on me. I mean I find myself thnking about it everytime I turn around or I will find that I had drifted off and was on the boat changing some things or just find thast I had been seeing the boat inside and out for some time and had no idea what was on the tv.

    Ands it's a single engine tug to boot, but hey they call it a trawler in a tug package. lol Was doing some research on ther nordics and found a fishing charter service which runs 3 different ones. A 54 and a 42 and I beleive a 36. I sure did not see this one coming.

    Oh well time will tell the truth I guess. So whats your next adventure?
    Jim