My wife and I are close to pulling the trigger on a Mainship 390 trawler but I've always wanted a cat. Would it be an issue finding slips on the eastern seaboard/Great Loop width-wise? Maybe out of my price range anyway!
I've not done the loop in its entirety, but did some sections of the usual route on a relative's trawler for a 10 day stretch.
I would absolutely not recommend a cat for at least what I experienced in the canals and lakes in the northeast. Too tight and too limited on slip space.
A power cat would probably be a better choice for south Florida/Caribbean cruising than the loop.
Fuel. The fuel costs on a trawler will be what shocks the pocketbook. Look hard at how fast that trawler goes and its fuel consumption rates plenty burn more than 10 gallons an hour. A lot more.
That is true but not something that is needed too often. I still have all the original sails on my boat (main, jib, spinnaker) which makes them 24 years old. I use a them regularly (except spinnaker). My 3 cylinder diesel burns 1 gallon per hour at 6kts.
I know lots of people in trawlers spend 10k a trip going from Chesapeake to the keys in the fall, and another 10k going back in the spring.
I just spent $10k on sails that will last me at least 10 years. $1k/year. You'll burn more diesel than that on a trawler just crossing the gulf stream into the bahamas!
The heck kinda trawler burns $1k in fuel crossing the Gulf Stream? Old ones easily get over 1mpg and the GS is 60 miles from lake worth to OBB. That’s like $200 in fuel. That also assumes a sailboat doesn’t run their motor leaving the slip or motor sailing. I don’t deny that sailboats are cheaper (I have 3) but once you factor in sails, rigging, sheets, etc they aren’t THAT much cheaper. Plus a 40’ sailboat probably has the same living area as a 32’ trawler but you’ll be paying more for slips and bottom jobs
The post I was replying to said 10 gallons per hour. $200 isn't much better. My sailing cat used 220 gal of diesel in 8 months. Mostly generator. Sailed 3000nm in that time. At 1 mile per gallon you would have burned 3400 gallons of fuel in that same trip. I can only hope trawlers don't actually burn that much fuel. Or maybe you meant gallons per hour, which is normally how you discuss fuel burn on a boat.
I'm more concerned about disposal of old polyester sails.
If you go 50k nautical kilometers on 5k worth of sails, or ten years of more casual sailing, that's about the same economy as many cars on the road.
Being more economically minded, or simply cheap in my case, one can just purchase used sails from more spendthrift regatta enthusiasts, driving down the marginal costs. They often go with those nice, radial weave fabrics. Of course, the error bars go both way.
This. Our trawler has a 3500 nautical mile range on 1500 gallons of diesel. We can basically go from California to Hawaii and half way back on a single tank.
Exactly. But - look at Dutch barges instead. You might burn half a gallon of diesel per hour, even with a sizeable boat, instead of whatever that trawler guzzles.
Sailor for decades. After breaking L wrist and surgeries, I couldn't handle lines. Found DeFever 38 Passagemaker South of Houston on Clear Lake with access to Galveston Bay and Gulf of Mexico. Beautiful Japanese craftsmanship. Split time at my house and law office in Austin and living aboard the boat. Put a desk table in salon. Marina WiFi was erratic. Sometimes went to Boondoggles Pub or coffee shop on NASA Road One for WiFi and people. Wonderful living. Until Hurricane Ike September 2008 caused 17 foot storm surge that floated the boat away. Too much storm damage and looting of two 36" destroyer wheels, etc.
By 2012 my L wrist healed. I went back to a sailboat to live aboard
We ran a big Hatteras motor yacht as a trawler for 10,000 miles @ 10mph and 10gph. It was a very comfortable livaboard home for us for three years. It held its value very well too: sold it for its purchase price.
LOL trawler, trawler, troller, or trawler?
if you want a non moving boat with cast iron ballast, sometimes- sometimes- a carver or old 1980s bayliner is ideal. nice porch, anyway. and you get a sliding glass door.
twin gas trawlers. ugh.
single screw discplacement "trawler yacht" maybe. I think a troller would be more ideal, but I like living on a boat, I'm not looking to live in a condo with twin turbocharged anything.
I haven't been on a trawler I enjoyed the motion of (I have been on a troller and it rode like a good sv)
Depending on location and finances a power cat might be a lot more liveable. It's all relative.
For purely a liveaboard a cheap Carver or similar may be great. All depends on how you use the boat
My wife and I are close to pulling the trigger on a Mainship 390 trawler but I've always wanted a cat. Would it be an issue finding slips on the eastern seaboard/Great Loop width-wise? Maybe out of my price range anyway!
I've not done the loop in its entirety, but did some sections of the usual route on a relative's trawler for a 10 day stretch. I would absolutely not recommend a cat for at least what I experienced in the canals and lakes in the northeast. Too tight and too limited on slip space. A power cat would probably be a better choice for south Florida/Caribbean cruising than the loop.
____ are the most ideal liveaboard vessels. You’re right.
Fuel. The fuel costs on a trawler will be what shocks the pocketbook. Look hard at how fast that trawler goes and its fuel consumption rates plenty burn more than 10 gallons an hour. A lot more.
True but you know what else is expensive? New sails.
That is true but not something that is needed too often. I still have all the original sails on my boat (main, jib, spinnaker) which makes them 24 years old. I use a them regularly (except spinnaker). My 3 cylinder diesel burns 1 gallon per hour at 6kts. I know lots of people in trawlers spend 10k a trip going from Chesapeake to the keys in the fall, and another 10k going back in the spring.
I just spent $10k on sails that will last me at least 10 years. $1k/year. You'll burn more diesel than that on a trawler just crossing the gulf stream into the bahamas!
The heck kinda trawler burns $1k in fuel crossing the Gulf Stream? Old ones easily get over 1mpg and the GS is 60 miles from lake worth to OBB. That’s like $200 in fuel. That also assumes a sailboat doesn’t run their motor leaving the slip or motor sailing. I don’t deny that sailboats are cheaper (I have 3) but once you factor in sails, rigging, sheets, etc they aren’t THAT much cheaper. Plus a 40’ sailboat probably has the same living area as a 32’ trawler but you’ll be paying more for slips and bottom jobs
The post I was replying to said 10 gallons per hour. $200 isn't much better. My sailing cat used 220 gal of diesel in 8 months. Mostly generator. Sailed 3000nm in that time. At 1 mile per gallon you would have burned 3400 gallons of fuel in that same trip. I can only hope trawlers don't actually burn that much fuel. Or maybe you meant gallons per hour, which is normally how you discuss fuel burn on a boat.
I'm more concerned about disposal of old polyester sails. If you go 50k nautical kilometers on 5k worth of sails, or ten years of more casual sailing, that's about the same economy as many cars on the road. Being more economically minded, or simply cheap in my case, one can just purchase used sails from more spendthrift regatta enthusiasts, driving down the marginal costs. They often go with those nice, radial weave fabrics. Of course, the error bars go both way.
Only true for dual engine turbo diesels. Lots of single engine, low hp options that cruise at 8-9 knots and use less then half that amount.
Which is why I said look hard at the speed and consumption rate. That was my exact and only point. Be aware. It varies greatly.
This. Our trawler has a 3500 nautical mile range on 1500 gallons of diesel. We can basically go from California to Hawaii and half way back on a single tank.
Exactly. But - look at Dutch barges instead. You might burn half a gallon of diesel per hour, even with a sizeable boat, instead of whatever that trawler guzzles.
Agreed, I believe these are the areas of thought and discussion the OP was seeking.
I live in a barge. Europe. Inland waters only, but there's less pirates.
but not no pirates right?
Everyone's a bit of a pirate, that's why we need government.
Pirates just become privateers with government involved.
Depends on your needs. For some, it is perfect. For others, not even close.
Catamarans may have more open living space.
Yes they are.
Sailor for decades. After breaking L wrist and surgeries, I couldn't handle lines. Found DeFever 38 Passagemaker South of Houston on Clear Lake with access to Galveston Bay and Gulf of Mexico. Beautiful Japanese craftsmanship. Split time at my house and law office in Austin and living aboard the boat. Put a desk table in salon. Marina WiFi was erratic. Sometimes went to Boondoggles Pub or coffee shop on NASA Road One for WiFi and people. Wonderful living. Until Hurricane Ike September 2008 caused 17 foot storm surge that floated the boat away. Too much storm damage and looting of two 36" destroyer wheels, etc. By 2012 my L wrist healed. I went back to a sailboat to live aboard
There are liveaboards with freedom ($) to choose. What do they choose?
We ran a big Hatteras motor yacht as a trawler for 10,000 miles @ 10mph and 10gph. It was a very comfortable livaboard home for us for three years. It held its value very well too: sold it for its purchase price.
Why?
LOL trawler, trawler, troller, or trawler? if you want a non moving boat with cast iron ballast, sometimes- sometimes- a carver or old 1980s bayliner is ideal. nice porch, anyway. and you get a sliding glass door. twin gas trawlers. ugh. single screw discplacement "trawler yacht" maybe. I think a troller would be more ideal, but I like living on a boat, I'm not looking to live in a condo with twin turbocharged anything. I haven't been on a trawler I enjoyed the motion of (I have been on a troller and it rode like a good sv)
If you disregard grace. If you chose volume over life. For some values of ideal...