Changes
Veteran Member
- Joined
- Apr 25, 2021
- Messages
- 30
- Vessel Name
- StarGazer
- Vessel Make
- Van Helleman custom/62 ft
After 35 years of working and living aboard yachts and ships, mostly in the Tropics, we will be selling our own live aboard 62 ft steel motor sailor StarGazer in Asia and moving back to my home waters of British Columbia and SE Alaska. (Hopefully if borders open in 2022).
Plan is to purchase a live aboard trawler based on the advice of experienced trawler owners, who have lived aboard year-round in the PNW and SE Alaska.
I am too new to the Trawler market to know which used trawler has good bones and solid engineering, or which characteristics suit the cold climate and meet our design priorities and budget, so any comments added to my list below, that better defines our shopping list and options, is greatly appreciated!
Budget for Used Trawler: USD300-350k with $50k additional for upgrades
Length: As a liveaboard for two, should be comfortable and self-contained, so not intimidated by larger size, but not a project boat. One guest cabin is enough. Guessing 45-55 ft.
Hull Form: Displacement with dry entry, rounded belly and barge like stern for ‘at anchor’ stability
Hull/House Material: I Like Steel Construction but in colder climates is that a liability with condensation? Is Fiberglass the preferred choice?
Maintenance: I do all my own, so not into Teak Decks or exterior varnish. Prefer painting every 5 years with Awlgrip to gel coat polishing… More a rugged boat type than yachty, so tough overbuilt systems with a KISS attitude and access space to repair and carry ample spares.
Main Engines (One or Two??) (maybe this is just my sailboat mindset on most of their engine rooms) I hate cramped Machinery spaces so would rather have one reliable M.Eng. easy to maintain than two squashed together. Economic to run at 7-8 knots. If single screw, then tunnel thruster is enough
Layout: Really haven’t toured on any to be better defined, but definitely like a stern patio/fishing cockpit, with steps going up and also private entrance into a large aft Owner’s cabin seems nice. General open plan Salon and Galley with easy steps to Pilothouse. Enclosed Flybridge has comfortable access from inside and out. Ergonomics and use of space as a liveaboard has a higher priority than style,….. So basically Form follows Function. Would love to get links to examples that liveaboards really liked!
Stabilization: I am ok with Paravanes as we are mostly inside cruising with short open sea voyages around the main Capes and to the bigger Islands all the way to Aleutians.
Heat and Insulation: Probably my biggest concern, so any notes most welcome. Have studied the ITR system for StarGazer. Seems to be dependable
Off Grid: We don’t intend to tie up other than for provisions. My present boat has 1800W Solar, 5Kw Inverter, 10kw Northern Lights Gen, 24v House Bank at 780AH and all large loads like R/O Water maker are DC Powered. Inverter is mostly for Induction Galley and domestic electronics. In the Tropics we are at 100% SOC by 14:00 and Gen is more for AirCons or rainy day Charging. A switch to Lithium and more solar is part of the upgrade budget
Tender: You are often limited by the size and range of your tender, so we want something that can handle beaching over rocks, barnacles and Oyster shells for daily foraging, seaworthy and dependable… Is their a better alternative to a RIB, for the PNW?
EXAMPLES: Based on my Trawler newbies brief above, any examples of what you think I should be looking at, (even if not for sale) would be a great start to my research
Thanks to all
Plan is to purchase a live aboard trawler based on the advice of experienced trawler owners, who have lived aboard year-round in the PNW and SE Alaska.
I am too new to the Trawler market to know which used trawler has good bones and solid engineering, or which characteristics suit the cold climate and meet our design priorities and budget, so any comments added to my list below, that better defines our shopping list and options, is greatly appreciated!
Budget for Used Trawler: USD300-350k with $50k additional for upgrades
Length: As a liveaboard for two, should be comfortable and self-contained, so not intimidated by larger size, but not a project boat. One guest cabin is enough. Guessing 45-55 ft.
Hull Form: Displacement with dry entry, rounded belly and barge like stern for ‘at anchor’ stability
Hull/House Material: I Like Steel Construction but in colder climates is that a liability with condensation? Is Fiberglass the preferred choice?
Maintenance: I do all my own, so not into Teak Decks or exterior varnish. Prefer painting every 5 years with Awlgrip to gel coat polishing… More a rugged boat type than yachty, so tough overbuilt systems with a KISS attitude and access space to repair and carry ample spares.
Main Engines (One or Two??) (maybe this is just my sailboat mindset on most of their engine rooms) I hate cramped Machinery spaces so would rather have one reliable M.Eng. easy to maintain than two squashed together. Economic to run at 7-8 knots. If single screw, then tunnel thruster is enough
Layout: Really haven’t toured on any to be better defined, but definitely like a stern patio/fishing cockpit, with steps going up and also private entrance into a large aft Owner’s cabin seems nice. General open plan Salon and Galley with easy steps to Pilothouse. Enclosed Flybridge has comfortable access from inside and out. Ergonomics and use of space as a liveaboard has a higher priority than style,….. So basically Form follows Function. Would love to get links to examples that liveaboards really liked!
Stabilization: I am ok with Paravanes as we are mostly inside cruising with short open sea voyages around the main Capes and to the bigger Islands all the way to Aleutians.
Heat and Insulation: Probably my biggest concern, so any notes most welcome. Have studied the ITR system for StarGazer. Seems to be dependable
Off Grid: We don’t intend to tie up other than for provisions. My present boat has 1800W Solar, 5Kw Inverter, 10kw Northern Lights Gen, 24v House Bank at 780AH and all large loads like R/O Water maker are DC Powered. Inverter is mostly for Induction Galley and domestic electronics. In the Tropics we are at 100% SOC by 14:00 and Gen is more for AirCons or rainy day Charging. A switch to Lithium and more solar is part of the upgrade budget
Tender: You are often limited by the size and range of your tender, so we want something that can handle beaching over rocks, barnacles and Oyster shells for daily foraging, seaworthy and dependable… Is their a better alternative to a RIB, for the PNW?
EXAMPLES: Based on my Trawler newbies brief above, any examples of what you think I should be looking at, (even if not for sale) would be a great start to my research
Thanks to all