New to this forum - and trawlers

[Tony B]

Hi all or is it y'all?

My name is Tony and am going from sail to trawler. I just listed my 39' Ketch for sale today and started actively looking for a trawler this past week. I am 64 going on 65 and my wifes age has not yet been determined.*We have been sailing for*about 15 years and only owned a small power boat (14') for about 6 months. We are looking for a*34 - 38 foot trawler and plan on starting the great loop next year if at all possible.

We live aboard in Kemah, Tx. We are not wealthy so we can't buy a trawler till out ketch sells first. Our ketch is a 1976 and we suspect that would be the approx age of a trawler we will end up with.

I just found this site last night and I am glad I did.

 

[Steve]

welcome! You'll find lots of ex sailors trawler owners, and lots of good advice on the site.
Steve W.


-- Edited by Steve on Tuesday 19th of July 2011 07:22:34 AM

 

[Tony B]

Go figya.

*

Tony B

 

[skipperdude]

Indeed. Welcome aboard Skipper.

*Decided to come over to the dark side did ya?

*Use the search and ask any questions you like. We all have great opinions. Not all you like but opinions never the less.

SD

 

[Baker]

Welcome Tony!!!....Consider yourself "evolved"!!!!.....even though it took you awhile!!!....;-)

 

[Tony B]

I'm just not sure if we can handle the high speed of a trawler. How difficult is it to walk on flat, horizontal decks?

Thanks all for the Welcome.

 

[markpierce]

Tony B wrote:
...*How difficult is it to walk on flat, horizontal decks?

*As easy as pie.

*

 

[FlyWright]

"As easy as pie."

And some of us haven't quite kicked the sailing habit. Apparently it's a lengthy process.

(I'm not going to mention any names here.)

 

[markpierce]

I am guilty of the accusation.* Still, I have found the sails help*tame the roll from stern-quartering waves at the western entrance of Carquinez Strait after exiting Mare Island Strait*where there is a long fetch over shallow*San Pablo Bay.* Didn't hoist the sails last weekend so we had a few good rolls.

 

[Tony B]

Mark

Aside from the 'steadying', do the sails offer any noticable propulsion?

Tony B

 

[markpierce]

The time I made an effort to check, a ten-knot beam wind added about a half knot.

 

[Tony B]

markpierce wrote:
The time I made an effort to check, a ten-knot beam wind added about a half knot.

*OK, so it don't add any significant power but when you are too cool for school, nothing else matters.

*

 

[Moonstruck]

Mark, can you tell if the engine is under less strain with the sails up?

 

[markpierce]

Tony B wrote:markpierce wrote:
The time I made an effort to check, a ten-knot beam wind added about a half knot.

*OK, so it don't add any significant power but when you are too cool for school, nothing else matters.

*

*Not so fast (pun intended), fella.* An increase of half a knot can mean the difference of 15 to*25+% in*fuel consumption.

 

[markpierce]

Moonstruck wrote:
Mark, can you tell if the engine is under less strain with the sails up?

*No, but one can reduce RPMs and maintain original speed.

 

[Tony B]

markpierce wrote:Moonstruck wrote:
Mark, can you tell if the engine is under less strain with the sails up?

*No, but one can reduce RPMs and maintain original speed.

*I might not be a mathematician but as I see it "original speed" was probably zero. Hmmmmmm. Not bad.

*

Ok, now for my serious face.......so as for propulsion, you are actually geting quite a bit of it from the sails. I figured you would get a noticable amount and if you can drop your RPM's and maintain speed then you are doing quite well.

 

[hogrider46]

Tony,
I just switched over from 36' sail to 32' GB trawler. I still have a 22' sail to satisfy the passion. I am in Seabrooke Marina. I have had a boat in Kemah area for about 10 years.

Lots of great knowledge on this site.

\

 

[Tony B]

hogrider46 wrote:
Tony,
I just switched over from 36' sail to 32' GB trawler. I still have a 22' sail to satisfy the passion.

Fortunately I still have sailing friends and can always hitch a ride. Tony B

...Lots of great knowedge on this site...

Oh yes, I can tell. They have answered a lot of questions for me. I already live aboard and lived aboard a lot smaller boats so my questions are a little more specific to the boat itself. I know my level of comfort. Tony B

*I hope to meet some of the people on here some day. Quite a few from this area.

 

[Pineapple Girl]

We went from a j 42 sailboat to a PT 35. Love it!! Great ride, lots of storage, great galley. And like you we have plenty of friends and relatives with sailboats when we are in the mood.