steel trawler

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I kinda thought so also,,,now I have to decide whether it's worth driving 12 hrs to see
 
I am most impressed! That is indeed a trawler! Steel is one of the strongest materials you can use for a hull. Steel hulls have their own maintenance needs but the advancement of paints/coatings have made rust less of an issue than in the past. Galvanic corrosion is an important consideration; be sure to read-up on affective active and passive protection methods for steel hulls.
 
If distance is a problem one solution is to find a surveyor to do a walk through for a reduced fee with the understanding that you'll hire a full survey if you make a move on it. If he doesn't see any obvious problems go take a look. A respectable surveyor can tell if anything major and obvious is afoot rather quickly.

Magnify your 12 hour drive issue by cross country travel, air fare and hotel and you'll see why finding the right boat locally is such a money saver.
 
I've seen that boat on the market for, what... at least a year, and at a low price, without moving. High likelihood of issues, I'd guess. So: What CPseudonym said about finding someone local to look at it for you.

--P
 
Reminds me of the Coot.
 
Love it. Super neat trawler. An early Coot. Only question I see is the limited tankage. With paravanes and such, I'm surprised this wasn't part of long-range intention. Water maker and Electra-san help with long term anchorage though.
 
Thanks all for your insights...Greatly appreciated, This forum is da bomb! I am awaiting a response from my pop yachts rep about how low he is willing to go I figure mid 30s and I will stop on my way north for xmas and meet a surveyor there if I like it. I have yet to see such a clean boat in that price range...you can eat off the anchor! Thanks again all
 
Yeah, it's certainly worth a good look. From all appearances here she looks well maintained. A complete little yacht. If I were interested, I would get over to take a look, or at least get a preliminary survey done. She looks priced pretty fairly.
 
I don't want to hijack the thread, but I've always been paranoid about custom builds. I see conversations here all the time that are made clear and easy because others own, or have owned, the same boat. It seems like a big risk to 'go it alone'. On the other hand, I've never owned anything large enough to have much of a custom market to choose from. Am I not thinking about this the right way?
 
... Galvanic corrosion is an important consideration. ...

The steel Coot has four zincs along the length of each side of the hull bottom as well one on the propeller hub and a couple on the rudder.
 
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Wow, nice boat for that price, isn't it?
It has a 2" SS keel shoe, central vacuum, a new yet unused water maker, new video system installed, dry exhaust and the whole thing restored in '05! Spotlight, solar panel, toys everywhere, Arrgh!

(It seems like it is almost too good to be...)
Definitely worth a road trip to check it out. I can't get over the low ask..
 
Rust inside the hull is just as important as rust outside the hull. The boat looks like it was built from plans, and she looks to float on her lines. A little more free board would be nice. I do like the dry stack exhaust and keel cooler. If she runs out right, she should be a great little coastal cruiser.
 
I love it! Great design, well fit out, and almost too good of a price.
The cost of the Lehman, generator, bow thruster, electronics, and paravanes would probably add up to more than the asking price.
I don't see the lowish freeboard as an issue due to the shallow gunwales and large scuppers.
I would expect to see some problems just because of the low price, but you never know.
 
Cute little thing, but key word is "little". This boat is only 30' LOD and 10.5' wide. Looks rather top heavy to me. I understand steel for the hull, but why the superstructure?
Personally if considering a little boat I would take a Doral 25'SE instead-because the layout is super spacious, having a nice double bed athwartship under the cockpit. The salon has a big dinette area that sit's 6, and the cockpit is gigantic, actually having more usable space (double helm seat, Lounge, and L-shaped seats with table) than many 45' boats. The single Volvo with Duo-prop backs straight and get's up and goes (40 mph) when you want it to, or is fuel efficient when planing at low speeds. I've taken one of these from Miami to Nassau and back in huge sea's (only other boats out there were over 80') and it rode em like a duck. Better yet, you can put it on a trailer or on a rack. Buy em all day now for $30k or less. Quality construction too. I like steel trawlers, but small one's equal high maintenance for the garnered slow speeds (waterline length) which doesn't cut it when one is against a strong current (like trying to come into Charleston against a Ebb tide!) or a squall pops up with 60 mph winds..I'd rather just put the balls to the wall and circumvent it. But if you want a cute boat- this little steel one is it.
 
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What a gem! No photos of the stateroom? Cruising speed?

Hire a surveyor skilled in steel. Keeping up with the exterior is straight-forward maintenance - but, if there's rot inside the hull hidden away under the motor, etc., very difficult to deal with.

Who designed her? Perhaps you can find a stability test out there somewhere? If not, it's not too difficult to perform.

Lovely boat!
 
Oh yes "Careb",

I had my eye on her for almost a year, tried to beat to owner down into my price range but he wouldn't budge, and the cost of getting her home was just too much for me, so VERY reluctantly I called the broker and backed out.

The only concern I had was her size, especially the narrow beam, I'm sure that's the only reason she hasn't sold, you could just squeeze a couple on the boat but there wouldn't be much room left even for occasional guests.

The owner has spent a pile of cash on the boat, there's hardly anything she doesn't have, and yes she does look at lot like a little "coot", Mark gave me some pointers to look out for earlier this year, we agreed she would look nice with a yellow house roof:lol:
 
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