Anyone Familiar with Great Harbor Trawlers ?

[timb7734]

We do, and we just tied her up at a friend's house in ft Lauderdale area without help as a 20 plus east wind pushed us away. Starboard to we first get a brest line on, then with rudders to port and the port engine in forward and the starboard in reverse the stern comes in to the dock and the brest line acts as a bit of a spring. Loop a stern line around a piling and then tie up the bow. Most of the time we cruise just my diminutive 5'2" wife and I, and I am going on 64 years old. An the GH47 is a 35 ton boat in full cruising form.

Sailing at anchor can be an issue unless you are willing to use a bridle, a two anchor Bahamian set up, or pull a snubber line midships. A little experiment tells you what works the best in different conditions. In all cases wrap the chain at the roller with one of those velcro chaffing gloves after setting everything up, and it helps keep it quiet. Really most places either in the Bahamas or the ICW I don't bother, as with good ground tackle you are secure and do not even feel any swing inside the vessel. I really don't care to anchor in a bunch of other boats especially Boot Key, as it has all the charm of a trailer park with 30 year old hulks on the cheap. A reasonably well equipped Great Harbor anchors well in 100 feet circle of 5' depth at MLW . . . umm where there is no one else. Where would you rather be?

[beiland]

Originally Posted by Waterwayguy

These boats were not designed for open ocean in anything other than calm conditions. The hull design and excess windage also make them sail all over the harbor in windy conditions while at anchor. With any kind of seas running they roll like a barrel even with stabilizers. The are great dockaminiums and comfortable liveaboards for marina stays. The deck layouts don't make them user friendly for coming and going from the dock.

Originally Posted by Waterwayguy

I would add that anyone considering taking one of these boats across an ocean reconsider. I would suggest this is why the manufacturer recommend it be shipped. These boats roll like a 55 gallon drum and if not heavily stabilized should not be considered for offshore use. I am not sure any kind of stabilization would be suitable for offshore heavy weather.

So my question is have you ever been aboard one of these vessels and experienced this??

[AnchorageGuy]

We have a good friend with a GH and have been on board often. Chuck

[CSY Man]

[timb7734]

The boat above is named East Passage and has made many trips from Maine to the Bahamas. My boat has been to the Bahamas six times and from Savannah to Punta Gorda.

Yea, if you won't to cross oceans, even I would get a different boat with more draft. Where do you want to cruise? Rolls a lot less than any round bilge Chinese Grand Banks knock off, and less than the 36 GB I had before.

Every boat is a compromise, just be aware of blowhard armchair naval architects.

p.s. I also own a Florida Bay Coaster and keep it in Northern Lake Huron.

[beiland]

Thanks for posting that first hand account Timb.

When I first saw a pic of the Florida Bay Coaster, my immediate reaction was 'how top heavy' they appeared,...and how they must be prone to rolling excessively. Likewise when I saw the GH model of the Great Harbor Trawler designs I thought the same. And particularly since both are built on very shallow draft hulls.

I believe the Fla Bay Coasters do not make an attempt to keep their superstructures very lt-weight, but rater utilize steel even in these superstructures?

Great Harbor on the other hand makes use of lighter weight materials to construct their superstructures.....NideCore
About Great Harbor Trawlers : Design Discussions : Space Age Core

While we have been discussing cores used in hulls, there is a new synthetic non-rotting polypropylene core that looks like honeycomb and is making huge inroads in boat construction. It is used everywhere but mostly above the waterline. This core has some great benefits and represents the best bang for the buck in the way of a core in areas that are not highly stressed such as decks, cabin sides, and roofs

NidaCore reference again. on their website

I thought that somewhere else on their website there was more reference to the advantages of keeping weight out of the structures of the vessel above the waterline, PARTICULARLY at greater heights, but I did not find it. However here is an interesting point of view on stability of these style vessels.
Form Stability vs. Ballast and Stabilizers

Most folks should realize that keeping weight out of the topsides, or building ever-higher topsides should all contribute to less rolling motion.

[beiland]

Originally Posted by beiland

....I thought that somewhere else on their website there was more reference to the advantages of keeping weight out of the structures of the vessel above the waterline, PARTICULARLY at greater heights, but I did not find it. However here is an interesting point of view on stability of these style vessels.
Form Stability vs. Ballast and Stabilizers

Yes, I did find that other mention

Originally Posted by website

The angle to which a boat rolls in response to an upsetting force is a function of the shape of the watertight boundary of the hull, deck and topsides, the weight, and the center of gravity. On our trawlers, we have maximized stability by many design characteristics. These include a wide beam, not just in the hull but in the deckhouse; hard chines, a low center of gravity resulting from the heavily laid up solid hull construction combined with a light weight, high strength cored construction for the topsides, liquids located low in hull through the use of narrow, integral tanks,

[timb7734]

I am the second owner of the coaster, and it is a 1998 build. Our Gh 47 was built for us in 2008.

What will be a surprise to some critical followers of this thread, the coaster was brought to the Great Lakes on her own bottom from up river in Guatemala. Through the canal and up the east coast. Hmmmm.

My point is just where do you want to cruise? We have gone from Florida to Marsh Harbor in 32 hours. We have gone from Savannah to the northern Abacoes offshore overnight. Great Harbors have gone to Bermuda, Hawaii, and Newfoundland. Would I cross the Atlantic in one? NO. But then I wouldn't cross the Atlantic in a Nordhaven or a Krogen. I would put a GH on a dry dock ship and skip the 14 days at sea.

You are accurate in the comments about weight saving topsides in the GH, and the nidacore material was not available in 1998, not compatible with a steel build. More important to the builder is that, according to the naval architect, Lou Codega, the amount of air trapped in the nidacore offsets the weight of the machinery and fuel/waste/water such that barring a catastrophic fire the vessel will float just above the pilot house top and not completely sink.

I have met Mr Codega, and exchanged information with him on several occasions. I have also exchanged email information about the Coaster with it's designer, Jay Benford. Interestingly I believe there are small differences in the design dimensions that mitigate questions of stability between the two designs. For example the Coaster has a slightly deeper draft, and a wider beam for its length than the GH. The GH is not crammed full and typically sits 4 to6 inches above it's waterline, so in cruising trim for me has a three foot draft. The Coaster is over 4 feet and more beam for it's shorter length by 5 feet.

Last and most important to me is that after a lifetime of recreational boating and sailboat racing I don't care anymore to challenge the elements. We watch the weather very carefully and never venture offshore without an adequate weather window. Why is beating you and your boat in bad weather fun?

One of our clubs has a contingent of die hard sailors, five of which took a 34 foot full keel wooden ketch to Ireland a few years ago, spending the entire two weeks plus in bicycle helmets. Sense of accomplishment, yes, fun, NO.

Currently the Commodore of our club in Punta Gorda is a retired Great Lakes Captain who was in command of one of some 16 freighters in Duluth Minnesota in November one day in the late nineteen seventies, and 14 captains decided to wait out the forecast storm. Of the two that didn't, one was the Edmund Fitzgerald. The gist of a speech he gave to us one evening was that sometimes it takes more guts NOT TO GO.

Spend money on a boat for what you are realistically going to do, not what armchair architects tell you that you need.

[beiland]

Great reply Timb. BTW I sent you a private message.

This subject of stability of these type powerboats holds great interest for me at this time as I consider what modifications might be made to the hull design of a vessel such as the Pilgrim 40.
Trawler Forum - View Single Post - Hull Shapes----Show us your girl's bottom

Trawler Forum - View Single Post - Hull Shapes----Show us your girl's bottom

http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...es-106073.html


I come from a sailing background...not powerboats

[FLLCatsailor]

In good friends with both Ken Ficket and Eric Kraft, and believe they build very good boats. Eric is constantly running charters on the 47, and Ken's son Travis is always moving boats for them. I think the fact that the builders are so active in the boats speaks volumes. I've been aboard a number of their boats and have always been very pleased with the fit and finish.

[beiland]

Check out these photos. Yes they are very nicely built.

New to Yachting; 13 Million to spend - - Page 6 - YachtForums.Com

While I was visiting a friend of mine in St Augustine, FL this past Jan, we took an exploratory ride over to ex-military marina on the St John's river in Green Cove Springs FL. The area peaked my interest enough that I returned there about 3 weeks ago to have another look around. It was early morning and I was exploring all the different waterfront facilities and various vessels. I was particularly looking for live-aboard possibilities, both location and vessels.

I spotted two 'work boat looking' vessels that I vaguely recall seeing some photos of, but I had never paid much attention to them, as I've always been a fan of a 'graceful sheer lines' in boat designs, be it power or sail, and these tug boat shaped hulls didn't possess that. In other words I had never given these designs a second thought...they just weren't too pretty in my eye. Being out of the water I did note the shallow draft of these vessels, the good protection offered to the shafts and props, the generous size of the props that indicated efficient operation, and the apparent quality of the construction.

[beiland]

Originally Posted by timb7734

I am the second owner of the coaster, and it is a 1998 build. Our Gh 47 was built for us in 2008.

What will be a surprise to some critical followers of this thread, the coaster was brought to the Great Lakes on her own bottom from up river in Guatemala. Through the canal and up the east coast. Hmmmm.

My point is just where do you want to cruise? We have gone from Florida to Marsh Harbor in 32 hours. We have gone from Savannah to the northern Abacoes offshore overnight. Great Harbors have gone to Bermuda, Hawaii, and Newfoundland. Would I cross the Atlantic in one? NO. But then I wouldn't cross the Atlantic in a Nordhaven or a Krogen. I would put a GH on a dry dock ship and skip the 14 days at sea.

You are accurate in the comments about weight saving topsides in the GH, and the nidacore material was not available in 1998, not compatible with a steel build. More important to the builder is that, according to the naval architect, Lou Codega, the amount of air trapped in the nidacore offsets the weight of the machinery and fuel/waste/water such that barring a catastrophic fire the vessel will float just above the pilot house top and not completely sink.

I have met Mr Codega, and exchanged information with him on several occasions. I have also exchanged email information about the Coaster with it's designer, Jay Benford. Interestingly I believe there are small differences in the design dimensions that mitigate questions of stability between the two designs. For example the Coaster has a slightly deeper draft, and a wider beam for its length than the GH. The GH is not crammed full and typically sits 4 to6 inches above it's waterline, so in cruising trim for me has a three foot draft. The Coaster is over 4 feet and more beam for it's shorter length by 5 feet.

Spend money on a boat for what you are realistically going to do, not what armchair architects tell you that you need.

Great reply Timb. I am looking thru various hull bottom designs of displacement trawlers as possibilities to utilize on a redesign of the Pilgrim 40 coastal cruiser. The hulls of the Great Harbor and the Florida Bay Coasters are both at the top of my list at the moment.

Redesigning the Pilgrim 40 Coastal Cruiser

Thought you might find it of interest since it appears you own one of each of these vessels.

[rw58ph]

There have been several discussion on Trawler Forum, Trawler Forum The general consensus is its a protected water, and coastal cruiser. The reason is it would have good initial stability with the wide flat bottom. However the ultra stability required for coastal/ocean cruising has been a concern? I was on one several years ago at a Trawler Fest and I thought it would make a great dock condo live aboard for protect waters. If you have interest/questions might try Trawler Forum.

[FishCatcher Jim]

any one in here actually running a mirage N37 or N47 (great harbor)

[FishCatcher Jim]

Originally Posted by rw58ph

There have been several discussion on Trawler Forum, Trawler Forum The general consensus is its a protected water, and coastal cruiser. The reason is it would have good initial stability with the wide flat bottom. However the ultra stability required for coastal/ocean cruising has been a concern? I was on one several years ago at a Trawler Fest and I thought it would make a great dock condo live aboard for protect waters. If you have interest/questions might try Trawler Forum.

There is some very interesting threads on Trawler forum and here is one

Great Harbour N37 Young America at our dock yesterday - Trawler Forum

Any way a long time ago these Great Harbour Trawlers got my attention with their shallow draft and wide beamand twin engines. A loopers delight to say the least. Then I got concerned with the low horse power and top speed of about 9 knots with a typical cruise of 7 to 8 knots. So I began to post all over the place. I mean every forum I could find and it did not take long until all those other folks talked me right out of even going aboard one.

From stories of getting kicked out of marina's because of to much swing and drift on the hook to to much rock and roll under go and so forth. The list of reasons why Great Harbour trawlers were a bad risk went on and on. So I went back to researching and looking at trawler after trawler all the while the Great Harbour kept popping up in my thinking. I wouold blow it off only to find the thought of a Great Harbour trawler was there again and I couldnot shake the feeling I needed to truly check into these boats.

Well a few more tries and looking at the website until I could quote it in my sleep and still people kept steeringme away..........THEN it hit me.......... STOP talking or listening to those who have not owned one or really spent any time on one. So my adventure began and I started seeking out any one and every one who had anything to do with Great Harbour trawlers........ To my surprise there is a wonderfully aray of many different owners and employee's who have or still work with Great Harbour in some way or another.

Now then I have taken many months of steady research into these Great Harbour trawlers and have found out that nearly everything I was told in these forums simply is NOT true at all. I have found out from owners how wonderfuly smooth and stable they run and how little pitch or roll they do have. ( Slim to none ) I have learned that YES the GH models which are a 37 foot and a 47 foot model do tend to swing some in the wind BUT what boat does not? Even my old 16 foot deep v aluimun boat swang on the hook in a breeze. The trick is just like any other boat..............Learning How To Tie Your Boat Up and THEY DO NOT swing like an amuzment park ride either and it does take some decent wind or current to make it a big deal and like I said......simply learn how to tie up your boat to prevent most if not all of this.

True they do not have a plaining hull and do not run 20 to 30 knts BUT then again they do not burn 15 to 30 pluss gallons of fuel an hour either. At a 7 knt cruise yoou can expect about 1.50 to 2.50 from what I have been told by actuall owners and operators.

These boats are undersetamated to their performance leval but NO ONE has ever claimed them to be a good Ocean Passage or crossing boat. However they have been getting around pretty well and as the owners are learning how these boats were designed to operate they are finding more and more avenues to cruise. In Short...........I pray Ken Fickett gets things turned back around for the better and gets back to doing what He and His team do very well,
Building Great Harbour Trawlers.
Thank You and Merry Christmas Every One
Soon To Be an Owner of a Great Harbour Trawler Too
<>< JIM ><>