Trawler Brands?

[MapleSugarMan]

Hi All,

My wife and I have found that our wonderful old Cal 39 has gotten to be too much of a handful for an old guy like me to handle, and we are starting to look for a trawler with an aft cabin, inside helm and a fly bridge.

Can anyone give us some input on what are some good brands to look for? How about brands or models to avoid?

Thanks!

[Sailor Jer]

Kadey Krogan brand my fave...whaleback model my fave..look on yachtworld

Marine traders are OK, my buddy has one but he also built up the bottom of the hull, took about $10K in materials alone to make it gullet proof.

[wayne.b]

Originally Posted by MapleSugarMan

Hi All,

My wife and I have found that our wonderful old Cal 39 has gotten to be too much of a handful for an old guy like me to handle, and we are starting to look for a trawler with an aft cabin, inside helm and a fly bridge.

Can anyone give us some input on what are some good brands to look for? How about brands or models to avoid?

Thanks!

===

There are a lot of questions that you have to ask and answer about how you intend to use the boat, relative priorities, budget, etc. That said, Grand Banks 36s, 42s and 49s are very popular, as are Kady Krogens, Willards, Camanos, Monks, etc. All of those are good boats for their intended purpose, if in good condition. I'd stay away from Mainships and a few other so called fast trawlers.

Other than budget, key questions are twin engine vs single, fuel range, stabilization (important for open water), galley up vs galley down, walk around decks, wood trim and the care thereof, etc.

[Cheechako]

All about budget really. Nordic Tug, Camano Troll , and the other Tug company are quality units. and higher $.

[CrustyChief]

Size and intended use will dictate what manufacture to look at. If all your cruising is inland water, no real need for a "Blue Water Capable" boat.
We personally like Nordys, KK and Selene's. Our Selene met our needs, just need a few more items and she will be outfitted for longer periods in "Blue Water"

[exMaggieDrum]

That's like asking what kind of sailboat to buy. You need to consider your budget since that will weed out a lot of models and sizes if it isn't bottomless. But up in the PNW - Nordic Tugs are very well liked but expensive. Ranger and American Tugs are also popular but I can't speak to quality of construction. Nordic Tugs are the gold standard for that type of trawler up here.

The good news is that there are hundreds and hundreds of boats to choose from. You'll need to develop a list of features beyond your basic short one for sure. How old is OK. One big issue is one engine or two. Type of motors. History of motors. Speed and fuel usage. Range and fuel tankage. Water tankage. Holding tankage. One head or two. Size of aft cockpit. Number of berths. Ease of work/access on the interior and the engine room and other compartments. Storage. Beauty (in your eyes). Resell value (if that might ever be an issue). Sea worthiness - not just for open waters but inside as well. How rolly they are, etc. Galley features - reefer, stove, dining area, pantry,.........

Kady Krogens are very nice. You get "a lot of boat for the money" with Bayliners but they aren't top of the line boats. Two ends of the spectrum. You can get small trawlers that can cost as much as boats 3x their size.

But it will be fun. Just don't set a deadline to choose.

[danderer]

Originally Posted by MapleSugarMan

Hi All,

My wife and I have found that our wonderful old Cal 39 has gotten to be too much of a handful for an old guy like me to handle, and we are starting to look for a trawler with an aft cabin, inside helm and a fly bridge.

Can anyone give us some input on what are some good brands to look for? How about brands or models to avoid?

Thanks!

Depends in large part on what you want to spend. A 40' trawler can run from $30K (used) to $1M (new).

Suggest you take a look at www.trawlerforum.com.

[valhalla360]

As others have said, budget and intended use dictate a lot.

I would also think long and hard about the second helm. They tend to eat up a lot of interior space. We had one on a previous boat...in almost 10yrs of ownership, we drove from the lower helm once and that was because we had just removed the flybridge because we were trucking the boat.

If you are going for a more relaxed cruising style, will you really be out frequently in bad weather so you really want to be down below? If it's only occasionally and you have an autopilot, you can steer with the autopilot remote control without a full helm station below.

[Cheechako]

I've only had one trawler, but even in florida the lower helm was a godsend when it was blowing and raining buckets enroute.

[valhalla360]

Originally Posted by Cheechako

I've only had one trawler, but even in florida the lower helm was a godsend when it was blowing and raining buckets enroute.

Mine had a bimini top with isenglass on the front and sides for rainy days.

[Cheechako]

yeah mine had a standing headroom bimini and side curtains too. But the front was open.

[rwidman]

Originally Posted by valhalla360

.......I would also think long and hard about the second helm. They tend to eat up a lot of interior space. We had one on a previous boat...in almost 10yrs of ownership, we drove from the lower helm once and that was because we had just removed the flybridge because we were trucking the boat...............

If the flybridge isn't enclosed and heated, you might wish for a lower helm. We drive from the flybridge when we can but our lower helm gets used if it's raining or cold. That's not a lot but far more than once.

We have a Camano Troll and love it but it doesn't meet all the qualifications mentioned by the OP.

Contacting a broker might be a good idea. The broker gets paid by the seller so it's a free resource for the buyer.

[valhalla360]

Originally Posted by rwidman

If the flybridge isn't enclosed and heated, you might wish for a lower helm. We drive from the flybridge when we can but our lower helm gets used if it's raining or cold. That's not a lot but far more than once.

We have a Camano Troll and love it but it doesn't meet all the qualifications mentioned by the OP.

Contacting a broker might be a good idea. The broker gets paid by the seller so it's a free resource for the buyer.

Certainly, if the flybridge is totally exposed and you cruise in cold weather or in frequent rain, the lower helm makes a lot of sense.

Of course, you can typically add an enclosure for a modest price and I've even seen a few with heating.

[exMaggieDrum]

Originally Posted by valhalla360

As others have said, budget and intended use dictate a lot.

I would also think long and hard about the second helm. They tend to eat up a lot of interior space. We had one on a previous boat...in almost 10yrs of ownership, we drove from the lower helm once and that was because we had just removed the flybridge because we were trucking the boat.

If you are going for a more relaxed cruising style, will you really be out frequently in bad weather so you really want to be down below? If it's only occasionally and you have an autopilot, you can steer with the autopilot remote control without a full helm station below.

IMO you should not regularly use an autopilot down below without a helm there without also having engine controls nearby. Sometimes you need to adjust the throttle in a hurry (like stop or go in reverse) to avoid hitting something or someone where just turning will not do the trick. There would be a lot of liability if something happened and you would feel pretty bad if you hit a rock, another boat, or someone in the water. While you are running up the ladder in a panic you won't be able to see. If you use the AP to just go to the head and come right back up that might work for you but you shouldn't go down and make coffee or stay longer than absolutely necessary. You have to maintain full control of the boat per law, regulations, and common sense. Just my two cents....

[valhalla360]

Originally Posted by exMaggieDrum

IMO you should not regularly use an autopilot down below without a helm there without also having engine controls nearby. Sometimes you need to adjust the throttle in a hurry (like stop or go in reverse) to avoid hitting something or someone where just turning will not do the trick. There would be a lot of liability if something happened and you would feel pretty bad if you hit a rock, another boat, or someone in the water. While you are running up the ladder in a panic you won't be able to see. If you use the AP to just go to the head and come right back up that might work for you but you shouldn't go down and make coffee or stay longer than absolutely necessary. You have to maintain full control of the boat per law, regulations, and common sense. Just my two cents....

Obviously, I'm talking open water, non-congested waters if you are going to use the autopilot.

Personally, I prefer an enclosure on the flybridge as the better option.