Turning a Sailboat Into a Motor Cruiser

[David_Old_Jersey]

Although with me a bit of a broken record! - I would suggest OP (and anyone!) keep at least one eye on future resale. Of course not a consideration when buying the "forever" boat that they will carry you off in a coffin from after you have lived "the dream" for decades to come whilst marching to the beat of own drum etc etc blah, blah, blah........but nonetheless plans do change (it's called life!), and one day you might want (need?!) more than a few cents on the dollar back for all the time, effort and money put into her over the years............Only ever a limited market for silk purses made out of sows ears.......

[Oogie]

blue crab, 2 bits? really, well pay up dude. the only posts i do not regard, are ones that really have nothing to offer or advice. you really just make general assumptions about people? i do wish you had asked, this is meant to be basically a fact finding post, a Beginning to a way of life i wish to pursue. i have spent 6 months on a couple of trawlers especially that i like alot, and time on a commercial fishing trawler (6 months) i have not been able to locate any single engine semi displacement hull trawlers any where in the price range im seeking. and for me " basic intentions " always leaves room for change.

"Only ever a limited market for silk purses made out of sows ears......." now that is funny David, but very true, i have also learned never put all your eggs in a basket, and never have to live counting on something to resell even on a small margin.

me and the wife spent 2 months in carib, last winter, with another couple (real sailors) not us, we just split the cost.we be the crew( in learning) still like the sailboat, a 40ft+ Morgan very fuel efficient compared to any trawler at any speed, so this this is just basically a list of pros and cons. been reading these forums a couple of moths ago i read inhere or found a link that an older gent posted about changing from a sailboat to his (sailing trawler) semi-displacement hull?? i believe he stated if his health was better he would have stayed in a sailboat. man! we enjoyed our time last winter as the best time of our entire life including raising 5 kids, but i certaintly could not imagine life on a 25ft sailboat, or having to still work for a living, but it will be real hard to put a lot of distance between us and the gran-babies, and if i need to install a set of bow thrusters then it will just simply get done, lol me? i would probally make a tube bracket out of SS use 2 minn-kota salt water edition trolling motors. to manufacture my own, it would depend on price and alot of research

[Nicholson58]

Originally Posted by David_Old_Jersey

Yeah, OP = you! (Original Poster)
Spanners = Tools.

One thing to bear in mind is that whilst many things can be done - not everything is a great idea.

Nonetheless I think your idea has some merit if you can stumble accross a good deal (and accepting that the end result will be less than ideal), but I would favour going the trawler (or large motorboat) route. But at the end of the day not my money!

KIT = stuff, equipment, clothes or weapons.

[Blue Crab]

I hear you Oogie. I did make an assumption that you were not basically a boater.

I also agree that you announced your post was fact-finding.

My bad. First bad of the year!

I hope it works out for you and wife.

It will look goofy. Not seamanlike.

[Oogie]

Blue Crab, i have read and been on alot of forums over the years, and so i thank you for a reply that showed real class, thank you. and yes your are right a sailboat without a mast would really look goofy.

i had a thought that building a wheelhouse would offset that look, but a previous post about a shortened mast-light sail set-up as a help in case of catastrophic motor failure at sea or even in a storm might even serve to prevent a total disaster. plus the article about it doubling as TV antennae aaaand the thing about the sail helping stabilize the roll ina ship

plus i would like to add ive been reading these forums for at least 2 years and never have i seen so many ppl willing to help each other from excellent advice to real physical help a few times. i consider this is the best forums i have ever read -- bar nun.

[Oogie]

Heya Ol nicholson58, i also know my self, that if i had a trawler, it would just be another shop, and i do have a hard time not helping others , so i figure if i do not take nothing but basics, i will finally be to fish, swim, explore exotic cultures, and relax relax relax, i have tons a books to read and catch up up on reading i intend to do, im thinking about getting one of them "mobile books that can hold like 20 mil books or something eh?

oh yeah! another important question yall, how does things like laptops, and them dang book things last ?

[delmarrey]

Originally Posted by Oogie

oh yeah! another important question yall, how does things like laptops, and them dang book things last ?

Ya just have to keep'm dry. But if your not going to be sailing that shouldn't be too hard.

[jgbrown]

Originally Posted by Oogie

Heya Ol nicholson58, i also know my self, that if i had a trawler, it would just be another shop, and i do have a hard time not helping others , so i figure if i do not take nothing but basics, i will finally be to fish, swim, explore exotic cultures, and relax relax relax, i have tons a books to read and catch up up on reading i intend to do, im thinking about getting one of them "mobile books that can hold like 20 mil books or something eh?

oh yeah! another important question yall, how does things like laptops, and them dang book things last ?

All of those things sound good, but a proper trawler should be a better choice to make them happen... a 30' trawler has twice the interior space of my boat(30' sail) and costs the same in moorage... a customer of ours just bought a nice condition 44' powerboat for your price range(around 35k) and it came with everything right down to a floating dock for the dinghy! He basically paid for the recent refit and that was it.

[chiropaul]

Winnie the Pooh While i have not followed this entire thread, this is a link to someone from the Trawlerandtrawlering list who did just this . His name is Mark Richter, a former NASA engineer who took a destroyed hull and refurbished it into a liveaboard cruiser. That being said, I agree with many here that there are many used project trawlers that would certainly give you more room than an equally sized sailboat hull. If you go single diesel, the economy of fuel usage is very close.

[delmarrey]

Here ya go.......... Happened across this beauty that some one spent a small fortune on.

Patterned after the classic and Presidential yachts of the 1920s

Not actually a conversion, but built this way.



Here's the story>>> Review: Burger 151' Fantail Cruiser "Sycara IV" - YachtForums.Com

[ElGatoGordo]

STUNNING!!!!! Not exactly in keeping with the economics of this thread, but certainly the look!!!!

[Nicholson58]

does the owner need a pilot, 2nd mate, mechanic, cook? We're retired and have the creds.

The link takes you four pages of boat envy.

[ranger58sb]

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

FWIW,

Real experience with an N of one:

Dismasted at sea in our previous boat (old IOR one tonner), with residual seas from full gale. Motion was TERRIBLE! Difficult to move about boat, stove nearly jumping off gimbals, extremely fatiguing. This yacht, BTW, was no lightweight flyer, displacement neat 20,000 lbs on a LWL of 29 feet, beamy admidships, pinched ends, lots of rocker, 7'2" draft).

I can not believe that the average trawler yacht could have such a motion, for no one would ever go to sea in one voluntarily!

I can imagine that. Probably made slightly worse by not having enough horsepower (I assume?) to pick and maintain a comfortable heading under all conditions.

Many "trawlers" don't actually spend much time in blue water... and those that do, no matter whether full- or semi-displacement hull, have often anticipated those kinds of seas... by adding underwater stabilizers, paravanes, or even gyro-stabilizers these days. With much discussion about steadying sails, drogues and sea anchors and so forth.

And even then, bearable stability can depend on being able to make way in a direction compatible with sea states/wave action... no matter which direction the float plan called for

-Chris

[nimblemotors]

I was waiting for it, but hasn't been said yet... but look for a catamaran, they can work just great as power boats without much if any modifications.
Unfortunately, not nearly as many cheap ones to be found.

ok, well, here ya go already, 40ft cat, not sailboat, $20k,

http://miami.craigslist.org/brw/boa/3592718807.html

JackB

[Uricanejack]

I just cant figure out why you would want to do that.
Why not get an old fixer up moter boat and fix it up.