Need: Steel Pilothouse Shrimper to Convert

[MasterJedi]

Originally Posted by lorenzo b

Check out my blog to see what I've done so far, google Lorenzo and Joyce scow.

Hi Lorenzo, Ive found your blog, its a great site and enjoyable read... But cant find any pics re: conversion of your boat...

[bobconnie]

Theres probley 100 shrimpers for sale down the Bayous in Terrebonne Parish Louisiana. Some cheap as heck others in good shape for more money ! You can ballast a shrimp boat as you can any boat !! They can and do make great cruiseing boats if ya can afford the fuel bills !! Theres a couple of them redone down here that I would take anywhere you might want to go !! Just sayin it can and has been done a bunch down here !!

[MasterJedi]

Originally Posted by bobconnie

Theres probley 100 shrimpers for sale down the Bayous in Terrebonne Parish Louisiana. Some cheap as heck others in

Hi BobConnie,

Thanks for the info, I do get a few 'negative waves' from people Ive asked re: the conversion of a shrimp trawler, one of the reasons I want a shrimp trawler, is I aim to make it wheelchair accessible for friends to go with me sailing, hence need something large and not cramped

re: cheap as heck, I can think of some really small figures...any idea of starting prices..?

[bobconnie]

I saw a 48 ftr, pilot house with a 8-71 detroit, 1000 gals fuel, still floating and sorta running for 20,000. It also had a running genny and cabin air. It NEED'S Work but it's doable! Thats all the prices I know of ! Theres also some Bolixe(spl) luggers for sale in the area, don't know the prices tho.

[Group9]

Originally Posted by MasterJedi

Hi Group 9,

Thanks for the info, Will bear that in mind From research Ive done their seems to be a huge disparity in price to expect to pay from $20k - $75k+

By chance, any links to bank owned boats for sale...? or is it a case of phoning gulf state banks to find out where/when they are auctioned off...

A lot of them are boats that have been in families for years. Some have local notes on them but many are still owned outright and not many banks are lending money down here on seafood ventures.

The BP oil spill pretty much drove a spike through the heart of our seafood industry down here. It doesn't look like many of them will survive and you could probably get a pretty good price from the ones who own their boats out right, but just are tired of losing money every time they go out.

[MasterJedi]

Thanks all for the feedback

here's where it gets foggy

I'm British and live in the United Kingdom. I will need to get the boat back to the UK. so far been quoted around $30k as deck cargo. I am considering options as to whether its feasible for me to buy the boat in the USA and use the short time allowed on holiday visa (3 months) to fix it to the ocean going standard I need, that is, and here comes the meteorite.... yes convert it to electric...yes thats right folks the good o'l thorn in British Petroleum's side...Electricity...

That is hybrid-electric. I guesstimate.. a 400hp electric motor can be powered by a huge array of batteries (1Mwh), maybe used as ballast, solar panels on wheel house...with a backup genset charger of approx. 30Kw.

As for the cost of the batteries, motor, etc...remember on the streets its worth fifty bucks.... remember the film 'trading places...?' when dan ackroyd tries to pawn his $30k swiss watch..? then gets offfered $50 bucks....

Im a taxi driver and a hairdresser, and paid £52 ($75), from eBay a used hair wash basin that retails for £2,500 ($3,300) .... yep, they may want several thousand, but on the streets its 50 bucks....

as a cab driver have chatted with many people, a regular passenger in the town i work in England, UK (famous for Thomas Paine USA) who is a psychologist, said I was more qualified in human nature than any psychologist he knew, that is when I said I estimated I have had upwards of 20,000 conversations with passengers over the years of driving, ranging from the weather to imitate details of their personal lives...

Well its human nature to oppose 'different', and many are dinosaurs set in their ways.. or is it the europeans..?

Why the above thesis...? well here comes the sonic boom from the meteorite, yes readers, I need to make the shrimp trawler a motor sailer...Oh know, yes, its true, apart from the usual hull yada, yada, responses Ive had, Im thinking of a 2 masted gaff ketch, the sails would have flexible solar panels sewn into the sails ... to help charge he array,.

I intend to do the work myself... yes in 3 months

then sail back to the UK

yes, I know .. a bumble bee cant fly, its too fat for its wings,

I understand that their are marinas/docks where space is available for owners to carry out their surgery, anyone advise please..?, what's the going rate for space 75ft boat in gulf areas..?

what is typical hired hands semi skilled, bod rate per day? that is for mechanic/welder, lift out old engine, drop in electric motor...estimate 3 days work. i would acquire the required parts that need machining, done to naval architects design, prior to the engine transplant.

As for charger/drive for electric motor, hack/mod marine industrial gear, good thing about USA, is that films like star trek, star wars inspired a generation of children to delve into electronics/IT and become super nerds, and bearded super geeks , like the guy in the wheelchair in the film 'Heat' who gives DeNiro plans for the bank. So, USA has an abundance of nerds willing to help make it for a Jedi, even if he has come from the planetary system of the dreaded BP empire...

"BP - consumed by the dark side the company has become...Now matters are worse..."

Remember, The force is with us all, always..

[btsieg]

Hello

I was searching the web for shrimp boat conversion projects and came across this post.

My wife and I purchased a shrimp boat in January 2010 to convert into a live aboard. We searched from Texas to Florida ended up buying one in Biloxi, there were a lot of them for sale at that time, don't know about now. At that time the economy was still down. We used a broker when we purchased ours, but, if I was doing it again, I think I would just go where the boats are and ask around for owners who wanted to sell. I would strongly suggest, when you find a boat your serious about, have a marine survey preformed. A survey will cost around a $1,000 +/- and it may not find all the surprises hidden in the boat, but it sure helps. Also, once you put together an estimate to refit the boat, add 30 to 40% to your cost estimate.

So three years into our project, the question we get asked most, would we do it again. Most definitely!!! I have had so much fun working on it, and once completed, we will have much more boat than we could have ever afforded other wise. But it has been a lot of work.

We plan to retire 2016 and I like to think we're on schedule finish our project by the time we can use the boat the way we want.

You can see our project at MV Jezebelle and if you have any questions, email me at btsieg@gmail.com.

Best and good luck

Brian

[Group9]

Originally Posted by btsieg

Hello

I was searching the web for shrimp boat conversion projects and came across this post.

My wife and I purchased a shrimp boat in January 2010 to convert into a live aboard. We searched from Texas to Florida ended up buying one in Biloxi, there were a lot of them for sale at that time, don't know about now. At that time the economy was still down. We used a broker when we purchased ours, but, if I was doing it again, I think I would just go where the boats are and ask around for owners who wanted to sell. I would strongly suggest, when you find a boat your serious about, have a marine survey preformed. A survey will cost around a $1,000 +/- and it may not find all the surprises hidden in the boat, but it sure helps. Also, once you put together an estimate to refit the boat, add 30 to 40% to your cost estimate.

So three years into our project, the question we get asked most, would we do it again. Most definitely!!! I have had so much fun working on it, and once completed, we will have much more boat than we could have ever afforded other wise. But it has been a lot of work.

We plan to retire 2016 and I like to think we're on schedule finish our project by the time we can use the boat the way we want.

You can see our project at MV Jezebelle and if you have any questions, email me at btsieg@gmail.com.

Best and good luck

Brian

Good to hear. I live on the Mississippi Gulf Coast and I think most boaters down here have thought about doing what you are doing. I see people who have done it and they do make beautiful cruisers. Congratulations and good luck!

[captain58sailin]

Very nice looking. I am sure she will be your pride and joy for many years to come.