Trawler - Single Engine vs Twins

[garrobito]

I remember have a hard discussion time ago on another forum about same question.
My conclusion about that.. if you have money, get with a double engine.. more reliable than have a hybrid like a single screw and a "get home" engine (??).
If you are in a budget, get the single screw and be more cautions about maintenance.
My personal preference is go with 2 engine and run both at low rpm (I'm not a big fan of run one and let the other off...) but off course the gas consumption is gonna be higher but you're gonna get better speed.

[Terra Nova]

Originally Posted by garrobito

...get with a double engine.. more reliable than have a hybrid like a single screw and a "get home" engine....

No, twins are less reliable. Twice as much chance for a breakdown.

[Scout 30]

Originally Posted by Terra Nova

No, twins are less reliable. Twice as much chance for a breakdown.

Although it's counterintuitive I agree. If you have twins a problem with either motor will keep you tied to the dock.

[Scout 30]

Originally Posted by garrobito

I remember have a hard discussion time ago on another forum about same question.
My conclusion about that.. if you have money, get with a double engine.. more reliable than have a hybrid like a single screw and a "get home" engine (??).
If you are in a budget, get the single screw and be more cautions about maintenance.
My personal preference is go with 2 engine and run both at low rpm (I'm not a big fan of run one and let the other off...) but off course the gas consumption is gonna be higher but you're gonna get better speed.

Here's a single engine trawler for the cruiser on a "budget".
Welcome to Nordhavn.com - Power Thats Oceans Apart

[garrobito]

Originally Posted by Scout 30

Here's a single engine trawler for the cruiser on a "budget".
Welcome to Nordhavn.com - Power Thats Oceans Apart

..Nordhavn are really so far to be considered a "budget" boat... Most likely a luxurious, heavy very good boat...
There are thousand of good motoryacht for sale...

[garrobito]

Originally Posted by Terra Nova

No, twins are less reliable. Twice as much chance for a breakdown.

You miss my point.. I can agree twice chance of breakdown but same spare parts... Modern engines with adequate maintenance are less prone to have problems.
In fact with adequate maintenance you can run for years.. mostly time problems with engines is due lack of use and adequate maintenance rather than excesive use or use off the envelope...

[SeaSon]

Everyone has an opinion. Driving a trawler near the dock is not like your sailboat. The windage is huge. Either get twins with a bow thruster, or get a single with a bow thruster and a stern thruster.

You will save fuel with a single. I've serviced one engine while the Admiral drove the boat with the other. I also drive with just one engine running on a twin - the autopilot don't care.

[mako]

climber49, it would seem that the general consensus from a bunch of very experience cruisers here is that you would be quite well served with a single diesel and a bow thruster if you need it.

The reason I say if you need it is because you may not be docking in a slip that is tight and requires high maneuverability. However the biggest factor is the vessel itself. The vast majority of all recreational "trawlers" out there (Albins, Grand Banks, Defevers, etc.) are either (1) semi displacement hulls; or (2) light and of high windage, flybridges, oxygen tents, etc.

If however you were to acquire a very heavy, deep draft, low windage vessel with a long keel and a large rudder (perhaps modified with a fish tail) then I seriously doubt you would need a bow thruster in 99% of all conditions you find yourself in.

In any case, when you buy your boat, but before you commit to spending thousands on any thrusters, invest in one weekend of training with a very experienced skipper who is familiar with handling your type of vessel.

From first hand knowledge - when I bought my monster boat I was intimidated as hell for months. I practiced docking a hundred times and constantly screwed up. Then one weekend I asked a retired freighter captain to teach me while taking me to the commercial fuel dock. It was wonderful what that one weekend did to my self-confidence and abilities!

Good luck.

[Seamule65]

For what it's worth......
Twin screw:
Depending on draft (light of laden)........
Inboard turning wheels:
Will walk your boat sideway generally better and give you better speed with a more centered thrust. Twisting the boat (twin screwing) the boat in a circle is less effective.
Outboard turning wheels:
Less effective walking boat sideways but plenty of twisting (twin screwing) power........

Bow thruster: Why would you need one on (30 ft. ?) such a small boat?

Single screw:
Ahhh, now were taking!!!
The name of the game is PATIENCE!!! Don't let anyone or anything intimidate you.......
Stand off a dock and drift...See where the current and wind are taking you.
Alway's remember you have two items that can be "hole cards"....
Your mooring lines and an anchor...
You said there are two of you.....
Driving a single screw into a dock, you are only as good as your deckhand!!!! You should both practice throwing your line and "ringing" a bitt or a cleat. The more proficient one of you is at doing this, allows you to maneuver the boat into the dock on a "spring". The same thing applies to dropping the anchor to assist easing yourself alongside. The term "Back and fill" is used alongside the dock when boat is still moving ahead towards the dock and you back her down. A right hand turning screw (Turning left when backing) will torque the boat to the left. When the boat goes dead in the water, you touch her ahead with hard rudder (to kick her alongside the dock)!!!!!
Slow and easy......Slow and easy...
Patience.....Remember, your line handling is everything!!! You can be the best boathandler, and if you can't get a line out at the right time it can spoil your whole day!!!!
Smooth sailing!!! Smitty

[wayne.b]

Originally Posted by Terra Nova

No, twins are less reliable. Twice as much chance for a breakdown.

===

While theoretically true, you can almost always keep going on the single remaining engine until you can get to a repair facility. As the owner of a twin engine trawler I can assure you that the extra engine will prove useful sooner or later. In over 6,000 hours of operation we have limped into port three times on a single. You should practice maneuvering on a single engine once in a while to learn the tricks of the trade.

[Terra Nova]

Originally Posted by wayne.b

...we have limped into port three times on a single...

Had you only had a single, you might have limped into port

every time on a single.

Don't confuse reliability with redundancy.

[wayne.b]

Originally Posted by Terra Nova

Had you only had a single, you might have limped into port

every time on a single.

Don't confuse reliability with redundancy.

===

If you have a single engine boat and it becomes disabled for some reason not easily fixed, how do you limp into port with it?

[Pelagic]

Problem with a twin installation is that they are harder to maintain and engine choice focusses on light weight rather than a de-rated heavy duty single engine.

Its a bit of a Catch-22...
I would rather go with reliability of one good engine than the redundancy of two compromised engines

[daletournier]

Pelagic, there's a guy around your neck of the woods (Subic, Puerto galeara) on a Selene 48 that imo has a great set up. One big reliable diesel with his generator that has a get me home application that cinnecys it to the prop shaft in the case of main engine loss. I haven't read the whole thread , so don't know if that type of setups been mentioned.
Great boat...maybe when I grow up:-)

Sent from my vivo Y35 using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

[Pelagic]

Hi Dale, yes owned by a French guy.... We were side by side for a couple of years at SBYC.

Boat has a number of nice innovations but the Owner was not that happy with Factory support.