SAILBOAT to TRAWLER

[ashley Lieber]

My husband and I have been sailing for 30 years. Currently we have a 30ft sloop, full keel. A heavy well built classic.
Truth be told I have never been comfortable when the boat heels. I have tried meditation, therapy, calming drugs. I still love so much of the experience and enjoy mechanical problems BUT I am now in my 70s and wondering if I will ever turn this feeling around.
We are currently thinking of moving to a 55-60 foot trawler. Will the motion of the boat be any less extreme and without that hefty keel feel anymore safe? Or any other great ideas for overcoming heeling aversion?

[rslifkin]

The motion of a trawler will depend on hull design. In general, heeling won't be an issue. And most trawlers will have a somewhat sharper motion than a sailboat. Some people find that better, some find it worse.

[Wckoek]

Without stabilizer of paravanes trawler will roll more than sailboat in general, and faster as well.
I like both sailboats and trawler, but if you only have problems with heeling, better go cat.
If you didn't go off shore that often trawler will do just fine in terms of roll.

[tkeithlu]

Trawlers roll, and come back up very quickly. You don't have the resistance of the keel. It's a very different motion, at least to me. Trawlers have vastly more space. Going from a 30 ft sloop to a 60 ft. trawler is going from a motel room to a mansion. Remember that space goes up by the power of 3, so a 40 footer is about twice the size of a 30 footer and a 52 footer is about twice the size of a 40 footer. When I first looked at trawlers, I was amazed by the size difference between a 38' and a 42'.

Your greater challenge may be finding the seaworthiness you are used to. I turned away from the usual Grand Banks and its clones for three reasons. 1, the hull shapes were compromised to achieve maximum interior space, reducing ultimate stability. 2, they had huge thinly glazed "ports,' such that a broaching wave could reasonably be expected to enter on one side and exit on the other. 3, they had seacocks everywhere they needed raw water or discharge, even under engines. Since then I've added great difficulty in reaching parts and hoses, but sailboats have that probllem as well.

I love the space in my boat (44' Bruce Roberts). My wife and I lived on it for 2 1/2 years, and had all the space we needed. Good luck on your quest for the ideal retirement boat.