Looking for Advice on First Large Ship

[Bash]

Originally Posted by scoobert

it might sound silly, but can any boat be converted to a have a sail?

A proper sailboat is built from the keel up. If it's not a sailboat by the time they lay the keel, it will never be.

[simonmd]

Originally Posted by scoobert

it might sound silly, but can any boat be converted to a have a sail?

Not such a silly question actualy. Now, a conventional rig would be more or less impossible on a trawler yacht, the hull is all wrong, ie no keel, and the high flybridge design would put the sail so high up as to make it very top heavy and unstable.

BUT, cheack out this thread I that I posted a couple of months ago,

http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...wow-51816.html

One of these would certainly be an option to vastly increase range. The only main drawback would be that it's only really efficient sailing downwind but I can't see why this wouldnt work on a trawler type vessel. The only drawback may be the shere size and weight of a 40ft motorboat, the website shows it fitted to a much lighter 30ft cat' with the mast removed.

It's a thought but i'd still say a proper motor sailor or cruising cat' would be your best ready made option.

[scoobert]

the first thing i notice about motor sailors is the size.
seems to lose tons of room?

[simonmd]

Sure, you'll have less room than on a trawler yacht, of course you will. Any monohull boat with sails is going to have less room than a similar sized trawler yacht due to the fact that you basicalt loose a level due to the sails having to be low down and the hull will be less beamy (narrower).

They will certainly have much more space than a dedicated sailboat. A cat' of similar size to what you're looking for will have more room.

It is just tou and the two dogs after all, so ask yourself if you need all that space? See if any are advertised localy and go and have a look, thats the only way to really see if it's big enough.

[scoobert]

i think a cat is well worth a look.

[kenny chaos]

Hi Scoobert-

The wife and I got an idea we wanted to do the "Loop" and looked at a 22'
C-Dory. A quick walk through and we knew that wouldn't do for us.
We started looking at trawlers but wanted the ability to travel the islands,
and who knows where.
I started looking at catamarans for their distance and sea ability.
The wife admitted she wasn't comfortable going down into the pontoons
and I wasn't crazy about learning to depend on no sailing experience.
A regular on here pointed us to the boat below which he had personally
inspected already and had high regards for.
It's smaller and much cheaper than what you are considering but I thought I'd share some of our thinking on it.
It is a motorsailor and will never win any races but in rough moments, that
might be a good thing.
I still get to learn how to sail but I have the security of a good engine. There is less sail area than a sailboat which means less sail to wrestle with when things get crazy.
It's still only 3'6" of draft so it'll be good in the "thin" water we may end up in at times.
Other than speed, the only negative I've heard about this boat is that it rolls alot.
Again, a sail will help slow any roll and I hope to use the boom with a stabilizer while anchored.
It's got a few extras that make it a good long voyage cruiser, not too many systems to maintain, designed by
a highly esteemed designer, and built like a tank.
It's only 32' but that's 10' longer and 3' wider than what we first looked at.
The space is chopped up which makes for a variety of nice spaces.
We have a deposit on it and are eagerly awaiting a survey when the
weather breaks (April sometime).
Hope this helps.
Good luck-
Kenny
1975 Fales 32 Navigator Pilothouse Sail Boat For Sale - www.yachtworld.com

[scoobert]

thats a nice little boat. did they make them any bigger? or is that it?

[boatman61]

Scoobert... your E Bay selection can make it across the Atlantic with planning and extra fuel drums on deck... I've sat in Horta, Azores and watched Mainship trawlers come in from the US so no reason you cannot... the twin engines is the route to go down in case one breaks.. you have a fall back... study/experience storm tactics and boat handling and you'll do okay... knowing how to handle big seas it vital to survival.. the boat cant do it alone.. also seen these go across...
Bermuda/Azores/Portugal
1982 Marine Trader - 44 Trawler Power New and Used Boats for

[Lowcountry]

Fisher makes excellent motorsailors.

Google Image Result for http://www.theyachtmarket.com/boatImages/2009/11/7485712.jpg

Not only will you have a greater cruising range with a vessel like this, you will also be safer in rough conditions than you would be in a trawler.

[scoobert]

you guys have me seriously considering a cat again.
how automated are they?
if i am Atlantic crossing, can i set an autopilot and go to sleep?
can i setup winches so i can control everything from inside a cockpit?
i know they have a massive like $50 million sailboat that self sails, but can it be done on a regular 52' cat?

[simonmd]

52 FEET???!!!

Dude, in cat' terms, that is HUGE! It's said that for a given length, a cat' has about third extra room than the same length monohull. Therefore, you'd have the same capacity as a 70 ft sailing yacht!!!

If it's just you and the dogs, all you need is about 40ft, MAX. Whats the point in having 10+ berths just for you guys? Even a 40ft will sleep 8 in comfort.

As for sailing it, obviously depends on the model but many cats are sailed single handed with all major lines running to the cockpit. The only exception is maybe the mainsail halyard winch, which iv'e seen as more comonly mounted at the base of the mast. However, as you won't be rolling nearly as much as on a monohull, going up there to reef, etc. every once in a while is safer. They will come with auto pilot and obviously many sailing vessels do cross oceans single handed, a cat should be no different. Don't just think you can set the autopilot and put your alarm on for 8 hours time though!

[scoobert]

52' is for the office i need to have on board. i need to have a lazer printer, multi monitor computer, desk, file cabinets, and enough room for over a year of food! i really have to go look at them. i need about 600 SQFT to be comfortable with the office, food, provisions.

now i get the lines running to cockpit, but is that a dry cockpit? i believe i could convert any cockpit to BE dry, full lexan windows, wipers, heat and cooling, ECT.

and you say 52 compares to a 70' sailing yacht? what does it compare to in a trawler?

[sailr69]

scoopert, you have a ways to go before you empark on this plan. you are doing the right thing in asking questions but the nature of your questions tell me you have a lot of knowledge to learn yet. I suggest you spend time reading books written by people who have done what you are planning. then attending seminars at shows or yacht clubs. oceans are large, very large and they can be scary at times. You need a high level of competence and confidence to enjoy it.
remember; if it ain't fun, it's not fun!

[sailr69]

Originally Posted by scoobert

52' is for the office i need to have on board. i need to have a lazer printer, multi monitor computer, desk, file cabinets, and enough room for over a year of food! i really have to go look at them. i need about 600 SQFT to be comfortable with the office, food, provisions.

now i get the lines running to cockpit, but is that a dry cockpit? i believe i could convert any cockpit to BE dry, full lexan windows, wipers, heat and cooling, ECT.

and you say 52 compares to a 70' sailing yacht? what does it compare to in a trawler?

Is this guy putting us on or what!

[boatman61]

Nope... he's just another dude fulla ****... else why's he on here asking dumb questions... you got the dosh go for it... I'm seriously bored with folks talking big money talking a load of crap... you got the money hire experts..
you aint... talk to us.... Sheesh...