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We cruised full time for six years aboard our DeFever 50 through Canada to/from Caribbean, following the sun. Had some very cold days (breaking thru ice in ICW in Jacksonville, FL) but only used our expensive helm chair we added TWICE...both times we came inside the salon due to...

You sound just like us when we began planning, including a boat on Lake Lanier and one on Lake Norman, NC. Trawler Fests gave us a lot of good info - more so than other Boat Shows and believe me, we spent several years going to all of them, developing our list of what was important to us in a...

Strongly agree with all the comments surrounding the potential impact of additional, hidden costs that are looming in the FL market (insurance; reinspections, high assessments, etc.). Additionally be AWARE that as you will not be able to 'homestead' your condo as you are not a full time FL...

We sold our trawler without a broker for nearly $700,000. Purchaser utilized his loan company to handle escrow, etc. We were prepared to open escrow via our Bank. Simple. Purchaser did do a survey (required for loan) and had a lawyer review the contract. Simple. Quick. Both parties happy...

My first question would be WHY ELECTRIC? Requires always a generator to be able to cook (or shore power). As a former full time cruiser for 6+ years aboard our DeFever, rarely docking from throughout Canada down to Grenada and back, I love the freedom of never having to turn on the genny if I...

Just measure carefully. We had to order a special couch made to put together INSIDE our 50' trawler with 16' beam because we could not find a ready made one to get inside the door! Also, couch slid quickly across flooring/carpet under heavy beam seas, slamming into TV on other side. We...

We found our trash compactor a Not to Live Without item aboard our trawler. It would hold so much crushed trash it would take two of us to LIFT it out! We, however, lived aboard and cruised from Canada throughout the Caribbean for 6 years, mostly at anchor. That thing crushed bottles, cans...

Double check your USAA quote! I was searching for new insurance a couple years ago. Had just received a quote from Markel. USAA got back to me with their quote utilizing their partner, Markel. For exactly same everything, the USAA quote utilizing Markel was $2-$3,000 HIGHER. (PS We've used...

Living in FL, we are forced to have Geico as it is one of about the only that will insure us in this State. Repeated attempts to gain additional coverage have failed. We brought a used charter boat and spent additional $100,000 getting it up to snuff, including water maker, all new and...

Oh Dear God. And those morons breed......

We lived aboard our 50' DeFever for about 6 years, cruising full time and mostly at anchor. Our dink was our local transportation...we figured that saved us about $35,000 a year vs marina! AND the ambience is much much better. Top recommendations of our favs were the first 6 months learning...

As the cook and party planner, a galley down would have left me out of the fun, down in my 'mole hole'. We chartered a GB for two weeks with galley down prior to buying our DeFever. Galley Down became a non-negotiable item. Absolutely NOT spending my fun times away from even watching the TV...

Boat slips We kept our 50' trawler in St.Pete at Harborage Marina just south of downtown and the City Marina. We're now at Maximo Marina, down near the Skyway Bridge. Much more $$$ to be at Maximo but check them out. Unfortunately, it's an hour drive one way for you from Tarpon...Best of luck.

Check out the DeFever 50 - built 2007 til ?. Full walk around both sides with 16.5 beam inside. King bed in aft master with full walk arounds. Really spacious. We eliminated any boat that did not have full walk around....Sometimes one is required to RUN around.......

Fatal fall off Sad. Moral to the story - wear a life jacket. A friend, seasoned sailor of many many years but alone on board this one afternoon , out to enjoy a brief sail, somehow went over. Found overboard still tied to the boat with a line wrapped around his leg. It never seemed to right...

Best money I ever spent (after spending time and $$ over several years with USCG classes and classes at Trawler Tests) was with SeaSense. Located in SW Florida, they have a # of options for learning, including coming aboard your own boat for agreed upon length of time and teaching you...

I've had GREAT luck with Krud Kutter, a cleaner/degreaser after trying numerous products. (Home Depot and other places sell it) Spray it on, wait couple minutes and scrub off with brush. Scrubbing is easy - dirt and grime slide right off. Six years cruising full time; 110 dirty, slimy locks...

I've had GREAT luck with Krud Kutter, a Cleaner/DeGreaser. Sold at Home Depot and elsewhere. Spray on, wait couple minutes and scrub off. Scrubbing is not hard - dirt and grime slide off. Best product I ever found (6 years living aboard w white fenders and one summer 110 filthy dirty slimy...

Books on tape for long passages are wonderful! Prevents boredom while one is free to SEE and still HEAR even at night while on watch. I also use a small kitchen timer clipped to my shirt and set/re-set every 15 minutes in case I nod off....alarm wakes one up!!!

In our 60s and 70s -- Lived aboard and cruised full time for six years aboard our 50 DeFever trawler, FINALLY FUN. Best was north from FL to and thru Canada, doing the Triangle Loop. Another approx two year trip island hopping from FL to Grenada and back, taking our time. Sat out hurricane...

Trawler 'training' I took a week long class from Seasense in Florida, living and cruising and learning aboard that week. Both owners and operators of this business are female and my entire 'crew' of 3 others were female. Super environment for your wife to learn everything from the engine...

My goal in life, if there is such a thing as reincarnation......I want to come back as a marine mechanic. I need no special skills and just enough knowledge to patch something up in order to get a boat moving forward...........out of my area, never to be seen again. Meanwhile I fill up my...

We are new with Geico and had been told Geico was the only company left that did not require a haul out in FL in the event of a pending named storm. We are on W Coast of FL.....There are virtually no haul out places left in FL.... Now in an argument with them over boat value based on the final...

We've stepped down from full time cruising for 6 years on our DeFever 50 w 16' beam and are in the process of purchasing a 39' Leopard with 19.9' beam. It has taken a year to find one, but good deals can be found coming out of charter in BVI, Bahamas and some USA. LOVE the 3 cabins, the higher...

Our reference are the police in the police boat who pulled us over coming out of the area around the Coast Guard station... apparently a routine 'check us out'. We gave them everything they ask for, (registration, etc.) until the question came to flares. We are from FL -- never heard of...