SF to LA in our Beneteau Swift Trawler 44

[Lost Horizons]

Even if it had the range it's definitely not the boat you'd want to take to Bermuda.

Because of the large windows?

 

[caltexflanc]

Because of the large windows?

Fuel consumption and capacity, and hull form.

 

[Lost Horizons]

Will you elaborate on the hull form limitation, please?

 

[N4712]

Will you elaborate on the hull form limitation, please?

Look up semi displacement vs full displacement advantages and disadvantages on the forum.

 

[Lost Horizons]

I did. My understanding is that it reduces the comfort, particularly in the following seas. However, if one can go 1000 miles up and down CA coast, why not go the same distance from FL to Bermuda?

 

[BandB]

I did. My understanding is that it reduces the comfort, particularly in the following seas. However, if one can go 1000 miles up and down CA coast, why not go the same distance from FL to Bermuda?

Because there is no escape route would be the reason. If you could go from the NC coast to Bermuda, you could perhaps do that in 4-5 days. That does not provide real safety on maintaining a good weather window. Over three days becomes very unpredictable. Most of the time going to Bermuda you will encounter 4-6' at least part of the trip so your discomfort tolerance is relevant. Now of course your fuel consumption makes it irrelevant. The tests I've seen on 2 x 300 Volvo's say the boat can make it at 6 to 8 knots though. They show 3 to 4 nmpg at those speeds. I don't know what engines you have.

 

[Insequent]

Thanks for posting, I enjoyed reading.

There is an APP for that! Weather planning: Love the Buoyweather APP you can customize forecasts for points along your route. I placed three around Pt Concepcion J Also the NOAA Buoy App for real time conditions in front of you, realwind APP and Passageweather provided solid intel. Drag Queen is a great APP to conserve power during the night and be alerted if you are dragging.

With this section in mind, I Googled ' Drag Queen App' and it came up immediately. Great, I'll go to the App store on my iPad and install it. Not so simple. I eventually went to the iTunes store, searched and found it. I learned a couple of things. First its iPhone only. Second, Drag Queen as a search term using your iPad delivers a surprising number of results, but not what I wanted! So, yes, there really is an APP for that! If they were selling the APP then a name a bit different might be helpful....

 

[Moonstruck]

Late one night at Morehead City Yacht Basin there was quite a bit of commotion. I went out to take a look. A Striker yacht of about 54' was tying up near us. It looked like it was hit by an artillery shell. The windows were broken out, all the rails including bimini frames were bent, and the boat was a total mess. They had started out from MC for Bermuda 4 days before, and were caught in a storm. They barely made it back, and all were bruised up. They said that they took many breaking waves over the boat.

 

[rochepoint]

Thanks for posting, I enjoyed reading.



With this section in mind, I Googled ' Drag Queen App' and it came up immediately. Great, I'll go to the App store on my iPad and install it. Not so simple. I eventually went to the iTunes store, searched and found it. I learned a couple of things. First its iPhone only. Second, Drag Queen as a search term using your iPad delivers a surprising number of results, but not what I wanted! So, yes, there really is an APP for that! If they were selling the APP then a name a bit different might be helpful....

Drag Queen works fine on our Ipad.....

 

[Moonstruck]

Drag Queen works fine on our Ipad.....

Drag Queen does have an Android app. Works great.

 

[Lost Horizons]

Most of the time going to Bermuda you will encounter 4-6' at least part of the trip so your discomfort tolerance is relevant.

Yes, and the worst conditions are usually during the first five miles after leaving the Government Cut. It gets more gentle once you are in a deep water.
The tolerance to discomfort was the reason I asked my question earlier today. If the answer was "the trip was exhaustive, we were falling off the feet by the end of each day," that would probably suggest that a multi-day voyage is out of question even for a tough sailor.
As far as I can see it, fuel range is the major factor against ST44. Other factors affecting offshore use are small rudders and large windows/patio doors.
If I bought this boat, I would mostly use it in Florida Keys/the Bahamas and for the trips to New England for a summer. I would take some discomfort during a passage due to the hull form over more comfort at anchor, for most of the time I'll be anchored. The way Nordhavns and other full displacement trawlers roll at anchor takes them off my list. That and the draught over 5 feet.

 

[Insequent]

Drag Queen works fine on our Ipad.....

Thanks for that, I have it installed on the iPad now.

 

[N4712]

The way Nordhavns and other full displacement trawlers roll at anchor takes them off my list. That and the draught over 5 feet.

The roll- Have you been on a Nordhavn at anchor, or are we talking about armchair guestimates? We have never rolled enough to notice at anchor, although we haven't anchored in a bad surge, we have anchored in not "optimal" conditions and never rolled a bit. If that's a deal breaker get flopper stoppers, they're not that much $$, we have thought about getting them but never had a bad experience at anchor. As to draft yes the keys could get spotty with a draught over 5ft, but you're fine in the Bahamas.

 

[Lost Horizons]

The roll- Have you been on a Nordhavn at anchor, or are we talking about armchair guestimates? We have never rolled enough to notice at anchor, although we haven't anchored in a bad surge, we have anchored in not "optimal" conditions and never rolled a bit. If that's a deal breaker get flopper stoppers, they're not that much $$, we have thought about getting them but never had a bad experience at anchor. As to draft yes the keys could get spotty with a draught over 5ft, but you're fine in the Bahamas.

I was anchored next to one for a few days in the Dry Tortugas harbor (not the best protection). The N47 was rolling at noticeably higher rate than my 34" sailboat. A Great Banks anchored next to us wasn't rolling at all.

Draught wise, I have sailed that area for a long time in a 4'6" boat and felt that I can do 5', but would rather have something with 4'.

 

[BandB]

The way Nordhavns and other full displacement trawlers roll at anchor takes them off my list. That and the draught over 5 feet.

I don't know where that comment is coming from. Understand I like semi-displacement so don't have the prejudice a Nordhavn owner might. However, a comparable sized Nordhavn isn't going to roll any more than a ST 44. It's got more weight, more ballast, and a lower center of gravity. Put either in the wrong situation without stabilizers or paravanes and they will roll. Both, however, will do fine in most anchoring situations.

 

[dhmeissner]

Hi All! We just completed an amazing 15 day coastal trip from San Francisco to Catalina on our Beneteau Swift Trawler 44, The Emily B. We made stops in Monterey, Morro Bay, Santa Barbara, Marina Del Rey and on to Catalina.

Thanks for posting about your trip, sounds like you had a fantastic time! Well done.

 

[BandB]

Draught wise, I have sailed that area for a long time in a 4'6" boat and felt that I can do 5', but would rather have something with 4'.

There are tradeoffs but we have made 7 trips to the Bahamas in the past two years and haven't had under a 5' draft for any of them. We've had no problems.

 

[Lost Horizons]

There are tradeoffs but we have made 7 trips to the Bahamas in the past two years and haven't had under a 5' draft for any of them. We've had no problems.

There are areas around Abacos that are questionable with 4'6".

 

[N4712]

There are areas around Abacos that are questionable with 4'6".

Where? We've done the abaco's three times so far and also have not had a problem with our 5'10 draft (We call it 6').

 

[Lost Horizons]

a comparable sized Nordhavn isn't going to roll any more than a ST 44

That is exactly what I am trying to establish.
What spooked me about the Nordhavns, was the video of the group crossing the Atlantic when one of them started leaking the fluid from the stabilizers. The crew elected to stop and fix it rather than to continue to Bermuda.
At least in theory, flatter bottomed boats should roll less than round bottom boats. Kind of a shoe box vs. a bottle.

 

[N4712]

That is exactly what I am trying to establish.
What spooked me about the Nordhavns, was the video of the group crossing the Atlantic when one of them started leaking the fluid from the stabilizers. The crew elected to stop and fix it rather than to continue to Bermuda.
At least in theory, flatter bottomed boats should roll less than round bottom boats. Kind of a shoe box vs. a bottle.

Yes that trip they also fixed all the bugs of the still "New to the seen" stabilizers, they now very rarely break down. You take care of them, they'll take care of you.

 

[BandB]

There are areas around Abacos that are questionable with 4'6".

There are areas questionable with 3' or 2' but one can also navigate the Bahamas well with greater draft. You've decided that your choice is all right and others are all wrong so that's fine. Hope you enjoy it. Glad you feel so strongly. But every boat has a tradeoff and the rest of us have opinions that may differ from yours.

If I was going to do the Great Loop, I'd choose a Swift Trawler over a Nordhavn. If I was going to go back and forth to the Bahamas or cruise the Caribbean or go to Bermuda I'd choose the Nordhavn. Many of our trips home from the Bahamas the Gulf Stream has been 4-6' and even 6-8' and some of the times it has increased an unforecast 2-3' in 8 hours. Now my personal preference isn't either but that doesn't mean I don't think they are both fine for certain purposes. Then I don't think many here would choose what we would.

My only criticism of a Nordhavn is we don't like to go slow...lol

 

[N4712]

I was anchored next to one for a few days in the Dry Tortugas harbor (not the best protection). The N47 was rolling at noticeably higher rate than my 34" sailboat. A Great Banks anchored next to us wasn't rolling at all.

Draught wise, I have sailed that area for a long time in a 4'6" boat and felt that I can do 5', but would rather have something with 4'.

BTW, was the boat named Moonrise?

 

[N4712]

My only criticism of a Nordhavn is we don't like to go slow...lol

I know, coming from a sport fish background it took some getting used too.

 

[Lost Horizons]

Where? We've done the abaco's three times so far and also have not had a problem with our 5'10 draft (We call it 6').

Needed to refer to the Dodge guide, for I did not remember specifics. One area, for example is a Lubber's Quarters Channels. Entrance to Little Harbor is 3'6". Can go in with the tide, but I would hesitate to do it in anything with 5' and over.

Also, anchoring near Bimini presents more options with a shallow draft.

 

[Lost Horizons]

BTW, was the boat named Moonrise?

No.

 

[N4712]

No.

Oh no wonder that's 46'. Looks like his snubber setup might of had something to do with his rolling.

 

[Lost Horizons]

Yeah, I can see now. It was in 2010, looks like my memory needs an upgrade.
I think, at first they did not deploy the flopper stoppers, but had to do it when the wind picked up. I was surprised at that time that such a heavy vessel rolls so violently.

 

[Lost Horizons]

There are areas questionable with 3' or 2' but one can also navigate the Bahamas well with greater draft. You've decided that your choice is all right and others are all wrong so that's fine. Hope you enjoy it. Glad you feel so strongly. But every boat has a tradeoff and the rest of us have opinions that may differ from yours.

I don't see how a certain specification that I have in mind for my future boat and its intended use makes others wrong.

I felt very comfortable crossing the Gulf Stream in my boat, but any boat can suffer there. The fact that you have to return to work on Monday has much more to do with it than the design of the boat in that respect.

 

[BandB]

Yes that trip they also fixed all the bugs of the still "New to the seen" stabilizers, they now very rarely break down. You take care of them, they'll take care of you.

Ten years ago Nordhavn didn't know diddly about stabilizers. That was a problem with many during the Atlantic crossing and should have been quite embarrassing to them. Now they seem to have solved those problems and most builders have eliminated stabilizer issues.