NewbieFromNJ
Senior Member
I am looking to buy a trawler when I retire in about 3 years. I have however no boating experience except for renting outboards for bay fishing and pontoon boats in Bermuda for exploring the island. I am an avid fisherman so I have been on many types of boats and have a fascination for them. I have been in rough seas with frequent overnight trips to the gulfstream off Montauk, NY fishing for tuna. My dream is to buy a trawler in 3 years and cruise the coast and inland waterways. Fishing would not be my priority but rather experiencing the trawler life with my wife. I have been lurking on this forum and have learned a wealth of information from newbies to the seasoned vetearns with much appreciation. Along with the information I learned here I am half way through Chapman's Piloting & Seamanship and will study and take the required NJ boating and safety exam. I will soon be ready to get out of the classroom and start the next chapter and here is where I need help. I want to buy a smaller boat (25 to 31 feet) to get some experience. I plan to stay close to shore navigating the harbors and rivers around NJ and NY (not sure about Chesepeake yet as it seems to warrant a bit of experience). It would help if the boat had a genset, a/c, a berthr for 2, some electronics just so I can get familiar with these things. It would be great to get a diesel but I know that would be limited. I would think single screw would be better and I am not looking for speed. Any thoughts would be appreciated.
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