Steel Trawlers - Pros and Cons

[Portage_Bay]

I have always understood steel vessels rust from the inside out.

And blasting and painting the hull interior was the expensive process .

Building with flat bar instead if T bar is claimed to make the blasting job easier and better , but still a huge mess .

Steel boats rust from the inside out under the shaft log, in the chain locker and other low places water collects. They rust from the outside in on the deck, at structural joints where water can pool. Modern coatings go a long way preventing rust. And if she's heavily built like a work boat it will take decades, many decades of neglect for the rust to compromise the structure. To get an idea of how long look at the listings of steel boats for sale in Europe. Many are very old and still going strong.

My biggest concern with a steel trawler would be the scantlings. The few I've looked at the steel just wasn't thick enough to gain the advantages of steel construction.

It's been my experience that the oft stated concern about having to remove interior cabinetry to repair steel is not something to worry about. That's not where the wastage happens.

A lesser concern from my point of view would be the appearance. I would be content with a work boat finish, something I can touch up with a grinder or needle gun and paint brush or roller. Trying to maintain a glossy paint job that looks like pristine waxed gelcoat would be another matter.

 

[PracticalNavigator]

For those who can't afford the Dashew 64 or to build a trawler with an aluminum superstructure and steel hull, I ask...

What about aluminum?
A lot of beautiful yachts have been built in aluminum?
I don't see that many listings for them on the east coast of the US, other than large old Burger and Broward motoryachts.

What do you all think of aluminum vs. fiberglass vs. steel?

There is a 57' Bruce Roberts in Chesapeake, VA. Anyone know anything about her?

Hey Capt Kirk, I just viewed this Roberts one earlier in the week.

Looks fantastic but wrong time for me otherwise I would have jumped on it. It just had a bunch of work done and was in fresh water for the past 15 years or so.

I've owned aluminum sail boats and they were usually great. Getting paint to stick to Aluminum can be tough. My next boat is ideally aluminum and unpainted. The big thing is whether the hull is faired or hard chined to determine whether it needs paint or not. My previous aluminum boat was built in 1979 and the metal looked pristine when you poked around.

I know this is my first post on the forum I'm not trying to sell the Roberts. Just searching for something I can contribute to.

But I did go so far as to buy the study plans from Bruce Roberts and poked around the boat. The flying bridge and boat deck are mostly unfinished but the engine hours are super low. It is named Sea Fox and owned by a person who has owned 6 Nordhavns or something.

Hope that is helpful. -Chris

 

[woolf]

Just wondering. West to east not bad northern route but east to west generally better southern route. ?why did you make that choice?

The plan was to go west from Europe, with no set return schedule, probably selling the boat some time later in the Pacific.

First year destination west coast of Greenland and iceberg alley, before wintering the boat in NS. Roughly 2.500 nm and doable with some attractive (to us) stops along the way, and broken into mainly 3 day legs. Summer weather up north is usually fine for cruising, and very good professional weather services available there.

Going the southern route equals min 3 x that total distance. Also, ocean crossings to me were nice under sail, not so much under engine (sorry, YMMV).

 

[moparharn]

Man! Talk about don't judge a book by its cover. That Roberts is pretty ho hum on the outside, but the interior is really impressive. Engine room too. I would prefer full displacement and one high quality engine with thrusters. Outside of this, man what a boat. The Aluminum looks spectacular everywhere I could see in photos.

 

[ghost]

Optics should not be a concern either, as a well built and maintained steel trawler is hard to tell, even from a just polished GRP boat:

I really love my 48 Tolly. I’ve had it for 15 years and it’s perfect for me. So if you think you can post a photo of some shined up steel trawler and expect that I’m suddenly going to want to sell it and buy steel??? Well that’s where you are right.

 

[Snapdragon III]

All this steel boat talk got me dreaming on Yacht world. This is the one that I found that caught my imagination. Too much boat for me to maintain, and the location is all wrong for me, but it sure seems like a lot of boat for the price.

https://www.yachtworld.com/boats/2004/tansu-mission-class-3619213/

 

[RT Firefly]

Greetings,
Mr. S. REALLY shy on specifics. Engine, tankage etc.

 

[woolf]

I really love my 48 Tolly. I’ve had it for 15 years and it’s perfect for me. So if you think you can post a photo of some shined up steel trawler and expect that I’m suddenly going to want to sell it and buy steel??? Well that’s where you are right.

I am very sorry – no intention at all to interfere with a working relationship … just a little PR for steel

 

[moparharn]

Come on!!!! That just isn't fair. You are bringing a nuclear bomb to a knife fight! That boat is about as beautiful as they come. That red, white, and blue paint scheme is really sharp.

Speaking of which. Last year there was an aluminum trawler called "Griffin" for sale in Fort Lauderdale. I think Canadian ownership. It was shipyard made and looked very much like a Cape Horn 50-55. The price seems very reasonable for what it was. It had bilge keels that went down to the bottom of the keel level for laying on the bottom I assume. That boat was incredible. Heavy sea doors throughout and heavy windows as well. Top notch interior materials. Single 3208. I will try to post a picture or two. Gorgeous in my mind. I think Denison had the listing. That boat was in the upper end of a possible fantasy boat for me. I think about it all the time. Someone got one hell of a nice boat.

 

[David Ess]

PracticalNavigator.......We too are also considering aluminum, and totally unpainted above waterline. And of course you can buy them with various thicknesses. The possirive aspe ts seem to outweigh the few negative ones. And indeed, some of the builders have even responded to our inquiries, as per another OP on the subject(that was censored).

 

[David Ess]

Mopaharn..we considered the 'Griffin' too. The Cape Cape Horn boats seem about the best weve seen.

 

[woolf]

Come on!!!! That just isn't fair. You are bringing a nuclear bomb to a knife fight! That boat is about as beautiful as they come. That red, white, and blue paint scheme is really sharp.

Speaking of which. Last year there was an aluminum trawler called "Griffin" for sale in Fort Lauderdale. ... It had bilge keels that went down to the bottom of the keel level for laying on the bottom I assume.

Sorry, I’ll stop posting photos before I get banned

The Griffin hull looks like a commercial design for carrying load. If so, likely it would have been designed for and built in steel – already with its unique bilge keels?

Converting a steel design for aluminium contruction is a job for a NA, if you want to get it right. Any idea, why they changed to aluminium for the yacht version?

 

[David Ess]

Ive seen builders say available in steel or alu...so they design them thus.

 

[David Ess]

Here is a good steel trawler we goota love. And , by the way, when I emailed the company for more details, within two days they replied with with lots. So i know the price, and many details. Thus we have this one on our short list. Seaton 60, expedition.

 

[FF]

"already with its unique bilge keels?" Mostly unique in USA.

Euroland has high tides in places and is crowded.

A boat that can take the bottom between tides is a huge blessing.

 

[Judy at JWY]

Mopaharn..we considered the 'Griffin' too. The Cape Cape Horn boats seem about the best weve seen.

Clarification: Griffin was not a Cape Horn. Yes, there's a story behind it. Cape Horn only built in steel. Griffin is a great boat and new owners are happily cruising.

Judy

 

[David Ess]

Judy......apparently it was designed by the same CH guy, I think his name is Robert Johnstone, naval architect.

 

[Judy at JWY]

Judy......apparently it was designed by the same CH guy, I think his name is Robert Johnstone, naval architect.

Yes, the same naval architect, Robert C. Johnston (Bob) who passed away about 2 years ago. Griffin is proof that a custom built yacht can be of excellent design and construction. However, when I listed Griffin on YachtWorld, I refused to call her "custom;" I tried using the architect's name in various forms (after all, YW allows for a Seaton moniker) and various other build names, but YW only allowed "custom" for this boat. And she was too fine a vessel for that denigration. Being the exclusive sales rep for Cape Horn, and having concluded 18 CH sales, I took the liberty of calling Griffin a Cape Horn. I stated explicitly in the listing that she was only being called a CH because they shared the same NA and YW wouldn't bend their rules just because they didn't recognize the yard where she was built nor the NA. I made sure every prospective client knew that and why I corrected it in the TF post above.

Judy

 

[moparharn]

Judy- Please take this as the absolute compliment that I intend it to be- you get around! I do recall the listing as being nuanced exactly as you state. I am too new to trawlers to have remembered it was your listing. I am also Great Lakes centric. I realize there are much more expensive trawlers out there, but that particular boat struck me like no other. My guess is that your listing was carefully crafted to bamboozle fools like me. Was that boat as nice as it appeared in pictures? To me, it seemed perfect, particularly for the money being asked. I should be clear though, I have seen much nicer boats (see above), but for the money I have not seen a trawler that was as nice in my eyes. Do you have a listing page I can bookmark. I want to keep an eye on any broker that might bring a boat like that to market. People may disagree, but I have noticed that certain brokers consistently bring nicer boats to the market. There is a broker in Lake Erie like this. It seems almost all of his boats are owned by people who are meticulous. Every now and then a stinker shows up, but his listings consistently have the real cherries. I assume there are selective brokers?

 

[Judy at JWY]

Thanks, mopar! Yes, Griffin was as good as the listing and pictures showed. Actually, she was one of those boats that "must be seen to be appreciated." However, "bamboozled" isn't in my vocabulary. I don't need to sell the boat, the boat should sell itself. Griffin was priced well because the owners wanted an expedient sale. Owner motivation often determines how quickly a boat sells, or not.

 

[David Ess]

Quite right, he designed it, and supervised its build....thats a CH boat to me.

 

[sunchaser]

Some years ago we spent time with a very experienced world wide cruising couple who built a 62' steel Roberts design called "Sonata". Of the many nice things about her was a sound box enclosed JD 6081 engine. The build was done in their large farm yard in central CA.

Speaking of Al boats, of which there are many nice ones, Coastal Craft has made some beauties over the years. Al vessels are ubiquitous in the PNW in all sizes. Most yacht type steel vessels made today have Al super structures for stability purposes. So many choices ----

 

[Simi 60]

One I have eyed off for a while
Govt maintained training vessel now $285k
Big unit , poor mans superyacht expedition vessel

https://www.boatsonline.com.au/boats-for-sale/used/commercial-vessel/custom-training-ship/86233

 

[mvweebles]

One I have eyed off for a while
Govt maintained training vessel now $285k
Big unit , poor mans superyacht expedition vessel

https://www.boatsonline.com.au/boats-for-sale/used/commercial-vessel/custom-training-ship/86233

Engine is listed as a Wickman 3-cylinder 2-stroke 300 hp.

Never heard of that. Pistons must be the size of dinner plates.

I can understand the attraction. Before exiting deliveries, I had a dream to do a trawler training school afloat. Sort of what John and Amanda Neal do for sail on their HR46. This would have been an interesting platform.

Thanks for sharing.

Peter

 

[Simi 60]

Engine is listed as a Wickman 3-cylinder 2-stroke 300 hp.

Never heard of that. Pistons must be the size of dinner plates.

Wichmann 3ACA diesel engine 300 BHP at 350 rpm.

 

[Simi 60]

Big unit , poor mans superyacht expedition vessel

When I say poor mans version I mean compared to the rich mans version

Had this one go past us a few days ago and saw her again last month out on the Great Barrier Reef

https://www.bosshunting.com.au/motors/andrew-twiggy-forrest-yacht-pangea/

 

[mvweebles]

Wichmann 3ACA diesel engine 300 BHP at 350 rpm.

Oh man! If they sell tickets to the sea trial, Im first in line. That beast makes a Gardner look modern, perhaps a bit wimpy.

Thing of beauty.

Peter

 

[woolf]

One I have eyed off for a while
Govt maintained training vessel now $285k
Big unit , poor mans superyacht expedition vessel

https://www.boatsonline.com.au/boats-for-sale/used/commercial-vessel/custom-training-ship/86233

That is cool, but too large (in my view) for an owner-operator.

This one is smaller but somewhat similar, and much more manageable:
https://www.yachtworld.com/boats/2002/washburn-doughty-expedition-yacht--3230961/

Had it been on the market before we bought out current boat, I might have jumped on a plane for an inspection.

 

[balder8]

That is cool, but too large (in my view) for an owner-operator.

This one is smaller but somewhat similar, and much more manageable:
https://www.yachtworld.com/boats/2002/washburn-doughty-expedition-yacht--3230961/

Honestly, I think for a couple in the sixties, a 60 feet trawler not exceeding 60 tons is certainly the maximum... I have both stern and bow hydraulics thrusters and a very efficient Dockmate remote control which let me free to jump on the pontoon. But you have to consider the ropes and their weight, and also,serious fenders necessar for an heavy trawler.
There is no many options:
- be younger and muscular!( I am 63..)
- be able to afford expenses of a crew
- if you can afford the crew, accept to live in "communauty" with this crew...
( certainly not guaranteed for me...)
- stay under 60 feet with a nice design ( wide body for example and fly bridge)

 

[Alaskaflyer]

The “Romsdal” style with the bridge deck up there is pleasing to the eye and presumably has advantages in rough seas but it strikes me as harder to handle with one or two people, regardless of the hull material. Running back and forth and all.