Trawlers
Why We Love ’Em!
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by Beth Crabtree
hy do we love trawlers?! Well really, what’s not to love? Their comfortable cabins have spacious salons and large galleys. They’re stable, dependable, and easy to operate. They’re terrific for early- and late-season cruising, and their owners are some of the friendliest and smartest boaters out there. In short, they’re ideal vessels for enjoying the pleasures of cruising the Bay and beyond. But don’t take our word for it. We went straight to the source to learn why trawler owners are always raving about their boats and their fantastic cruises. Tom Hale and Cristina Sison, 38-foot Helmsman Pilothouse Tadhana It’s a lifestyle, slow and steady. We’ve logged 12,000 miles in the last six years. With our trawler we get more interior space for the same LOA, and the picture windows allow us to sit inside (out of the sun) and still enjoy the scenery of the Bay. Trawlers are simple to operate, in that there are no adjustments to the power supply as the boat changes course or the wind changes speed. They’re generally slower than motor-yachts, and consequently burn less fuel. Underway she goes seven knots straight up wind even when it’s blowing 20 knots, and yet she still goes seven knots with no wind. We can plan on being able to go 50 to 80 miles a day if we have to. And we never get a face full of Bay water. Jim and Tally Powell, 37-foot Present Dawn To Dusk We’re coming to an age where we are more comfortable in our skin and not chained to a clock. Getting there first is not as important as it once was; now it’s getting there comfortably. Trawlers demand that we take our time and
##Yacht Interiors helped the Iliffs with the interior of Indian Summer.
50 September 2015 PropTalk.com
##Trawler owners are known for logging thousands of miles cruising around the Bay and beyond.
enjoy the trip as much as the destination. If we get there today, fine. If not, tomorrow is good, too. More than a boat, it is a home, full of the things that please us and give us comfort. Some of us have two homes. Our favorite is our floating home. The other is the one that gets junk mail delivered to it. Our ports of call have included New Bern and Oriental, NC, and all the great coastal cities along the ICW. Even some off-beat places like Turnagain Bay have been delightful. The Dismal. The Albemarle. The Pamlico.
The Chesapeake. The Virginia Cut. The Virginia Inside Passage, all great, but it’s the friends and companions we meet along the way that make the cruise special. We can go into Smith Point a dozen times, but when we tie up to a friend’s dock, or meet friends at a marina, that’s extraordinary. That’s the difference between a trip and a cruise. That’s when you get the camera out. Barbara and Randy Semper, 37foot Great Harbor Lazy Dolphin Our trawler provides comfortable living quarters with household appliances and the electrical capacity to use them. There is extensive storage space and large fuel, water, and holding tanks to support extended travel between stops. The boat provides a comfortable ride and allows us to walk around safely while underway, even in rough seas. We’ve cruised over 43,000 miles on our trawler, so far. The cruises that stand out are: The Great Loop; Chesapeake Bay to Maine; the Rideau Canal to Ottawa, Montreal, and back to Lake Champlain; the western Erie Canal to the Niagara River; and our most recent, and probably our favorite,