A trawler is a motorboat with a full displacement and an economic ballasted hull with a wide range used to make long-ocean passages. A trawler is a fishing vessel whose main purpose is trawling. Among the factors that make trawlers vary include the net and style of towing. When choosing a trawler, you should look for critical aspects, including the hull’s comfort, safety, and design. Owners of trawlers are believed to be the most experienced boaters the world has.
In general, trawlers do not have planing hulls. Instead, trawlers are more likely to use displacement hulls. Planing hulls are often seen on boats meant for racing. However, trawlers are normally used for leisure and work purposes, so the steadiness and power of a displacement hull are preferred.
There are two types of trawlers. These are recreational trawlers and fishing trawlers.
Recreational trawlers
The recreational trawlers are made for pleasure and resemble the trawlers used for fishing. They have semi-displacement hulls, which have made them gain popularity among many buyers because of their low fuel consumption. Other names used to refer to recreational trawlers are trawler yachts or cruising trawlers.
Most recreational trawlers are made fashionable to attract more clients. For instance, in The United States, most recreational trawlers include some additional features such as a raised pilothouse.
Fishing trawlers
On the other hand, the fishing trawler is a commercial fishing sea vessel designed for fishing trawls. Trawling is a fishing method involving pulling a trawl through waters behind one or two trawlers. A trawler can also operate more than two trawl nets simultaneously a- process called multiple rigging.
Does a trawler have a planing hull?
The hulls include the sides, bottom, and deck. Hulls form the most prominent structural part of a water vessel. In most cases, the hull is waterproof and dictates most of the components in the motion of a ship, such as resistance, displacement, speed, stability, maneuverability, among many others.
Despite the availability of a wide variety of hulls, they are crafted for only two purposes. These hulls are crafted to ride on top of the water or displace it. Riding on top of the water in a water body is called planing. There are four types of boat hulls which are;
Flat bottomed hulls
Boats that have flat-bottomed hulls have excellent stability. They are the best hulls for fishing and can still be used for other uses on small and calm water bodies.
Round-bottomed hulls
The round-bottomed hulls are crafted to function typically just like the flat-bottomed hulls. They are designed to move on the water surface smoothly while using little effort. A canoe is an excellent example of a water vessel with a round-bottomed hull. However, round-bottomed hulls are less stable in water and can easily capsize under strong waves. Therefore, you are required to be more careful when loading, exiting or entering a vessel that has a round-bottomed hull.
V-shaped hulls
The V-shaped hulls are very effective in planing and are most commonly used in powerboats. The deep v-shaped boats are crafted to plane at the top of the water surface at very high speed while providing a smooth ride where waters are choppy. The ships with v-shaped hulls are equipped with a bigger engine size than those used in round-bottomed or flatboats.
Multi-hulled
The multi-hulled boats are designed to have either displacement hulls or planing hulls depending on the size of the engine and shape of the hull. The multi-hulled ships have very excellent stability while on water and require more space to turn and steer. Among the most common multi-hulled boats are pontoon boats and catamarans.
Sailing boats, large boats, and slow-moving boats all have a hull called the displacement hull. Trawlers, large ships, and some of the traditional recreational sailboats have displacement hulls. Though they move slowly, they are pretty steady and can carry large luggage with relatively minute propulsion units. Displacement hulls are fixed at the bottom of the sea vessel with a ballast located low in the center.
A List of Renowned Trawlers
1. Beneteau Swift Trawler 41
The Beneteau Swift Trawler 41 can be used for cruising with family and friends because it is spacious enough to hold several people. One of the reasons it is a pick is that it is affordable and consumes low amounts of fuel. It moves at a speed of 23 knots. With only three cabins, the trawler can accommodate up to seven people. It has two heads and fully fitted-out amenities to enjoy long-distance cruising and weekend trips with friends and family. The Beneteau Trawler 41 is available in either sedan style or flybridge. It does cover not only luxury and safety but also comfort and performance.
2. 86′ Outer Reefs Yacht 201z
The 86′ Outer Reefs Yacht 2017 was crafted for travel. It has systems that have been built and optimized for sea conditions that would have prevented a yacht of similar size from seeking shelter in the port closest to where it is. It has eight cabins and can accommodate family, friends, and crew. Among the standout features, the trawler includes a sky lounge, ample country kitchen, and beautiful teak that make it the perfect option for accommodating family and friends.
Its fuel consumption is low and has fuel reserves; hence there will be no worries of frequent stops to refuel. The 86′ Outer Reefs Yacht 2017 moves at a stable speed of 8.5 to 14.5 knots.
3. 70′ Marlow 2008
The 70′ Marlow 2008 is crafted for family cruising because of the comfort and space it has. Among the standout features, the 70′ Marlow 2008 includes a more spacious entertainment room, a VIP guest stateroom, and a wet bar.
Common mistakes many people make when purchasing trawlers
1. Underestimating the ownership cost of a trawler
Underestimating how much money a trawler will be costing you is one of the most common blunders many boat buyers make. Most people only determine whether they can afford the prices the boats are sold at and insurance in some rare cases. Other ownership costs that you might incur include cleaning the bottom and replacing hull zinc, regular boat washing, monthly insurance cover, property taxes, spare parts, TV, and radio.
When all these costs have been added to the ownership cost, the total amount of money you require to have a trawler becomes too heavy, unlike most people’s plans. By calculating the amount you should have to buy a trawler and do all this, you can know whether you are prepared to own a trawler.
You are cautioned against purchasing the trawlers that seem affordable, yet they would cost you a lot in their maintenance.
2. Having unrealistic expectations
To avoid falling victim to this mistake, you should take your time collecting and analyzing your homework. Thorough research to have some experience of how owning a trawler is like should also be done. Researching each boat company and their product line could be done from sources such as the internet, boat shows, and the internet.
Many people also expect some of the trawlers to be fast as their cars are used to driving. To their shock, most trawlers move at a very slow speed. To avoid unrealistic prospects, you should ensure that the trawler you are looking forward to buying is of the size, speed, and type that meets your expectations.
3. Buying the wrong kind
Among the main reasons why most people tend to buy the wrong types of trawlers is having insufficient funds and unwillingness to top up the funds to get a high-quality item. Failure to have adequate facts can also be a reason why many buy the wrong trawlers. When choosing a trawler to buy, you should be certain that affording all the costs it will incur will be easy.
4. Failing to consider the approval of the first mate
While choosing the right trawler to purchase, assuming the first mate’s approval is the biggest blunder. It is considered a definite recipe for disasters in the sea. A clear indication of how expensive this mistake is can be found by assessing the number of relatively new trawlers worth millions of dollars that go up on sale after the owners have used them for less than one year.
5. Impulse buying
It is very dangerous to buy a trawler on emotions. Taking the time and doing thorough study even when you are sure of the type of boat you should buy is a step you should never forget. To know whether you made the right choice, you should take your time, preferably a week, and assess yourself to determine whether you have the same desire and passion for continuing with the trawling lifestyle.
Final Verdict
Having a trawler can be an adventurous thing because you can comfortably cruise while your family and friends are with you. Though the processes of owning are not complicated, most people fail to follow the necessary steps and lose their money to items that do not satisfy their wants. Having read this article, you equip yourself with the required information to avoid repeating the same mistakes.
Learning most of the things you should know requires a trawler ownership enthusiast to be dedicated and ready to learn a lot. However, when researching, you should be very keen to avoid using misleading information that might be shared to increase the sales of trawlers of low quality and performance.
