What boat would you move up to?

curioustraveler · Posted: Thu Jul 15, 2021 10:24 pm Post subject:

Regarding speeds, my wife is happiest at 8-12 knots. With the chop we get on the Bay we find it's not comfortable going any faster unless we have to. Quite frequently I'll keep her at 7-9 even on calm days just to get us used to trawler speeds. The only way we'll afford fuel for our dream boat someday is if it's a trawler so we might as well get used to the slow speeds.

Took a peak at a couple Nordic Tug 32's yesterday at the marina...I may have to hold out for one of those.

kaelc · Posted: Fri Jul 16, 2021 9:37 am Post subject:

kaelc · Posted: Fri Jul 16, 2021 9:37 am Post subject:

Pat Anderson · Posted: Fri Jul 16, 2021 11:25 am Post subject:

After 16 years of ownership of our 2005 CD 25 Cruiser, we really have no desire or reason to go "bigger," especially since we have just re-powered with the Suzi 200. We have comfortably cruised the San Juans, Canadian Gulf Islands, Desolation Sound, and once to Alaska. We have towed it to Lake Powell four times, and to Florida for the Great Loop once, cruising on it for eight months over 5,428 miles. Can you do that with a Nordic, Camano, Mainship, or most any much larger boat? The CD 25, like our little house in Birch Bay, seems to fit us to a tee. We do need to solve the centering on the trailer problem though!

Marco Flamingo · Posted: Fri Jul 16, 2021 11:41 am Post subject:

I'm not sure that I have moved "up," as I kept my CD 16. I own a 16 because it is the smallest CD that can still do almost all that I want. Almost.
That's when I decided I would also like something bigger. Bigger, but as small as possible.

No dogs on board. I've never even seen a boat large enough that I would want a dog aboard. What a hassle when the Frisbee goes overboard. How do you keep squirrels on board for it to bark at? And rowing ashore to poop? No thanks. I do have a pet onboard, but with none of those hassels.

I looked at the Camano Troll and then found that the Camano Gnome is really what I would like. No flying bridge. The cost/benefit of a FB in the PNW just isn't worth it in my experience. But the Camano Gnome seems to be rare as hen's teeth. I had owned and loved a Monk sedan cruiser, a design that is famous in the PNW, but those are mostly wood. Monk's "new" trawler designs (beginning in the 70's) are mostly available in fiberglass and some of them retained the practical elements that made his sedan cruisers so great.

I bought a 30' 1981 Tung Hwa trawler for about $100K less than a Camano Troll. The actual designer is unknown. Some claim a Monk connection or at least influence, but by 1981 Monk's influence could be asserted on just about any trawler. One of the big selling features for us was that the dinette was raised and opposite the helm. People sitting at the dinette have almost the same view as the helm. Compare that with a fairly standard design where your guests or spouse are sitting in a hole behind you that only has windows above eye level. Or a galley down in a hole in front of the helm where the cook not only can't see but the steam rises and condenses on the forward windows so that the skipper can't either. Can't even make a cup of coffee underway.

Yes, it is small. Perfect for two people and easy to solo. Four people isn't too cramped. It is set up to sleep 6, but I plan on removing the two settee bunks as they are functionally useless. 80 hp 4 cyl Ford Lehman. I've done 11 knots, but that was with a favorable current of 4.5 knots. So 6 knots is realistic at 1,550 rpm and about 1.2 gallons per hour. It is the type of boat where paying attention to currents can almost double your fuel economy (or cut in half your transit time). 250 gallons of diesel. 120 water. Easily a week between marina stops.

Obviously a completely different mindset is required from a planing CD. Other than the Canadian border having been closed since a month after we bought, we have been really enjoying it.

Foggy · Posted: Fri Jul 16, 2021 5:15 pm Post subject:

Asking questions and accumulating information before buying
is good. Since there are so many personal opinions and variables,
boat choice is entirely personal.

Simply put, it falls on you to choose.

Aye.

ssobol · Posted: Fri Jul 16, 2021 6:38 pm Post subject:

We were looking to move up. But after some searching, both boat and soul, we determined that our 22 cruiser was just the right size.

localboy · Posted: Sat Jul 17, 2021 1:19 pm Post subject:

ssobol · Posted: Sat Jul 17, 2021 2:00 pm Post subject:

curioustraveler · Posted: Sat Jul 17, 2021 3:41 pm Post subject:

A huge reason we love our C-Dory is that on a hot summer day here on the Chesapeake, we can close the door, turn on the AC, and enjoy having a cup of tea or G&T, grab a book, and not feel like we're "down below" inside our boat. Don't think we could ever go to a cruiser style boat, or even most down-easts, where we have to go "down" inside. Basically, we need a boat that's designed for PNW rain and cold, because we need it for the AC! So, as far as moving up, we're pretty much sold on a tug style, or an enclosed pilot house, or possibly a flybridge boat - but if it's a flybridge we'd like stairs vs a ladder so our dog can go up and down. Or we stick with the C-Dory.

A Nordic Tug 26 just popped up for sale here so I'm going to look at it just to see if it really has much more room.

ssobol · Posted: Sat Jul 17, 2021 5:39 pm Post subject:

thataway · Posted: Sat Jul 17, 2021 6:12 pm Post subject:

kaelc · Posted: Sun Jul 18, 2021 9:04 am Post subject:

curioustraveler · Posted: Sun Jul 18, 2021 9:31 am Post subject:

If we were both retired, I think the attraction to a tailorable boat would be greater. It really would be cool to take it all over and explore different areas. Since we both work though, we don't have the amount of time of that it takes to do this. So for now its more about having a boat to enjoy on weekends - or something we can go spend the day on if we're both working remotely that day.

starcrafttom · Posted: Sun Jul 18, 2021 2:49 pm Post subject:

Galley down lay out. I would agree that I like a galley up in most boats but in the Camino troll I would rather have the original galley down and here's why. The galley up design was made not for better viewing from the galley but to make room for the walk around berth instead of a vberth. What you loose is any room to sit in the salon other then at the table and you have to shimmy past anyone in the galley, just like a cdory. So if you reason for a CTroll is more living space where you spend most of your time the galley up design in not a good choice. Use lose the room that you are getting the boat for in the first place. I don't need a walk around bed and I would rather have the extra room in the salon for people to sit across from me.

AS for realistic next boats we are torn between a 27 rangertug outboard or a 26/27 seaport Alaskan or adventurer ( same boat and length and lay out just different hulls under the water ) with out boards.