If I had my dream come true it would be to purchase a trawler type boat
probably at least 50' and live on it till I could no longer get on and
off it. I am not interested in speed but more on it's range capabilities
and ease of use.

My question is what would be the minimun length that one would chose to
let's say go from California -- Hawaii and further? One requirement
would be to be able to be handled by two, or maybe 1 and 1/2 as the wife
is still not sold on the idea.........

Thanks!

You are describing a displacement catamaran in the 40 foot range...

denny

James Douglas wrote:
If I had my dream come true it would be to purchase a trawler type boat
probably at least 50' and live on it till I could no longer get on and
off it.

Wheel chair access?

I am not interested in speed

Is 10 knts okay?

but more on it's range capabilities

How much money do you have to spend for the boat?
I just talked to two Oregon ship yards last week. To haul-blast-paint
bottom/sides/house a 75' steel boat is about $8-$10,000.

How much money do you have to spend on fuel?
Try this: 20 GPH at 12MPH for 2,200 miles at $2.25 gallon = $________

and ease of use.
My question is what would be the minimun length that one would chose to
let's say go from California -- Hawaii and further?

I would prefer a nice 85' gulf shrimper with a Cat 3412 (520HP). Lots
of room and don't have to worry about bumping into things.

Although with 22,000 gallons fuel tankage might have to sell the house
to fill up.
22,000 x 2.00/gallon = $44,000 to "fill er up."

Go here for some dirt cheep steel boats.
http://www.marcon.com/marcon2c.cfm?S...=43&PageID=225

One requirement
would be to be able to be handled by two, or maybe 1 and 1/2 as the wife
is still not sold on the idea.........

Driving a boat is easy. Handiling the line when docking is another
story. Try arming a 2" line around pilings and other stuff on the dock
to get to a cleat. The stuff is heavy.


When I want my Norton motorcycle to go faster the first thing the
mechanic sais was, "speed costs kid. How fast can you afford?"

So here is my question....... Boats cost, how much do you have to spend
to buy it and run it?

Thanks!

On Wed, 05 Apr 2006 04:30:34 -0500, James Douglas
wrote:

My question is what would be the minimun length that one would chose to
let's say go from California -- Hawaii and further? One requirement
would be to be able to be handled by two, or maybe 1 and 1/2 as the wife
is still not sold on the idea.........

You could do it on a well built and equipped 40 something. Your
biggest issue under power is fuel range and reliability. Other than
the Willards and Nordhavns, very few production trawlers are built
with sufficient tankage for that trip.

You are going to need some coastal passage making experience also if
you don't already have it.

It is way too easy to get to Hawaii on "0" fuel. You could buy all new
sails for a 40' sail boat for the cost of the fuel to get a 50footer
there. If you are in the cruising mode, then time is not the issue, and
going for next to free will get you a lot more places for a lot longer
period of time, and it's not that hard to do.
John