On Jul 6, 5:14?pm, wrote:
giving some thought to either a trawler or cruiser for galveston
bay/gulf of mexico. purpose would be just to tool around while not
paying huge bux for gas.

trawler seems to have an advantage with a smaller, generally diesel
engine. one trawler i have an eye on is a 27' boat with 165 hp engine.
does 7 kts at 2 gph (according to the literature)

cruiser would be nice in that you'd have power if you wanted it...but
you pay for those twin 350's! if you're not gonna use 'em alot, why
buy 'em. but it's possible to cut down on gas use by loafing along at
7 kts in a cruiser, too.

any thoughts?

That trawler almost has to be a displacement hull. 7 kt seems real
slow for 165 HP in a 27-footer. I run 135-HP in my 36-footer and do
8-9 knots without pressing anything very hard. It's true that you have
less waterline, but that isn't as much of a factor with a semi-
displacement configuration so I wonder if the trawler you're eyeing is
a full displacement variety (like a Willard, for example).

Two gallons an hour could be very realistic, by the way.

Don't count on running real slow on a couple of big block gas engines
to save fuel. Most engines like to be run at a reasonable load.

I've been a slow boater for the longest time. What's the hurry?

As far as "can't run the inlet", etc, comments further down the
thread...pooh, pooh. One of the oldest maritime traditions is working
*with* the winds and currents to get around. Most of the time it isn't
all that inconvenient to time a passage at something other than
maximum flood or maximum ebb. If you're in all that much of a darn
hurry get in your car and drive. :-)

Part of the consideration, and probably an important part, has to do
with where you boat. In my neck of the country, I can draw a "two hour
circle" (16 nm diameter) anywhere on the chart and include a dozen
interesting places to visit, take photos, just kick back and sight
see, or
fish if so inclined. Contrast that with a lot of boaters in So
California who
spend every boating weekend running out to Catalina Island, and hope
to get there early enough to claim a prime moorage spot.....they have
a good reason, I guess, to go lickety split.

If you like spray, noise, vibration, and general ruckus underway you
will want to get a boat that goes as fast as possible. :-)

On Fri, 06 Jul 2007 20:46:10 -0700, Chuck Gould
wrote:


I've been a slow boater for the longest time. What's the hurry?

that's a good point, too..after all, folks still go sailing!


If you like spray, noise, vibration, and general ruckus underway you
will want to get a boat that goes as fast as possible. :-)

yeah i'm past the point where 40 kts is exciting...just a nice slow
cruise is a good way to spend the day...

On Sat, 07 Jul 2007 03:44:00 -0500, wrote:

that's a good point, too..after all, folks still go sailing!

Yes, and even a slow trawler is faster than all but the biggest, fully
crewed sailboat.

We just did 1500 nautical miles in 14 days with our trawler, rarely
exceeding 8 1/2 kts. That included 4 or 5 all nighters for those
doing the math. Slow and steady wins the race every time, and after
arrival you have a nice spacious, comfortable boat to live aboard, not
a cramped express cruiser with little or no view of the world from the
main cabin. Express cruisers make great weekend party boats, not much
more.

Another point worth mentioning is that trawler hulls are designed to
run at slow speeds whereas most boats with larger gas engines are not.
Our old sportfish would wallow all over the place if run at slow
speeds, a very uncomfortable motion.

On Sat, 07 Jul 2007 15:37:48 -0400, Wayne.B
wrote:

On Sat, 07 Jul 2007 03:44:00 -0500, wrote:

that's a good point, too..after all, folks still go sailing!

Yes, and even a slow trawler is faster than all but the biggest, fully
crewed sailboat.

We just did 1500 nautical miles in 14 days with our trawler, rarely
exceeding 8 1/2 kts.

you know, alot of boating is philosophical. just compare the reasons
why people go sailing rather than powerboating

and being FORCED to go slow has alot to be said for it. being forced
to consider the sea...to spend time just cruising along...runs counter
to contemporary life...and is a pleasure!


Another point worth mentioning is that trawler hulls are designed to
run at slow speeds whereas most boats with larger gas engines are not.
Our old sportfish would wallow all over the place if run at slow
speeds, a very uncomfortable motion.

trawlers definitely have an attraction...

On Sun, 08 Jul 2007 09:43:29 -0500, wrote:

and being FORCED to go slow has alot to be said for it. being forced
to consider the sea...to spend time just cruising along...runs counter
to contemporary life...and is a pleasure!

I never look at it as "forced". It's my *choice* if I buy a boat that
is slow. I see it opposite as you do, or at least how you stated it.
If I do 8 knots in an 8 knot boat, I won't feel forced. I'll feel I
got just what I asked for.
I'm guessing you're saying that if you had, say a 24' Carolina Skiff
with a 150hp, capable of 40+ knots, you wouldn't spend much
time cruising at 8 knots. More likely you'd cruise at @25. Me too.
Hey! I ended up agreeing with you!

--Vic

Vic Smith wrote:
On Sun, 08 Jul 2007 09:43:29 -0500, wrote:
and being FORCED to go slow has alot to be said for it. being forced
to consider the sea...to spend time just cruising along...runs counter
to contemporary life...and is a pleasure!

I never look at it as "forced". It's my *choice* if I buy a boat that
is slow. I see it opposite as you do, or at least how you stated it.
If I do 8 knots in an 8 knot boat, I won't feel forced. I'll feel I
got just what I asked for.
I'm guessing you're saying that if you had, say a 24' Carolina Skiff
with a 150hp, capable of 40+ knots, you wouldn't spend much
time cruising at 8 knots. More likely you'd cruise at @25. Me too.
Hey! I ended up agreeing with you!

--Vic


At least on the CS, you'd have the choice.

On Sun, 08 Jul 2007 19:05:56 -0400, HK wrote:

At least on the CS, you'd have the choice.

There's that, and it's a pretty efficient hull for economy at any
speed, barring windage.
But when you get to something you can live on and that handle
heavier seas, hull compromises for fuel economy tend to restrict
speed. I think.

--Vic

On Sun, 08 Jul 2007 17:50:29 -0500, Vic Smith
wrote:

On Sun, 08 Jul 2007 09:43:29 -0500, wrote:

and being FORCED to go slow has alot to be said for it. being forced
to consider the sea...to spend time just cruising along...runs counter
to contemporary life...and is a pleasure!

I never look at it as "forced". It's my *choice* if I buy a boat that
is slow. I see it opposite as you do, or at least how you stated it.
If I do 8 knots in an 8 knot boat, I won't feel forced. I'll feel I
got just what I asked for.
I'm guessing you're saying that if you had, say a 24' Carolina Skiff
with a 150hp, capable of 40+ knots, you wouldn't spend much
time cruising at 8 knots. More likely you'd cruise at @25. Me too.
Hey! I ended up agreeing with you!

A couple of years ago, I spent some time with the NE Evinrude service
rep and he told me that, according to computer data pulled off of
engines, the average RPM for Evinrude engines was 2800.

He attributed it to slow running, trolling type activities.

On Sun, 08 Jul 2007 23:16:53 GMT, Short Wave Sportfishing
wrote:

On Sun, 08 Jul 2007 17:50:29 -0500, Vic Smith

I'm guessing you're saying that if you had, say a 24' Carolina Skiff
with a 150hp, capable of 40+ knots, you wouldn't spend much
time cruising at 8 knots. More likely you'd cruise at @25. Me too.
Hey! I ended up agreeing with you!

A couple of years ago, I spent some time with the NE Evinrude service
rep and he told me that, according to computer data pulled off of
engines, the average RPM for Evinrude engines was 2800.

He attributed it to slow running, trolling type activities.

Don't know. Averaging is tricky. Lot's of idle time too. I've been
on boats in small lakes where the OB is idling for 20 minutes while
everybody is yakking and prepping gear, then it WOT across the lake
for 10 minutes, back to idle for 1/2 hour of drifting/casting, then
repeat. Than again I've slow trolled for crappies with pinkies for
hours at maybe 1500. Imagine ocean trolling for big stuff is
different. What's your experience with your motors?

--Vic

On Fri, 06 Jul 2007 20:46:10 -0700, Chuck Gould
wrote:

If you're in all that much of a darn
hurry get in your car and drive. :-)

I'll try that next time I want to head out to the Canyons for
swordfishing. :)