Increasing speed w/ semi-displacement hull

[Robjl]

Check out this one,
http://www.setsail.com/dashew/do_PARADIGM.html
Is this the answer to your prayers 67-LS1?

[67-LS1]

Well, I've read about half of it and except for the fact that it's 83 feet long, that pretty close. Built of fiberglass of painted to make it look more like a yacht instead of a coast gaurd boat, this would be a stunner.

[marshmat]

That Dashew 83 is on my dream-boats list too.
67-LS1, I'm afraid the speed you want is simply not possible (at least not economically so) with any of the monohull trawlers you mentioned originally. I'd start by asking yourself if you really need 17 knots. That's kind of an awkward speed; it's too slow for most planing-hull cruisers in that size range to run nicely, but far too fast for any displacement hull that size. You'd be looking at a dedicated semi-displacement hull, and it would probably have two large, thirsty motors. If I were you, I'd first decide whether I needed space or speed. If space, go displacement; if speed, look for a semi- or full-planing boat but be prepared to pay to feed it.

<rant alert!>
A little side note to the captains of semi- and planing boats of this size. STOP PLOWING ALL THE TIME! Your 30' Bayliner either planes or it doesn't. Plowing around at 15 knots with the bow way up in the air, all you're doing is flipping canoes and forcing everyone on the other side of the bay to slow down until your 5-foot wake passes us. Either take it to plane, or stay below hull speed. Your fellow yachtsmen will thank you.
<end rant>