Slavishly copying commercial trawler plans for a cruiser

[makobuilders]

Hmm, so I'm curious on your various thoughts of the Malahides, Romsdals and other heavy trawlers whose specs are nearly the same. Or is hypocrisy allowed when speaking of the aforementioned because they are old, wooden, round bottom and romantic to think about?

Seriously, how about some subject feedback from those of you who consider yourselves knowledgeable in design. If we started a brand new thread about building a brand new Romsdal from scratch, what would the comments be? Under what circumstances (or SOR) would you recommend this course of action?

 

[Tad]

Hmm, so I'm curious on your various thoughts of the Malahides, Romsdals and other heavy trawlers whose specs are nearly the same. Or is hypocrisy allowed when speaking of the aforementioned because they are old, wooden, round bottom and romantic to think about?

Seriously, how about some subject feedback from those of you who consider yourselves knowledgeable in design. If we started a brand new thread about building a brand new Romsdal from scratch, what would the comments be? Under what circumstances (or SOR) would you recommend this course of action?

I think forum member Eric Sponberg has already been down that road....

http://www.sponbergyachtdesign.com/Molokai65.htm

 

[SamSam]

If you put construction cost and fuel cost issues aside....why wouldn't it work? What's to wonder about? If the boat itself doesn't just weigh 20 tons more than most of the same size, and you can actually carry 20 tons more stuff than most boats of the same size, well, you could carry a car along with you. You could carry small cargo loads to out of the way places etc and have your trips paid for.

Or maybe you're wondering about the hull shape, it's sea keeping qualities and if it's suitable for world travel? I wouldn't know about that, but others would. I would imagine if it's designed to be heavy, you have to keep it heavy with something or other, just to make it perform right.

 

[Westfield 11]

I have cruised from Sitka to Vancouver several times in the Ursa Major a 65' wooden Romsdahl trawler and while it was a quaint romantic old boat it too suffered from the issues mentioned above. Heavy, slow and not very economical and not much interior room for the displacement. Berths were cramped, ditto the heads and salon. Headroom was very low too below.

 

[Mike Nickerson]

I think forum member Eric Sponberg has already been down that road....

http://www.sponbergyachtdesign.com/Molokai65.htm

Wow it would only take about $19,000 (USD) to fill the diesel tank! Way outside of my spending window.

 

[makobuilders]

Wow it would only take about $19,000 (USD) to fill the diesel tank! Way outside of my spending window.

I forgot what the prices are like back in America. Here we pay less than $1 per gallon for diesel.

 

[JLIMA]

$4.24 this morning......

 

[makobuilders]

$4.24 this morning......

WOW. If I'm ever gunna bring this thing back home to America then I oughta think of something a bit more fuel efficient. Perhaps 4.24times more fuel efficient!!

 

[Easy Rider]

Anything to excess is … well .. EXCESS.

 

[FAST FRED]

Might be worthwhile to tow a huge bladder of fuel for USA cruising.

In a few years USA Diesel should be well under $2.00, but it will be a while., so bring enough to cruise till 2020!

 

[WestVanHan]

I have cruised from Sitka to Vancouver several times in the Ursa Major a 65' wooden Romsdahl trawler and while it was a quaint romantic old boat it too suffered from the issues mentioned above. Heavy, slow and not very economical and not much interior room for the displacement. Berths were cramped, ditto the heads and salon. Headroom was very low too below.

This name and boat sparks a memory- in passing by the Broughton Archipelago a few years ago...lots of blue trim on her?

 

[Tad]

Ursa Major.....

 

[Easy Rider]

UM must be very inefficient. Obviously below hull speed and making a lot of fuss creating her big wake.

Nice picture though.

 

[Tad]

I should ad a note that Ursa Major is a Malahide Trawler, built in Dublin Ireland. A Romsdal trawler would be a boat built in the Romsdal district of Norway, a very different thing. The Romsdal is a more refined boat, almost delicate along side the just plain massive Malahides.

 

[Westfield 11]

Good point Tad, it had completely slipped my mind that she was a Malahide. An Irish build IIRC and not Norwegian. I guess the similar look caused me confusion.

Massive is a good word to describe her, I recall commenting on the 300# Navy style annchor: Captain Ron (really!) responded that "Ursa doesn't anchor, she moors!".