Whether you dream of crossing oceans, circumnavigating the east half of the United States on the Great Loop, or making an Intracoastal Waterway run, the idea of long distance cruising with a loose itinerary is the essence of independence. Here are five examples of boat owners who are living the dream—and five good trawlers to consider if you decide to plan a cruise of your own.
Nordhavn 52
When James and Jennifer Hamilton bought their Nordhavn 52 Dirona in 2010, their initial plan was to cruise north from Seattle along the Inside Passage and the British Columbia coast, while staying in touch with friends and employers by telecommuting via the Internet. They made the best of connectivity when they found it, but they also built an enthusiastic audience among contemporary cruisers with their blog, articles for varying magazines, and the creation of a cruising guide of the region. Two years of enjoyable cruising experiences passed when, nonchalantly, they began talking about making a circumnavigation of the globe. Their first long passage from Oakland, CA to Hilo, HI covering a distance of 2,300 nautical miles was just the beginning. The next three years would find them transiting the Indian Ocean to South Africa, with stops for exploration only a few cruisers-under-power have accomplished. Their N52 was designed specifically for this kind of long-distance cruising adventure. Weighing 90,000 pounds, the N52 is engineered and built to withstand the rigors of open water cruising. It carries 1,740 gallons of fuel and 400 gallons of water. Powered by a single John Deere 6068AFM75 266 HP diesel, the Hamiltons have depended on the ability of the N52 to transport them safely and efficiently across vast stretches of ocean, including a 3,600 nautical mile stretch from St. Helena Island in the South Atlantic to Barbados. “Generally, we want to have fun, do things that are different, range thousands of miles from other boats, but we don’t want to put our lives at risk. That’s why we bought Dirona. What we wanted was a good strong boat that can comfortably cover long distances and operate for months away from service people, parts, and even fuel.”
See all available Nordhavn boats.
Outer Reef 88
Before he retired from a fast-paced career as CEO of biotechnology companies, Paul Harawan, along with his wife Norma and son Michael, were deeply into boating, owning everything from a Mako 20 to a Westbay Sonship 94. For Harawan, who holds a USCG 100-Ton captain’s license and operates as well as owns his vessels, coastal explorations of the Pacific Northwest from the family’s second home on Bainbridge Island, WA were instrumental in helping him decide to have a yacht built that could tackle long-distance, bluewater cruising. That yacht is Argo, an Outer Reef 88 Cockpit Motor Yacht. From its massive flybridge with an expansive boat deck sheltering the aft deck below, to its wide side decks and well-protected foredeck, this design is meant to be safe at sea. Inside, the comfortable saloon, as well as the raised deck housing the galley and pilothouse, offers magnificent views in every direction. Power is supplied by a pair of 1000 HP Caterpillar C-18 ACERT diesels, with a top end speed 14 to 15 knots. She displaces 190,000 pounds, holds 500 gallons of water, and carries 3,500 gallons of fuel, which Harawan estimates gives the yacht a range of about 3000 miles at 12 knots. Voyaging from Victoria, BC to Alaska for a shakedown cruise, he is confident in Argo’s design and abilities. “Argo is in Puerto Vallarta right now,” Harawan said. “We’ll be getting back aboard in October and heading south, exploring anchorages everywhere. We’ll make a stopover in Uruguay and visit the Galapagos Islands. The plan is to be in the neighborhood of Cape Horn in late December, or thereabouts, for a rounding. After exploring the archipelago of Tierra del Fuego, we plan to head north again, up the west coast, because we want to explore Chile’s coast and its fjords.” After a look at the Amazon and then the coast of Peru, Argo will head for the Panama Canal, and on to the Caribbean for sport diving. There will be fishing all along the way, particularly in Costa Rica.
See all available Outer Reef boats for sale.
Kadey-Krogen 48 Whaleback
Steve and Teresa Hutchins are retirees and full-time live-aboards, and their home of choice is Sea Quill, a 48 Whaleback from Kadey-Krogen. They were attracted to the design’s voluminous stowage and living spaces, as well as to its well-engineered construction and reputation as an overbuilt cruising trawler. “We have been cruising now for 14-plus years,” Steve said. “Our cruising grounds range from Maine to the southern Bahamas. We plan our destinations with seasonal weather in mind, and we stay for as long as we want. Not having a strict schedule works best for us, as we can easily change direction or timing to accommodate an impromptu excursion.” The 48 Whaleback, a popular design from the board of the late James S. Krogen, N.A., is a full-displacement trawler that has a single 210 HP Caterpillar 3208 diesel, weighs 56,450 pounds, holds 1,020 gallons of fuel and 540 gallons of water. At a wide open throttle speed of nine knots, the range is approximately 1,450 nautical miles. But that range grows to 3,000 nautical miles at six knots.
See all available Kadey-Krogen boats for sale.
Swift Trawler 34
Joe and Barbie Wilson call Indiana home for part of the year, but like many who live in seasonally colder climes, their thoughts turn to warmer waters when the temperatures plunge. Most people in their situation might be in the market for a small condo somewhere south. But their solution was to buy a Beneteau Swift Trawler 34, keep it in Fort Meyers, FL throughout the year, and take their winter quarters exploring. Last year, they cruised the Keys all the way out to the Dry Tortugas. “We will go down in October and stay through March,” Joe said. “We hang out on the hook for a couple of weeks at a time before overnighting in a marina. Size for size, this 34-footer is just right for the two of us, and far more affordable than larger hulls. The six knot, one-GPH cruising speed is really efficient. And we like the fast cruising speed when planning the jump from the Tampa area to the Florida Panhandle.” The two-stateroom, single head layout, and the option of the convertible sofa in the saloon, makes the Swift Trawler 34 practical for cruisers like the Wilsons who may need to host grandchildren and parents. A highly-functional flybridge and a U-shaped galley forward in the saloon are among the more important features for cruisers who want open-air enjoyment plus protection from the elements. This winter, the Wilsons will return to explore the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway from Sarasota to points well below Venice. Their longer range plans include heading up the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway to the Kentucky Lakes region, as well as crossing the Okeechobee Waterway and visiting friends in the Fernandina Beach, Ormond Beach and St. Augustine areas.
See all available Beneteau Swift Trawlers for sale.
Ranger Tugs 27
Selling your house and moving aboard a 40-foot trawler, then tackling the 5,000- to 6,000-mile Great Loop, is a sure sign that long distance cruising has you under its sway. Jim and Lisa Favors did just that, but after six years they decided to move back ashore and downsize to a Ranger Tugs 27. In so doing, they’ve greatly expanded their cruising horizons. “We can leave our home in Northern Michigan, head south in the fall, and be on the Tennessee River in a matter of two days,” the Favors said. “Being able to trailer our boat across the country, using it as an RV on the way, gives us the kind of mobility we didn’t have with our larger trawler. We are able to spend summers in our home waters of the Great Lakes and head south, to Florida, for winter cruising. And we’ve been able to explore areas new to us, such as Lake Powell and Flaming Gorge Reservoir. From an adventurer’s standpoint, we feel we have more freedom, not less.” The Ranger Tugs formula, which applies to all of their cruising boats ranging from 25 to 31 feet, is to offer a semi-displacement design than can cruise efficiently as well as produce a good turn of speed when demanded from a single Volvo diesel, with comfortable accommodations and plenty of stowage, and equip them standard with everything a cruising owner needs — bow and stern thrusters, generators and air conditioners (for the East Coast) or efficient diesel forced air furnaces (for the Pacific Northwest), and a very complete galley. Part of the appeal of Ranger Tugs is the community of owners. One year, the Favors joined a group of 69 boats and 150 owners on a Ranger Tugs sponsored cruise to Desolation Sound in British Columbia. A follow-on rendezvous in Anacortes, WA found them among 79 boats and 154 owners of Ranger Tugs. In 2016, they are cruising the Pacific Northwest extensively.
See all available Ranger Tugs for sale.
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