We received almost a 20 percent response from you folks, and the results are fascinating. Rather than a hodgepodge of widely different ideas and cruising dreams, the numbers argue instead for a well-rounded trawler that is at home in a variety of environments.
Before we plunge ahead into this discussion, let's first begin with a disclaimer that what you are about to read is high level only-the underlying patterns and combinations are not addressed in the following pages. These subtrends, such as the requirements for a cruising motorboat for those most interested in inland waterways, require analysis outside the scope of this article.
But what you will find in the following pages is a definitive concept boat which authenticates that we are a like group of people-our interests are more common than diverse. There is surprising similarity as to the design specifications people really want, despite the marketing we see at boat shows.
It's also worth acknowledging that some people tend to dream themselves out of the reality ball park by describing an ideal cruising motorboat beyond their means. Even taking this unrealistic element into account, there is remarkable similarity here.
Finally, and perhaps even more important, the survey confirms once again that our readers are not interested in jet skis, small boats, or large fast yachts. In fact, I was astounded at just how realistically similar we are. Sure there are minor differences, but what diversity exists is pretty much within our community of common interest.
But enough caveats. Let's check out the results. Intended Use
Of The Ideal Passagemaker
We provided a five-number importance scale (1-less important, 5-very important) to the different cruising environments. I tallied the 4/5 responses for this section (the middle value of 3 is neither important/ unimportant, although including the middle responses bumps the following percentages even higher).
It is no surprise that 93 percent of us find it important that the boat be well-suited for serious coastal cruising. But the other numbers are interesting: 70% want a bluewater trawler that can voyage offshore without difficulty; 70% also want to use the boat on inland waterways. Adding the 40% response of very important to travel canals, implying draft and/or height restrictions, it's clear people think the ideal passagemaker can travel successfully in many waters, not a special-purpose boat that is restricted in its operating envelope.
Sixty-four percent want their ideal passagemaker for extended cruising; 27 percent want to liveaboard full-time; and only 9 percent want the boat simply for seasonal use. From these numbers it is evident that when we make the break by investing in this passagemaker, we're outa here, gone cruising. You won't find us living at the dock, holding down jobs while we continue to dream. Dreaming time is over, and we're passagemaking.
Das Boat
Tallying up your response concerning the overall size of the ideal passagemaker, the results are a classic bell-shaped curve.
Again, I feel these results indicate an affirmation of this style of boating, and the real world interest level of owners. The fringes of our niche are indeed sparsely populated-the vast majority of owners believe a trawler in the 40 to 50-foot LOA range is ideal.
We also want it to be a displacement boat, as 57% chose a full displacement hull shape. While 30 percent instead desire a semi-displacement shape, I must make an editorial comment here. From talking to hundreds of owners around the country (including people switching to trawlers from other kinds of boats), I know there is still some misunderstanding about the distinction between semi-displacement and full displacement hull shapes, despite our ongoing treatment of the subject.
I've listened countless times to people explain that their next boat would be a full displacement trawler, then proceed to name a semi-displacement production boat that goes slow simply because it is underpowered. These people are fooled by marketing literature that use the term displacement rather freely.
Having said this, I still don't dispute the numbers in the survey, but rather suggest it prudent to hold off judgement on hull type because it will no doubt be imposed by other factors: desired cruising speed, range and fuel requirements, and interior volume for accommodations.
Interestingly, not even one percent chose a planing hull for their ideal passagemaker. Supposed go-fast trawlers don't cut it in our world, further validation of the slower-paced, quality of life trawler lifestyle.
Multihulls got a stronger response at 3 percent, and I predict interest will continue to grow after a few good trawler cats hit the scene and prove the concept.
What Dreams Are Made Of
Fiberglass construction was the hands down winner in the construction category, with a 65 percent vote from those with an opinion. Steel was second at 20%, the other choices following behind, with 15% wanting a combination of materials, 6% choosing aluminum construction, and 5 percent hankering for a wood boat.
As for profile and overall appearance, the traditional trawler look was king at 68 percent, workboat styling came next at 22 percent. Combining the traditional and workboat look (which many consider synonymous) accounts for 90 percent of the total number of surveys- there was little interest in chrome and glass contemporary or extreme design. Ten percent would like a more contemporary look, and even fewer want a motorsailer. Cutting edge, futuristic design trailed at one percent. We are a conservative lot, which is no secret. (Some chose more than one category, which explains why they add up to more than 100 percent.)
Speaking of secrets, a lot of boat builders are not in tune with what people want these days, as only 24% of us want traditional teak trim-a full 74 percent of us (me included) want a low maintenance exterior. The majority of trawler people say, "Ditch the gingerbread teak! Give us low maintenance materials and design features so we can spend our time on the water on the water, not caring for brightwork."
The same goes for decks: 66 percent chose molded or composite nonskid over teak decks (20%). Fifteen percent wanted painted nonskid decks. All in all, 80 percent want a non-teak deck and lower maintenance.
As for the rest of the exterior appointments, we want stainless steel for handholds, railings, and trim.
Operating Speeds And Range
At what normal cruising speed would this ideal passagemaker be run? Fifty-three percent indicated 7/9 knots, with 36% wanting 10/12 knots. Sum it up. Eighty-nine percent don't want to go fast, whether our cruising speed is eight knots or ten knots-we aren't interested in speed. Eight percent want to cruise at 14/15 knots, and less than three percent want anything faster.
When looking at the trawler's maximum cruising speed (giving you the option for a different speed potential for occasions when you might want to get somewhere, or away from something, a bit faster), we found a slightly shifted curve. Only 12% would remain at the 7/9 knot speed, with 48% wanting the ability to occasionally travel at 10/12 knots. Twenty-four percent would like even greater maximum speed (14/15 knots), and fourteen percent wanted yet higher speed (16/20 knots). Few people want to go faster than 20 knots.
The issue of maximum speed is one of the determining factors for choosing hull shape. You may dispute the breakdown of speeds in the survey, perhaps offering that a 9/11-knot group might have won the day, but that's splitting hairs. The trends here are obvious. We normally cruise our dreamboat at an economically slow, smell the flowers, speed. If possible, however, we would like to have the ability to get a few more knots out of the boat, to outrun a thunderstorm or make port by nightfall-but only a few knots more, and only occasionally.
Another factor in making the hull shape decision is desired range. Most want the ability to go long distance, and I took the liberty to create a new range that wasn't printed on the survey, but represents a combination of the two most chosen ranges.
We want fuel capacity for 2,000/2,500 nm, a combination of the two top choices. Working this capability into the hull form equation means that the ideal passagemaker will either have large tanks to carry sufficient fuel to go the distance, or an easily-driven hull shape that minimizes fuel consumption. Or both.
Stability
There are many ways to get a safe, stable ride on the water. Thirty-nine percent want most of that stability coming from the hull shape itself, which may in itself be sufficient.
Thirty-seven percent would add active fin systems, and twenty percent opt for flopperstopper systems. Steadying sails accounted for 17% of the responses. The other options were less than five percent combined.
The subject of stability is a complex one, and many aspects of a hull's design affect it. A slender, long hull behaves differently at sea than a shorter, chunkier hull, so length is a factor, as is beam, draft, and underwater shape. But again, given what we've discovered so far, a traditional trawler might use any one of these stability options to make for a pleasant ride.
To summarize this results in this category, let's go with a proven hull shape with active fins.
Power
Okay, so you folks are listening to what we've been saying for the last couple of years. Sixty percent agree that a single engine is most reliable and the best choice for the ideal passagemaker. Just thirty-five percent chose twin engines. Yes!
Even some of the twin engine folks agree with the rest of us that a single screw, located in an aperture, is the preferred propulsion arrangement for the ideal passagemaker. Over sixty-five percent choose a protected single screw over vulnerable twin screw running gear, which is consistent with the range and performance requirements already defined.
As for get home systems, it seems everyone wants some form of emergency power, with only eight percent indicating they wanted no get home equipment whatsoever.
The responses in the get home category were spread out among the options, although by far the biggest single response group was whatever worked. So, rather than fighting among the different options with more or less equal tallies, let's just say the ideal boat would have some sort of a get home drive. (It's worth mentioning that most twin engine folks think the second engine is their get home.)
Inside The Ideal Passagemaker
Interior Layout: Seventy-one percent of those with an opinion want a two stateroom trawler, with only seventeen percent needing the additional accommodations of a third stateroom. Just twelve percent lust for a single stateroom. A two stateroom layout is the conspicuous winner.
It was an even split between those wanting an aft cabin and those who did not, ditto the dedicated office, so we'll leave those open to personal preference.
Three-quarters of us desire two heads in our boats, and slightly more than half also want two showers. Two-thirds of us don't want an onboard tub.
The galley on the ideal passagemaker would be up (73%), and more than half want a dinette or other dedicated eating area. A stand-up engine room was selected by 66% of the responding readers. The separate utility room was a split decision.
Helm Control: Listen up, builders-seventyeight percent of us want a raised pilothouse on our ideal passagemaker, with only 22% preferring a lower helm in the saloon.
Given the widespread geography represented by the returned surveys, from northern waters to the tropics, it was interesting that 70% want a flybridge. Only 17% responded that they did not want an upper helm.
Outside Lounge Area: As for where people would spend quality time outdoors aboard their dream trawler, 80% want a covered aft deck. Forty-two percent would lounge on the flybridge, but most of those responses were in addition to the aft deck. All other choices lost big time.
Let's see...two staterooms with two heads in a stabilized, fiberglass, 40'/50' traditional-style displacement trawler with single engine/screw, a range of 2,000/2,5000 nm, a flybridge, raised pilothouse, and aft deck. Hmmm...sure sounds like some downright useful intel for boat builders wanting to know what we want. Are you listening out there?
Now let's look at systems.
Onboard Systems
Watermaker: Eighty-six percent of us would install a watermaker on this motorboat, although 53% would use it as a supplemental unit rather a full-time water source. Amazingly, only 13% would not install a watermaker. I think the ability to make our own safe, pure water is a big deal to us. Watermakers are obviously no longer considered luxury equipment. Forget water rationing while under way, and completely avoid suspect water sources. We'll make our own, thank you.
Electric Power: It was a no-brainer about gensets-94% would have at least one genset aboard. Slightly more than half (56%) would also install an AC generator on the main engine. In addition, 91% would include an inverter system in their boat's electrical wish list. No surprises here.
Refrigeration: The vast majority (90%) selected electric refrigeration, split equally between 12VDC and 110VAC-although a full 25% want a unit that runs off both. Holding plate refrigeration was a 32% response, proving the redundancy of some of these choices (ie., some folks want to keep their options open).
Additional Freezer: Surprisingly, eighty-three percent of those with a preference wanted additional freezer capability separate from the galley unit. That is an aftermarket I just didn't realize existed, and perhaps more new boat builders will include a separate freezer in their options list.
Galley: LPG (propane) was the choice of fuel for the galley stove/oven with a 74% response. Almost 90% feel a microwave oven is necessary, while 74% don't want a dishwasher. Trash compactor was a split response.
Washer/Dryer: Seventy-eight percent require a washer/dryer, enough to make me think it should be standard equipment.
Central AC/Heat: Given the overwhelming "Yes" response to both systems, it seems boat builders ought to just go ahead and install these systems in every trawlers they built.
Seriously, if over 85% of the people who buy a boat feel a central heating and A/C system is important, wouldn't it make a lot of sense for the yard to install the necessary plumbing and ductwork while the interior is being constructed, rather than having a new boat delivered to the dealer so he can rip up the new interior to put those systems in during commissioning?
That would save us all a lot of headaches, not to mention damage to our new boat's interior. Don't you agree?
Central Vacuum: Only thirty percent of us want a central vacuum system. And I'm one of them.
Additional Comments
A number of people wrote in comments that better dinghy storage and handling should be integral to the design of this ideal ocean motorboat. Seems a lot of people are frustrated with their current situation.
After all, every trawler I've ever seen has at least one dinghy, yet almost all trawler designs lack the kind of integrated dinghy stowing and launching features that makes it truly carefree. Additionally, the newer RIBs are large and heavy, and we are an aging group, many with bad backs. Most of us don't enjoy manhandling a twelve-foot dinghy with its 15/20 hp outboard.
So, builders, stop giving us weeny little mast and boom affairs, and integrate the modern dinghy and its handling into the passagemaker's design. I know big megayachts have transom garages, so why can't designers figure out some solution for us?
The other major write-in subject concerned thrusters. Given the acceptance of the single screw boat as a great cruising platform, there is strong opinion that a bow and/or stern thruster is a good thing, and should be part of the package.
It doesn't matter whether the equipment is electric or hydraulic. Thrusters just make sense on a single screw cruising boat in the 40'/50' size.
The Entire Package
I think you will agree that the results of this survey hit home across the major elements of a better cruising motorboat. This project also tells me that PMM is truly a common community of cruising people throughout the world. Despite our potentially different approaches to passagemaking, our specs for the ideal boat are really very similar.
There is still much underlying detail to this survey, and we may unearth more information in the future. But enough for now. It's time to begin the next phase of the ideal passagemaker project. Check out the sidebar, and get ready (as Ed Sullivan used to say) for a really big show...
