Arild Jensen <elnav@uniserve.com said: Right on! How come we don't hear more about conversions of former fishing boats and other work boats If you click on the URL of the Dolores E., in my signature block you'll see a converted 40' fishing vessel we just brought down to SF from Vancouver. She was built by Nakade in Steveston in 1968. The cost to me was less then 6% of a new equipped Nordhaven 40. I wish it had a Gardner rather then the 6-71, on the other hand if I need a part or even a rebuild it will be a heck of a lot cheaper then the Gardner. Besides I've always admired the sound of a city bus and sopping up oil in the bilge gives me something to do :-) If I had the $$$, a new steel trawler capable of going through the NW passage would be my first choice, but since I don't, wood is pretty nice. This trawler could probably make that passage as the waterline is sheaved with gumwood, a common practice in Alaska for protection from logs & ice. Both my boats are wood BTW. Regards Robby & Dolores [robbyr@pacbell.net] S/V Rolling Stone (In Scotland) http://www.selfsteer.com/monitor/covers/MonitorCOV.jpg M/V DOLORES E. (In San Francisco) http://home.pacbell.net/robbyr/index.html