RE: TWL: New Coast Guard 47-foot motor life boat
I do not know if the engines could mechanically sustain a rollover. I
doubt it very much. It was not designed to roll over and continue.
Just to survive.
Joe
-----Original Message-----
From: Ron Rogers [mailto:rcrogers6@comcast.net]
Sent: Tuesday, September 17, 2002 3:47 PM
To: Joe Engel; trawler-world-list@lists.samurai.com
Subject: Re: TWL: New Coast Guard 47-foot motor life boat
http://home.online.no/~lawford/xrl/44ft-lifeboat-replacements.htm has
some pictures of various country's lifeboats. Under a mislabeled
American (ALAS) heading, you will find the British Trent and Severn
class lifeboats whose hull forms and general appearance match the
external characteristics of the USCG 47' MLB. Can't remember where I
read that those vessels formed the design basis for the 47' MLB.
If the engines are still running and the crew is uninjured, why couldn't
they continue?
----- Original Message -----
From: "Joe Engel" joe@jre.com
I'd like to correct a few "misinformations" here. I do not know what
the fundamental basis for the design of the 47 footer was, but it was
a breakthrough in "open design" within the USCG. It was designed and
modified by the entire USCG membership.
The other misinformation is that the 47 footer can rollover and
continue. That's simply incorrect. The 47 can roll over and survive,
but it cannot continue and typically will be incapacitated with
substantial damage.
I do not know if the engines could mechanically sustain a rollover.<
Joe,
Lifeboat engines have automatic devices, which switch off the engines, if
the boat rolls more than xx deg. The engines mostly survive a roll-over, but
most likely it causes severe injuries and damages (i.e.
http://www.sea-rescue.de/alfriedkrupp.html)
Burkhard Becker
Are there any good books or websites that address the cost difffrance
between living aboard a Trawler V/S a Sailboat?
Greg,
I don't know of any one book that addresses living costs on both
trawlers and sailboats. Skipper Bob's "Cruisiing Comfortably on
a Budget" is excellent on choosing and equipping a trawler for
long-term cruising and living aboard. Susanne and I have lived
aboard both, and she kept detailed cost records over a period of
6 years, so I can give you some cost comparisons.
^From 1988 to 1990 we lived and cruised on a 36' Soverel sloop,
Tigger. Our budget was $5200 the first year, increased to $5400
the second year. We ran the engine about 1000 hours a year,
consuming 0.6gph at 6 kts. We anchored out all the time, ate out
only about 3 times a month, and did all our own maintenance work.
We sold the house and car.
In 1997 we launched Winnie the Pooh, our 46' troller-yacht. Our
budget for the first year was $9000. By 2001 we had increased our
budget to $9600. Our lifestyle changed little. Increased costs
are mainly because of the increased size of the boat, and
inflation over the intervening years. Haulouts and fuel went up
accordingly. We run the boat about 750 hours a year, covering
about 5000 nm, cruising north in the Spring, and south in Fall,
over to the Bahamas for a couple of months each winter. Fuel
consumption is 1.5 gph at 7.5 kts.
I agree that average living costs on trawlers is higher than for
sailboats, but it doesn't have to be so. More likely, the sort
of person who lives on a sailboat tends to be more independent,
does more of the maintenence on the boat himself, anchors out
more, and cooks aboard more.
If a trawler appeals to you, go for it. To minimize annual
costs, keep the boat's equipment simple. One engine costs half
as much to run as two. Electronics are mostly throw-aways when
they malfunction, so go for the simplest ones that meet your
needs. Gensets are an expensive way to cook (get propane), and
are really needed only if you must have air conditioning on the
hook. Refrigeration is a major energy user onboard, so choose
carefully. You must have good anchoring gear that you trust in a
blow, or you will be faced with going into an expensive marina
everytime the forecast is breezy.
These tips are for cruising on a budget. If your funds allow,
feel free to get twins, run gensets, stay in Marinas every night,
or whatever appeals to you. As for me, I preferred to retire at
40 on the budget plan, rather than continue to work and save for
a cruise that might never happen.
Go small, go cheap, go now.
Mark Richter
presently in Huntsville, AL
Do you Yahoo!?
New DSL Internet Access from SBC & Yahoo!
http://sbc.yahoo.com
The Fall 1999 issue of Passagemaker had an interesting article on cost of
cruising with real life examples, including a 38' DeFever, 42 GB Europa, and
41' DeFever. Typical annual expenses for a 40' - 42' trawler ranged from
$1000 to $2000 per month depending on what was included. IMO, the only
conclusion one can make with confidence is that it costs a lot less than
living on land, because in most cases the life-style is so different, by
what I have read on the subject.
Maurice Marwood
aepmem@bahamas.net.bs
Kassequa,
1970 47' Chris Craft Commander