>At 08:18 PM 12/29/98 -0500, Georgs asked: > >--would we not favor the Benford/Trane >collaborations, those wonderful Florida Bay Coasters of the early 1990s? > > know there are several fans of the Coasters on the List. Perhaps they >will speak up and help as narrow the selection to the one model that >clearly is the landmark vessel. > >--Listmeister Georgs Arild adds: Just in case the list readers think I'm opposed to the Florida Coasters; let me state I'm not. However Benford himself calls them Coasters not trawlers. Thus making a distinction as to their intended use and type of waters travelled. I had the priviledge of meeting him at the Ananpolis boatshow some years ago when he was displaying a motor cruiser/trawler called Picture Card or Post Card. The design was very well done although the builder let him down on a few minor points. The deck just outside the port doorway to the wheelhouse tin canned, making a noise every time you walked in or out. The dry exhaust spewed black soot all over the snow white topsides. I think the stacks were probably too short or else of the wrong diameter so the stack velocity was too slow. The engine room was a dream as was the galley dinettee arrangement.. It makes me wonder why I saw the same boat for sale less than four years later. Anyway. Coasters are indeed marvellous for their intended use. They are not something I would expect to meet in the North Sea halfway between my native Denmark and England . I would however expect to see several trawlers in any size from 40 ft and up. Regards Arild