Another option

[BillF]

Hi All,
I've been running around semi frantically all day trying to get some financing in order for a permit and boat. A friend of mine who owns a longliner started out decades ago in a skiff with a HT permit. Im wondering what you think of financing a HT permit myself and using a cheap sailboat (I've got a line on a pretty cool one). I've owned and fixed up a sailboat in the past and know quite a bit about them. I see a lot of hand trollers just have a few coolers and gurdies on whatever boat they have, Im wondering if this is more of a recreational way to go or if I could meet expenses this way (if I could just meet expenses Im sure I would have such a good summer I would'nt lament my lack of income). I would be ecstatic if this might work as I could start out without being in debt. If you think it would work what should I expect to lay out for gear? Im sure this isnt an ideal way to start out, but dealing with a bank isnt ideal in my book. Thanks for your input!
Bill

[Abundance]

What do you know! I converted a fifty foot sailboat, which I bought free and clear (and cheap) into a troller last spring, and it works very well. I dont have a fishold, but I have plenty of deckspace for what I am doing right now. She is somewhat inefficient and uprofessional in action, but she gets the job done as well as anything else I have been on. You might not ever want anything more, actually. And you will have a far more comfortable living area and fuel efficiency than most fisherman could ever dream of. I say go for it. If you dont like it, you still would have a nifty sailboat, and still own a house to come back to. On a practical note, meeting expenses is no guarantee, even for a professional. I would say that starting out owning your own boat and permit free and clear is the ideal way to start out. To be honest, I dont think that I could have made my permit payment last year if I didnt have a job deckhanding on a shrimp boat in the winter. Stay as cautious about going into debt as you seem to be, and you will do as well as anybody.

[Jackson Combs]

I've seen a handful of sailboats successfully converted into salmon/tuna trollers. Work hard and make do with what you can. The biggest thing is spending the time on the water. I say go for it!

[BillF]

Thanks guys,
Im pretty psyched on figuring out what we can make work for us. We may end up getting the permit soon and having to hold off on boat and gear until next season, depending on what pops up. We've been talking about this for a long time and cant wait to take the first step.
Bill.

[kjwelder]

@ Garrett
Sounds like a cool boat!
Can you post any pic of how you set it up?
What make is the hull?
Thanks,
Karl

[Abundance]

I dont know the make of her hull. I have heard that there was only two of this design built. I saw one for sale on Canada for fairly cheap as well. She is of very professional ferrocement construction, as smooth as, and much harder and heavier than, fiberglass. She is fifty foot by eighteen, constructed in 1978, and she originally took passenger cruises from Baja to Puget Sound, I believe. The owner before me used her for shrimping and longlining in Washington and Southeast. She has three staterooms and a bathroom/shower up forward, insulated and soundproofed engine room with port and starboard workdesks, and the great room in the stern with a full stainless steel galley, nine person dining table, queen size master bunk, and another bathroom/shower. She is powered by a 471 jimmy and cruises 7 knots at three quarter throttle (my rpm guage is broken). I am still finishing the topside pilot house, and I have to change out all of the old blocks and tackle before I put the sails out. She is looking a little ragged right now after a full summer, winter and spring of getting banged up looking for a fish, but she still looks fine to my eyes. Maybe I can get her painted up again if the weather will ever stop soaking everything.

[islands50]

Abundance, Darn good looking boat, I also thought about doing something simalur, but alas finding a good hull and power train is getting harder to do, and as you have brought up not having a hold is a detrement, but nothing that can not be over come.

[Abundance]

Thank you. The lack of a fishhold is my only real problem, but I can fit up to ten half totes on deck. Both the owner before me and myself have considered ripping out the forward stateroom and making an insulated hold in its place, but that would be a shame. I may not be able to afford not to though, as freezer shrimping is the mainstay of the family business, and I am expected to take that over soon. And I am considering other freezing markets as well. All in all though, she is worth far more than I paid for her. One more caveat, sailboats do not ride the rough ocean well without sails up. Its not just me, I have seen other sailtrollers roll their heads off out there. Some people just care less about that than me. I have some plans for stabalization though.