bearhair
2011-06-24 20:46:32
I've been looking at buying a troller and have narrowed it down to a couple wooden hull boats. Both are in the 38'-40' range. One has a 10' beam and the other a 12' beam. Obviously wider is usually more stable, but are there other considerations when it comes to a troller? Is 10' too narrow for a 38' boat or will it be just fine? Do the stabilizers have a more profound effect ona 10' beam boat than one with a 12' beam?
The reason I ask is that the boat that is in better overall condition is 38' long with a 10' beam whereas the other one is 40' long and a 12' beam.
I've been on wide and narrow pleasure boats and gillnetters. Just never operated a troller so I really don't know hoow important a wide beam really is or if a 10' beam with stabilizers is plenty enough.
Any thoughts or opinions would be greatly appreciated.
Hans2
2011-06-28 20:44:10
I'm of the opinion that wider isn't always better - I'd offer that you'd be far better off to find a narrow boat with a deep keel and some ballast over a corky wide-beamed boat that will get jostled around by every little wave that comes it's way. When beam-to the seas the deep keeled, ballasted boat will do far better in keeping more level than the wide boat. That wide boat is trying to stay parallel to the surface of the water, no matter what angle the surface of the water is at. The narrow, ballasted boat is trying to keep it's keel below it - gravity is working in your favor there.
My $.02, anyway - I hope the more learned will come and save you from my bad advice if it is warranted...
Hans