Passagemaker Magazine

of the highest standards in the boating industry. Plus, older trawlers tend to be over-built and heavier. I don’t want to get there faster; I want to enjoy the journey. Hell, if you want to get there fast, fly. Many trawlers being built today have a Hunt modified-V hull, rather than the earlier semi- or full-displacement hulls. The new designs are wonderful for speed, but there is a trade-off to speed—you miss a lot.

Cruising in the blue seas of the Bahamas and Gulf of Mexico at 9 knots or less, we see every dolphin on the bow, pelicans, osprey and egrets, even an occasional sea turtle popping up. That’s why we cruise. I am a terrible fisherman, but at our speed, trolling a line in the Abacos or Berries gets me a mahi most every time. Yes, if we could have afforded a new Grand Banks, we’d have bought one, but we couldn’t. So Susan and I renovated one.

The How, not so much

Step 1: Research

Having sold yachts for Galati Yacht Sales, a Grand Banks dealer in St. Petersburg, Florida, I had a ready source of intelligence from the yachting community when it came to researching boats. Having owned a GB 42 CL years ago, we knew we wanted a trawler; specifically a Grand Banks.

Susan was adamant that we have an aft cabin so the master stateroom could be as large as possible and quiet while at anchor. I wanted a mechanically sound vessel with a great flybridge and a place for a dinghy. Since we prefer being outside and using the upper helm, a large flybridge is perfect for both navigation and entertaining. Spending hours on www.Yacht World.com and visiting as many Grand Banks as possible helped us narrow our focus.

The GB 46, while great for long cruises, did not provide what we desired for living aboard, so we looked into the 49. A stand-up engine room and 24 drawers in the master stateroom make living aboard very comfortable. We had the opportunity to stay aboard a GB 49 that was for sale at Trawler Fest in Ft. Lauderdale, and she passed the “feels right” test with flying colors. Shortly after returning home, we sold our house, and once that was finalized, we made an offer. After several counters, we had an accepted contract.

Step 2: Survey & Sea Trial

For an investment of this magnitude, we felt that both marine and diesel surveyors were necessary. We asked several friends, yacht brokers and experienced cruisers in the Ft. Lauderdale area for recommendations. Buzz Smith, a former Hal Jones broker and childhood friend, was invaluable. Choosing the right surveyors is vital. You get what you pay for if experienced and qualified professionals are chosen.

Jon Howe and Tim Caruso did a fine job for us. For our sea trial, we were fortunate to have a day out in the Gulf Stream with a squall. Buying a boat without a good sea trial can be a real risk. We were lucky enough to have 6-foot beam seas and lots of rain. Old, leaky teak decks became obvious and allowed us to get a significant concession from the seller. To facilitate our renovation process, we asked Jon and Tim to recommend vendors regarding the needed repairs they had identified. That information was every bit as valuable as the surveys themselves.

Step 3: Mind The Machinery

The old Lehmans and Onan had already been replaced with twin Cummins diesels and a 17. 5 k W Norpro genset, and the fuel tanks had been replaced. This, coupled with the fact that the boat had no hull blisters, was a huge benefit. The last entry in the maintenance log was from 2005, when the previous owner bought the boat. So, along with having the bottom done, we had the engines flushed and every impeller, zinc, filter and fluid changed. We were starting our maintenance