From: TOBYBOAT@aol.com
Date: Wed, 13 Jan 1999 11:36:14 EST
To: Trawler World 
Subject: Fwd: Trawler Recommendation?

 Re: Manatee 
     I love my Manatee, I love my Manatee, I love my manatee,
and etc.
 
      She is a Cow - a sea cow, comfortable, slow, sturdy and very economical,
tub. I burned 240 Gal of diesel going from Baltimore to Burlington Vermont and
back -- less than one tank of fuel! 
 
       To achieve any greater interior space we would have to jump to near 50
feet of boat length and that is a really big jump in initial cost, yearly
maintenance, insurance and operating expense. She is a real spoiler --
translated -- my wife will not let me sell her even if I get another project
boat to work on.  She is comfortable for two guests or more if they are well
aquatinted. And we had 18 aboard for breakfast when serving race committee 
for the Windjammers -- Now what other 36 footer would allow that sort of a 
crowd? 
 
   Docking in any cross breeze or current -- she takes a bit of getting used
to -- one is required either to learn to use warps or to install thrusters --
I prefer warps they take less maintenance. And she rolls a bit in a beam sea
-- (but not as much as my friends Mainship ).  I find her comfortable in the
normal 1-2 foot chop of the Chesapeake but try to avoid anything greater than
that -- though I have been caught  in several blows (haven't we all) with some 
4-5 foot chop -- breaking. I do not suggest it -- but I had no doubts about the 
boat.  With her shallow draft (3 '2" ) we are able to sneak into many gunk holes 
for the night that others with even 4 'of draft are forced to shun. 
 
      In coastal work one must be a tad careful about the weather and avoid
the rough inlets -- she is not designed for that. We waited in Manasquan an
extra day to allow the sea swell to calm down a bit-following a bit of a blow.
rather than risk a confused sea coming into the inlet -- but that was only
prudent. I saw other even smaller boats going out -- but their captains were
probably more familiar than I with those conditions.  That being said - I have
no intentions to push her to her limits. 
 
     We comfortably spend a month or more on her each year and other owners
spend much greater amounts of time -- many living aboard.  I am always 
surprised by the extensive amount of even radical customization both interior 
and  exterior, that these boats seem to allow -- to meet the desires of their 
owners. I have yet to see two the same. Which makes it a continuing pleasure 
to view her sisters? 
 
      In our rebuilding we added an awning frame which allows the complete
shading of the upper deck -- this has changed her appearance quite a bit and
provides additional shelter at a cost of slightly increased windage. 
 
       All that being said she is still a boat from Taiwan and one continues
to find evidence of skimping by the builders to save pennies.  I thought the
wiring of poor quality, some of the glass work could have been easily much 
better and I continue to find the odd mild steel nut or washer rusting in 
inconspicuous places. She does not have the beauty of teak decks (for which I 
am eternally grateful). I would have preferred a more robust rub rail and must 
rebed the eyebrows (probably with 5200) as my next project. 

                                                     Ken 
                                                     Mrs. Hudson
                                                     KK Manatee 
                                                     Baltimore