A lot to like in sporty trawler

Photo / NZ Herald

With the passion for passagemaking trawlers showing no signs of abating, designers are becoming more adventurous.

The new Pelorus 44 is a good example. At 13.38m LOA and just 10.85m LWL, it is considerably more compact than a traditional vessel of this style. It is also somewhat quicker.

Promoted as "a gentleman's cruiser with a young man's heart", the Pelorus 44 is certainly no slouch. It boasts a top speed of 22 knots and, perhaps more important, can economically fast-cruise at a ground-swallowing 16 knots.

Much of that is due to the surprisingly slippery underwater shape. This starts with wide shoulders and soft chines forward, sharpening to hard chines near amidships. A moderate deadrise, even at the transom, also helps.

The result is a semi-displacement design that, thanks in part to its trim tabs, smoothly transitions on to the plane, maintains a very level attitude both at speed and when turning, and displays very little roll, either at rest or when running in beam seas.

Pelorus has matched that shape with a brace of powerful engines and a shaft angle of just 8 degrees. Although this means the engines, in this case a pair of 370hp Volvo Penta D6 diesels, live under the saloon (not further aft as is now often the case), the pay-off is a smooth water flow into the propellers. This, in turn, generates better fuel economy than conventional keel designs.

It also helps create a somewhat quicker sweet spot than one might imagine. At 2720rpm, the Pelorus 44 will sail along happily at 16 knots while using only a total of 80 litres per hour. With a fuel tank that holds 1600 litres of diesel, that means an expected range of 290 nautical miles, plus the usual 10 per cent in reserve.

That means one could cruise reasonably rapidly from Auckland to the Bay of Islands, checking out all those wonderful anchorages and fishing spots along the way and, should all the bowsers be empty or closed, simply turn around and head back.

Of course, if one was intent on a substantially longer journey, also without refuelling, one could throttle right off. With the 44 off the plane and in displacement mode, its range increases exponentially. Unfortunately, one would also have to travel at a mere 6 knots and that might become just a trifle tedious ...

There is quite a lot more to like about the Pelorus. Like many "international" brands, it is built in China. However, it appears to have been designed specifically for the United States market, with the Chinese going to the trouble of engaging US designers to make sure they got it right.

It also seems the type of boat likely to appeal to New Zealanders and Australians. At least one Aussie thinks so, at any rate. Sydney-based Andrew Murray liked the design so much, he set up the eponymous Pelorus Marine to market the boat down this way (he is seeking a Kiwi dealer to represent him on this side of the Tasman).

One thing that really attracted him about the Pelorus is its manufacturers' all-inclusive approach to pricing. In most boat reviews or tests, the manufacturer or distributor "pimps up" the test boat as much as possible. The degree to which they do this can be seen in the often quite large differences between the base price and price "as tested".

In the case of the Pelorus 44, however, both are exactly the same, and that's not because the 44 is presented as a base boat.

While comparable boats often attract a million-dollar-plus price ticket (in Aussie dollars), the Pelorus 44 sells for under A$700,000 ($901,000). That comparatively reasonable price includes a pretty impressive list of extras, too. Standard equipment includes an Onan 9.6kVA genset, heavy-duty battery system, 240-volt shore power, 7kW air conditioning, bow and stern thrusters and that pair of Volvo D6s running through ZF gearboxes.

Nor does the price appear to have been achieved through cutting corners in construction or fitting out. Construction of this 13-tonne displacement trawler is hand-laid GRP; traditional timbers, such as cherry for the furniture and bulkheads and teak and holly for the flooring, have been used throughout.

In true trawler style, the Pelorus 44 has a relatively small and unadorned cockpit, side decks protected by bulwarks and a sliding door to the side decks from the lower helm. Stainless-steel rails protect the entire lower deck from bow to stern, with a matching set above for the flybridge's aft deck.

The entire cockpit lies under this top deck, so fishing that requires casting could be tricky. However, there is a perfectly adequate boarding platform (of the bolt-on variety) for those who wish to swim, dive or fish.

Well-protected from the elements, the cockpit is therefore more of an al-fresco extension of the saloon, with large stainless-steel and glass sliding doors opening to create a single area.

The cabin design is open and expansive, with excellent sightlines from the helm to the transom.

Slightly unusually, the galley is forward, opposite the helm. While this means there is no direct link between galley and cockpit (as is the norm these days), there are advantages. On a passage, food or refreshments can be easily passed to those at the helm; and the aft section of the saloon can be dedicated solely to relaxing and entertainment: a huge u-shaped settee to starboard facing cabinetry from which a 37-inch LCD TV can rise when required.

In keeping with the Pelorus "all-inclusive" philosophy, both the TV and the auto-lift system that makes it appear are part of the standard fitout.

The accommodation plan, no doubt limited by those centrally mounted engines, is intimate rather than expansive. There are just two cabins and a single bathroom/head. The guest cabin features twin berths that can convert into a large double.

There has been no thought of a space-hungry internal staircase, either. Access to the flybridge is via a stylish stainless-steel and teak tread ladder with a gentle curve that allows hands-free navigation (ideal when bringing up refreshments).

Although not enclosed, the flybridge does come with a bimini. There is also sufficient seating, a small table and a handy wet bar.

Pelorus 44

LOA:13.38m

LWL:10.85m

Beam:4.35m

Draft:0.88m

Displacement:13 tonnes

Construction:GRP

Engines:Twin Volvo D6-370

Maximum speed:22 knots

Cruising speed:16 knots

Fuel capacity:1600 litres

Water capacity:750 litres

Want to know more?
Check out Barry Thompson's boat test on the Pelorus 44 in the January/February issue of Pacific Powerboat magazine.