Buying a new boat is exciting, but it also brings about its share of pain. I am not talking about the money that starts flowing out of your bank account. It also means there are many minor and major decisions to make. That is doubly so when you contracted for hull #1. As a first-time motorboat owner, I found this process more taxing than exciting. We were always afraid we would get things wrong in some ways.

We read extensively about boat construction, avidly read the trawler forum website, and hired a boat consultant. What follows is a brief, non-tedious account of the significant decisions made.

The first thing we got out of the way was to decide how many staterooms and berths to have. We are going to be a couple cruising without a permanent crew. There will be occasional guests spending a few overnights now and then. We also intend to remain engaged in work - my spouse will be writing books, and I will continue my foundation work. All of that drove the decision to have two staterooms and a spacious office rather than a standard third stateroom one might have on a boat of this size. The office space includes a pull-out bed and a sliding door to enclose the space. The space one usually has for crew bunk beds was turned into a workshop area right next to the engine room. You can see in the picture how the interior is laid out.

Kaedy-Krogen staff are accommodating. Since this was hull number one of a new design, they were very keen on getting things right. We got lots of help from them in figuring out various layout aspects.

One big choice was about the engines - a single engine with a wing engine to take us home if the main one failed was one of the choices. The other is a twin-engine. We went with the twin engines. Fuel expenses may be higher, but a lower draft is important for the time we spend in the Caribbean or French Polynesia, where we may be cruising.

The other big choice was the choice of anchors. Single anchor or dual anchor system? I am fascinated by the long, opinionated debate surrounding anchors across various forums. It reminded me of when our first baby arrived, and I decided I needed some parenting advice. After reading several books on the subject, I concluded that it is best to pick and choose from many, since there is no agreement on the best practices. We decided to have a dual anchor system and 400’ chain of 1/2” and 300’ chain plus rope on the other. The primary anchor choice is Rocna MKII, if we can get hold of it. It seems it is out of production.

Several other decisions had to be made. I will not go into excruciating detail, but I do think we went overboard with electronics—navigation and monitoring instrumentation.

The boat has a swim platform, wine and liquor storage, pull-out pantry shelves, a water maker, and all the usual amenities that make life on the boat fun.

Hull #1: Brave Souls

Selecting A Boat