Erik C
Active member
Erik C is perhaps being a little harsh, I am a fan of Dutch steel looked at a few myself before we bought the Broom, reality is that brands like Aquanaught and Jetten are gorgeous but they are full displacement and sounds like the broker was just being honest about what you really need. A boat at that speed will roll that is just a fact, others will advise re stabilisers etc etc but there is a reason why marinas on the south coast hardly contain any steel boats, it's horses for courses, if I was planning on lots of inland waterways with a few coastal hops then steel would be a serious consideration
I didn't mean to sound harsh but the fact is that these steel boats are perfect for the cruising grounds TwoHooter has indicated. And if I was going to the Swedish archipelago with hundreds of very rocky islands a steel hull would give me a safe feeling, should some weather come up you could probably hide behind an island somewhere instead of planing at high speed to the nearest port. I assume most cruising will be done during the summer when weather isn't likely to be a big issue anyway. Another thing to consider is the amount of interior space a steel boat has vs a trawler, if you are going to spend long periods of time aboard space becomes important. Dutch boats are also very well isolated with double glazing etc, have central heating and lots of light on the inside, all of which combine to make a comfortable stay on board. And then there is fuel, two big engines use more fuel and I believe those engines don't like to be run at slow speeds for long periods of time. After all is said and done it remains a personal preference but to discard a steel boat because some broker said they are not suitable or safe for cruising is a mistake in my opinion, there are plenty of examples out there that show it is safe and comfortable to cruise on a steel boat.