I guess what I am asking is, in general, what does a good ocean crossing powerboat need to be a safe, comfortable, and capable passagemaker ? The boat I have would be a great coastal cruiser just refitted like it is now. It would not be a good open ocean boat. Safety on the crossing is important but comfort and useability upon arrival are also important. A sailboat won't work for us and a powerboat setup for ultimate ocean travel isn't an option, we need more flexability in the use of the boat (island hopping, icw, fishing, etc.) Most of the trawlers I see are geared more toward coastal and near shore use(mine included) with an eye toward LOOKING like they are offshore capable, little ships kind of boats. I'm not saying they shouldn't be used for transoceanic travel, just that the market they are tapping mostly wants the look and doesn't really need the ability for the most part, (fast trawler ?- what is that ?). My neighbor down at the marina suggested getting a large steel sailboat, rerigging it and putting in a bigger engine and tankage. However, I am not a sailor and this idea has a lot of detractions for us, but it really is looking like a sailboat would be the best way to see the Pacific. My wife and I have even discussed shipping our boat, whatever it is at the time, to the pacific islands as a possible alternative..... But, to get back to the ?- What are some suggestions from the listees that could be incorporated into our boat, to make it more offshore capable. thanks