All hands-- One of my projects for the summer will be the creation of a database of information on cruising motor vessels of all makes and types for Trawler World Online. Using one of my favorite trawlers as an example, here is how I think I might organize and present data with a view to providing essential information for an intelligent overview, but not necessarily including details that are largely optional. MAKE AND MODEL Diesel Duck 38 BUILDER Cape Horn Marine DESIGNER George Buehler TYPE OF VESSEL Full displacement trawler LENGTH OVERALL 39 ft 8-3/4 in (39.729 ft) LENGTH ON DECK 38 ft 4-1/4 in (38.354 ft) DESIGN WATERLINE 36 ft 5-5/8 in (36.469 ft) BEAM OVERALL 12 ft 9 in (12.75 ft) BEAM WATERLINE 11 ft 10-2/3 in (11.89 ft) DRAFT 4 ft 9 in (4.75 ft) BRIDGE CLEARANCE MAST UP 32 ft 2 in (32.167 ft) BRIDGE CLEARANCE MAST DOWN 12 ft 9 in (12.75 ft) BALLAST IN POUNDS 2,200 DISPLACEMENT IN POUNDS 32,669 DISPLACEMENT IN LONG TONS 14.6 DISPLACEMENT/RATIO 314 BEAM/LENGTH RATIO 0.332 ABOVE/BELOW WATER RATIO 2.03 PRISMATIC COEFFICIENT 0.618 STANDARD ENGINE John Deere 4039DFM 4-cylinder diesel POWER 71 hp at 2,500 rpm continuous rating EXHAUST TYPE Dry COOLING SYSTEM Freshwater keel cooler FUEL IN GALLONS 612 FRESHWATER IN GALLONS 272 GREYWATER IN GALLONS 160 BLACKWATER IN GALLONS 86 NUMBER OF BERTHS 4 CONSTRUCTION MATERIAL Steel MAXIMUM SPEED IN KNOTS 9.00 HULL SPEED IN KNOTS 8.09 CRUISING SPEED AT S/L 1.2 7.25 RANGE AT CRUISING SPEED 5,473 (Computer projection for flat water) ESTIMATED PRICE OF NEW BOAT REASONABLY EQUIPPED $298,500 PLUS CONTACT INFO FOR BUILDER AS WELL AS DESIGNER What do you think of the range of headings (SHOWN IN CAPS)? What headings do you think I should add? Are there any items I could subtract? What do say about my selection of an S/L of 1.2 as the representative cruising speed? I look forward to your feedback via posts to the list or as private email. I primarily suggest posts because the discussion on what is meaningful information--and what is not--will be educational for folks new to trawlers or in the midst of searching for their dream ship. --Georgs Georgs Kolesnikovs Trawler World Productions Publishers of Trawler World Online at <http://www.trawlerworld.com> Producers of West Marine Trawler Fest in Poulsbo, Washington, June 4-7, Solomons, Maryland, October 1-4, and Stuart, Florida, in April 1999 NB: Just returned after two great weeks on the Inside Passage to Alaska aboard Explorer, which will explain any delay in getting back to you