Thought some might be interested in what Michael Kasten had to say about Bulb Bows, <http://www.kastenmarine.com/caution_note.htm> In fact he speaks quite a bit about trawler vessels. "Several well known trawler designers seem to favor bow bulbs on nearly everything that moves. In my view, placing bow bulbs on relatively small vessels cannot be encouraged for any vessel under around 65 feet or so, due to potentially dangerous handling characteristics in following seas. This is particularly so for short and fat boats which will already exhibit excessive yaw in following seas. What is favorable in the towing tank is not necessarily a benefit in the ocean, where wave-size-to-boat-size quickly becomes an overriding factor. Bow bulbs may often pandered on the basis of pitch reduction. The benefits in this regard are measurable. It is important to realize though that the benefit of using a bow bulb simply to attenuate pitch on a well designed hull form is controversial at best. For example, we have observed that on smaller craft a bow bulb can increase the likelihood of slamming in short steep seas due to its relatively flat bottom shape. For more information on the possible hazards of bow bulbs on small craft please see the article on "Running vs. Heading Up." Brian Eiland beiland@usa.net http://www.RunningTideYachts.com distinctive multihull expedition yachts