Converting a Prawn Trawler to an Expedition Cruiser... But there's a BIG Problem 😬 (Ep. 151)

We may have just found our DREAM BOAT… but there’s a BIG problem. We want to convert an ex-commercial Prawn Trawler into a Long Range Expedition Cruiser, but we have hit a roadblock with insurance. Come along as we explain what we are planning! On our road trip north from Perth back to Darwin we are touring boats - and we fell in love with some incredible trawlers coming out of a commercial fleet due to new fisheries laws. These steel-hulled vessels are 23 meters long and we absolutely fell in love with one in particular — MV Levellian. We can already see the vision: transforming her from a hard-working fishing vessel into a go-anywhere, expedition-ready liveaboard. But here’s the roadblock… INSURANCE. We’ve searched high and low, but no company seems willing to insure an ex-commercial vessel being refit into a private boat. This is where YOU come in. 🙏 If you’ve ever gone through this process, know of someone who has, or can recommend an insurance company willing to take on this kind of project, please drop a comment below! Your help could make this dream possible. We’re so excited about the potential of this boat, and we’d love to take you along for the ride as we search, dream, and maybe… take on our biggest project yet. Chapters: 00:00 – Welcome aboard 09:03 – MV Talasea II – 78ft luxury superyacht 10:17 – Classic 65ft timber cray boat 11:02 – MV Andirina Pearle – 24m ex-pearler 12:35 – MV Orpheus – 22.3m steel trawler 14:15 – Touring a massive alloy sailing catamaran 14:59 – 4 Commercial Trawlers 16:13 – Could this be our dream boat? 16:30 – We need YOUR help 🚨 ----------------------------------- SV Emma James is for Sale! Emma is a 2005 Aluminum Crowther Catamaran, Design 85, Mark IV, professionally build in the Gold Coast Australia by MEC. Email inquiries: sailingwiththejameses@gmail.com Listing Ad: https://www.boatsonline.com.au/boats-for-sale/used/sailing-boats/crowther-catamaran/331110 ___________________________________________________ 🎥 Watch our boat evolve — Major Refit Series ⚓ EXTENDING OUR SUGAR SCOOPS https://youtu.be/70acqzq3yIc ⚓ RECESSING OUR ANODES https://youtu.be/9oi9n1sMJNs ⚓ SYNTHETIC RIGGING ON OUR ALUMINIUM CATAMARAN https://youtu.be/LU8zSyDujfo ⚓ HOW WE IMPROVED THE PERFORMANCE OF OUR PERFORMANCE ALLOY CATAMARAN https://youtu.be/Qub8_UeCwdg 🚤 NEW HERE? Check out our boat tour: https://youtu.be/RhyaasimV9M Or our previous monohull: https://youtu.be/E5OCEgbGqK4 🎉 WANT TO KEEP VIDEOS COMING? SUPPORT US ON PATREON https://www.patreon.com/c/Sailingwiththejameses Your support keeps this channel going, helps us upgrade gear, and brings you better content each week. Try a 7-day FREE trial—tiers start at just $2/month! 📬 BUSINESS INQUIRIES: sailingwiththejameses@gmail.com 📸 Follow our adventures: Instagram: @sailingwiththejameses Facebook: facebook.com/sailingwiththejameses Don’t forget to LIKE, SUBSCRIBE, and leave a comment — Our Tender: We're cruising around in a True Kit Discovery 400—lightweight, stable, and perfect for exploring remote anchorages and shallow landings. Check it out here: https://truekit.net/en-au #OurNextBoat #SailingFamily #Boatlife #Wemightbuyaboat #boatbuying #sailboat #projectboat