marine trader yachts review

The Trawler Beach House

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Sounds like something I would like.... wish I could click on the layout of the interior to look at it closer.

Sorry but the graphics won't enlarge. Windows does have a magnifying gadget that lets you enlarge things on a page like a magnifying glass. But the interior is pretty straight forward. Chuck

Jomamma, You might try and right click on the image and save it on your computer and then use your picture viewer to enlarge it. Just a thought. Chuck

Hi, I am thinking about one of these but am wondering about how you both like it so far compared to your sailboat. If I get one it will likely be just me and my dog. Is there plenty of room for you? I live in Florida and would most likely want the option to cross over to the Islands and such. I understand these can't travel over too rough a patch of ocean, but that should be good right? I am enjoying your blog very much by the way... Thank you! Tom B.

Tom, we are really enjoying the boat.It is indeed different from our sailboat and we had her for 17 years so we still miss it from time to time. But we are enjoying this boat and look forward to new adventures. Many folks take these boats over to the islands and we met folks on one down in Luperon, Dominican Republic. You just need to pay more attention to weather and pick your windows carefully. Good luck.

I enjoy keeping up with your blog and wonder if you might be able to help us with some research. We own a 1985 Sea Ranger 47 PH trawler and have been searching for historical data and also other Sea Ranger owners. We have found little available on the internet, but noticed that one of your posts had a response by Seaquel - a Sea Ranger 47. Are you able to help us contact him... and also perhaps you might have some info about Sea Rangers yourself! regards Susan and Dan "Delia Rosa"

Sorry guys, I wish I could be of more help. Unfortunately, Blogger does not record contact information for comments. My only suggestion would be to try a couple of websites that are primarily Trawler related one is Trawler Forums, http://www.activeboard.com/forum.spark?aBID=115492 , and the other is the T&T or Trawler and Trawlering Forum at http://www.trawlersandtrawlering.com/forums/forumsintro.html . There are lots of knowledgeable folks that can help you and some are probably Sea Ranger owners. You will have to copy and paste these URLs, sorry. Good luck with your search. Chuck

Susan and Dan. Try this page to get to the T&T list, http://lists.samurai.com/mailman/listinfo/trawlers-and-trawlering . Chuck

Thanks Chuck and Susan.. I will try the sites you've suggested.... and by the way, your Marine Trader looks lovely!! Susan and Dan "Delia Rosa"

Beautiful boat and great blog! Hoping to buy a trawler soon and hoping that I also meet my "Susan" ... Thanks guys!!!!!

We wish you luck in both of those searches. Chuck and Susan

Have you really been enjoying a 10 knot top speed with a single Lehman? That seems very aggressive considering what I'm getting on mine. Your input on why would be greatly appreciated.

Not really David. We cruise at about 1750 RPMs and that gives us about 7-8 knots, With the size of the engine, displacement of the boat and the prop size, that's about normal. Chuck

Great blog, I really enjoy reading it. I had a 1974 MT 34, but it was the Sedan model. I think both models have +s and -s. I liked the "back porch" (even had a screen door!) on the sedan, and the door in the transom for easy access to the dinghy. I've gone back and forth from power to sail several times over the years, but your blog has got me feeling "trawlerish" again.

After owning Beach House for 4 years now we can honestly say we are very pleased with our decision. Chuck

I have really enjoyed reading your blog. It has been very helpful in the process of transitioning from 30 years of sailing. One bit of information that I have not seen listed on your site or anywhere else is the length of the aft bunks on the MT34. I am 6'3”. Will I fit??? Thanks for your help. Richard

Richard, Our aft bunks are 6' 6". Others may vary depending on the age of the boat. Beach House is a 1980. Chuck

Hello Chuck, Susan, We are enjoying and refurbishing our MT30. Was wondering if you could steer us to places we can hunt for hard to find things like a replacement handrail entry (ours was missing) and new globes for the port and starboard lights (ours are faded). Thanks, Ralph & Kathy MTOA #4632 [email protected]

Ralph, Most items are impossible to find other than scouting used boat suppliers and consignment shops. There is one company, but we have not used them for a very long time. Their website is, http://www.mmimarine.com/mmi/index.php?pid=articles&link=parts-for-taiwan-boats . You might also consider joining the CHB Yahoo group for lots of info and insights into the boat and sources for hard to find parts. In our refit, we mostly replaced the originals with more current equipment. I gave up a long time ago in trying to keep everything original. Good luck.

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The 'Prawn Cracker' - Marine Trader Trawler yacht

This blog has been created to document our maintenance and enjoyment journey with our boat Nostra Signora - aka 'Prawn Cracker'. She is a Marine Trader 34 Double Cabin. She is our first motor boat after years of sail.

Saturday, February 2, 2013

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Marine Trader 40

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Hi all, who can help me out here? I have looked at a boat that I was told was a Marine Trader. It is a 40''center cockpit ketch built in Taiwan in 1979, according to the owner. My searches reveal little information about this boat except that most of them are motorsailers or trawlers. Anyone who has knowledge of these boats PLEASE respond, since I am meeting him at the boat tomorrow to look her over. Jeff H., I know you have an opinion on these. Thanks, Jake Haynie  

Hi Jake, Marine Traders had the worst reputations. I have very little direct experience with them but when you got around people who were boat importers from the Orient (like my Mother) Marine Traders were seen as being so poor that legitimate importers would mention them by name and complain that Marine Trader was reinforcing the negative stereotype of oriental boats. I had looked at a Marine Trader for an acquantance that wanted one for a live aboard. This was a nearly new boat and the kinds of problems that I saw scared me away. These boats had rather poorly constructed wooden spars that I would expect to be a problem if they were not rebuilt or replaced by now. These boats are sometimes ascribed to Bill Garden but as I understand it they were modeled after a Garden design that was actually being constructed by another yard. Obviously, sailing performance in light air or heavy is not too great with their huge displacements, low ballast ratios and small sail plans. Most had a raised salon/pilot house of sorts with huge port lights that were not my idea of a proper design for a safe offshore boat. Anyway, they do offer a lot of space for the dollar and if all you are looking for is a live-aboard they might work if you bought one at a cheap enough price. In fairness these are just not my kind of boat and so I am probably not the best person to ask. my preferences tend to run toward traditional boats that accurately reflect traditional design thinking or to modern performance boats. Boats that are sort of traditional without reflecting the kind of careful modeling than made most tradtional seacraft what they were, have little or no appeal to me. Jeff  

Ouch!! Oh well, too late now. I am the proud owner of a piece of crap, I guess. Mine does have aluminum spars and a new fuel tank, a fair amount of electronics and a new zodiac and 15hp Yamaha. Also a 5kw genset. I knew it wasn''t top of the line but I bought it at a very good price, and the truth is I''m thrilled ****less. Regards, Jake Haynie  

Jake, I am a little sorry about my post. I did not realize that you had already bought the boat. I do not mean it as a put down to you personally. Most of us buy the boats that catch our heartstrings and enjoy them for what they are. There are no universally right and wrong boats out there, only the wrong owner and use for a specific boat choice. If your boat suits you, you get joy from her, and you use her in a prudent manner, that is all that counts. I assume that you had a thorough survey and any defects were brought to light. Boats like these seem to take on a variety of lives. Some are bought cheaply and go down hill from there. Others are bought by a caring skipper who wrestles with each problem as it arises and ultimately ends up with a well found boat. I truely hope that is the case (and from the upgrades it sounds like it might be) with a boat that has you "thrilled ****less". Respectfully, Jeff  

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Trawler Recommendations

Discussion in ' Powerboats ' started by timgoz , Dec 26, 2007 .

timgoz Senior Member

I recently posted a thread regarding Marine Trader trawlers. No advice was forthcoming so I'll go a little more general here. Regarding 42-44ft trawlers with single or twin 100-135hp diesel propulsion, what would knowledgeable members recommend? I am looking for a mid 70's to early 80's model suitable for a couple to live aboard. She will need to be a seaworthy design as we intend to potentially live in SE Alaska in an outport area. Two children hopefully will be in our future also. The boat need only have a double birth and two singles. Thank you. Tim  

Kay9 1600T Master

The California, comes to mind real fast, as do the Tolly craft's/ If this is a boat you want to do the inside passage on, give me a PM. I do this trip for clients on thier boats just about every year, and I can hook you up with some boats in the Seattle area that are ready to go, just add crew. K9  

Tad Boat Designer

Tim, I would stay away from production yachts completely as they tend to be far too expensive for what you get. All the Asian built trawlers have problems with leaking/rotting decks, windows leaking/rotting, rusting tanks. These are expensive problems to address unless you do the work yourself, then they are just time consuming. In BC and Washington state there are lots of well done conversions (fishboat to liveaboard) currently for sale at very reasonable prices. As there are many for sale, it's a buyers market. Have a look at http://www.pacificboatbrokers.com/details.asp?File_Number=PW2085 All the best, Tad  

I would strongly dissagree with that Tad. The fishing boat conversions are ok, but there are a LOT of production boats that do not have leaking decks, windows, and such. Tad is right, it IS a buyers market.  

Thank you both. My real desire is to build a steel vessel or fit out a bare hull assembly. I have some idea of the magnitude of such an endevour. As a machinist & possesing basic welding skills, I feel with proper help I could complete such a project. Time & space would be the main constraints. Tad, I will check out your link. With most fishing craft being displacement hulls, they would fill the bill in that area. Having been up the Inside Passage on a ferry and living a summer in the back bay at Port Protection I do like the idea of a steel or alloy boat. Thanks again for your replies and have a good holiday season. Tim  

Speaking in massive generalities is dangerous and Kay is right, many yachts are sound. In my opinion few yachts are suited to year round service in Alaska. Weak points are mooring and anchoring gear, ventilation, and heating. Ex fishing vessels tend to be equipped with heavy and simple gear that will stand up long term. In the current market it is far more economical to buy any used (fairly complete) boat and upgrade/refit to suit. Building new makes little sense even if you get the hull cheap because systems and gear are so expensive. Even to the point of buying a junker boat and stripping the gear off and building a new hull and deck. For instance I recently bought a big wooden boat, included was a large Dickinson oil stove, current new price of the stove alone is more than half of what I paid for the entire boat! Of course everything I say is based in personal preference, I would rather own a classy wooden fishboat than a glitzy ss and black glass trimed yacht. Tad  

Yea have to agree with Tad here. LOTS of boats for sale in just about every kind of condition and hull material you can think of. You should really check the market out. You can even get creative financing ie owner financing if need be. K9  

FAST FRED Senior Member

My real desire is to build a steel vessel or fit out a bare hull assembly. I have some idea of the magnitude of such an endevour. As a machinist & possesing basic welding skills, I feel with proper help I could complete such a project. Time & space would be the main constraints. A fine endavor that can easily eat up 2 or 3 years , and still end up with a hull with lower resale . My suggestion is to find a 50ft US Navy Utility boat and simply build an alloy deck and house. These are almost new! with a new 6-71 or Cummins and will run about $50K for a boat you can drive home! The hull is Fire retardant resin , heavily (unbelievable) built and can in future years be used as an inspected vessel to carry passengers for hire.'' Don't think you can cobble together the parts these represent for $50K. FF  

Eric Sponberg Senior Member

Tim, I presume you subscribe or at least read Passagemaker magazine. This is a tremendous resource for all sorts of practical information on Trawlers. They sponsor TrawlerFest in various locations around the country, and you might consider going to one of those to hob-nob with others like yourself who are either considering getting a trawler or have the experience of owning/operating one. The TrawlerFest website is: http://www.trawlerfest.com/Default.aspx?TabId=325 I will be at the Stuart, FL, TrawlerFest on a panel discussion with Chuck Neville and Steve Seaton discussing "Compromises in Boat Design", sure to be a fun topic (Friday, 25 Jan '08). There will be others up near you, in New York (June) and Maryland (Sept). For the left coasters, there will be a TrawlerFest in Anacortes, WA (May). When my wife and I moved to Florida four years ago, one of the options we considered briefly was a live-aboard trawler. Ultimately, we decided not to because it would not save us any money--I would still need to have an outside office for which I would have to pay rent and utilities, so instead we bought a house so that I could have an office in the home. But what I found was that there are A LOT of Grand Banks 36's and 42's on the market. These are designs that go back decades, and there are plenty of boats to these designs in all different states of care, and accordingly, price range. These are very reliable designs, commonly available, and in good condition are generally easy to sell. There is a continuing demand for them. So I think that would be a good avenue to pursue. In a small size, steel may be harder to come by, they are fewer and farther between. But Chuck Neville's designs are pretty popular, as are Steve Seaton's, and if you get a chance to come down to Florida for TrawlerFest, you can meet both of them, and they may have some suitable plans or ideas for you to consider. I hope that helps. Eric  

Eric, Thanks for the information. In 1991 I went through Chapman's PMT course. It would be nice to get down to Stuart and see my old instructors. With my girlfriend and I visiting one another (she is in England) on a semi-regular basis, both time & $$$ are at a premium right now. What are your thoughts on the Marine Trader line? They seem to sell for a lower price. I figure there is good cause for the above. The GB trawlers certainly give a feel of a solid, seaworthy boat. Seems as good used steel boats are very rare. People tend to hold onto them. Hope the TrawlerFest goes well. Take care. Tim  

I really don't know enough about the Marine Traders to know. I'd keep asking questions until you get some concrete answers. Also, be sure that if you do find a boat, that you get a good marine surveyor to survey it. Older boats may be OK on their hull structure, but its the systems that really start to deteriorate. Everything really depends on the quality and care of the equipment installed, almost more so than the structure. Eric  

You might want to get a subscription to Boats and Harbors mag. A lot of the Uniflite navy personell boats your looking for there. Here is thier web addy. http://www.boats-and-harbors.com/ K9  

SAQuestor Senior Member

Try this one also... Classic Yacht e-magazine A great article about Grand Banks inside. Best to all for a great 2008 :!: Leo  

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While a Grand Banks 36' or 42' is reasonably well built and they used to hold value fairly well, in the current market there are too many for sale. Big discounts are required to sell. Due to low freeboard and little flair forward they are really wet bucking into any sea. And due to small rudders/deep forefoot they are lots of work to steer offwind in a big sea. Fine boat for the intercoastal though. Tad  

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Review of Marine Trader 34

Basic specs..

The boat is typically equipped with an inboard Volvo Penta TAMD 41A engine at 200.0 hp (149 kW).

The fuel tank which is made of stainless steel has a capacity of 1187 liters (313 US gallons, 261 imperial gallons).

Sailing characteristics

This section covers widely used rules of thumb to describe the sailing characteristics. Please note that even though the calculations are correct, the interpretation of the results might not be valid for extreme boats.

The immersion rate is defined as the weight required to sink the boat a certain level. The immersion rate for Marine Trader 34 is about 257 kg/cm, alternatively 1442 lbs/inch. Meaning: if you load 257 kg cargo on the boat then it will sink 1 cm. Alternatively, if you load 1442 lbs cargo on the boat it will sink 1 inch.

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• Sailboat Reviews

Island Trader 37/38

In many ways, this overweight ketch exemplifies the worst of taiwan boatbuilding during the 1970s..

During the late 1970s, when Taiwan-built boats began to appear on the U.S. market in increasing numbers, few boats better illustrated the Far East yacht than the Island Trader 37 or 38. (Same boat, different name depending on which brochure, in which year, you read.)

Imported to the U.S. by Marine International of Bay Head, New Jersey, between about 1977 and 1988, the Island Trader line apparently embodied the general misconception of what a real oceangoing boat should look like: Clipper bow, taffrails, pinrails, wooden spars, and enough spring in the sheer to mimic the curl of a breaking wave. And don’t forget the interior teak carvings of five-clawed Chinese dragons (symbol of good luck), poppy flowers and Dr. Fu Manchu.

You can’t exactly trace these designs to some turn-of-the-century Scandinavian lifeboat design; in fact, the designers seemed to have invented their own history, a history without a past.

Good subject. Who did design this boat? You won’t find any names on the brochures or in old sailboat magazine directories. William Garden gets at least occasional credit for the infamous Island Trader 41, built by a handful of yards and variously called the Yankee Clipper 41, Formosa 41, CT 41 and Sea Wolf 41. Did some American broker/distributor pen the lines, or, more likely, did some Taiwan builder flash the molds sitting behind his cousin’s chicken coop?

Maybe even he doesn’t even know who designed the boat, or if he did, he darn sure doesn’t want to pay royalties. Taiwan, in the early days of fiberglass boatbuilding, had the unsavory reputation of freely modifying plans to avoid unnecessary expenditures. In this culture, everything’s fair in love, war and business.

In profile, the Island Trader 37 looks like she caught a wave on the chin. The sheer seems exaggerated, rising too high in the bow and stern.

The low-aspect rig is short, carrying just 567 square feet of sail on a 30′ 4″ waterline. Displacement is reported anywhere from 18,600 lbs. to 26,400 Lbs. Holy cow! Did we say twenty-six thousand, four hundred pounds? This gives the 37 an incredible displacement/length ratio of 422, and an abominable sail area/displacement ratio of 10.7!

Lastly, check out the keel. This is the literal and pure conception of “full keel.” (Maybe the Island Trader does have a 19th century heritage after all!) At the least, we’d like to see the forefoot cut away to reduce wetted area.

Construction

Typical of this era, the Island Trader 37 hull is solid fiberglass, and has lots of it. One owner of a 1982 model, responding to our questionnaire, said he was “bounced around by a small whale without damage.” Other owners, too, praise the heavy construction, alluding only to mysterious defects: “Chinese glass work needs some help.” Or, “Chinese ‘stainless’ is interesting.”

But it’s the teak that invariably draws interest. And, of course, there’s lots of it. Though more than capable of first-class work, the Taiwan yards don’t always deliver a first-class product. The owner of a 1979 model said, “The finish work (teak), while plentiful, is only fair.” Others, however, noted that some care had been taken in matching grains, and that the joinerwork was for the most part good.

The owner of a 1983/84 boat wrote us a lengthy note saying, “Some models built in the 1970s had plywood cabins that rotted, giving bad name to company. Boat had a few minor oversights that were easily corrected. Protruding chainplates on outside of hull and a wide (3-1/2”) caprail of unvarnished teak were subject to abrasion. Therefore, I faired out the teak caprail to extend outboard of the chainplates, then installed 3/4″ x 3/8″ half-round brass rub rails on the full length of the caprails.

The inappropriate use or handling of plywood is another dubious trademark of early Taiwan boats. We’ve often seen cockpit seats made of plywood with teak on top and sprayed gelcoat underneath to make them look like fiberglass; they don’t last too many years before moisture delaminates the plywood, busts through the gelcoat and reveals the horrendous soggy mess. We’re not sure how the seats of the Island Traders were made, but we’d check them closely, too, especially since one reader said his needed reconstruction.

Respondents to our questionnaires report a number of other endemic problems: gate valves instead of sea cocks, poor quality turnbuckles, poor quality sheaves for the cable steering system, poorly designed exhaust system that can lead to engine damage, inadequate support for the rudder stock, and wiring problems, such as connecting the engine starter directly to one battery.

Based on an inspection of Taiwan boatyards about nine years ago, we think there are two principal causes of such misguided efforts: inadequate supervision by American marketers, and inadequate knowledge on the part of the Taiwan workers.

While the best yards, such as Ta-Shing, now rate well against American and European builders, there still are a lot of backyard builders who do things the old-fashioned way, which for the most part means outdoors using the cheapest, most easily available materials. During our visit, we seldom saw workers using power tools. Often a group of workers travels from one shed to the next doing carpentry, metal or electrical work for various yards. One day it’s Hans Christian, the next it’s Island Trader. And to expect that such people understand, let alone have ever heard of, the American Boat & Yacht Council standards for, say, color coding wiring or sea cock installation, is unrealistic.

The bottom line, we feel, is that with good management and supervision, Taiwan can produce quality boats. But judging from the litany of problems associated with Island Traders, we think owners of these boats are likely to get more problems than they’ve bargained for.

Performance

Earlier we noted that the displacement/length ratio of the Island Trader 37 is 422 and a sail area/displacement ratio of 10.7, easily putting it in the “heavy” or “motorsailer” category. With its short, divided rig, we would not expect sparkling performance.

Owner reports bear out this assumption.

Owners consistently rate the 37 as slow upwind and only average off the wind; we think they’re probably being generous at that. “Better in heavy weather,” one owner put it nicely. “Be aware that the boat is very slow,” said another more directly.

On the other hand, the tradeoff is comfort, no doubt due, at least in part, to an easy motion. “Solid and dry. Very stiff and stable platform,” said one owner. The boat also balances well, according to most owners. “We went to windward for four hours without helm adjustment,” wrote the owner of a 1982 model. Given the ketch rig and long keel, the 37 should be hard to knock off a course.

Though the 37 no doubt possesses some attributes of a good cruiser, the extraordinarily heavy displacement and small sail area are severe strikes against it. A good cruising boat is also a good sailer, at least a decent one. The Island Trader 37, by most counts, does not perform well under sail.

Early brochures do not specify a brand of diesel engine, but owners of late 1970s’ models report no serious problems with the Volvo MD3B. Later models had the Yanmar 3QM30H, indicating slightly higher levels of satisfaction with reliability and accessibility.

These first-generation “Q” series Yanmars, however, had a reputation for being noisy; when Yanmar re-engineered the line later in the 1980s, considerable improvements were made. Owners report good maneuverability under power with the Standard 3-blade prop, though one owner said, “Too much prop wash on big rudder; tough to hold on course.” We also have several complaints about being underpowered.

With a 12′ beam, the Island Trader 37 has plenty of accommodations and stowage for its length. As can be seen in the drawing, there is a V-berth forward, head with shower, convertible dinette and extension berth in the saloon, and an aft galley to port and quarter berth to starboard. The Taiwanese love to build doors and louvers and knick-knacks, and the 37 has plenty of these to showcase. Every fashion has its time, however, and the dragons and poppies are beginning to disappear. All-teak interiors tend to be darker, heavier and require more maintenance than bright, modern, high-pressure laminates.

Ventilation is good, with seven portlights and two skylights. “This boat has room and comfort, and she is warm to the eye,” wrote one owner, adding that the “icebox is too big; tough to get to stuff and doesn’t drain well. “

“Her spaciousness is one of her major attractions,” wrote another owner who sails on Long Island Sound. Headroom is an astonishing 6′ 8″ maximum, 6′ 4″ minimum, according to one owner (which may explain why another owner said he has trouble seeing over the cabintop).

Overall, it seems that many people bought the 37 because of its large, teak interior with oodles of stowage.

Judging from the hull numbers of readers’ boats, close to 200 Island Trader 37s were built over about a 10-year period. Company literature describes them as a Best Buy. In 1981, the base price for what was then called the 38 was $69,900. Today, according to the BUC Used Boat Price Guide , that boat is worth between $55,000 and $60,000. Based on the few ads we’ve seen in sailing magazines, this seems about right.

In the same price range, however, you can buy a 36-foot Allied Princess ketch, perhaps an older Pearson 365 ketch or, if you really want the Far East look, a Japanese built Mariner 36 or 40, all of which are much better performing boats with far fewer problems. For our money, we would not touch the Island Trader 37/38.

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… CS chen is the listed designer, but it’s a straight up rip of Hugh Anglemann’s Sea Witch. How is that for pedigree? Even the most cursory Google search could’ve provided that info. Do your research or … how is anyone supposed to believe what your saying? As the owner of a Formosa 36 (same boat, better fit) I can attest it sails half the wind speed up to hull speed. Code zero in <10knts wind. Expect to sail gentlemanly, flat, and in comfort.

Practical sailor, your readers expect better. 5 min of research answered half the questions in the article.

Chen is listed designer for formosa, island trader literally lists anglemann. How can you be sweating over history and pedigree?

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8 Yacht Clubs and Marinas in the Philippines to Moor Your Boat In

FoodfindsAsia.com | 8 Yacht Clubs and Marinas in the Philippines to Moor Your Boat In | Filipinos’ history as a maritime people date back to prehistoric times. In fact, the Philippines’ basic sociopolitical unit today, the barangay, traces its etymological origins to the balangay , the ancient outrigger boats that were used by precolonial Filipino communities to explore and conquer islands this side of the Pacific. As a people belonging to a seafaring culture, it’s no wonder that modern Filipinos are taking a retrospective look at their glorious past as Austronesian mariners and are developing a renewed love for the ocean and marinas as present-day yachtsmen.

Today, Philippine marinas look to accommodate more and more yachts and other pleasure watercrafts as the years go by. In 2017, an ASEAN Briefing op-ed piece named the Philippines as a country with high potential in yacht industry growth. The natural beauty of the Philippine islands and its fantastic bays, combined with a growing interest in leisurely sea travel, can explain the spike in yachting activities throughout the country.

Are you part of the demographic that’s become enamored of the yachting lifestyle? Do you want to know where in the country you can berth your watercraft? Leading sailboat and motorboat authority Europa Yachts is happy to enter the conversation, and recommends the following locations for discovering the Philippines through yachting. Here is a short list of clubs and marinas in the country, organized by island region.  

Manila Yacht Club and Marina, Manila, Metro Manila

Established in 1927, the Manila Yacht Club and Marina is one of the oldest yacht clubs in all of Asia, and is nestled in the scenic Manila Bay. It is also near other well-known landmarks in the city, such as the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP), the headquarters of the Philippine Navy, and the US Embassy. Facilities in the marina include a launching ramp and a fueling center, and the club itself is host to a restaurant and gorgeous function rooms. The Manila Yacht Club only welcomes visitors who arrive by boat, and it charges an initial security deposit of USD 750 upon arrival. Club membership is mandatory for medium and long-term mooring of boats.

Subic Bay Yacht Club, Zambales

The Subic Bay Yacht Club, which was founded in 1998, upholds itself as the country’s premier yacht club. It operates in the deepest bay in the country, and can host vessels well beyond 50 meters in length. Already benefitting from the innate beauty of the Zambales mountains surrounding it, the club hosts a number of other attractions, including its luxury accommodations, swimming pools, and its own movie theater, bowling alley, and nightclub. Those who venture outside of the club’s premises can also shop for well-priced imported goods at the Subic Freeport Zone, engage in water sports , or sign up for diving excursions.

Punta Fuego Yacht Club, Batangas

Peaceful Punta Fuego is a mecca for those who love the sport of sailing. As per its official website, the Punta Fuego Yacht Club aims to serve “a dynamic and vibrant community of boat enthusiasts and yacht owners.” This it does by playing host to a diverse population of watercrafts, from large catamarans and mono-hull yachts to small boats. Non-members of the club may use the berths for up to 3 weeks, and can refuel at the marina’s fueling station. The yacht club offers other amenities such as locker rooms, shower rooms, Internet facilities, a chart room, and a restaurant called Barracuda Bar, which serves delicious fares. Outside of the yachting crowd, Punta Fuego Yacht Club also caters to those wishing to celebrate weddings, conferences, and corporate events in their opulent quarters.

Puerto Galera Yacht Club, Oriental Mindoro

Further south, yachtsmen may moor at the Puerto Galera Yacht Club in Oriental Mindoro, an island location that’s home to tourist attractions like the Sabang Wreck dive site, lively beachfront resorts, and the Malasimbo Music Festival. Puerto Galera Yacht Club has been in operation for almost thirty years and lends services such as refueling provisions and yacht repairs from its marina. Boat owners also enjoy optimal convenience if mooring here, as they can also shop for spare parts in the nearby Batangas port.

Busuanga Yacht Club, Puerta del Sol Bay Marina, Palawan

Beautiful Palawan is a bucket-list destination for many, especially those who dream of cruising its crystalline waters. Accommodating the yachting community in this island province is the Busuanga Yacht Club, which promises secure mooring amidst breathtaking white-sand beaches. Here, each vessel will benefit from a typhoon-safe harbor, easy refueling, and direct access to transportation hubs like the New Busuanga Airport. Adjoining this marina is the Puerta del Sol Bay Resort, which offers luxurious accommodations to visitors. When not atop the deck of a boat, travelers can also explore the lagoons and freshwater lakes of Coron, go shipwreck diving, or relax in the hot springs of Maquinit.

Iloilo Sailing Club, Arevelo, Iloilo City, Iloilo

Iloilo Province is home to some of the country’s most beautiful old-world architecture, a flourishing ecotourism industry, and delectably fresh seafood cuisine. What will round off an unforgettable visit to Iloilo, however, is an excursion to the Iloilo Sailing Club on a leisure watercraft. The club accepts visitors and encourages membership in the case of medium and long-stay mooring. It also hosts a number of amenities and activities, including a dinghy storage, a beach bar and restaurant, and classes for those who want to learn about sailing. In recent months, the Iloilo Sailing Club has also been a convenient meet-up point for big maritime events, such as the Iloilo-Guimaras Paraw Regatta and the Seafarers’ Job Fair.

Cebu Yacht Club, Mactan Island, Cebu

The historic Mactan Island in Cebu was the site of Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan’s arrival in the Philippines. Now known as a commercial hub that hosts a prolific furniture and musical instruments industries, Mactan is also the location of the Cebu Yacht Club, an institution that is beloved by the locals. Aside from being an ideal spot to restock on much-needed fuel and supplies, the Cebu Yacht Club is also a trusted club to commission for boat repairs. There’s a good vibe in this club for everybody, as it sports both luxury accommodations and a waterfront strip of restaurants that laid-back diners can frequent. MINDANAO

Holiday Oceanview Marina, Samal Island, Davao del Norte

The Holiday Oceanview Marina is a major attraction of Samal Island in Davao del Norte Province, one that welcomes Filipino and foreign yachtsmen alike to moor within its premises. The space is quite roomy, in fact, with 56 berths that can fit vessels up to 15 meters in length. The club also has a boat ramp that can accommodate boats up to 18 meters in length. The well-guarded and weather-safe marina is a gateway to some of Mindanao’s finest attractions, such as the Pearl Farm, Hagimit Falls, and Giant Clam Sanctuary.  

There’s no better way to discover the Philippines from end to end than getting onboard a seaworthy vessel and going on a long cruise, with stops in some of the most beautiful places in the country. Find a safe harbor in any of these major clubs and marinas, and participate in the renaissance of sailing in the Philippines.

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• Payware Airports and Scenery Reviews

Scenery Review : Moscow City XP by Drzewiecki Design

• drzewiecki design

By Stephen September 24, 2016 in Payware Airports and Scenery Reviews

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You fly for hours, anticipating your arrival, wanting to take in the area and the views of another country far away from your departure airport. The airport and the area you leave from is detailed and visually full, and you know you have a great airport scenery waiting for you at the other end of the flight, then when you arrive...

...  Nothing, but flat plain emptiness and the same boring standard X-Plane basic scenery, worse there is no OSM (Open Street Map) data in the tile either, so there is no road or autogen detailing in there as well, just well nothing.

When Drzewiecki Design released their UUEE Sheremetyevo Airport XP , I loved it because it was like a visitor from the Cold War past, the Soviet era, and it was also great scenery and great choice of a destination to fly to from any of the capitals of Europe...  but that was it, just this great airport in the middle of nothingness, bland....   zero ville.

Now Drzewiecki Design has released "Moscow City"  a scenery package to compliment their UUEE Sheremetyevo, and boy how much a difference this release has done to this totally boring area.

To get the full first impression effect I flew JARDesign's A320neo from EFHK Vatnaa, Helsinki to UUEE Sheremetyevo which is flight Finnair AY153 which is a daily 9.25am service.

First Impressions

I was surprised to start picking up scenery still quite away out from central Moscow, as I approached my 6000ft transition altitude. Here there was buildings and houses and the physical visual notes you were arriving somewhere.

Looking hard at the horizon through the A320's windows and you could see the iconic silhouette of Moscow city.

The scenery provides lite versions of all Moscow's Airports, this is UUWW Vnukovo, which was easily recognisable as you flew over. As you fly closer to the centre of the city the density of the objects below becomes quite heavy as the landscape fills in. You have all kinds of infrastructure including, blocks of flats, tower blocks, factories, housing, skyscrapers and almost everything that makes up an urban landscape, in all there is 2000 custom-made buildings that makes up this impressive scenery.

A note here in that you don't get that rolling as you move feeling effect where as it just suddenly appears in front of you and then quickly disappears behind as soon as you have flown out over the area. There is a slight effect of that as there has to be, but only in the far distance and as you can see from the images the views in every direction are widespread and visually it is very good to excellent.

The "Seven Sisters" or "Stalinist skyscrapers" built from 1947 to 1953 are all in the scenery with their "Wedding Cake" architecture or officially  Russian Baroque               - Gothic style. Most famous is the Moscow State University, front and centre of the image below.

Central Moscow is excellent and extremely realistic, and you really need a travel guide to pick out the landmarks and detail, but it is hard to miss the Red Kremlin complex  and St Peter's square from the air.  Both sides of the aircraft is visually full until you have crossed right over the city.

I am not a fan of the generated 3d OSM scenery, but this is very good in blending in perfectly with the X-Plane default scenery and giving you a smooth transition from country to urban and back again with great realism.

Over the city and turning north towards Sheremetyevo, another Moscow airport UUMU Chkalovsky is represented on the turn.

The city skyline is now easily visible on landing at Sheremetyevo, and that really helps in the arrival factor, more so in that the cities building infrastructure spread now comes up and around the airport to fill the gaps to the city itself, and making the original  Sheremetyevo scenery that was so open and lonely in the old X-Plane view is now a big part of the whole in this combination. No doubt it really brings this always good scenery now alive and very usable.

Sheremetyevo Airport

Before we move on to the city itself. It is important to note the area around UUEE Sheremetyevo itself.

Compare the large image above to the earlier image at the start of this review to see the amount of change there is around UUEE Sheremetyevo with the addition of this Moscow City package. The two sceneries are of course meant to be used together, and in reality it would look odd if you had Moscow City scenery installed without the Sheremetyevo scenery included to fill out the northern areas. A highlight is that both sceneries together form a single whole, as the areas between the airport and the central city area are well filled in and that gives you a huge area of coverage and the full visual aspect.

To get a closer lower look at the Moscow Center I commandeered Dreamfoil's lovely Bell 407.

There is a 4.000km² total area covered with this scenery here, and you have expect some sort of building replication to cover all that ground. There is of course but as well in the fact there is also enough variations as to not keep it all interesting and not obviously visually obvious.

The closer you go to the central area, the variations in the buildings change there in style and density as well. And then more of the iconic buildings start to appear as you get closer in again to the middle. The business district is excellent, with a lot of business towers and the more modern futuristic skyscraper architecture that stands out in every view point in eye scans across the city.

The more recent is in tune with the more older Stalinist era that makes up the Moscow skyline.

The Kremlin Complex and the Cathedral of Vasily the Blessed (St Basil's) is excellently represented and so is "Red Square"

There are Orthodox churches everywhere and all the big icons in the Moscow Cathedral Mosque, Cathedral of Christ the Savior, Grand Arena of the Central Lenin Stadium, Otkrytive Arena and department stores, museums and power stations and more....

I did have issues with many buildings floating, including the Kremlin. I tried both "Runways follow terrain contours" on and off with no flattening of the objects and there is no information in the manual either on how to fix the problem.

Night lighting is very good, yes there is again a repeatable pattern to the majority of the hundreds of the apartment blocks that does stand out, but the more individual buildings do all have that personal touch and some buildings look really very good.

The highlight here is the business district which looks magnificent and is very realistic from any direction at night as is the lit Stadium.

Although away from the central area the Ostankino Tower that stands 540.1 metres (1,772 ft) tall, and is the tallest freestanding structure in Europe and it looks great at night and is a very good position indicator from the air from any direction.

Included Moscow Airports

As noted also included in the scenery are seven airports and several helipads.

UUWW Vnukovo

The futuristic Vnukovo International is very good for a lite version, with great terminals and lots of small detailing. Only thing missing is the static aircraft and a bit more ramp equipment, but otherwise it is highly usable.

UUDD Domodedovo

The oldest of Moscow's International airports is Domodedovo. Again it is quite devoid of static aircraft and I am not crazy about the blue terminal glass work, but it is still a very workable scenery to use and has a lot of well made objects.

UUBW Zhukovsky

Zhukovsky was a major aircraft testing facility since the  cold war years, with most of the major Russian Experimental Design Bureau's having facilities here. It is also now used by the Ministry of Emergency Situations! and cargo carriers. It was also used as a test site for the Soviet Buran  reusable Spacecraft because it has the world's second longest pubic runway at at 5,402 m (17,723 ft). Mostly it is a collection of very large hangars but has a lot of static aircraft in storage.

UUMO Ostafyevo International Business Airport

A former military airbase. Ostafyevo features a new modern glass terminal, and caters primarily to business aviation.

UUMU Chkalovsky

Chkalovsky is a military logistics airport that is famous for it's support for the Russian Space program and transport to Star City and the Yuri A. Gagarin State Scientific Research-and-Testing Cosmonaut Training Center. Yuri Gagarin left here on his final flight before crashing by the town of Kirzhach.

UUBM Myachkovo Airport

Myachkovo is a small General Aviation Airport that is owned by the Finpromko company. Cargo aircraft up to the size of the Ilyushin ll-76 freighter can also use the airport.

UUMB Kubinka

Kubinka has been a significant Russian military airbase and large airshows are held here to show off the Russian military might.

There is also provided UUU1 Kremlin Airport, within the Kremlin walls, but I couldn't get it to work? There are two pads in H1 and H2.

Your first thoughts after reviewing this excellent Moscow scenery is not with this actual package. You then wish that you could have this extensive scenery at London, Rome, Madrid, Berlin and the list could go on with any of your favorite European Cities, and don't count a load in the Middle East and Asia. But a London scenery like this would certainly be a godsend in our X-Plane world. Drzewiecki Design has already done Warsaw and Manhattan, so there is always hope.

It is not cheap either and you need to add in their UUEE Sheremetyevo scenery package on top of that as well. But you get an awful lot of ground covered here for your money, with the area covered here that is extensive...  huge and flying into Moscow will never be the same again.

A few areas to note in one that in my case a few of the buildings floated, the download is huge load at 1.4gb and this Russian area is not the best for navigation aids and programming FMS units as most waypoints are not recognised. Most of the airports ILS coordinates also have to checked and recalibrated (Drzewiecki Design do provide all the correct coordinates) so there is a little work to do to set up repeat services but the work is worth the results.

Not only is the actual Moscow city and all it's buildings supported, you also get seven (if lite versions) of Moscow's other airports included as well, but the framerate processing of all this huge amount of objects and scale is pretty good to excellent. Framerate does hurt more on a lower (helicopter) level and certainly you need a computer with a little extra power is in no doubt required, but overall for the size of the area the scenery is extremely efficient.

Yes I was impressed by this Moscow City Scenery, as this once very barren area of X-Plane is now a very attractive repeat destination as nothing can give you a greater fulfilment than seeing your destination appear in the distance and then give you a huge visual experience as you fly over and approach your destination.

Moscow City certainly delivers that and more...  Just more sceneries like this please!

Moscow City XP by Drzewiecki Design is NOW available! from the X-Plane.Org Store here :

• Extremely detailed model of Moscow metropolitan area in Russia
• Almost 2000 custom-made buildings and other objects, all high quality, FPS-friendly and with night textures
• Whole Moscow center done in 3D as well as all other important landmarks - museums, palaces, skyscrapers, towers, bridges, railway stations, Zara stores...
• Trains, ships, 3D people, cars, airport vehicles, static aircraft - anything you can imagine
• About 4000 sq.km of photoreal 0,5-1m/pix terrain with autogen
• Sceneries of all surrounding airports including UUWW Vnukovo, UUDD Domodedovo, UUBW Zhukovski, UUMO Ostafyevo, UUBM Myachkovo and UUMB Kubinka, with all airport buildings, detailed layouts, people, airport vehicles and more
• Very detailed Kremlin model with newly constructed heliport

Requirements

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Installation and documents:

Download for the Moscow City XP is 1.47gb and the unzipped file is deposited in the "Custom Scenery" as four files:

DDZ Moscow City XP (3.99gb) - Yes GIGABYTES!

DDZ Moscow City XP Layer 2 (30.20mb)

DDZ Moscow City XP Documents (1.0 mb)

ZZZ_DDZ Moscow City XP Terrain (20.10mb)

Installation for Windows comes with an .exe installer that deposits the files in the correct order required (however I still moved the ZZZ- folder to the bottom via the INI text install list.

Installation Instructions are provided for Mac and Linux

You need to check all airports ILS coordinates are correct, instructions are provided.

Documents: Two documents include

Moscow City XP MacLinuxinstall

Moscow City XP Manual (seven pages)

Review System Specifications:

Computer System : Windows  - Intel Core i7 6700K CPU 4.00GHz / 64bit - 16 Gb single 1067 Mhz DDR4 2133 - GeForce GTX 980/SSE2 - Samsung Evo 512gb SSD 

Software :   - Windows 10 - X-Plane 10 Global ver 10.50

Addons : Saitek x52 Pro system Joystick and Throttle : Sound - Bose  Soundlink Mini

Plugins: JARDesign Ground Handling Deluxe US$14.95 : WorldTraffic US$29.95

Scenery or Aircraft

- Airbus A320neo by JARDesign ( X-Plane.OrgStore ) - US$59.95 : A320neo Sound Packs by Blue Sky Star Simulations ( X-Plane.OrgStore ) - US$19.95

- Bell 407 by Dreamfoil Creations ( X-Plane.OrgStore ) - US$34.95

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• 7 months later...

Thank you for this very thorough (as always) review. I just bought it (it's on sale) and have only one disappointment so far: Red Square has no ILS or any landing aids at all for that matter. And what a nightmare of an approach! Also I was hoping the package would include an add-on that gives my c172 a big cup holder for my Stoli. Otherwise the scenery is gorgeous. What a country!

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