Cruising attitude 35te w/twin engines and night visibility

[witchcityeng]

Any feed back on the cruising attitude of the 35te hardtop with twins at 20-22 kts? Coming from an express I'm a little apprehensive not being able to stand above the wind shield especially at night. Dodging lobster pots is a big issue in the northeast even at headway speed (at night). Having pots myself don't want to install cutters! Seems the hardtop over hang will cut down glare during the day.

[Tree]

We have lots of pots here in UK waters. Generally lobster and whelk pots.

I always run a track line in the plotter on the way out which will be 99% of the time in the light which gives me a bit of reassurance when running back at night.

I do have a rope cutter for back up and single engine which will give me half a chance if I was to run over a pot marker. Thankfully most pot markers here tend to just be one buoy without a trailing line so if we did hit one the chances of it catching should hopefully be minimum.

I'm quite confident at running 18 knots at night with this set up.

[witchcityeng]

I've been on only one Downeast 35 ft Duffy with big power and it was a huge challenge to see ahead due to the cruise attitude at 25 kts. I had to pull back to 15 kts to feel comfortable. It did not have trim tabs. Wondering how the 35te fairs pushing 700hp and if can even trim out near level (with tabs set) with out sacrificing performance

[Jeremyvmd]

I have no firsthand experience but from the photos ive seen of 35s running they run very similar to a 28 or 31. Very different hull design from the true downeast of the Duffy. The Albin tend to run much flatter. I think you would be fine even running at night. Get a good mast and a simrad 4g and you can fly be instruments (tuned right it will pick up lobster bouys). Lol.
But in all seriousness I think the visibility will be fine. These guys tend to get up in plane nicely and can be trimmed down pretty good with the tabs...

[whwells]

witchcityeng: Yours is a fair question. My previous boat was Nibbles a 35te. That was one of the 35te Flybridge Sport Series. I did often run the boat from the lower station in rain and PNW weather conditions. I did not find the boat to create a serious forward visibility issue. What I did find that standing rather then sitting made visibility simple and good. It was also the twin Yanmar series. You will do fine up on the plane and at the slower safe cruising speeds. There are not many of the Duffy boats out west that I have seen. However, the Albin 35te will please you. Frankly wish I had not sold mine. In fact my long range plan is to return to the Albin cruiser.
whwells "Howard"