Here is a power trawler of a size large enough to spend a lot of time on cruising or even living aboard yet handy enough so that a couple can easily handle her in any conditions she might encounter. With a high visibility pilothouse and a covered after deck, it’s clear to see her Northwest heritage. This could easily be the boat to cruise comfortably to Alaska and back or just knock around Puget Sound. We have chosen a hull that performs very well with medium horsepower and put steady economical miles under her keel without needing a fuel barge to link up with her every few hours. Power is to be Volvo-Penta’s 41 series diesel of 185 hp. with fuel consumption of about 4 gallons per hour, a cruising speed of 10 knots, and a top speed of 13 knots. With a single diesel for her main power plant, dockside maneuvering will be aided by an electric bow thruster. The engine room is below the pilothouse sole and can be accessed through a door in the fo’c’sle or through lift up hatches in the pilothouse floor. Fuel tanks are port and starboard in the engine room under the side decks and the whole space is sound insulated and brightly lit so that maintenance can be as comfortable and convenient as possible.

Walking into the boat from the covered cockpit, the galley is to port with a good sized refrigerator and bar to starboard. Dinette to port and settee to starboard allow a good sized group of people to converse or lounge without feeling like they are getting in each others way. Up a couple of steps to the pilothouse, here one encounters a large, bright and should I say “shippy” feeling bridge. To port, there is a long chart table area with enough work room to suit most any ship. The helm is to starboard with a shoulder tall locker to stow oilskins and heavy winter coats for year round cruising. Extra seating in the bridge area can be handled by swiveling captain’s chairs with the main idea being to keep this area as flexible and shipshape as possible. There is 360 degree visibility from the bridge and docking is easily handled with a side sliding door to starboard and a simple single step out to the side deck.

Going forward into the fo’c’sle, you will encounter a head to port with enough room to maneuver in without feeling cramped. There is a separate shower stall and both the head compartment and shower drain into a separate sump. Cleaning is largely as easy as hosing them out with hand held rinse spigots. There is a quarter berth to starboard for that occasional guest that might come along for a cruise. Forward of the quarter berth is a hanging locker and a vanity or personal work desk on the starboard side. Forward is a large double berth and a couple of reading seats. I favor the concept of providing plenty of nesting spots so to allow one the opportunity to relax in quiet seclusion when its needed. The Gollywobbler has been designed with that in mind.

Construction will be Wood/Epoxy Composite using Devlin’s Stitch and Glue method. This construction yields a beautiful boat that is warm and insulated due to the wood hull and structure and yet as maintainable as any of the plastic fantastics you might find coming out of the large production yards. The beauty of building a boat with this method and construction technique is that the “Gollywobbler” doesn’t have to be designed for a large mass audience and can be custom built to each owner’s desires and needs. — Sam Devlin

The Golly Wobbler 38 is available as study plans and as a custom build from Devlin Boats. Talk to Sam about your dreams for a large power cruiser.