First Impressions. Could This Wheelchair-Accessible Trawler Be A Great Charter Boat? Grand Theft Auto Vi [iSvGQeGwnM3]

I review all kinds of boats I just thought this one was cool. It so happens that its wheelchair-accessible, and thats part of what makes it interesting, but its not the only reason it stood out to me.

Today were looking at a 1998 Sunnfjord Custom a boat thats rugged, thoughtfully laid out, and built for real use. The gelcoat looks great, and the overall condition shows that someone has taken care of her.

A bit of background on Sunnfjord Boats:

Sunnfjord started in 1976 in Tacoma, Washington and quickly built a reputation for sturdy, functional boats built to work hard and last long. Theyre known for fiberglass workboats, charter craft, commercial-style hulls, and custom builds, not pretty weekend boats that look great in the marina but dont handle real conditions very well. Sunnfjords approach has always leaned toward strength, practicality, and seaworthiness qualities that appeal to serious cruisers, liveaboards, and people who value substance over flash.

According to the broker listing on YachtWorld, this particular boat was custom-built with wheelchair accessibility in mind. Highlights from the listing include:

A main-level master stateroom, which is amazing for accessibility.

An elevator to the pilothouse very rare.

Wide doors and thoughtful circulation space.

Naiad stabilizers excellent for comfort underway.

Hydraulic bow and stern thrusters huge help for docking and tight maneuvering.

Bow windlass, genset, diesel furnace systems that make extended cruising comfortable.

Caterpillar main engine and a Yanmar wing engine for redundancy and peace of mind.

(Full listing here:

From a liveaboard perspective, this layout makes a lot of sense. A single, accessible stateroom on a boat this size is ideal for a couple and also really thoughtful for guests or owners with mobility challenges. We need more boats like this.

Now from a boating performance perspective my big question is: Is this boat full displacement or semi-displacement? With a length overall of 4711 and a relatively modest power package, the speeds listed in the broker specs lean toward a full-displacement hull. That makes sense for comfort and seaworthiness, but also explains why its not a speed demon. You wont sprint across a chop at 20+ knots here, but you will enjoy a steady, predictable ride.

Accessibility is important, and there are things you have to test in person for example, engine room access. This boat isnt a roll-in engine room, so someone in a wheelchair probably wont get inside easily but it does look big and serviceable newcastle airport once youre down there. Thats something a marine survey will confirm.

Speaking of surveys always do your due diligence. Go aboard. Do the sniff test (diesel smell, holding tank odors). Check the maintenance records. The engine room might look dirty now, but a good detail would clean that right up, and its really the condition and history that tell the story, not just how it looks in photos.

What I really love about this boat besides the accessibility and the thoughtful layout is the overall seaworthy vibe. Sunnfjord builds boats for people who want to get out there and use them, not just park them. The stabilizers, the thrusters, the tatis systems package these are features that matter when youre cruising, anchoring out, and living aboard for weeks or months.

Just to be clear this is not a sponsored ad. Im not a broker. Im a seasoned liveaboard boater sharing my honest, unbiased impressions. I review boats for fun and brora rangers for the benefit of other serious boaters. If you like this type of content and want to see more boats that catch my eye accessible or not let me know in the comments.