A trawler is a type of boat used for commercial fishing that is designed to operate fishing trawls. Trawling is a method of fishing that involves actively dragging or pulling a trawl through the water behind one or more trawlers. Trawls are fishing nets that are pulled along the bottom of the sea or in midwater at a specified depth. Modern trawlers are usually decked vessels designed for robustness, with motorized winches, electronic navigation, and sonar systems installed. Fishing equipment varies in sophistication depending on the size of the vessel and the technology used.

Traditionally, trawlers were known as a working mans boat, with deep hulls for icing down/storing fish. They got their name from what they did, which was to drag a trawl net to catch fish. Many of today’s pleasure trawlers have full displacement hulls with weighted keels while some have moved to a semi-displacement hull type. Full displacement designs are known to move through the water, rather than on top of it, and are considered very seaworthy and rather slow. Semi-displacement hulls also ride low in the water yet are able to plane versus push through the water.

In recent years, the definition of a trawler has expanded beyond commercial fishing to include yachts designed for spending several weeks at anchor or gunkholing in a remote area. A yacht of any size that fits this description and role can be considered a trawler. The common theme of the trawler is its look, with a heft to them, riding deep in the water and often having hoists for a tender.