liveaboard and coastal cruiser

[jbarros]

Hello,

I came in here in my teens and twenties asking about the boat that would take me around the world. Well, I never got it. Instead I got myself into debt, jobs and all that other nonsense. I have since got myself out of debt, and got a job in Venice (california) right near the ocean. I walk down to the beach daily and watch the sailboats go by as I eat my lunch.

I rent a room 50 miles from here, and am saving up a fair amount of cash. I'm not looking to sail around the world, I've had some adventures in the Indian Ocean recently, and am perfectly content to spend my next few years around the California Channel Islands, with a baja haha at the outside.

I'm going to be working on land for some time to come, but I don't need a lot, and I'd like to liveaboard. Because I'll be working, I'm pondering the idea of financing a newer, "better" boat, or perhaps cashing out an older one. Either way, I'm going to want to retain my one true sin in life, a hot water shower, below decks, so that somewhat limits my choices.

Some of the boats I was looking at before are still contenders. The Tartan 30, for example. Other boats I didn't trust to cross oceans, are now in the running as well. Catalina 270s and Hunter 27s both look like they've got a nice layout for a living room, if not for a cruising boat. They're also both significantly more expensive, bottoming out at about 50k, which is a lot for a toy, but not too much for a home. Right now I'm prepared to make about a $10k down-payment, but with some time, I could increase that.

Any thoughts or suggestions for a liveaboard for the person who wants to sail locally on weekends and vacations, but isn't expecting to cross any oceans any time soon? It'll be in California, so seasons are mild, and I can wear boat clothes into work without a problem.

I'm not sure what else to consider before I get my boat hunting on.

Thanks.

-- James

[jackdale]

Have you been to yachtworld.com for a look-see?

You might find some in the neighborhood that you could check out. That would also provide you with some options as to your preferred layout.

The biggest hassle may be finding dock space.

[sailingdog]

There are a lot of choices for a small liveaboard/coastal cruiser. Hunter, Catalina, Jeanneau, C&C, Tartan, O'Day, Pearson, etc., all make suitable boats that you could buy for less than $30,000.

I would recommend getting an older boat that has been well maintained over a newer one, since you're far more likely to get a lot more boat for a reasonable price. You want to find a good boat at a good price, rather than a cheap boat, which will be far more expensive in the long run.

If you haven't read my Boat Inspection Trip Tips thread, I'd recommend you do so, since that will give you a baseline for figuring out whether any given boat is worth looking at further.