Time to buy a boat..

SailD · #1 (**permalink**) 03-16-2010

Hello everyone. So I know this is a topic done to death, but reading through the advice on which boat to buy threads it seems pretty clear that every one is different, and everyone requires different things from their boat.

Here's mine, I work 6 months of the year as crew on a large sail yacht, maybe I'm a sucker for punishment but I want my own cruiser for the time I'm on leave. I have only sailed a few times on anything under 100ft, and to be honest other than the plastic fantastic charter fleet boats I see everywhere I don't know much about who's who with the smaller boats.

I need something comfortable to live on for 2-3 people, not necessarily a couple, must be capable of trans-at/trans-pac. I expect to cruise a fair distance during my trips so need a reasonable turn of speed. Reading threads says to me buy the smallest you can live with, wanting space to live with a turn of speed says go for a decent waterline length. My budget for the boat and the next 3 months cruising is going to be £45-50k max. I'm thinking about 10-12000kgs and minimum 36ft though obviously would like the extra speed from a larger boat. Steel being a preference as I'd be happier leaving it under minimal care from someone for a few months than grp.

Any advice for me? Many thanks.

D

WanderingStar · #2 (**permalink**) 03-16-2010

Not design specific, but watch ebay, yachtworld, and craigslist. The right boat is out there.

sailingdog · #3 (**permalink**) 03-16-2010

36' is going to be tight for three people to live on, especially if none of the three are a couple. Getting a good boat that is big enough for three people that is in decent shape for your budget is going to be tough, as the budget is about $75,000 USD.

SailD · #4 (**permalink**) 03-17-2010

Thanks for replying, actually bad wording there on my part. I will live onboard, but will have people on with me as much as possible for a week or 2 here or there. So don't really need as much space as it would appear.

sailingdog · #5 (**permalink**) 03-17-2010

Best boat buying advice I was given was: "THE PRIMARY USE OF THE BOAT IS PRIMARY". What this means is that if you really only need a boat that is for you to liveaboard, and are only going to have people aboard here and there... you'd be better off getting a higher-quality, better condition smaller boat than a larger boat that is in worse shape.

Having a boat that is in good condition and well equipped is really going to make living aboard a lot nicer. Space is a luxury, but often one you can do with less of. If that isn't the case for you, you probably shouldn't be looking to live on a boat.

Quote:

Originally Posted by SailD

Thanks for replying, actually bad wording there on my part. I will live onboard, but will have people on with me as much as possible for a week or 2 here or there. So don't really need as much space as it would appear.

SailD · #6 (**permalink**) 03-17-2010

For me then my list of must's is:

Must be able to take my toys, few sets of dive gear including compressor, mountain bike and surf boards. I'm not one of those anally neat storage people, and hate climbing under too much stuff to get what I want so will require a bit more space that many.

Must be able to make ocean passages with a few people in comfort.

Must have the space for a small party on deck.

To me that means it's primarily a cruiser. I doubt then I'd get away with anything under 40ft which on my budget won't be in the best condition, however I won't need to pay labour for any repairs, and don't shy from the work.

Maybe the best option is to keep saving for another year, but then where does that end. At the end of next year I will surely want a boat costing more that I have. I've been saving for this for almost 2 years now, and though originally had a target of £100k I've been getting into the comfort zone of not doing anything about it, just saving. Maybe it's time to take the leap?

sailingdog · #7 (**permalink**) 03-17-2010

Storing a mountain bike and surf boards, and still having enough room to make an ocean passage with a few people in comfort... not gonna happen on your budget. Even with a folding bike, the bike and surfboards are going to wipe out a cabin in terms of space taken up.

The only way you might make this happen on your budget is to get a smaller catamaran, like an Iroquois, Catalac 8/9M or something of that sort. They'll have the space for stowing your bike and surfboards, as well as be large enough to carry a few people across the ocean... and have a small party on deck. No monohull you could afford is going to do it, or be in the shape to do it without a fairly massive investment in refitting, repairing and upgrading.

bljones · #8 (**permalink**) 03-17-2010

Quote:

Originally Posted by SailD

For me then my list of must's is:

Must be able to take my toys, few sets of dive gear including compressor, mountain bike and surf boards. I'm not one of those anally neat storage people, and hate climbing under too much stuff to get what I want so will require a bit more space that many.

LOL- If you truly want to cruise, and if you truly want to cross oceans, you won't last a week until you get tired of your stuff flying around, and you will learn to square away your gear. In other words, you WILL become an anally neat storage person.

Also, remember Murphy's Law of Stuff- no matter how much or how little stuff you have, or how big or small the space for it, your stuff will occupy every possible cubic inch.

MarkCK · #9 (**permalink**) 03-17-2010

Maybe you ought to look for a Bene that was in a charter fleet. That way you use the spare cabin to pile your Mountain Bikes, Surf Boards and other stuff that really dont fit in normal sailboat lockers.

Not sure how that figures in with crossing oceans though. The charter boats are usually pretty beat up.

SailD · #10 (**permalink**) 03-17-2010

Ha, I suppose I'm looking for a 30ft boat that sails like it could win the americas cup, with the interior volume of a cruise ship and seaworthiness of an oil tanker.

I guess it the sensible thing would be to keep saving and hope that magical 40ft boat comes along for me one day, I don't particularly have a desire to make ocean passages, it's a means to an end as I'd like to take my boat home one day rather than spend the entire time in the caribbean.

Thanks for all the advice so far, it kind of just confirms what I really already know. Still, I won't stop looking though!