Living and cruising aboard a 30-33ft Allied

[Cruiser2B]

My wife and I considering the live aboard lifestyle. We were looking at 40ft boats but after doing some research and reading here and other places it seems easier and cheaper to do it on a 30-33 ft. We want to eventually set sail to the med. Can I get some in put on this style and size of boat. From reading they seem seaworthly but how about the accomodations? how about from a maintenance stand point? 30-33Ft that much cheaper than 40ft to maintain? It would seem so from reading but how much cheaper?

BTW yes this is my first post, i have been lurkin and learnin for sometime but i am thinking more and more about the "go small, go now" attitude i see so often here.

thanks for any and all help

[Yorksailor]

We know people who cruise on boats 28 ft to 65 ft. But for living and crossing oceans you need to be nearer to 40 ft than 30 ft. Not impossible at the lower range but just not as comfortable.

But if you tell us how much money you have it will be easier to advise.

Phil

[mikehradecky]

Hey, this is my first post here also.

We have a 36' Hunter that we spend weekends on. I wish it were bigger. I've been aboard smaller boats and they are tiny.

Unless you and your wife are midgets, I would get the biggest boat you two can easily handle.

[tomperanteau]

I agree with both of the above posts, and can add that you want to make sure you have enough headroom, too. We have a Columbia 36 that I can walk almost the entire length inside of and not bump my head. We've owned several boats, and headroom was always something that I considered. Take a long look, MANY pictures and notes, and then look at other boats.

[sailingdog]

I'd have to disagree...you don't need a 40' boat. People have been cruising the seas in smaller boats for decades. Larry & Lin Pardey have cruised and lived aboard boats under 30' LOA for years. Smaller boats are often more forgiving in many cases, since the forces involved are much smaller. This is something that Beth Leonard points out in her book, The Voyager's Handbook, 2nd edition.

The recent trend towards larger boats is just that...a recent trend. I'd also point out that the level of seamanship has gone down as the boat size has gone up in many ways.

I'm also a strong advocate of people being on a boat that any of the full-time adult crew can singlehand in all conditions. That isn't always possible on the larger boats. Once you get above 40' LOA, the sail, the lines, the anchors, all start to get large enough that handling them without powered assistance is difficult. And, as Beth Leonard points out in her book, the powered gear doesn't help you when you have to haul the sails out of the locker or bring the anchor out from inside the cabin.

Also, the cost, both initial and on-going, are much higher as the boat gets larger. A good compromise between too small and too big would be a boat in the 33-37' range or so. Many boats in this range have the tankage and stowage required for longer passages and enough room to be comfortable to live aboard for extended periods of time when not cruising.

Just remember that as a rule of thumb, the costs associated with owning a boat double for each 10' of boat length. Typically, a 40' boat costs twice as much to own and maintain as a 30' boat. Also, boats don't grow in size linearly, but geometrically. A 40' boat isn't 33% larger than a 30' boat, but more like 137% larger or over twice the size, as it has gotten taller, wider and longer.

[Cruiser2B]

thank you for the input, my budget...well it is all relative I guess. I am looking for a good solid boat with a good price tag, i dont want junk and I dont want the best money can buy either. I would not mind a boat that needs some TLC. I have been aboard an older 1972 narrow 42' that seemed to have less room than a friend 2005 35 hunter. I can however tell you that the 42' seemed to be built like a rock, compaired. I am going to look at an 67 bristol 29 to get an idea of space...I know it will be limited but it will give my wife and idea of space. BTW i am only 5'10" my if 5'2" i think most boats can accomodate us.

[Windwardbow]

Bristol is not known for roomyness. We have a 25 footer. We looked at a 32 foot Bristol that didn't have much more room than our 25. Lots of wasted space. Not designed to be a liveaboard. Hunter seems to use every cubic inch available. We live on our 25. Do we wish it was bigger? Yeah, but we are also happy as a lark on it. If you ask someone with a 40 footer, they would probably wish it was bigger. Go small go now be happy.

[sailingdog]

I'd point out that boats that are very seaworthy and designed for making bluewater passages are going to be very different from the coastal cruisers that are basically designed to be floating livingrooms.

[MARC2012]

I have had saiboats from 13 ft to 42 ft.Now live on 32 ft.Sold 37 for this.marc

[Michael K]

Go ahead and take a look at the Bristol 29. Then, try and see a Catalina 30 and a Freedom 32; I'm not advocating either of these two designs as best choices for a transatlantic passsage to the Med, but as designs that will impress you with the space they offer in a shorter LOA. The Freedom's layout - with the aft head - may also make a definitive impression on you.