[Tl4814]

I am looking for some advice on which boats have large(r) (I know it is a cabin in a boat so the word large is used loosely) sleeping quarters. My wife has come onto my idea of sailing away one day but I want her to be comfortable doing so. She get claustrophobic in very tight spaces, i.e. when the ceiling is within a foot or two of your head when laying down. I have seen some boats that have aft cabins that provide at least a few feet above the bed so the room doesn't feel so cramped. We are looking for boats under 50ft with preferably 2 cabins for us and the kids. Any suggestions to narrow the search?

Thank you,
Thomas

 

[SHNOOL]

Buy a catamaran, tons of room, if that is the only goal.

Also sounds like this is a new "idea" to sailing extended cruises with the wife. All I can say is, good luck.

Please tell me you aren't new to sailing.

 

[overbored]

Price, buying or chartering,, age, condition and where you will sail will help narrow the search

 

[bacampbe]

A typical rear-cockpit monohull will have low clearance over the berth in the aft cabins. Some in your size range have pretty nice forward berths with high ceilings. OTOH, center cockpits often have cavernous aft cabins. As a previous commenter mentioned, many cruising cats have high clearance in all cabins.

I would suggest going on a few charters on different kinds of boats. That will give you a feel for the boats, and whether your wife is going to really enjoy extended cruising. (And you for that matter.) For example, The Moorings charters late model catamarans and Beneteau-style monohulls. Island Yacht Charters on St. Thomas charters Island Packets, which are more full-keel heavy cruisers. They probably have some center-cockpit models. Each has different comforts and sailing characteristics.

 

[chuck53]

You really need to give us more info on what you are looking for. I'm sure headroom is just one of many items on your list.

Just about any center cockpit boat is going to give you a very roomy aft cabin with plenty of headroom, both standing up and laying in the berth.

 

[Tl4814]

Well, I am not new to sailing but she is. We've had extended stays on a few power boats and I have come to the conclusion that she feels far more comfortable in large "cabins". So to allow us to stay out as long as possible she needs to the most comfortable. Budget to spend on a boat is still to be determined. She has the idea that we she get a fixer upper to work on it together and make it our own. I know cosmetics can be changed but don't necessarily want to change the layout of the boat. So hopefully we will find something that fits us. I will definitely check out moorings. Thank you!

 

[Faster]

I think you need to start cruising brokerages and boat shows to get onto a variety of boats so you can get a good idea of what's available and how they 'feel' relative to each other.

Athwartships aft berths often have plenty of headroom/clearance above the pillows, but not so much beneath the cockpit sole. In some boats it may be possible to sleep 'backwards' from the designer's intentions to achieve a roomier 'feel'.

But if you're shopping the 45-50 foot bracket, once you determine your budget, start browsing sites like Yachtworld.com, and then go look at the boats themselves that appeal to you.

At this point your parameters are too wide open for much in the way of specific recommendations.

 

[travlin-easy]

41 Morgan out island.

Gary

 

[Omatako]

A typical rear-cockpit monohull will have low clearance over the berth in the aft cabins. Some in your size range have pretty nice forward berths with high ceilings. OTOH, center cockpits often have cavernous aft cabins. As a previous commenter mentioned, many cruising cats have high clearance in all cabins.

Most of the cruising cats I have been on have the standing room in the cabins but only in the hulls. The bunks are often (mostly) in the bridge area between the hulls and these designs are all essentially just crawl space in the actual sleeping area. OK maybe more than crawl space but definitely not standing room. I found that I could barely sit up if I were in bed.

The next opinion is biased because I have one but when it comes to an aft cabin with space, a centre cockpit leaves any other design of similar boat length for dead. Our 44 ft boat has a queen centre island in a cabin with full standing headroom even in the en-suite head.

 

[MarkofSeaLife]

My 39 foot boat has 2 meters head room in the salon thats 6' 6". In the forward cabin 1.9m 6'3" and aft cabin 2.1m 6'10"

You will find similar in all Beneteaus, indeed all modern production boats.

As I recommend to my friends: Wanna keep your wife? Buy a production boat.



Mark