Newbie

[jlondon]

HI All,

just registered here! what a great bunch of people.

I am in the process of looking for a liveaboard/cruiser to dock/live in Charleston, SC. I am looking for 37'-45' footers on a purchase budget of @$70,000 USD.

I have little cruising experience but have raced freshwater J24/J27/J30's and a Pearson Flyer for many years. I am also a licensed pilot so I know the basics of navigation.

i have a few inquiries that i would appreciate some opinions and input with.

1. good bluewater boats in my stated budget that would fit the bill.

2. good liveaboard marinas in Charleston for about $500 per month all inclusive. (i have looked at Ashley and it seems nice)

thanks

[redbopeep]

Welcome aboard,

Please enjoy the forums here and feel free to contribute where you can. You will have quite a range of boats to look at--realistically you should contact a broker and start looking at boats locally just to get an idea of what is out there. The prices can widely vary based on sail condition, motor hours, electronics installed. Sorry to say that I cannot recommend a particular vessel for your use. Make a list of what is important to you and the sort of sailing that you'd like to engage in and then share it.

Gunkholing? shallow draft

Long bluewater passages?

How many people aboard? solo? wife and 3 other adults? two kids? a dog?

Classic boat?

Manual systems?

Power everything?

Fast?

Mellow?

Motorsailing (e.g. Inside Passage to Alaska?)

High latitude sailing?

Tropical ventilation and sun shade?

Are you a gourmet cook? Galley important?

Project person? Work room importan

The list goes on and on since we all have our preferences and desires. Sharing what yours are can help the CL community give you some ideas. Also, search the site for q/a that others have gone through while looking at particular boats.

Fair winds,

[jlondon]

Thank you,

here are my thoughts and plans so far:

I am looking for a boat that i can work and live on. i still work from home.

it would have to be of a size that i can live and handle as a couple with probably another couple on cruises.

i would idealistically be sailing the Bahamas and Caribbean. but would of course like something extremely safe and seaworthy.

i am handy but no a tradesman so i could handle most of the routine maintenance/repairs myself but dont want or need a project boat.

this sounds like a lot of boat for the money i have to work with!

[redbopeep]

Originally Posted by jlondon

this sounds like a lot of boat for the money i have to work with!

Yes and no.

You probably should take your budget of 70K, strike it almost in two and look at boats in that smaller price range (so look at 40K-50K boats assuming you'll buy for $35K or a little more). You will end up spending the other half on electronics, sails you really like, perhaps a re-rig, maybe a self-steering vane or different autopilot, perhaps you'll want a watermaker. It all adds up so keeping a pretty big budget for the upgrades is useful. I know a fellow who recently sold a lovely and very seaworthy Airies 32 (here's the link on the boat, Misty, and prior owners Bob and Jane). That's a boat, cruise ready, which you'd get for less than my suggested price range, btw. The new owner of the particular vessel took it from the US West Coast to South Africa. I personally have been enamored of 30 to 35 foot boats or much larger boats (50 ft plus) and not much in-between.

You're talking warm weather--you'll be looking for something with a good ventilation and a good dodger/Bimini combo and enjoyable in shallow waters--that will point you towards smaller boats to enjoy the shallower drafts as well. Something in the mid-30 ft range is realistic. If you don't like working on things--don't go for a larger boat. Bigger boats mean bigger projects and more money to hire someone to fix things if you're not going to do that yourself. What is your work? Assumed something computer related (or can be done online) and if so that would fit easily in a small vessel.

Suggest you peruse Yachtworld.com and come back with a couple boats that you find interesting.

[MMNETSEA]

Originally Posted by redbopeep

You're talking warm weather--you'll be looking for something with a good ventilation and a good dodger/Bimini combo and enjoyable in shallow waters--that will point you towards smaller boats to enjoy the shallower drafts as well.

Suggest you peruse Yachtworld.com and come back with a couple boats that you find interesting.

Super Advice above - for the Caribbean - here is one example to get an idea C L I C K or this one looks better - tells you about the engine H E R| E

[Wildernesstech]

We are living aboard in the Caribbean on a 34 foot Tartan. We also own a Pearson Vanguard with a shallower draft and better storage BUT our Tartan has far better ventilation, and is a better boat to live aboard here simply because of that one important thing! The draft of our Tartan limits our routes through the Bahamas, but rolls less on a run. Everything in sailing is a trade-off with something else... Decide what is important to you, and then research boats. If you have questions to help you decide what is important, please ask them here and we will try to help.

[redbopeep]

In hot weather that ventilation can't be over emphasized!

Our boat has amazingly good ventilation--it's practically a hurricane inside if we open the deck hatches and leave the scuttle door open as well as the companionway door. We could put a wind scoop on the scuttle (as it faces aft) to catch more at anchor but since we've largely been in temperatures less than the mid-90's (summer highs usually in the low 80's) here on the US West Coast, we have more problems with it being cold inside with all that air flow!

It's really nothing to put up a good sunshade, but if you have a choice, select a boat that already has a well insulated deck as that will help you keeping the boat cooler, too.

[jlondon]

Thank you,

well I met with a broker today. just walked in no appointment. he took the time to get my information and I told him I would be able to visit some local boats on the market to get a feel for what would be right for me. I am counting on his experience and networking to steer me away from any waterlogged hogs.

here are some that i am interested in visiting locally:

1983 Tayana Vancouver 42cc 79K

1975 '42 Westsail cutter $69k

1992 Beneteau 445 $89k

1985 C&C 37 $39k

1985 Beneteau Idlle 13.5 $79k

1985 Freedom sloop '38 $79k

1990 Irwin 38 MKII $69k

1982 '38 Sabre $74k

i will see what he comes back with on these boats as far as local knowledge of the situation.

thanks for all the great support! i am really excited about starting the process.

Originally Posted by redbopeep

Yes and no.

You probably should take your budget of 70K, strike it almost in two and look at boats in that smaller price range (so look at 40K-50K boats assuming you'll buy for $35K or a little more). You will end up spending the other half on electronics, sails you really like, perhaps a re-rig, maybe a self-steering vane or different autopilot, perhaps you'll want a watermaker. It all adds up so keeping a pretty big budget for the upgrades is useful. I know a fellow who recently sold a lovely and very seaworthy Airies 32 (here's the link on the boat, Misty, and prior owners Bob and Jane). That's a boat, cruise ready, which you'd get for less than my suggested price range, btw. The new owner of the particular vessel took it from the US West Coast to South Africa. I personally have been enamored of 30 to 35 foot boats or much larger boats (50 ft plus) and not much in-between.

You're talking warm weather--you'll be looking for something with a good ventilation and a good dodger/Bimini combo and enjoyable in shallow waters--that will point you towards smaller boats to enjoy the shallower drafts as well. Something in the mid-30 ft range is realistic. If you don't like working on things--don't go for a larger boat. Bigger boats mean bigger projects and more money to hire someone to fix things if you're not going to do that yourself. What is your work? Assumed something computer related (or can be done online) and if so that would fit easily in a small vessel.

Suggest you peruse Yachtworld.com and come back with a couple boats that you find interesting.

[MMNETSEA]

Originally Posted by jlondon

Thank you,

well I met with a broker today. just walked in no appointment. he took the time to get my information and I told him I would be able to visit some local boats on the market to get a feel for what would be right for me. I am counting on his experience and networking to steer me away from any waterlogged hogs.

here are some that i am interested in visiting locally:

1983 Tayana Vancouver 42cc 79K

1975 '42 Westsail cutter $69k

1992 Beneteau 445 $89k

1985 C&C 37 $39k

1985 Beneteau Idlle 13.5 $79k

1985 Freedom sloop '38 $79k

1990 Irwin 38 MKII $69k

1982 '38 Sabre $74k

i will see what he comes back with on these boats as far as local knowledge of the situation.

thanks for all the great support! i am really excited about starting the process.

Well that's a lot of boats. The problem in viewing so many of different designs, different models, different inventories, different ages, different values -- is that one is comparing an apple with every other fruit in the orchard.

When looking at a boat that has look appeal, then one has to look at the major parts that count in money terms :-

The Hull, material, its LOA, Beam and Draft

The Engine its Transmission & Propulsion Unit.

The Spars, Rigging and Sails

The Electrics and Electronics

Each of the above should be in a condition to last another 5 years before the need to repair or replace.

Once a brand and model is found that meets personal criteria, then have a look at a number of them to narrow down the best.

[Gallivanters]

Are you Jack London? John? Jerry? Jeff?

Anyway - I'm certainly no expert, but... I have been a full-time liveaboard sailor since 1993.

If I were in your shoes - I'd go for the Westsail or Tayana. In my opinion Bigger's Better and Better's Best when it comes to live aboard comfort. The difference between living aboard and camping aboard boils down to comfort. You'll want a comfortable bed, a good stove and a working head. Refrigeration is always a nice feature, hot showers are luxurious and if you choose a boat with two heads - you can easily install a small washing machine for the ultimate in luxury & convenience. We've recently installed the last two upgrades and life onboard our boat has become far more pleasurable for the three of us. And Walter Cronkite once owned a Westsail 42 which he sailed all over the Caribbean and New England. And if you can't trust Walter Cronkite... who can you trust?

Are you already in Charleston? If so, seek and get to know my friend - Stanley Frost. He's living on his new boat (not sure the name) in one of the marinas there. He's a great guy and will gladly help with your quest.

The bottom line here is that your choice in boats is much like your choice in lovers. It is up to you and you alone to decide who you wish to be involved with for the long run. Some lovers can bring you eternal joy while others will drive you bankrupt.

But it sounds like you're doing your homework in a sound and prudent manner, so whittle-down the list and get to know the ones who appeal to you the most.

Happy Hunting and please share your experiences here with your quest for finding the perfect boat for you... it makes for good reading!

To Life!

Kirk