Basic Power Cruising Questions

[New2Cruise]

Hello,

First off, I would like to say I am as new to this as one could possibly be. I have no experience owning a power yacht and have no pride about thinking I know anything. I am only 29 so I know that I am young and have a lot to learn. I am looking into buying a boat for my wife and I to be able to cruise the Caribbean/gulf coast on when I retire. I have a decent amount of experience being a passenger on a boat but barely any piloting one.

To the meat of it: I am thinking somewhere in the 36-40' size. It would be just my wife and I on the boat, but would like to allow space to have family on board if desired. I would like a powered boat and that is why I posted this in the powered section. What kind of boat should I be looking into? How do I know if a 36' boat I am looking at would be a good hull design to be in open waters? What kind of power plant is best suited to my needs? I don't plan at this time to be crossing oceans, more coastal hoping. If you reply can you provide me a link to a picture of a comparable boat to what I would need since I am a visual type person.

Again, this is something that is ten years down the road, not something that is an impulse buy. Please provide either reference on why I am wrong in what I am wanting through personal experience or documentation. I don't really want to hear the "My friend's friend's brother's uncle said". Thank you in advance.

[djmarchand]

Well assuming that money is an issue, I would look at an '80s Albin, Marine Trader, Mainship, etc, trawler in the 34-36' range. $50,000 should buy a decent one.

If money isn't an issue then find your nearest Grand Banks dealer and go see him ;-).

But seriously, go to www.yachtworld.com and then into advanced search- lower left of the page. Enter 34-36', 1 engine, diesel fuel, 1980-1989, power trawler boat type, US only and hit search. You will find hundreds, including lots of pictures.

After you have had one of these for a few years, you will have developed seamanship, boat maintenance skills and you will have a much better idea of what you want long term. Or you will say forget it, but if you have taken care of that boat it will sell for about what you paid for it.

David

[New2Cruise]

What kind of range can be expected in a vessel of that size?

[boatpoker]

Originally Posted by New2Cruise

What kind of range can be expected in a vessel of that size?

Could be anywhere from 200 miles to 2,000 miles

Let me point you to a website that might give you some direction on How To Buy A Powerboat

[New2Cruise]

I guess it was more of an equivalent to mpg question, I see most of it is referred to as gallons per hour. Trying to wrap my head around the difference between the two and figure out range. The majority are diesels powered which I am a fan of, how difficult is it to find a port/marina that has diesel?

[eyschulman]

Suggest you take a mess of boating courses from your local power squadron. You probably have a long time till retirement so start small with a boat that has good resale history. Use your boat read and take the courses then in 5-10 years you wont have to ask the questions you will be the one with the answers.

[boatpoker]

Originally Posted by New2Cruise

I guess it was more of an equivalent to mpg question, I see most of it is referred to as gallons per hour. Trying to wrap my head around the difference between the two and figure out range. The majority are diesels powered which I am a fan of, how difficult is it to find a port/marina that has diesel?

Both my previous boats with single diesel engines got around 7.5 nautical miles to the gallon, this is exceptional. Most will get 2-3 nautical miles per gallon. Almost every marina/harbour/yacht club that caters to boats over 20' will have diesel.

[New2Cruise]

Originally Posted by eyschulman

Suggest you take a mess of boating courses from your local power squadron. You probably have a long time till retirement so start small with a boat that has good resale history. Use your boat read and take the courses then in 5-10 years you wont have to ask the questions you will be the one with the answers.

I appreciate your feedback but I live in Tucson, AZ and don't have a local boating club that would be able to answer these questions. I have 11 years left with my current "career" so I will in fact be retired. After that it is up to my wife to support me lol.

[stevensc]

I own a Monk 36 trawler, I had a Camano 31 before, I actually sold the Camano to buy this boat to cruise down to the Caribbean, at least as far as Puerto Rico and the US V.I.s. Family commitments have kept us from making the trip altough we do cruise to the Keys and Southwest Florida.
I believe this size boat is fine to do the trip in it is mainly a series of hops from one Island to another on down the chain. There are a couple of places which will want a good weather window like the Gulf Stream and the Mona Passage between PR and the Dominican Republic. My plan is not to rush but to do the trip in 18 months or 2 years. Lots of time to wait for good weather.
As to fuel use my boat holds 300 gal of diesel the single engine is 210 HP and I cruise 7,5 to 8 statute miles per hour. On our 2010 trip from Houma, Louisiana along the coast, (except for a jump across from Apalachicola to Anclote Key) to the Keys and return via Miami, Stuart, and Okeechobee Waterway we logged approximately 2200 statute miles and consumed approximately 610 Gallons of diesel so we got approx. 3.6 mpg Cruising at a faster speed will dramatically increase fuel consumption.

I hope you are able to make the trip some day.
Steve W.

[New2Cruise]

Steve I appreciate your feedback and it answered the questions, thank you.

[New2Cruise]

Does anybody else have any recommended hull size, fuel capacity, number of engines?

[boatpoker]

37' C&C full displacement trawler, single 165hp Perkins diesel (See avatar), carries 200 imperial gallons.

Toronto to Dry Tortugas and back (including the St.Johns, St, Mary's, Chesapeake and Delaware. Approximately 4500 nautical miles, total fuel used -789 imperial gallons at 7.5 nmpg.

Fuel consumption will vary dramatically down river versus up river, with gulf stream or against gulf stream etc.

[New2Cruise]

Boatpoker, thank you. I didn't even think of current acting like wind and affecting consumption.

[New2Cruise]

This boat is larger than I had previously stated I was looking at but I like the floor plan and size. This is not the boat I will be getting because I am still a ways from date of purchase but I am trying to get a better idea to narrow my search. Would this type of boat be alright or should I look into trawler style instead?

1990 Mainship 41 Grand Salon Power Boat For Sale - www.yachtworld.com

[Panope]

Any power boat buyer MUST become familiar with the basic differences between displacement hulls and planing hulls (sailboat buyer need not concern themselves as sailboats are virtually all displacement hulls).

Displacement hull:
-speed is limited by water line length (say 7 or 8 knots for a 35 footer).
-power requirement is very low. (usually a single small engine of less than 100 h.p.)
-fuel economy is excellent.
-range can be many thousands of miles.
-boat will usually be heavier for a given length.
-boat can have heavy ballast down low and may have more stability.

Planing hull:
-speed is only limited by how much horsepower you can stuff in it.
-usually powered by multiple large engines.
-fuel economy is terrible at high speed and so-so at displacement speed.
-range is short. Cant carry enough fuel.
-boat will be light.

The compromise is the "semi planing or semi displacement" hull. Basically a halfway between the above characteristics.

A power cat could be a great, efficient option if high speed is required.

Not educating yourself on the above hull types before your purchase would be analogous to choosing a person as a spouse with knowing that some people are women and some people are men.

Steve