Best live aboard power flybridge cruiser

[30West]

My Cruisers 375 burns about 4 gallons/hour at around 8 knots, and has a heck of a lot of interior room for a 40-foot boat. If you are going to live in it, you will have a lot more room to live in. I see a 2000 Cruisers 3750 on that link Downunder posted, basically the same as my boat, and within your budget. I love big trawlers and sailboats, have spent a lot of time on them, but the 3750 is more practical in a lot of ways. If you have to go fast, you can, at 40gph and 25 knots. If you don't need to, you can move along fairly economically. It does well in big waves, not as comfortable as a trawler or sailboat because it has a planing hull, that would be the only tradeoff I see. It is a lot more comfortable at the dock or anchor, which is where even serious cruisers spend most of their time, especially a live-aboard.


Used Cruisers Yachts 3750 for Sale | Boats For Sale | Yachthub


Not many pictures on that ad, but just google Cruisers 3750 or 375. Good boats.

[downunder]

Originally Posted by 30West

My Cruisers 375 burns about 4 gallons/hour at around 8 knots, and has a heck of a lot of interior room for a 40-foot boat. If you are going to live in it, you will have a lot more room to live in. I see a 2000 Cruisers 3750 on that link Downunder posted, basically the same as my boat, and within your budget. I love big trawlers and sailboats, have spent a lot of time on them, but the 3750 is more practical in a lot of ways. If you have to go fast, you can, at 40gph and 25 knots. If you don't need to, you can move along fairly economically. It does well in big waves, not as comfortable as a trawler or sailboat because it has a planing hull, that would be the only tradeoff I see. It is a lot more comfortable at the dock or anchor, which is where even serious cruisers spend most of their time, especially a live-aboard.


Used Cruisers Yachts 3750 for Sale | Boats For Sale | Yachthub


Not many pictures on that ad, but just google Cruisers 3750 or 375. Good boats.

Might be ideal for liveaboard but the OP indicated they were divers and as such the game boat cockpit type is much more suitable.

[Cadence]

Originally Posted by AJ-SeaChange

Thanks John, I hear you - and also downunder's original suggestion.

We're now looking at sailboats again after discussing how quickly we may eat through our savings if we do buy a power boat. It seems the most economical engines we've seen seem to go through 20L/hr fuel. So after working out how much realistically it will cost to travel around the Oz coast, we are now looking at sailboats again. Although at this stage, we are still comparing both sail and power.

Not being experienced sailors (well, not even real sailors yet ... One step at a time... ) ... we are thinking a cat may be a better choice rather than mono hull, and there is one on the market close by us (a Simpson Cloud 10 built 1989 by Mayne Engineering) that we thought we'd look at. It's a 36 foot cat and asking reduced price of $130,000. We aren't ready to buy quite yet, but want to get on board as many as we can now, so when we can buy and know what we're looking for, it will be so much easier to spot the right vessel.

Having said that, I will now look into 50' Sailboats too.

Boy, it's hard not to get decision fatigue at this stage though, LOL!

You are in Oz. Forget most of the advice from elsewhere.

[30West]

Originally Posted by downunder

Might be ideal for liveaboard but the OP indicated they were divers and as such the game boat cockpit type is much more suitable.

I'm not a diver, but check out the stairs to the swim platform in that link I posted, pretty easy to haul gear in and out. The swim platform sits unusually high off the water, looks higher than the dock in that pic, is four-feet deep and almost 14 feet wide. My wife puts chairs out there and suns. It is a useful dry platform with easy access to the aft deck and flybridge.

There is a slightly shorter version of this boat without the aft cabin, but you give up a lot of interior space, and you have a ladder instead of steps to the flybridge. This is no working boat, it is a boat made for comfort and moderate speed. I've lived for periods on various size boats, and the ones without a lot of interior room got old quick, even when I was young. As small as this boat is, my teenager can disappear into the forward stateroom and we forget he's there. When he brings his friends they can hang out, out of earshot of us, pretty easily. Two couples can get comfortable in this much space, one couple can comfortably live in it.

[Cadence]

Originally Posted by 30West

My Cruisers 375 burns about 4 gallons/hour at around 8 knots, and has a heck of a lot of interior room for a 40-foot boat. If you are going to live in it, you will have a lot more room to live in. I see a 2000 Cruisers 3750 on that link Downunder posted, basically the same as my boat, and within your budget. I love big trawlers and sailboats, have spent a lot of time on them, but the 3750 is more practical in a lot of ways. If you have to go fast, you can, at 40gph and 25 knots. If you don't need to, you can move along fairly economically. It does well in big waves, not as comfortable as a trawler or sailboat because it has a planing hull, that would be the only tradeoff I see. It is a lot more comfortable at the dock or anchor, which is where even serious cruisers spend most of their time, especially a live-aboard.


Used Cruisers Yachts 3750 for Sale | Boats For Sale | Yachthub


Not many pictures on that ad, but just google Cruisers 3750 or 375. Good boats.

I guess petrel means gas? Anything other than a runabout having gas is not to bright. JMHO

[shufti]

...So confused at the choice in this range.

My suggestion would be to book a hotel down the Gold Coast for a weekend and hit the brokers hard. Inspect anyting (sail and power, mono and cat) in your budget. Was the best idea I had during our search for Wine Down - get the better half down to actually SEE some boats , LOTS of boats inside and out. I am fortunate in having played around boats all my life - so I've been in lots of different types/styles and brands of boats. She on the other hand, didn't even know/hadn't thought about things beds 1/2 recessed below varaious decks, practicalities of marine toilets/showers etc.

It's a good 'crash course' for a beginner in how boats are laid out and what layouts are available. Just to start to get your heads around what can be had in a real, physical sense - not just pics on boatsales.com.au etc.

Oh - I see you are in the Sunny Coast, there's a few brokers up there I know - the Gold Coast, however, is crawling with them. Plus, a weekend away in a posh hotel with the missus looking at boats - how can you possibly loose?

Good Luck with the search.

Oh - ps - we were specifically looking for a powerboat and ended up with a 1998 35ft Riviera. It sleeps 2 adults and 3 kids for 7-10 day trips pretty well. A little bigger would be good - especially in the rear - but it's overall a good fit for us in the size/speed/cost balance.

[30West]

Originally Posted by Cadence

I guess petrel means gas? Anything other than a runabout having gas is not to bright. JMHO

For safety or economy or both? I originally wanted a diesel, but after a lot of reading I decided I prefer gas for this size boat. There are arguments both ways.

[30West]

Originally Posted by shufti

My suggestion would be to book a hotel down the Gold Coast for a weekend and hit the brokers hard. Inspect anyting (sail and power, mono and cat) in your budget. Was the best idea I had during our search for Wine Down - get the better half down to actually SEE some boats , LOTS of boats inside and out. I am fortunate in having played around boats all my life - so I've been in lots of different types/styles and brands of boats. She on the other hand, didn't even know/hadn't thought about things beds 1/2 recessed below varaious decks, practicalities of marine toilets/showers etc.

It's a good 'crash course' for a beginner in how boats are laid out and what layouts are available. Just to start to get your heads around what can be had in a real, physical sense - not just pics on boatsales.com.au etc.

Oh - I see you are in the Sunny Coast, there's a few brokers up there I know - the Gold Coast, however, is crawling with them. Plus, a weekend away in a posh hotel with the missus looking at boats - how can you possibly loose?

Good Luck with the search.

Oh - ps - we were specifically looking for a powerboat and ended up with a 1998 35ft Riviera. It sleeps 2 adults and 3 kids for 7-10 day trips pretty well. I little bigger would be good - especially in the rear - but it's overall a good fit for us in the size/speed/cost balance.

Definitely, take your time and enjoy looking. Wife and I grew up boating, she playing and me working on them. We walked the local marina docks and asked owners about their boats, and were usually invited aboard for a look and often a drink. We looked at hundreds of boats that were not for sale, talked with owners who were not trying to sell us but just tell us what they like and don't like. We are lucky to have several marinas within a few miles, and our favorite beach usually has lots of boats anchored while they enjoy the beach.

We started out looking at very different boats than what we ended up with, and we feel like we skipped the usual progression of buying boats we weren't quite happy with, got right to the perfect boat.

[downunder]

Originally Posted by 30West

I'm not a diver, but check out the stairs to the swim platform in that link I posted, pretty easy to haul gear in and out. The swim platform sits unusually high off the water, looks higher than the dock in that pic, is four-feet deep and almost 14 feet wide. My wife puts chairs out there and suns. It is a useful dry platform with easy access to the aft deck and flybridge.

There is a slightly shorter version of this boat without the aft cabin, but you give up a lot of interior space, and you have a ladder instead of steps to the flybridge. This is no working boat, it is a boat made for comfort and moderate speed. I've lived for periods on various size boats, and the ones without a lot of interior room got old quick, even when I was young. As small as this boat is, my teenager can disappear into the forward stateroom and we forget he's there. When he brings his friends they can hang out, out of earshot of us, pretty easily. Two couples can get comfortable in this much space, one couple can comfortably live in it.

30West

As a diver/photographer as are the OP I understand their needs. Although a large duckboard it is good it is not a great spot for the needs of a diver on the Australian East coast where many dives sites come with swells and we know how a high hamper monohull will perform in those conditions.

Divers need a safe area for valuable cameras, tanks and scuba compressor and in my view the style of vessel you propose is unsuitable.

Not a criticism of your assistance with the thread just my view of their needs.

cheers

[30West]

Originally Posted by downunder

30West

As a diver/photographer as are the OP I understand their needs. Although a large duckboard it is good it is not a great spot for the needs of a diver on the Australian East coast where many dives sites come with swells and we know how a high hamper monohull will perform in those conditions.

Divers need a safe area for valuable cameras, tanks and scuba compressor and in my view the style of vessel you propose is unsuitable.

Not a criticism of your assistance with the thread just my view of their needs.

cheers

Thanks, I have little knowledge about serious diving with photog equipment and other expensive kit, so I appreciate your patience.

[John Holbrook]

The Australian coast line is not the same as yours. We don't have the luxury of cruising up inland waterways or restaurants, marinas and fuel stops every couple of hours. Points of interest can be a long way apart over open ocean.

I was in Annapolis last year - very impressed, a beatiful part of the world. We sailed to Bermuda which was only 4 days out. Really nice as well.

Originally Posted by ranger42c

Sure... but I'd guess most folks don't typically do that in one swell foop. Stop and smell the sea salt along the way, so to speak. No matter whether power or sail.

When we brought our last (power) boat up from FL -- about 1100 NM -- the fuel bill didn't break the bank... wasn't really near the top of expenses... and had we done that at "cruising" speed (compared to near-delivery speed) even that would have been spread over several months.

Like I said, not intending to influence... just an observation for consideration.

-Chris

[AJ-SeaChange]

Originally Posted by 30West

Used Cruisers Yachts 3750 for Sale | Boats For Sale | Yachthub

Not many pictures on that ad, but just google Cruisers 3750 or 375. Good boats.

Thanks 30West, it is a lovely cruiser, but we will need easier access to and from the water because we'll be doing a lot of scuba diving. It does have a lot of beautiful features though. American cruisers do seem to be a lot more luxurious inside.

[AJ-SeaChange]

Originally Posted by downunder

30West

As a diver/photographer as are the OP I understand their needs. Although a large duckboard it is good it is not a great spot for the needs of a diver on the Australian East coast where many dives sites come with swells and we know how a high hamper monohull will perform in those conditions.

Divers need a safe area for valuable cameras, tanks and scuba compressor and in my view the style of vessel you propose is unsuitable.

Not a criticism of your assistance with the thread just my view of their needs.

cheers

Thanks for clarifying the reasons - I remember better when I know the 'why'.

[AJ-SeaChange]

Originally Posted by 30West

For safety or economy or both? I originally wanted a diesel, but after a lot of reading I decided I prefer gas for this size boat. There are arguments both ways.

Yes, we're finding the more we read on this, the more petrol has advantages too - especially when it comes to replacing the engine!

[AJ-SeaChange]

Originally Posted by shufti

My suggestion would be to book a hotel down the Gold Coast for a weekend and hit the brokers hard. Inspect anyting (sail and power, mono and cat) in your budget. Was the best idea I had during our search for Wine Down - get the better half down to actually SEE some boats , LOTS of boats inside and out. I am fortunate in having played around boats all my life - so I've been in lots of different types/styles and brands of boats. She on the other hand, didn't even know/hadn't thought about things beds 1/2 recessed below varaious decks, practicalities of marine toilets/showers etc.

It's a good 'crash course' for a beginner in how boats are laid out and what layouts are available. Just to start to get your heads around what can be had in a real, physical sense - not just pics on boatsales.com.au etc.

Oh - I see you are in the Sunny Coast, there's a few brokers up there I know - the Gold Coast, however, is crawling with them. Plus, a weekend away in a posh hotel with the missus looking at boats - how can you possibly loose?

I am the missus ! And we did do that a couple of weekends ago. Stayed at Manly marina and popped down to the Gold Coast as well.
I totally agree how important it is to get on as many as we can, so we are planning to do similar trips in future. And the Boat Show is coming up in May and we've already got 4 nights accommodation sorted out on the GC!!

Good Luck with the search.

Oh - ps - we were specifically looking for a powerboat and ended up with a 1998 35ft Riviera. It sleeps 2 adults and 3 kids for 7-10 day trips pretty well. A little bigger would be good - especially in the rear - but it's overall a good fit for us in the size/speed/cost balance.

Thanks.