The Best Liveaboard

[KevinLWright]

Hello Cruisers Forum,

I know this question had been brought up before, but I was hoping I could get some answers for my specific scenario.

I am looking to buy a sailboat. I've been looking at almost exclusively monohull boats, but am open to a catamaran as well. Let me preface this with some, probably important, information. I have zero, or close to, experience with sailing or sailboats. I've always loved the water and I loved the tiny boat my father, brother, and I sailed as a kid... Till we capsized and it sunk.

So here's the situation. I want to buy a boat big enough to fit myself, wife, our son, and possibly another little one at some point. There's my first concern. How crazy am I for having small children aboard a boat like this? We will be docked somewhere in NYC almost exclusively until I am a capable enough captain to sail the boat myself. We have family in North Carolina and Costa Rica and would like to be capable of visiting them on the boat in the future. While cost of the boat purchase and maintenence is not much of a concern I can't see myself spending more than 4 million on a boat and from the research I've done don't see any reason to. I honestly don't even know a ballpark figure for the cost to maintain such a boat, but I obviously won't be doing any work on it myself. I am completely incapable in that manner. The wife is more attracted to a new boat (ideas of safety and better amenities), but I'm not opposed to an older boat and admire the craftsmanship of them at the very least. We've looked at the Jeanneau 57 and a few Oysters.

Any suggestions?

Thanks!

[justwaiting]

As you rightly said this has been brought up often before and when some one mentioned multi and mono boats in the their very first post suspicions' are justified.


So if we take you on face value you are asking us what is the best over price dock queen (large and expensive yacht with a "captain" that is going to learn to sail with that vessel, lol) that your should chose . If you haven't worked put that all boats are a compromise you haven't look at ANY boat thread. So for everybody "best" is the compromises that meets the largest % of the buyers needs and wants.


Assuming that $1mill is not an issue that the first obvious constraint is where to dock whatever beast you decide on - look around where you could get a berth and what constraints that places on your choices. Then unless you want to divulge a lot of personal information i would employ a buyers broker to advise you.

[Coops]

If i had 4 million to spend and zero experience in sailing i think that my first question would be "What colour is it?" Just kiddin'.

Coops.

[maxingout]

It sounds like you need a boat with a captain to run it and do the maintenance for you.

The draft of the boat should be a primary consideration depending on where you are going to be sailing.

I would recommend that you charter lots of yachts to see what really fits best for you. You might be surprised what you end up liking.

[Teeto]

Hire a cat and a mono with the family, say in the Carribean. If the wife has much say in the choice, you will end up with a cat. Much easier to do everything on. Walk onto lots of boats. Photos are deceiving.
Allow 10% of value for maintenance and add on berthing costs. Pay for lessons on your boat when you get one. Read heaps and google lots. Have fun!

[bingo296]

Originally Posted by maxingout

It sounds like you need a boat with a captain to run it and do the maintenance for you.

The draft of the boat should be a primary consideration depending on where you are going to be sailing.

I would recommend that you charter lots of yachts to see what really fits best for you. You might be surprised what you end up liking.

Good advice