$1,500,000 to Spend . . .

[captainKJ]

Look,,,why not just do this,,,,just give me the 1.5 million,,,I will by the boat that I want and let you come onboard anytime you want to for free,,this way you do not have to go through all the decision making process and you can just enjoy yourself on my boat,,,,seems to be the easiest way

as for my 10 percent cost,,,,that is more geared toward a charter yacht that gets used more,,,,,,figure might be high for a small private yacht

[Mata'irea]

My recommendation would be to find an excellent broker to work with to help you narrow the field of options. When we were planning our circumnavigation, we quickly realized we needed an expert's advice to help us narrow the field of options. We had a wonderful buying experience with David Walters (yacht designer, builder and now broker). David is usually at both of the shows that you are planning to attend this year.

David Walters Yachts - Yachts for Sale

Best of luck,
Danika

[RetSurfer]

Originally Posted by Mata'irea

My recommendation would be to find an excellent broker to work with to help you narrow the field of options. When we were planning our circumnavigation, we quickly realized we needed an expert's advice to help us narrow the field of options. We had a wonderful buying experience with David Walters (yacht designer, builder and now broker). David is usually at both of the shows that you are planning to attend this year.

David Walters Yachts - Yachts for Sale

Best of luck,
Danika

Thank You for that...
I will email him and see about talking to him at one of the shows...
Thanks Again.
Mark

[Curmudgeon]

I would be very cautious about disclosing your budget to a broker because even a reputable broker will help you find ways to spend all of it. Once again, for the plan you have described, I see absolutely no need to spend more than 750K on the boat. Keep the rest and use it to maintain the boat and generally enjoy life.

[boatman61]

Hey... for that money you can get yourself a real quality used yacht like this 17metre Jongert...

[SailFastTri]

Originally Posted by theonecalledtom

Every few weeks I do a bit of research on a new brand in the hope that one day I'll have a bit more money to throw into it. At the moment I've been reading about Southerly's with the shallow draft a big incentive - great for exploring places other large monohulls can't go.

Perhaps this would suit you: Southerly 49

When you've bought it, or whatever you end up with, you can write a review here for the those of us still waiting for the piggy bank to come good to live vicariously!

As I understand it, the Southerly lifting keels are made of cast iron. Having owned another brand of boat with (non-moving) cast iron keel in the past I can attest to the fact that keeping anything cast iron submerged in salt water is a really stupid idea and a no-win maintenance nightmare (eventually). Add a mechanical mechanism to it and I don't care what miracle coating you use, corrosion and the maintenance that it mandates will be your companion.

I bought that cast-iron keeled boat as a new one and kept it 8 years. Every year after the 3rd I needed to grind and recoat to try to prevent the rust that weeped out from beneath the cracks in the coating. It was awful work and that was on a fully external keel, not a lifting one with internal parts. I wouldn't EVER own another cast iron keel.

[gonesail]

take a look at the nordhavn 56 motorsailor .. this one will take you anywhere in style

[speciald@ocens.]

The Norhavn motorsailer is way Norh of 1.5m. It is not a sailboat in any respect. We worked with them on redesigning the interior, particularly the galley space a few years back. They have built at least two of these. Unfortunately they destroyed the molds of the Mason and Taswell sail boats.

[Seahunter]

The Nordhavn motor-sailer is a power trawler with an auxiliary sail supposedly capable of moving the boat at hull speed. Ugly looking boat with an uglier sail system operated from an open cockpit situated forward of the raised salon. Somebody really missed on this one.
As for the 1.5, it can purchase a whole bucket of Princess Cruise trips, but better, you could buy gold and water based stock; spend 20K on a beater, some good life jackets, BoatUS towing and insurance, take a boating course (total spent 30K) then go have some fun. If you hate it, scare yourself to death or run over somebody you can chalk it up to another life experience. If not, you'll end up like 90% of boaters who see their boats on average once every 6 months while paying slip fees, bottom cleaning, maintenance, insurance on a depreciating 60' lifestyle anchor around your neck. It'll be cheaper to buy a motor-home with woody side panels and park it in your yard with your surfboards strapped to the roof.

[Palarran]

That boat is SWEET!!

1986 Jongert Jongert 20S Sail Boat For Sale - www.yachtworld.com

[afboatman]

Check out the Amel 54.

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by Palarran

That boat is SWEET!!

1986 Jongert Jongert 20S Sail Boat For Sale - www.yachtworld.com

You should see their 'Custom made to order' boats... awesome... they do build seriously good boats... always suprised so few folk seem to have heard of them...

[capnorv]

Originally Posted by theonecalledtom

Oh - and lines are very important. You need to feel good about that boat, proud when you point her out to people, happy to get home and cosy in her, and secure that she'll carry you safely through conditions you yourself are not yet ready for.

I bet MarkJ quite likes the lines on his boat!

I chose our current boat strictly from a practicality point of view. Cost, tankage, accomadation, stowage. I didn't much care for her look. But now, after some cruising, cleaning, and additions, I'm beginning to catch myself looking bak as I leave the marina. It doesn't hurt hearing all the comments from people how lovely she is either. And she even sails better than her reputation!

[DeepBlueSea]

Instead of diving into alot of opinions and answers, I would like to suggest asking yourself a few questions. Diesel is currently like $12 a gallon in
Europe/Med...in three years its likely to be circa $15 or higher, and what about 5 or 10 years from now? Having a large boat and diesel, along with
depending on generators, water makers, washing machines and all the other
energy consuming "stuff" in vogue is not only going to cost you enormously,
both time and money...but a huge distraction from the beauty and essence of
sailing. In this age of addiction to comfort and technological clutter the marine industry seems to convince us that we all need, you are going to find yourself up the nautical road with alot of potential problems unless you are capable of maintaining and repairing EVERY aspect of your boat at sea and in remote parts of the world where replacement parts are not only unavailable but extemely hard to get. The potential problems go parabolic with such a large and complicated boat that you seem to be looking for, especially with such little offshore and no solo cruising experience. I am not trying to be rude, so with all respect, I seriously suggest looking at this from other perspectives than just money. Your perspective, perception of boats is going to change enormously with more sailing experience, so its quite naive if not blind to just buy a large expensive boat with the intent of going cruising. Your time is better spent buying a boat that someone has already equipped and cruised on extensively with problems and systems worked out and then learning how to sail well and maintain/repair every aspect of the boat. simple
mo' bettah...

[Doodles]

Originally Posted by tomasino

Instead of diving into alot of opinions and answers, I would like to suggest asking yourself a few questions. Diesel is currently like $12 a gallon in
Europe/Med...in three years its likely to be circa $15 or higher, and what about 5 or 10 years from now? Having a large boat and diesel, along with
depending on generators, water makers, washing machines and all the other
energy consuming "stuff" in vogue is not only going to cost you enormously,
both time and money...but a huge distraction from the beauty and essence of
sailing. In this age of addiction to comfort and technological clutter the marine industry seems to convince us that we all need, you are going to find yourself up the nautical road with alot of potential problems unless you are capable of maintaining and repairing EVERY aspect of your boat at sea and in remote parts of the world where replacement parts are not only unavailable but extemely hard to get. The potential problems go parabolic with such a large and complicated boat that you seem to be looking for, especially with such little offshore and no solo cruising experience. I am not trying to be rude, so with all respect, I seriously suggest looking at this from other perspectives than just money. Your perspective, perception of boats is going to change enormously with more sailing experience, so its quite naive if not blind to just buy a large expensive boat with the intent of going cruising. Your time is better spent buying a boat that someone has already equipped and cruised on extensively with problems and systems worked out and then learning how to sail well and maintain/repair every aspect of the boat. simple
mo' bettah...

Good advice, IMO, and others have tried to convey the same sentiments here but I think the OP is set on spending the whole wad on a new boat. I just hope it doesn't end up like the Nordhavn in our marina which has moved for over 6 years ... not even for maintenance! Really sad.

Seems to almost be an inverse relationship between the cost of a boat and how much it is actually cruised by the owner. Another reason to keep it small and simple.