>42 foot bluewater sailboat purchase choices

[Ericson38]

Taswell 43 All Seasons and 49 All Seasons have more head room, but don't come in at 135K. Something for 6.5 ft is going to have to be pilothouse configured, I think. He needs to check this before purchase.

[Suijin]

I would cross the Valiant 47 off your list as it’s nothing but a blown up Valiant 40. Same layout inside...huge waste of space unless you happen to be 3’ wide.

[LakeSuperior]

Check out a Mason 44. Lots of headroom.

[SeaSloth]

I like the Brewer 12.8. Newer version of the Whitby 42. Extended fin keel with a skeg rudder. I'm 6'4" and have good headroom in all parts of the boat except the engine room. Large center cockpit with good seating, long enough to sleep on if necessary.



Engine room is pretty good. I've had to climb in there many times. Not fun but not impossible. It really depends on the accessories installed there as to how much room you'll have. There is a nice shelf on the port side of the engine (other side from the door) that you can perch on if you don't have a bunch of stuff installed on it.



One of the downsides is the lack of storage on deck. Also the berths are long enough but when sharing with the spouse not as wide as I'd like. We make do cause it is a boat and you can't expect everything to be perfect.



They are well made. Surveyer said that the boat could be used for ocean voyaging if maintained and equipped correctly.



You could probably find a decently maintained one that fits in your budget.

[Frankster1955]

Understood. Thank you for the input one and all. Still open to advice. Please anyone, talk about the boats you own, their costs and idiosyncracies

[Tetepare]

Is $135,000 your one year budget?


Back out:
$10,000 shipping or transport
$5,000 dockage
$15,000 repairs


Then, if you want to fix the real problem:
$10,000 sailing lessons for two
$5,000 diesel course
$2,000 electrical course


That leaves $83,000 for the boat. And I went light on the repairs, maybe up to $40,000 light.


If you don't have a dinghy, a big guy like you is going to need a big, solid dinghy so budget another $8000.


Now we're down to $35,000 for the boat.



Get a white hull. That way when it gets banged into the dock there isn't a $5000 repaint.


Add the max TowBoatUS fee and insurance to sail the Pacific- knock out another $2000.


Get new fenders, the largest you can find- that's another $400.


MOB and EPIRB for everyone, another $1500. Quality weather gear">foul weather gear (XXL) $600. Wife's gear $600.


Get a bigger anchor. Whatever it comes with, get a larger one. $800.


Rub strip all the way around (rubber, installed) $1000


Charts...oh, forget the charts.


That should get you started.

[Cheechako]

The Liberty is a huge sturdy boat. Friends had one. Seemed like good headroom from memory. Don't forget Passport, Taswell, Hylas, Waquiez, good rep too. All may be pushing your budget in a well found boat above 40 ft.
Do yourself a favor and avoid bolt on keels, just one more thing to maintain.
If you want a large engine room, center cockpit is the way to go.

Things that will bust your budget:
-Sails
-Engine
-Tanks
-Old add ons like watermakers, autopilots, electronics, generators

[akprb]

Here you go!

Fast, comfortable, tri-cabin for those guests you mentioned, walk through transom, headroom, et al ;-)

Save ya 55k as well!

Try “Hunter, Really” on blog for why we went this route. I’ve singlehanded her up and down the East Coast and throughout the Bahamas. Would not hesitate to take her just about anywhere and very well suited for the Caribbean, eastern or western.

Fast under power and sail, 17 opening hatches and A/C for those hot nights in a marina.

https://m.sailboatlistings.com/view/63799

[westsail374]

Check out the Nauticat range of pilot house boats. Big, beefy sailboats built in Finland with the guts to travel the roughest seas. The 43 should fit your needs.

[S/V Alchemy]

I have a full keel 42 foot pilothouse cutter in steel. While I do not have six-six clearance in the pilothouse, it's about six-four, and the saloon has seven feet of clearance. The advantage for me both as a guy who repowered and who does his own engine work is access from above, through a 48 x 27 inch metal hatch on gas struts. All things being equal, I prefer a relatively seakindly ride in a five-knot wonder where I can reach EVERYTHING than in a faster boat where the interior's been maximized at the expense of systems access. Because the L-shaped settee and the compass-inlay dining table won't help me when I have to adjust cabling, trace an electrical fault or change a belt, filter or injector. This will:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GbJt0VIh-8s

And this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ViHg-u4gxY

[schubvet]

Hey Frankster, At 6'4" I too went looking for a roomy blue water boat with headroom.
I have an Endeavor 43 CC ketch, 6'7" headroom in the salon. Only place I need to duck is leaving the head in the master stateroom.
On our most recent trip to Cuba my wife, who up to now had no problem, became deathly seasick.
She can no longer handle deep water so you know what that means.
Boat is up for sale or trade for a trawler, back to flat inshore water.
There is an add in the Florida Mariner Magazine. (themariner.com)
Or you may email at schubvet.com
Saint Augustine FL

[David Sandowich]

Frank, You have thought this through well..... good for you. Good advice and insight on previous posts. I only add that if your budget is $135.00 to purchase that puts you in the low 2000s for " youngest" age of boat and probably a production boat in the 40- 42 foot range. Could be wrong but that seems what the market is bearing.
I coastal cruise a 2001 Catalina 42 tri cabin 2001. You would get the head room in that boat and much of you other requests but some you would not get... like most of life buying a boat will lead to compromises... your call will be .. which ones.
Wish you the best on your journey

[MJH]

You have given your purchase a lot of thought. The best advice I can give you is to see as many boats as possible until your sick of looking...and then look some more. Starting at a used 42' size alone will limit the number available to view and you can cross many make/models off your list, but while doing this note other features that you like. Your 6' 6" height requirement will quickly eliminate most of them but, as there is no perfect boat, tradeoffs will rule in your decision. While your height may dominate your boat selection, Mother Nature on the open seas does not care and will present challenges to all boats in the vicinity the same so make sure, 6' 6" cabin height aside, that the boat has COMFORT and CAPSIZE ratios suitable for long offshore passages. As you and yours continue to age these will become more important...something you can't appreciate until you get there. As your search looks like it will be a big boat, give some thought into where it will be berthed and the monthly cost. Succinctly, it costs more to keep a 55' boat than a 42' boat.


Good Luck,


~ ~ _/) ~ ~ MJH

[Sailor647]

Iknow you wrote greater than 42 feet, but take a look at the Norseman 400. There is plenty of head room in the aft cockpit. I just measured the interior cabin height - 6'6" to 6'7". The V-berth is king size at the head, and 6'6" long. The separate shower stall is 6'5" with a bench.

After watching our fellow cruisers struggle with full keels, we really, really appreciate our fin keel. Our baby turns 360 degrees in a circles just over 40 feet across. Handles like a dream.

[SuW]

Originally Posted by Frankster1955

I have experience in catamarans, Prindles, this is back in the day. I sail with my friend on a lake in a homebuilt 20 footer. I have no sea experience, just a dream to do the great adventure.

So, why not consider a bigger catamaran? Some nice boats out there.