Advice for Family of 5, Type of Boat

[Prairie Chicken]

A couple of thoughts perhaps not yet made: In hot climes you will spend a lot of time in the cockpit so a big roomy cockpit is important. You will need a pretty large boat to have a descent sized cockpit on a CC.

CCs tend to have a nice master cabin aft--but some aft cockpits have the same. Also, many CCs have a linear galley which, to my mind at least, isolates the cook from the party.

You really will need a water maker & genet, and a washing machine.

[a64pilot]

I've found that except for sleeping and rain, we spend more time in the cockpit, than we do in the Salon, it wasn't until after I bought our boat that I understood the desire for big cockpits, I though it was a day sailing thing.

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by Stu Jackson

CC - consider docking. If you'll have that big crew, maybe, but I wouldn't even begin to figfue out how to singlehand dock a CC, and I've been singlehanded docking our boats for 35 years.

"Best" in anything related to boating is an oxymoron. It's all a compromise. 2 adults, 3 kids growing, on a boat? Nah, never been done before in anything less than an Oyster 63. C'mon, I'm just kidding. But there is no BEST boat for you, wishin' don't make it so.

Hi Stu,

Very interesting comment to me, a confirmed CC sailor. I find docking a CC easier than an aft cockpit boat for two reasons. First you can see the bow a lot better since you are closer to it and usually higher. I had a 65' aft cockpit steel ketch and it felt like the bow was something in the next county when I was maneuvering in close quarters. Occasionally had to leave the cockpit and run up the side deck to see what was happening forward.

Also find line handling easy. Run line sfrom the bow and stern outside the lines and rigging to the cockpit. Pull alongside a pier and jump off with both lines and secure. Or if you have a helper on the dock (that you trust), easy to hand off one or both lines.

[JPA Cate]

Originally Posted by Greenhand

Start getting rid of stuff now.

Have everyone go through their closets and toy chests and identify everything they haven't worn in a year, won't fit into next time that season comes around, or haven't played with in 3 months.

That is, shed off the first, easy layer now and everyone will have time to imagine not having something they cling to now. Purging gets easier with practice.

Good advice. It is a kind of psychological preparation that may ease the transition for all.

nealy2k,

Not to cause an argument, but it seems that some people are relying on watermakers to unfailingly provide water for everything (drinking, bathing, laundry, hosing down the boat). Usually powered by genset. However, if your genset breaks down on a passage, you may be faced with a drinking water emergency if you can't fix it. However, if you learn to live on 1/2 gal. per day per person, assuming adequate water tankage, you will never be challenged in that particular way, plus saving the stowage space aboard (for genset and water maker) for storing whatever it is you need to store.

One can bathe and wash dishes in salt water, and many older cruising boat had a salt water pump to the galley. Laundry is stored and washed when one gets to shore. This is how we've done it for 25 yrs. The idea may not appeal to some, but I think that this, too, is a personal choice. One can learn to keep clean on 1 cup fresh water per day [you choose when and how to spend it]. To choose to do it, that's something else. A lot of people say something like they don't want to be camping on a boat, but nowhere is it written that we have a birthright to unlimited fresh water.

Finally, both genset and watermaker require that you carry spare parts for them, and they have to be maintained. When I look at that, I envision Jim groveling in tight places, struggling with stuff: the increased complexity has costs. It takes time that could be more happily spent snorkeling, or exploring. There are some who will hire it done. So greater complexity inevitably yields greater costs, either, space considerations, $$, or personal work, or a mix.

It was no great secret before, but while I'd love to have unlimited fresh water, in fact, I might be a bit of a minimalist in this respect: it is better to me to forego the water than to subject Jim to what I *know* will happen sooner or later. How do I know? Spent 2 weeks aboard a boat equipped with a 20 gal/hr water maker and the skipper was every other day, working on the genset. He was never grumpy about it, but he sure didn't get to play as much as the rest of us. Subsequently replaced the water maker, too.....more costs.

Ann

[nealy2k]

Ann

Thanks for the words of wisdom regarding the watermaker.

As far as docking, I'm pretty good at that. Santa Cruz Harbor has some tight fairways so you get good at it!

Really Appreciate all the advice on preparing for family cruising, VERY helpful...but got a little off course from my poorly written OP, looking for some reccos on boats.

There is an OVERWHELMING amount of data available but if there was a family that has done what we have done, it is always useful to learn from what boat they wish they would've sailed in hindsight or the one their glad they did.

Any other boats to steer us towards is great, there is a CSY 44 for sale near me that looks pretty good. If there are any families that have learned from specific TYPES or SIZES, it's super helpful.

Thanks again for the input, as someone who has not looked for boats through the lens of an entire FAMILY, it's always helpful to hear from those that have been through it.

[JPA Cate]

Maybe atoll would have some input to this, having cruised both as a kid and as a dad.

I think you're looking for 3 cabins, if you want a mono, that's going to mean most likely two aft and one forward. Start looking at 40 footers, see what's available worldwide, to get a notion for what y'all's preferences are. Pick 10 okays, and go look at 'em. Think some more. No one can tell you what's the best boat, you just have to make a decision and find ways to live with it. It's a process, with few shortcuts.

Bye,
Ann

[Ex-Calif]

Consider transom entry/sugar scoop type boats. Climbing over the gunwales gets old quick, especially with provisions and 3 kids. Also easier boarding after a swim for the kids.

[jangann]

Creekmore flush decks have one huge berth under the cockpit, big enough for three kids. You could partition it off so each kid gets his/her own space. Read Simply Sailing, they have one.


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