Hello again CF,
This is my second post after lurking around CF for a while, the first being an introductory post with a bit more detail about us on the Meet & Greet section. Very briefly, we are a
family of 4 (mum, dad and 2 boys 8 and 10 years of age) in
Australia, looking to
purchase a
boat in the
Caribbean for a one year sabbatical. Plan to buy (near the end of 2018), sail, sell, return to land.
So in typical fashion, what
boat should I buy?
The short of it is:
-
budget is limited: US$50~60K would be a dream, $60~75K maybe more realistic, $75~85K is really pushing my
budget
- how SMALL can I go? I am thinking 39 to 41ft. Our
family can squeeze in, be tight but be happy. Sure I’d love a 45 footer but no....
- 3 Cabins. In my mind this is the key factor. Family
health will be better preserved with the privacy of each boy having their own space and mum & dad their privacy. There are not really 3 cabins in boats smaller than about 38’, or are there?
- Don’t want a
project, don’t want an old boat. Would love a 2000 or newer boat. 70’s or 80’s boats don’t come with 3 cabins at that size, maybe after 43’ they do me thinks.
- Structurally sound boat (need it be said?)
- It’s not the dream boat (that will come later :-), it’s not a “bluewater”
ocean crossing boat. We’ll spend the time island hopping in the
Caribbean, hopefully
Colombia,
central America,
Mexico, Fl,
Bahamas maybe.
- I’m thinking a 1990/2000’s or newer boat will have more volume for the size, so I can keep boat size at the smaller end (39’?) and squeeze 3 cabins in?
- I like to sail and a boat that
sails well is important to me. Don’t really go for heavy
displacement,
full keel, slowish boats.
- I like contemporary “european” lines and happy with practical plastic fantastic (thinking
Jeanneau,
Beneteau, Hanse,
Bavaria (maybe? receivership?),
Dufour. But also
Cal,
Ericson, Tartan?
- Ideally set up ready for cruising safely (comfort less important so no aircon, genset ...but yes fridge pretty please, solar/wind), nav
gear can be on the more basic side
-
Sloop or
Cutter rigged, probably not a
ketch. Skeg mounted
rudder better than not but not a dealbreaker
- I love a sugar scoop transom. We love being in the
water and live swimming and in/out all day long
- Large
cockpit with benches I can sleep on
- Lastly, a boat with the better chance of reselling quickly and taking less of a hit. Some brands or age might be better than others?
So, with this budget am I dreaming? What brands should I be looking for (other than the
Jeanneau / Bene / Hanse)? Can’t go much smaller (maaaaybe 37?) so go older? But then no 3 cabins… Would love to hear from the collective wisdom and sage opinions on this forum! Suggestions for specific models would be great.
Editing to add: budget is for the boat. I'd expect another (unrecoverable) $10 to $20K (hopefully not much more) to add a small bit of kit and upkeep. Then a separate budget for expenses other than boat.
I'm a handy kind of guy with mechanical inclination and can do many
repairs myself (spent 15 years fixing all sorts of broken stuff on an 1973
Columbia 43, from replacing keel-bolts, glassing deck/hull joint, re-rigging, fising delaminated
deck...not that I want to go there again!).
Reading other posts...wonder if anyone on the forum would rent their boat for a year?
And again apologies for such a long post!