Changing upper bound of boat size considered suitable for couples

[Kenomac]

Originally Posted by boatman61

Ken.. laundry costs a bottle of wine.. which I drink while dancing in the tub of soapy water and laundry to some nice boppy music.. Cheap and fun..

I prefer to push a button and then share the bottle with a friend.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=1yIn2PeoZjA

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=-DhwuBucPzs&t=4s

[Jim Cate]

Originally Posted by Kenomac

Ann,

Our washing machine would cost $700 if I purchased it brand new today, but I didn’t since it was included on the boat we purchased seven years ago. It did break down one time, and I was as able to replace the Splendide motherboard myself in 15 minutes for $175.

How much time and money have you spent over the past 7 years toting clean and dirty laundry around whilst keeping things simple? Seems to me that having a washing machine onboard has kept our lives much simpler than yours....

Ken

Oh, right, Ken... the washer only costs 700 bucks, so why not have it? You seem to have left out the other costs that Ann mentioned that would be involved to retrofit the machine into our considerably smaller boat.

It's fine that one was included in your Oyster, and that having it means less trouble keeping clean duds around, but has little relevance to other's situations.

Jim

[Kenomac]

I

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

Oh, right, Ken... the washer only costs 700 bucks, so why not have it? You seem to have left out the other costs that Ann mentioned that would be involved to retrofit the machine into our considerably smaller boat.

It's fine that one was included in your Oyster, and that having it means less trouble keeping clean duds around, but has little relevance to other's situations.

Jim

But certainly relevant to this thread and the topic being discussed.

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by Kenomac

I prefer to push a button and then share the bottle with a friend.

Sorry.. a friend would mean 2 bottles and no way are someone elses feet messing with my laundry..
Besides.. I dont have space for a bigger tub..

[Tayana42]

Is there a trend for cruising boats to be larger than they were years ago? I don’t know and really don’t care. In my own case my boats have trended lager then smaller and now larger. My current boat at 42’ feels perfect for me and my wife.

We have at times thought about boats upsized to comfortably take or grown kids and grandkids with us but experience has taught us that won’t happen (thank goodness).

My experience and cruising area doesn’t express anyone else’s experience. Isn’t it wonderful that there are so many boats of every size and type that people can and do choose what fits them, their budget and their type of cruising. There are days it would be nice to have room for a washer/dryer. There are days it would be nice to have a smaller lighter boat with shorter mast and smaller sails. But there are never any days that it would be nicer not to experience the sights and sound and people of the cruising life.

I remember hearing in some old western movie that however fast the young gunslinger was he would eventually run into someone faster. No matter how big or small, complex or minimal your boat is you will see others that are bigger, smaller, fancier or simpler. We are all afloat in water on the same small blue planet...Aren’t we fortunate!

[DEAN2140]

"I think the real reason boat size has increased is due to affluence. Middle class generations following the New Deal, and especially following WWII, got noticeably and significantly richer. Wealth drives affluence which allows for more … in the case of cruising boats, more means bigger and more luxurious."

O'Reilly is correct. All this stuff costs dough. Along the same lines, people are retiring earlier which creates a bigger market for cruisers and all the creature comforts and safety equipment they need or want. Who can resist those four color glossies in the magazines?

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by Kenomac

I enjoy my job, the people I work with and the patients very much, not sure why you’d think otherwise or consider my career as part of this discussion? I find it very rewarding both financially and emotionally... you should try it sometime. It’s also a career I can come back to at anytime to help refill a cruising kitty.

No thanks. I'm not into 12 hour shifts.

Plus I've actually started to enjoy my job except for laying people off etc. The electronics, electrical, and UPS Systems (plus a bit of software knowledge) we use on our flight Simulators translates well to modern sailboat systems

Our newer computers have ridiculous amounts of ram for example and the UPS's have as many as 48 batteries in series to hold the systems up during a power loss until they can shut themselves down

Plus I have to review all troubleshooting paperwork on our 18 simulators which helps keep me in the loop of all problems which also helps on the boat (and the vehicles I own plus the house)

[alctel]

Age has a lot to do with it. Pretty much everyone under 40 I've met sailing has a boat my size (36' ) or smaller, and the boat is older than they are in almost all cases!

[Cpt Mark]

I would pose the opinion that looking at the ads for new boats, charter boats all go to more expensive bigger boats with lots of doo dads and power assist to make things manageable until of course they break/fail at the wrong time. What's are the odds? That said, just a few years ago I would have been capable to sail a 40' monohull solo anywhere but after an accident and subsequent neurological issues without power assist I'd be hard pressed. So I scale back the size of the boat, add equipment to make it user friendly to me and still be able to handle it solo also prepared to cut away any sail I can't handle in any conditions and write off the loss.

People are somehow convinced because a particular boat and or manufacturer is in a charter fleet or dominates charter fleet they must be the best. Not so, a boat you're on for a week or 2 is vastly different than a boat you live and cruise on

[Mike OReilly]

It’s often pointed out in these discussions that cruisers don’t change when the go to sea. The level of luxury we’re accustomed to on land will be the same we want/need in our boat. So too with the approach to cruising. If your idea of travel is sightseeing and eating great food, then this is how you will want to cruise.

Some of us were lucky enough to be born poor, and to stay poor. Our capabilities are modest, and so our needs. Those of you who have greater resources live a life with more luxury, and therefore demand more of the same in your boat life.

There’s nothing wrong either. If wants match capabilities, then it’s great. It’s when there is a mismatch that is the problem. If a boat that doesn’t provide you with your desired level wants/needs, then you’re “camping”. Or, if you’ve bitten off more than you can chew financially or maintenance-wise, then you sink under the weight of it all. Either way, it leads to bad cruising, and indeed life, outcomes.

We all must find the right balance for ourselves.

Originally Posted by Tayana42

I remember hearing in some old western movie that however fast the young gunslinger was he would eventually run into someone faster. No matter how big or small, complex or minimal your boat is you will see others that are bigger, smaller, fancier or simpler. We are all afloat in water on the same small blue planet...Aren’t we fortunate!

Nicely put. What (s)he said

[Uricanejack]

I quite happily single hand my 35ft boat.
I find it a sise which works very well for my wife and I. Limited on comforts but it’s an old boat.
A little small for the whole family. Who have left anyway.

I would ask the big boat sailors.

How often do you sail your bigger boats. just as a couple out for a sail.
Not asking about taking extra people on for longer passages. Just about taking a day to go from here to there or someplace and back again.
With just the two of you.

Just wondering about the reality of cruising on bigger boats. Are you happy sailing them with only the two of you. Or do you find you are always looking for friends and others to crew.

[Kenomac]

Originally Posted by thomm225

No thanks. I'm not into 12 hour shifts.

Plus I've actually started to enjoy my job except for laying people off etc. The electronics, electrical, and UPS Systems (plus a bit of software knowledge) we use on our flight Simulators translates well to modern sailboat systems

Our newer computers have ridiculous amounts of ram for example and the UPS's have as many as 48 batteries in series to hold the systems up during a power loss until they can shut themselves down

Plus I have to review all troubleshooting paperwork on our 18 simulators which helps keep me in the loop of all problems which also helps on the boat (and the vehicles I own plus the house)

I’ve always enjoyed my job, ‘went back to it when I got tired of watching too much TV while semi-retired. I could never do the 16 hour shifts if I didn’t enjoy what I was doing. You should try volunteering at your local hospital or nursing home, it’s very rewarding.

[Kenomac]

Originally Posted by Uricanejack

I quite happily single hand my 35ft boat.
I find it a sise which works very well for my wife and I. Limited on comforts but it’s an old boat.
A little small for the whole family. Who have left anyway.

I would ask the big boat sailors.

How often do you sail your bigger boats. just as a couple out for a sail.
Not asking about taking extra people on for longer passages. Just about taking a day to go from here to there or someplace and back again.
With just the two of you.

Just wondering about the reality of cruising on bigger boats. Are you happy sailing them with only the two of you. Or do you find you are always looking for friends and others to crew.

I sail each of our boats singlehanded 50 percent of the time, the other 50 percent with just two people including myself.

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by Kenomac

I’ve always enjoyed my job, ‘went back to it when I got tired of watching too much TV while semi-retired. I could never do the 16 hour shifts if I didn’t enjoy what I was doing. You should try volunteering at your local hospital or nursing home, it’s very rewarding.

Good for you!

I've seen enough of hospitals with what we have been through as a family, but I will say that most of the folks that work at these hospitals really do a great job

[hpeer]

I’ve seen too many where the folks act like they e been on duty for 16 hours straight.

Maybe just bad luck but I’ve seen enough incompetence and malfeasance in hospitals to last a life time.