Please go easy on me.

[sailorchic34]

Originally Posted by Scout 30

NO offense to sailorchic but recommending 6' of draft in Fl is nuts. Life is stressful enough without doing that to yourself. Don't go over 4' & you'll be a lot happier. Keep it closer to 3' & Florida really opens up to you.

Oddly what I originally said was no more then 6 foot draft and that 5' draft was better. I sailed a 6' draft sailboat around in SW Florida from Punta Gorda to the keys and the Dry Tortuga, it can be done without too much difficulty.

Most 4 foot and 3 foot drafts would be cats. They work fine too. But berthing is a bit more.

[Macncheez]

Originally Posted by Don C L

Ah, so you are looking for a 28 ft liveaboard just for now? Do they allow liveaboards on boats that size where you are looking? Sounds good to me but I am someone who lived aboard a Columbia 24 while I was going to college. You might consider something like a Catalina 27 for now and a large old van to keep a few items on while you save up for the larger boat...

No I was living on one. I'm definitely looking for something I can't afford lol or handle.

[Macncheez]

Well I know first hand what shallow is. I snapped a keel off :\.....really in Charlotte harbor. Sorta funny but **** happens. But to be honest I would give up living here to have the boat I want. So draft I'll live with what is best for deep waters. I know my channels pretty well so if I wasn't sleeping I should be fine. More motoring like you all mentioned before. Keel is still out there....I dove down assuming young I could maybe move it lol.

[Macncheez]

Originally Posted by barnakiel

1) Go to the marina you want a dock with, ask their annual berth charge,
2) Walk into the insurance office, ask how much they charge per year,
3) Go to the boatyard, ask how much they charge for haulout,

Add.

Think about consumables: fuel, electricity, materials, workforce.

Add.

Think a new kit every X years and a new engine every Y years. (sails maybe 10 to 15, engines perhaps 20 to 25).
A, esome exactly the type of information I needed. Thank you.
Add.

Calculate takeover haulout cleaning and updates, unless boat new.

Add.

Add a small emergency budget (say 25k in this size bracket)

That's about the major money suckers and easy enough to get at some kind of a broad estimate.

Plenty depends on where exactly you are. As has been shown whooping geographical variation exists.

b.

Thanks this is what I needed. I'll go check.

BTW just drove to keywest last night to go check out some of the boats here.

Any brands I should avoid?

And I most likely will avoid a Cat. I don't know them all that well but I would prefer a mono for distance traveling and pretty large boat to carry bikes, boards, and odds and ends. I might consider a 36ft but I figure if I buy once it will be to last a life time(boat life) and I'll want some space. It will be my residence I'm over apartments and mortgages and banks.

[Don C L]

OK, I admit this is 180 degrees from what you are saying, but when you mentioned Key West I thought of this boat. I love my monohull, but to travel around at 10 or 12 knots, or more, everywhere and slip in over almost any reef or shoal, I'd probably sell everything except for shorts, shirt and sandals and get this boat...
1982 Hudson River Boat Builders Trice III sailboat for sale in Outside United States

[subs57]

Originally Posted by sailorchic34

I might suggest aiming a bit smaller, toward the 35-40 foot range. Smaller is better in that the cost of ownership is so much lower. Maintenance for a 35 foot boat will be 15-20% ish of a 48 foot boat. Small boats cost less to dock, to sail and to motor.
.

I agree. I've just come back from Gibraltar having chartered a 36' sail yacht. At these dimensions, the point I'd like to make is that there was ample room for 5 people for the week we had it and, it was easy to judge distances when marina space was tight.

I also visited someone who has just purchased a Trident Warrior 38. That has a 4 metre beam and the space available inside is enormous.

ATB

[Macncheez]

I don't mind smaller for travel but livaboard status wouldn't it be better for slightly larger? I like my hobbies and wants a little extra space for those things. Also fold up bikes, boards, and etc.

Sent from my LG-H811 using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

[Scout 30]

Originally Posted by Macncheez

I don't mind smaller for travel but livaboard status wouldn't it be better for slightly larger? I like my hobbies and wants a little extra space for those things. Also fold up bikes, boards, and etc.

Sent from my LG-H811 using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

Sounds like you need a catamaran.

[subs57]

Originally Posted by Macncheez

I don't mind smaller for travel but livaboard status wouldn't it be better for slightly larger? I like my hobbies and wants a little extra space for those things. Also fold up bikes, boards, and etc.

Sent from my LG-H811 using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

Well of course you can do, but the guy who bought the Trident Warrior 38 is currently a live aboard on his existing smaller boat (he's going to sell it ) and will continue to be a live aboard on his recently acquired one. He is looking at changing one of the quarter berths or V berth into a storage cum technical area, to suit his requirements.

So what I am flagging up is the question of whether you would be prepared to consider adapting a smaller boat to suit your own needs? Of course, its a compromise, but as anyone will tell you: there is no perfect sail boat. But by considering it, you may come to the conclusion you could put up with minor inconvieniences vs. increased running costs for a bigger boat.

ATB

[Hudson Force]

Ok, so you're the "math guy", right? Imagine that you gather the hobbies, boards and folding bike and cram them inside your 28' Irwin. They'll fit, but you will not. Your 28' Irwin would be just a closet for your toys!

Now apply the math. Add about five feet to the length of your 28' boat and you will more than double the total volume. With the 33' boat you live in half and all your stuff shares the other half. If you want extra space, then go to 35'.

I lived comfortably on a 33' sloop for 13 years with my wife and two children and I bet these three added people with their accompanying stuff would match your hobby, bike & board space.

This said, continue to calculate the space. A 38' to 40' boat would be huge; however, there's needed functional space and space that fulfills a psychological need. You might need space that has no function and that can be a handicap for living aboard.

[JPA Cate]

Macncheez,

On the draft issue, what I have figured out is this: do go with the draft you'll want for oceanic cruising. The advocates of shallow draft boats like going into shallow places. IME, those places, when we visit by dinghy because our 2.2 m (7'2") draft big boat can't go, are prone to being home to various forms of biting insects. The fact is, that, in your mind's eye, you draw a no-go line around the shallow places, and either cross them near high water or leave them far away. Therefore, you don't learn them, don't love them, and don't know what you're missing, while you are still enjoying cruising.

It is that both factions are right! Scout 30 knows and loves his little nooks and crannies, and with, say, a 6 ft. draft (not that I am advocating that, just picking it as a number) you'll never see his hidey holes and are unlikely to miss them, because you'll be happy with what you're doing.

If you have some time, get some paper charts of regions you want to visit. Draw on them, depth lines, and assess where you can't go vs. where you want to go, for whatever draft ranges you think you're interested in. That's going to give you some ideas about draft, and you might want to consider a lifting keel boat.

Ann

[reed1v]

An acquaintance of mine lived on a 20' flicka for four years. Seemed happy.

[Scout 30]

Originally Posted by Ann T. Cate

Macncheez,

On the draft issue, what I have figured out is this: do go with the draft you'll want for oceanic cruising. The advocates of shallow draft boats like going into shallow places. IME, those places, when we visit by dinghy because our 2.2 m (7'2") draft big boat can't go, are prone to being home to various forms of biting insects. The fact is, that, in your mind's eye, you draw a no-go line around the shallow places, and either cross them near high water or leave them far away. Therefore, you don't learn them, don't love them, and don't know what you're missing, while you are still enjoying cruising.

It is that both factions are right! Scout 30 knows and loves his little nooks and crannies, and with, say, a 6 ft. draft (not that I am advocating that, just picking it as a number) you'll never see his hidey holes and are unlikely to miss them, because you'll be happy with what you're doing.

If you have some time, get some paper charts of regions you want to visit. Draw on them, depth lines, and assess where you can't go vs. where you want to go, for whatever draft ranges you think you're interested in. That's going to give you some ideas about draft, and you might want to consider a lifting keel boat.

Ann

I do like me some nooks & crannies.