Which Tri Would Be Best as a Liveaboard Cruiser?

[BillAU]

Originally Posted by Laidback

Bill,
Did you check Mike Allen's builds ? a lot cheaper for new than used.
A Portfolio of completed projects

G'day Laidback,

I believe I'll be buying the Tri here in Oz as the tax involved with importing a yacht adds to the cost (see below) Anyway, here in Oz, I can chose between a 1987 38' Crowther Trimaran, asking price of $72,000, Two 1980 38' Searunners, asking price of $75,000 each, a pro built 1981 38' Mashford, asking price of $89,000 and two 40' Searunners, 1990 and 1991, with both having an asking price of $99,000. Well...I guess I'm pretty well spoilt for choice right here in Australia
From their pictures, all the above Tri's look to be in beaut condition. Then we have that Tri in NZ that Roger put me on-to.
Yes Sir! I guess I am spoilt for choice right here in my own backyard but thanks for letting me know about Mike's yachts. BTY, did you know KISS Cats were built in the Philippines? I liked the KISS Cat and a 40' bare Cat can be bought in the Philippines for $100,000! Delivery, fit-out, rego, tax and import duty can all be carried-out/paid when the boat reaches Australia. Do a search for "the last kiss cat" and you can have a look...I really do like the way they build and set-up the motors for the Kiss Cat

Cheers,
Bill

Originally Posted by multihullsailor6

Hi Bill,

I'm sure that the price for the NZ tri, though already reduced by approx. 25%, will still be downward negotiable, she's been on the market for at least two years. I really think her interior set-up is great, maybe I should have popped over to NZ for a look at her! Would be interested to hear from you on what the customs regulations say on importing a boat from NZ into AU.

Otherwise, the beautiful city of Cape Town is my home, I live here. Planning to go long-term sailing though starting in May 2010. So it's not too many Castles that's holding me back, just my drawn-out divorce proceedings!

Regards

G'day Roger,

Sorry to hear of your domestic problems, been there done that...Three times in the past and I know only to well, it's no fun.

Anyway Roger, the tax on importing a boat into Oz is 5% of the cost of the vessels bill of sale, then a further 10% GST based on the price paid for the vessle, the 5% tax already paid, plus the cost of delivery to Oz!

So if the boat cost $100,000 to buy, you pay 5% on the $100,000, that makes it, $105,000. Then we have the GST, charged on $105,000, plus say delivery cost of $3,000, so you pay 10% GST on $108,000. That brings the cost up to $118,000. On top of that, if you pick-up a crew of, say three or two, you need to pay their fares out of Australia back to where they came from If the crew are NZ locals, I believe they can stay in Australia and don't need to be flown out.

So Roger, like I told Laidback, I believe I have a great choice of yachts right here in Oz...without the tax and other hassels so I'll do my best to get away, first thing in the New Year and have a look at a couple of those Tri's...We'll see how it goes mate.

Cheers Roger,

Bill

[multihullsailor6]

Bill,

Seeing that you're officially "out of the way" maybe I'll go for the NZ tri then?!

Ciao

[BillAU]

Originally Posted by multihullsailor6

Bill,

Seeing that you're officially "out of the way" maybe I'll go for the NZ tri then?!

Ciao

G'day Roger,

If you do go after that Tri in NZ and decide to buy it, please let me know what the owner accepts...doing so will give me some idea on offers I should make on a Tri I go after

Have a good Christmas and New Year mate.

Bill

[multihullsailor6]

Hi Bill,

Have you seen this Nicol trimaran: Nicol Trimaran: Sailing Trimaran for Sale | Grp Sail Boats | Boats Online | Western Australia (WA) - Fremantle Wa

Nice sail back though from WA!

Regards

[BillAU]

Originally Posted by multihullsailor6

Hi Bill,

Have you seen this Nicol trimaran: Nicol Trimaran: Sailing Trimaran for Sale | Grp Sail Boats | Boats Online | Western Australia (WA) - Fremantle Wa

Nice sail back though from WA!

Regards

G'day Roger,
Yes mate, I have seen the listing for that HN Tri, it's nice but I'm leaning more towards Tri's here on the East Coast of Australia.
I'm seriously considering one of two Searunners, I like the openess of their deck area, plus ther rep' but it looks to me like the broker has used pictures of one of the Tri's to promote both Tri's.
Searunner 1 is a 1991:
Searunner 2 is a 1990:

I'm also keeping in mind the 1981 Mashford: and the 1987 Impala looks good too: I also like the lines of the old 50' 1978 Piver: At an asking price of $25,000 it is well within my price bracket, I would have quite a bit of change to do required work and with 50' I would have space to install things I want onboard...If it was not there already
I decided to take the advice of Euro Cruiser (Jack) when he said I should forget about any 50 footer...What do you think Roger, should I dismiss all 50 footers? Remember...I'm not an experienced sailor, nor am I a millionaire but I have seen a few 50 footers plus, set-up for single handed sailing.
I did send the broker an email requesting further info on the 50' Piver but, in two weeks he has not responded, so I decided the Piver must be a real heap of crap but...I could be wrong...She has nice lines and her pictures look good

Anyway, it may be worth my while starting my viewings in my old stumping ground of Bundaberg, have a look at one of the 40' Searunners based there, then decide which way to head from Bundy to view the other Tri's on my list. It would be good if I could get to talk with the owners, so we'll see how we go.

Cheers Roger,

Bill

[Jmolan]

Bill if you get Jim Brown's "The case for the cruising trimaran" book. You will quickly understand how different and the reasons for the way the Searunner design is. If you get interested you can always hop over to the Searunner thread and ask questions also. Be careful though, these boats can change your life....:-) I believe them to be one of the best available cruising designs ever, and a screaming bargain if you get a good one already to go.

http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...ers-14322.html


There are some very experienced Searunner guys there. There is a few unique things to look for on these boats before you consider buying them. And it may be you would know more than a surveyor if you had them in mind....:-)

[Laidback]

Hello Bill,
Never owned a Sea Runner - but have sailed thousands of miles in 2 two different ones. The first cutter rigged and the second Ketch rigged.
The second was owned by a friend of some thirty years - His first Sea Runner , built in California sailed to the South Pacific and during a cyclone was lost on a reef.
Not daunted, he had another built and sailed it to Australia then to South East Asia,
Where I spent many years as crew learning the multihull ropes. It was a fantastic boat to cruise on, the amount of deck space not bettered by many boats over 50 >> 60 ft . The awning system he had rigged meant you could enjoy shade and breeze in most areas of the boat. WE entered many races and did much better than any one else had hoped for. The amount of storage in the Amas (outriggers) is extraordinary - the amount of Casal Garcia wine it could carry from Macao and the duty free beer from Langkawi - Malaysia, not to mention San Miguel beer from the Philippines, which would obviate the need for crew to weight the windward ama.
We used to beach Allegra wherever there was a need, be it for a simple barbie or a hull scrub. She was easy to sail and would move easily on her small diesel engine.

The above experience infected my inner being and I became a Multihuller after many years as a Monohull owner.

[Euro Cruiser]

This has been an interesting thread to read so far. Thanks, everyone.

Bill, while I see excellent posts on the benefits of and experience with cruising a Tri, I keep wondering if you are zeroing in sufficiently on what YOU plan to be doing with your boat. Your cruising aspirations seem to be limited and regional, living aboard comfortably sounds like your primary criterion, guest accommodations are also a consideration, and you need the boat to be fairly 'practical' relative to the real world: e.g. relatively easily hauled and berthed at a variety of locations where you happen to find yourself, and having a boat that accommodates the weight that liveaboards often collect. For all its virtues, I keep wondering if a Tri is the optimum choice for your particular mix of requirements.

Here's a suggestion for you that I haven't seen earlier and I think is highly relevant to your search...but isn't tightly focused on which boat is for sale where. In addition to all the Web digging, I'd encourage you to find a few fellows who roughly approximate your own expected circumstances, who are and have been living aboard for a spell, and ask them to talk you through how they came to choose the type/style boat they did. These folks should be easy to find if you walk the docks of a few marinas; there always seem to be a few gents around, doing what you plan, and they are generally an approachable lot. You can seek a mix of Tri and Mono liveaboards and ask them to flesh out how they view the pro's and con's of their choices (and their thoughts of the other options, too). And you can invite them to challenge your own assumptions and preferences; after all, no harm in that.

I don't mean to rain on your parade...but do hope you end up pleased with your decision in Year 2, Year 3 etc.

Here's to a great 2010 and a successful search, Bill.

Jack

[BillAU]

Originally Posted by Euro Cruiser

This has been an interesting thread to read so far. Thanks, everyone.

Bill, while I see excellent posts on the benefits of and experience with cruising a Tri, I keep wondering if you are zeroing in sufficiently on what YOU plan to be doing with your boat. Your cruising aspirations seem to be limited and regional, living aboard comfortably sounds like your primary criterion, guest accommodations are also a consideration, and you need the boat to be fairly 'practical' relative to the real world: e.g. relatively easily hauled and berthed at a variety of locations where you happen to find yourself, and having a boat that accommodates the weight that liveaboards often collect. For all its virtues, I keep wondering if a Tri is the optimum choice for your particular mix of requirements.

Here's a suggestion for you that I haven't seen earlier and I think is highly relevant to your search...but isn't tightly focused on which boat is for sale where. In addition to all the Web digging, I'd encourage you to find a few fellows who roughly approximate your own expected circumstances, who are and have been living aboard for a spell, and ask them to talk you through how they came to choose the type/style boat they did. These folks should be easy to find if you walk the docks of a few marinas; there always seem to be a few gents around, doing what you plan, and they are generally an approachable lot. You can seek a mix of Tri and Mono liveaboards and ask them to flesh out how they view the pro's and con's of their choices (and their thoughts of the other options, too). And you can invite them to challenge your own assumptions and preferences; after all, no harm in that.

I don't mean to rain on your parade...but do hope you end up pleased with your decision in Year 2, Year 3 etc.

Here's to a great 2010 and a successful search, Bill.

Jack

G'day Jack,

Tri's are few and far between in ports here in Victoria, and most, if not all, people owning a vessel, motor or sailing, “live” in a house on-land, they use their boat for fishing, sailing, fun, racing or as a status symbol. I have been around the yacht clubs seeking just what you suggest but finding “anyone” who lives aboard a vessel...Any vessel, is like finding teeth in a chicken!
Even in ports around the world, apart from ports in Greece and the Med', I seldom met many people living aboard their yachts. While I lived in Durban, there were, every other week, people (yachts) coming and going but, there was only myself and two other bods who “lived” aboard a yacht. Peter, a Danish sea tramp, was one of the three, he had no money and no motor in his old timber mono yacht, he had sold the motor to raise some cash. After four weeks or so, he was towed out of the Durban yacht harbour on orders from the harbour master and told to get lost and not come back!
I often wonder what became of Pete I pray he made it to a safe port.

I post my questions here for the reason you give. i.e. Get advice from live-aboard-people who can advise me, true, this thread dose not cover Motor Vessels, Mono Sail Boats or Cats. Perhaps I should have started this thread in another section of the site but I do like Tri's

Hope you and everyone else have a great and peaceful 2010

Bill

[BillAU]

Originally Posted by Jmolan

Bill if you get Jim Brown's "The case for the cruising trimaran" book. You will quickly understand how different and the reasons for the way the Searunner design is. If you get interested you can always hop over to the Searunner thread and ask questions also. Be careful though, these boats can change your life....:-) I believe them to be one of the best available cruising designs ever, and a screaming bargain if you get a good one already to go.

http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...ers-14322.html


There are some very experienced Searunner guys there. There is a few unique things to look for on these boats before you consider buying them. And it may be you would know more than a surveyor if you had them in mind....:-)

G'day Jack,

Thanks for the pointer, I have read a fair bit on that thread but not all of it but I'll get back to it
So you were/are a Bearing Sea fisherman Jack...That changes my views of you, after looking over "some" of your pictures I thought you were a little rich boy or...You had won the lottery After reading you were/are a Bearing Sea fisherman! I 'know" you have "earned" everything you have! You bloody well deserve what you have Jack and you must have a "stout as Oak" heart mate. Fishing the Bearing Sea, summer AND winter is not for the faint hearted. I've never done it but I think it would be like fishing the North Sea!
You be extra careful out there Jack...Better still, give it away and settle down in your home in Mexico, go sailing every day in your Tri and relaxxxxxxx mate, you have earned it

Have a great relaxed and peaceful 2010
Bill

[BillAU]

Originally Posted by Laidback

Hello Bill,
Never owned a Sea Runner - but have sailed thousands of miles in 2 two different ones. The first cutter rigged and the second Ketch rigged.
The second was owned by a friend of some thirty years - His first Sea Runner , built in California sailed to the South Pacific and during a cyclone was lost on a reef.
Not daunted, he had another built and sailed it to Australia then to South East Asia,
Where I spent many years as crew learning the multihull ropes. It was a fantastic boat to cruise on, the amount of deck space not bettered by many boats over 50 >> 60 ft . The awning system he had rigged meant you could enjoy shade and breeze in most areas of the boat. WE entered many races and did much better than any one else had hoped for. The amount of storage in the Amas (outriggers) is extraordinary - the amount of Casal Garcia wine it could carry from Macao and the duty free beer from Langkawi - Malaysia, not to mention San Miguel beer from the Philippines, which would obviate the need for crew to weight the windward ama.
We used to beach Allegra wherever there was a need, be it for a simple barbie or a hull scrub. She was easy to sail and would move easily on her small diesel engine.

The above experience infected my inner being and I became a Multihuller after many years as a Monohull owner.

G'day Laidback,

I believe you mate, just about everything I have read on Sea Runners have been positive. I read somewhere of a bod who owned a Sea Runner for years, he sold it and bought a Cat, something to do with his wife anyway...After a couple of months sailing the Cat, he sold it and bought another Sea Runner!
I did not know a Sea Runner could be set level on the sand, I thought they would lie well over, port or stb, when the tide went out.

From my earlier post you can see there are a few Tri's here in Oz I'm interested in, two of those Tri's are Sea Runners, 40'ers. If I do get one of those 40' Sea Runners, there would be enough room aboard for little old me and my fishing/crabing gear, plus a guest or three, when I feel like it, plus the gear I would like to have aboard for "my" comfort.

Cheers Laidback and have a great peaceful 2010
Bill

[dialdan]

Hi Bill,
If you would like more info re the 78 Piver ring Paul Aubin at Cairns Bed And Boat 0418 772 751.Paul owned it and refurbished it back in 92 He may even still be the owner
cheers
Al

[BillAU]

Originally Posted by dialdan

Hi Bill,
If you would like more info re the 78 Piver ring Paul Aubin at Cairns Bed And Boat 0418 772 751.Paul owned it and refurbished it back in 92 He may even still be the owner
cheers
Al

Thanks for that contact info' Al, if I decide to have an up-close look at that old Piver, I'll call Paul but after reading Euro Cruiser (Jack) post on my "thinking" of buying a 50' anything, see below:

Quote:
Bill, a pensioner with a 'beer & pie' budget doesn't want to own a 50 footer.
And tho' I forgot to mentioned it above, your decision to put a dedicated shower on the 'short list' of your selection criteria is IMO spot-on. Aside from a generally comfortable (for living on) and functional (for sailing) boat, a dedicated shower - not stuffed full of things not stowed elsewhere - makes marinas redundant and life aboard civilized. Dennis on MAYA (38' mono cutter) recently turned his hanging locker into a shower stall, with a nice comfy seat, light & ventilation from an opening port, for just this reason. It's easier to provide for a shower stall than it is to keep it empty...but it's a wonderful feature for life aboard.
Jack
End Quote:

So I'm thinking I should be very careful, Jack said a few things in a later post that got me thinking...again:

Quote:
Bill, while I see excellent posts on the benefits of and experience with cruising a Tri, I keep wondering if you are zeroing in sufficiently on what YOU plan to be doing with your boat. Your cruising aspirations seem to be limited and regional, living aboard comfortably sounds like your primary criterion, guest accommodations are also a consideration, and you need the boat to be fairly 'practical' relative to the real world: e.g. relatively easily hauled and berthed at a variety of locations where you happen to find yourself, and having a boat that accommodates the weight that liveaboards often collect. For all its virtues, I keep wondering if a Tri is the optimum choice for your particular mix of requirements.
End Quote:

I later found a great site belonging to Sue and Philip, it's all about life afloat on their beautifully converted King Island Cray boat, MV Lifeline. The site is full of helpful information on living and cruising the East Coast of Oz and up around Asia aboard a motor vessel, Philip goes into things I had not even considered! With my background in marine engineering and what I would like to have aboard my floating home, I will definitely be checking on pure motor vessels.

Cheers mates and thanks for all your advice, it is much appreciated.

Bill

[SailFastTri]

Originally Posted by BillAU

Snip
With my background in marine engineering and what I would like to have aboard my floating home, I will definitely be checking on pure motor vessels.

Cheers mates and thanks for all your advice, it is much appreciated.

Bill

Wise thinking. If you want the best sailing, choose a tri. Nothing sails better than a tri. If you want to live aboard it's all about marinas and anchorages, tankage and "systems" to maintain human comfort. Monohulls will give the most value.