Go Small - Go Now

[jbthehut]

My wife and I deep into the search for our live aboard, we have been looking in the 45ft range. recently we have looked at a few boats in the 38ft range, for all the reasons most of you have posted who favor a smaller vessel. So far what I have run into is the layouts do not afford a berth large enough for the 2 of us to sleep together, may seem like a small thing on the surface but neither of us are willing to live like ricky and Lucy just yet.

[Zoomie]

I'm refitting a Cal 25 for my first LA and coastal cruiser. I also hike a lot, spend weeks out on the trail so I'm already a minimalist. I'm 45 so I can sell and move up when I retire. People tell me I'm crazy, but it's been done before, and with this make and model.

[Liberty28]

Originally Posted by Zoomie

I'm 45 so I can sell and move up when I retire.

Hey, Zoomie,

Hopefully that retirement and a bigger boat are only a couple years away!!!!

[Zoomie]

Well that's the thing... I own a 900 sf house because it fits me. Anything bigger needs more maintenance, more cleaning, more time than I have to share. I'm not lazy, just practical. I have a house in Baltimore, a sailboat on the Chesapeake, a sailboat on the Potomac, an Airstream in Appalachia and a GF in Naples, FL. I'm spread thin enough without a 44 footer that I can't singlehand.

[highseas]

A good ocean cruising boat needs a bit of weight ,as a light boat makes motion unbearable.15 to 20 thousand pounds is ideal as it is still singhandable,but a more gentle motion.38 ft.is a good compromise between large and small boats.I can solo my boat with no trouble.Under the hard Bimini in cockpit I hang my shower curtain,run the wand up from under galley sink,hot shower anywhere!,and no moisture in boat.

[Volksdraggin]

I just traded up my 1968 30' Westerly for a 1974 28 Irwin Sloop. Little smaller but better prepared so I can go sooner.

I attend to leave at the end of the week for my new life!

[imagine2frolic]

VOLKS,

You are leaving from where to where?

[Liberty28]

Hey Volksdraggin (cute name!)

We're a couple months away from getting onboard our little 28-foot Liberty cutter for and extended stay in the Keys. Little boats are an absolute blast. Cost very little for care and feeding and they're a snap to manuever in little marinas.

Enjoy yourself and good luck to ya!!!

[Volksdraggin]

I am leaving from Kemah Texas and possibly heading 130 miles south to Rock Port to get the boat pulled and clean the bottom off and possibly paint it, then decide if I want to head down towards Costa Rica/Panama or work my way through the ICW to Florida and the keys/Bahamas.

Haven't really picked a place to end up, just know I wanna get sailing. Anybody near me going someplace snazzy?

[RickD]

Hi all, my wife and I are searching for the "right boat" - and haven't found it yet. We're not ready to sail, need to LEARN first, so we're hoping to get the chance over the next year to both learn and be on different sized boats.

Initially we estimated that we would want something in the 42-50 foot range for several reasons. We've been re-evaluating that lately and decided we can most likely go with a boat that will be around 28-32 or so feet instead especially for what we're planning on doing the next few years.

Also, given a lot of the discussion here in this thread, it appears we're "thinking along the right lines" with most folks here.

Our main issues are obviously seaworthiness and condition (we're planning on buying a used boat), the galley... it has to be a good one, since she's an awesome cook and I want her to have all the right tools for her use. The next thing is sleeping area - has to be big enough for us both. The last thing is electronics, gps, radio systems (I can handle anything in the radio area since that's my real life job for the last 35 years or so) and mechanical condition of the engine. None of that is in any particular order of course but just some things we're considering right off.

As we learn more, we will probably add more to the list.

But we discussed in great detail buying a boat here in Colorado (there were several in the 28-32 foot range) that have never left the lakes and using it here (for learning) then either transporting it, or trading it out later to someone who wants a boat here, or selling it outright and "starting over" on the coast.

Our INTENTION as of now is to spend summers outside if hurricane regions (perhaps traveling up to the Great Lakes where we're originally from) and then back south to the Gulf and Caribbean during the rest of the year.

We're not sure where (I saw this discussion in another thread) where we will "register the boat" or whatever we need to do yet though. Or really where we will call "home port" just yet.

Does this sound "ok" to everyone so far?

Rick

[Liberty28]

RickD

Our boat is 26 years old and spent it's entire life in Lake Michigan. We bought the boat in Racine, Wisconsin and moved it up to Chippewa Falls on my father-in-law's farm for a complete refit. She'll be ready to be shipped to Florida in December. Her documentation transfer is pending. We're going to change her documented hailing port to Key Largo, Florida where we lived for the past five-years.

It sounds like you have a plan going. If you don't plan on transporting a freshwater boat to salt then I wouldn't put much money into it since you'll get virtually nothing back on your investment at the time of resale. We specifically bought a freshwater boat just because it had avoided the ravages of salt and sun and spent at least half of it's life laid up on land during the winter. The trick is to find an ocean-going vessel in a freshwater environment. Most people have relatively lightly-built boats for smaller bodies of water that aren't really set up for saltwater cruising. On the other hand, the Great Lakes are inland seas that require strongly built boats if they are to survive in those environs.

I'm sure with the input from others that you'll make the right decision and find the boat that meets your needs. Good-luck!

Steve

[RickD]

Originally Posted by Liberty28

RickD

The trick is to find an ocean-going vessel in a freshwater environment. Most people have relatively lightly-built boats for smaller bodies of water that aren't really set up for saltwater cruising. On the other hand, the Great Lakes are inland seas that require strongly built boats if they are to survive in those environs.

Steve

One of places we're looking is around the Great Lakes too. We're originally from that region of the world and might have a few contacts. We'd likely want something here to "practice" on until we're really ready to hit the ocean. I'm expecting some "training" when we go to the ocean anyway along the lines of navigation and so forth once we're comfortable on a boat.

[Volksdraggin]

Well the guy who I had planned to trade boats with backed out last night so I am going to take my ill equipped boat and make due with it. It needs completely painted, inside and out, needs new lines, bottom job and has no compass, depth finder, or functioning motor (needs funky water exhaust housing) sails, flags, GPS. At least she floats and her sails are in great shape! Maybe I will keep her ugly so no pirate would ever wanna rob someone with such a lousy looking boat.

[s/v Beth]

Volks, did you ever get your boat in shape? What type is it and what type engine? I hear you can get a pretty reasonable bottom job in Kemah for not much $$.

[mufasa]

I am new here but I enjoy reading your posts. I have a 19' hunter which I learned to sail on. I have just bought a 26' Chrysler. We are going completely through her at this time. winter in Iowa. With some luck we may be able to go to the great lakes this year with the bigger boat. I don't know if I will want to do any blue water sailing or not. If I enjoy the what the great lakes has to show me then I will want to go father. My point is we can sail now with a smaller boat and although 26' is not a big boat I think it will be big enough for us. Sailing in Iowa for now.