How Big ( or Small ) Was Your First Liveaboard Boat ?

[Kettlewell]

My wife and I first lived aboard a 26-foot Seafarer sloop, which was pretty tight, so we moved up to a much more roomy 28-foot Samurai Sloop, which we lived aboard for several years in Rhode Island, summer and winter. We then wanted to go south so we switched to a 30-foot flush deck Angus Primrose cutter that was super seaworthy and a great sailor, but didn't have standing headroom. Still, I look back on that boat very fondly as we had some amazing trips on her. Our first sail ever was in half a gale bringing her east in Long Island Sound and we made 85 miles over the ground in 10 hours with the knot log often pegged at 10, under triple-reefed main and storm staysail. We then rounded Pt. Judith and had to beat into 40-45 knots over the deck to get up into Narragansett Bay. I think smaller boats are often sailed harder and more. We then moved up to a 37-footer, then a 32-foot cat, and now a 38-foot motorsailor.

There is a big difference between a "liveaboard boat" and a voyaging or cruising boat. If you mainly want to live aboard at a dock somewhere, get something bigger and don't worry as much about seaworthiness or how she sails. If you plan on going places, there are many other factors to consider.

[jSnyder]

My first liveaboard was 26 ft it had plenty of space for me. I lived in it in milwaukee summer and winter then bought a 28 ft which actually had a little less space inside, but is much more structurally sound, stable and drier. I currently live in my 28ft with my German Shepard.

[harold67wm]

My 1965 66ft Chris Craft, bought it partly because it is the same age as I am, and the room it has is real nice...

[sailorchic34]

My first liveaboard / cruising boat was my then partners Tayana 37. Lovely boat great 3 years, lived on full time and took many a trip to the keys and just around SW florida.

Now, have my own little Islander 34 for the last 5 years. Like me its a mature vessel, sturdy with a few winkles here and there. But its mine and I love it so.

[Ballenxj]

Originally Posted by sailorchic34

Now, have my own little Islander 34 for the last 5 years. Like me its a mature vessel, sturdy with a few winkles here and there. But its mine and I love it so.

Hahaha, I like your train of thought.
-Bruce

[resilientg]

Well contrary to most I'm going the down in size.

First boat i lived on was 63 foot, second was 54 foot, third was 38 foot but the one that i intend to live on now (and have lived on already) is 28 foot.

This one a bit different to most though as i am building and custom fitting her for my needs so even though she is not the largest she has a lot of room and all of its used in a sensible way.

And best of all is that i plan to stay on this boat for a long time with offshore hops to the remotest of locations of up to three months at a time

ohh and i share it with a furry crew

Matthew

[sv Shearwater]

Our first liveaboard with a Sonoma 30 (like an Olson 30 or Express 27). No standing headroom, no water tanks, a coleman stove, and an ice chest. It was a blast! One my favorite memories was our first cruise together in the Gulf Islands. The boat was so simple and so fast...

Our second liveaboard was 35', but then we quickly realized it wasn't the boat we wanted to extended cruising so we bought a Valiant 32 and lived on that for 3 years. It was perfect for us as far a living aboard, I just wished it was faster, so now we have that faster boat. Not living aboard this one just yet. We have two sweetheart dogs now and I don't work close to the water. Soon though, soon.

[ranger58sb]

Our current boat is a 42, power with flying bridge... and it's too small for the two of us to consider living aboard. Not enough elbow room after a month or two, but that's really all in our mind.

That said, The Admiral's grand piano and various sewing machines has something to do with it, too...

As well as stuff for my own hobbies.

-Chris

[rover88]

After exhaustive research we decided 30-35 feet was optimal for a couple who wanted easy handling and enough space for comfort. 30' was a bit cramped but 34' seemed perfect. Everything is just big enough (barely) including storage.

What drove is to this size range was that we wanted something we could easily go from dock to sailing without excessive preparations, the cost of maintaining a larger boat, the ease of single handing as well as docking and anchoring, the simplicity of systems and of course ease of routine maintenance.

A real estate agent would refer to a corresponding sized house as "cozy". 34' is a bit challenging when we have guests, but for us as a couple it seems the perfect size.

Don't overlook the size of the cockpit, for that is where you spend a great deal of your time. Also, storage and tankage capacity are always considerations.

I once heard that we sailors are like goldfish and will grow to the size of our bowl. I do believe that if we had 44' we'd end up with the same actual living space by filling up the remainder with junk.

[terrylad]

Originally Posted by CaptForce

We bought our first live aboard in 1971,- a 30' sloop with headroom 5" short of my height. In '73 we bought a 33' Morgan OI, but by '85, with children 7 & 9 we needed more space. Since '85 we've been aboard our 41' Morgan and with our children now away, we have room for guests.

Wow. I lived aboard a 33' Morgan in Boston for 7 years at the Constitution Marina. Loved it! Upgraded to a 41' Morgan ketch in '98, lived aboard and solo'd her south twice to the Keys and the Bahamas. What a great girl she was. I could take her anywhere...Went back to the corporate world in 2004 and sold her to another more crazy dreamer....

[Yofy]

A Catalina 27. It was what we could aford and we lived aboard her for 9 years. Eight of those years, we lived aboard year round in Cananda with winters to -20C and one year we crusied her south to the Bahamas and back.

Now we live on a Fortune 30.
Manny

[hooligan6a]

My first live aboard was an Islander 24. I paid $2000 for her and sailed her to Hawaii, lived aboard for 4 years in Honolulu.

[mub]

Some one said that you expand to fill the space and I think that is so that is right.
I didn't pick my boat on length. I made a list of the features I wanted and then shortlisted the boats that had what I wanted.

For me a shower figured really highly.

Do I ended up with a Pearson365. She has been totally great. And sometimes I look for something a bit bigger.. but I haven't yet.

Brian

[rrranch]

My first was the aircraft carrier midway. First one we owned an now live on though is just 29 feet. A ramger 29 sailboat. Its perfect for my wife and me.

[hooligan6a]

When I was in Honolulu, there was a guy that lived on a
Cal 20 with his girlfriend. God bless them.