Liveaboard questions. Wife is onboard :)

[Autumns Wind]

For us the choice of a 27' was $3000 cheap, owned by Knighton Sailmakers equipped with new race sails and rigging. My wife and I are very short people. We converted the inside with an aft double berth and my 2 kids sleep in the vee. We added 34gals of water, full working galley and generator. We have lived aboard for 8 months and have traved about 1500 miles south and north of our Marina. We decided to try it with out any large out of pocket expense. We are currently looking at a 33' though. (we love the cruising life and cant wait to set sail to the carib. My only advise is get an inboard motor.

[Teamstone]

Originally Posted by savoir

35 footer + 2 kids + 2 adults + rainy day =


Attachment 62005

OMG, that is priceless! Can you imagine a rainy week!

[JK n Smitty]

We went through much of the same decisions. We don't have kids but looked at various boats from 30 to 42 in mono and multi hulls. If money was not a object, we would go for a larger catamaran (Antares 44 would be the dream boat). But everything costs more (i.e. purchase, maintenance, storage, etc.).

We ended up with a Catalina (C310). Its hard to beat them for the value. Our C310 is a smaller version of the C350. It has many of the same features but only one cabin. It sounds like you are OK with your two boys sharing a cabin. If that's the case, I think the C350, C380 and C400 would make a good choice. By the way, the C380 and C400 are not coastal cruisers; they are Water boats">blue water boats.

As to your question about the cockpits, as a live aboard you spend alot of time in the cockpit. And if you set yourself up right, that would be year round even in cold climates. The first key addition would be a cockpit enclosure built off of the bimini and dodger. That will allow you to use the cockpit in the heat of the sun, the rain and when the bugs are out. For the winter the key would be the clear shrink wrap. That will act like a greenhouse and it will be comfortable in the cockpit on a cold, sunny winter day. We have had as many as 10 people hanging out in our cockpit. I wouldn't go sailing like that but on the hook or in a marina it's fine.

To the timing, I would say do it now. We mortgage our boat like a house and the interest is tax deductible. We have a less than 4% interest rate. That brings the payment pretty low. Even when you combine that with the marina cost, it will likely be cheaper than your apartment. It will certainly be cheaper than an apartment plus a boat payment.

Good luck and fair winds,

Jesse

[Hudson Force]

We started in our early twenties on a narrow beam 30' and with two children added to the mix, we moved to a beamy 33'. As our children grew, we moved to our current 41' and we've kept this boat with the children now off on their own. We could have done well with less space, but we've always enjoyed what we've had. Being able to adapt to your space is a feature of success for liveaboards. I have friends in 3,000 sq.ft. houses that can not adapt their families to a rainy day! Expect to be exposed to conditions that will foster good communication and close cooperation among your family. When we were first planning to spend our lives aboard a small boat we had no idea of the benefit we would reap from living together in a small space.

[boatman61]

The size of boat you need correlates with the amount off 'Land' you want to take with you..

[Autumns Wind]

Originally Posted by CaptForce

We started in our early twenties on a narrow beam 30' and with two children added to the mix, we moved to a beamy 33'. As our children grew, we moved to our current 41' and we've kept this boat with the children now off on their own.

Thanks for the inspiration... We have that same game plan. We are hoping to move into our 33 Morgan
in late August and retire in a very well equiped Cat.

[Bash]

Originally Posted by CaptForce

Being able to adapt to your space is a feature of success for liveaboards.

Being able to adapt to your space is about 90% of the success formula. The other 10% is being able to adapt the space you have to fit your needs. I don't need a whole lotta space as long as the space I have is well lit, well ventilated, properly heated, et cetera. A good sound system helps, as well.

[Hudson Force]

Originally Posted by Autumns Wind

........... We are hoping to move into our 33 Morgan................

The beamy 33' I spoke of was a '73 Morgan.

Here's a photo from 1974:

[boatsail]

Originally Posted by Autumns Wind

For us the choice of a 27' was $3000 cheap, owned by Knighton Sailmakers equipped with new race sails and rigging. My wife and I are very short people. We converted the inside with an aft double berth and my 2 kids sleep in the vee. We added 34gals of water, full working galley and generator. We have lived aboard for 8 months and have traved about 1500 miles south and north of our Marina. We decided to try it with out any large out of pocket expense. We are currently looking at a 33' though. (we love the cruising life and cant wait to set sail to the carib. My only advise is get an inboard motor.

Why the inboard motor? You would loose that rear berth that you and your wife use if you had one.

Plus on a small boat, you (you meaning my wife) can always smell the motor and complain about it because no matter how much someone says it does not smell like an engine, my wife can smell it.

[David_Old_Jersey]

Originally Posted by savoir

35 footer + 2 kids + 2 adults + rainy day =


Attachment 62005

Depending on family and length of rainy period 70 foot of cat may not be enough........

.....IMO size of boat needed for these reasons as much about the people involved as it is the boat.

[witzgall]

Just an observation - You may find that getting the 100k financing for a boat you are going to take abroad is hard to secure. Not to mention the fact that you will have a Mortgage!! The definition of Mortgage is "Death Pledge".

Chris

[Rakuflames]

Originally Posted by boatsail

Why the inboard motor? You would loose that rear berth that you and your wife use if you had one.

Plus on a small boat, you (you meaning my wife) can always smell the motor and complain about it because no matter how much someone says it does not smell like an engine, my wife can smell it.

I would agree with your wife. I use the aft "berth" for storage, and everything is in plastic bins.

[Hudson Force]

I think the choice for the inboard is wise for those that hope to have a more dependable use of an engine in those choppy conditions of breaking inlets where an outboard would not keep it's prop in the water. Diesels only smell if the fuel and exhaust is not properly contained without leaks. I only have a diesel smell when I open something up for work,- changing filter elements,etc. Also, I run an engine room exhaust blower while running (mainly to keep temperature down for my refrig/freezer compresser). On the other hand, there's no question that taking the engine out of the interior space opens up more room for "living" space. It's going to come down to the choice and compromise related to how you use your boat. My engine is one of my most important safety features in harsh weather or at inlets or big current threats, so my choice is the reliable inboard diesel.

[Mike1969]

Check out this one: Delphia 33

Great sailor and lots of living space for the size.

[Autumns Wind]

Originally Posted by boatsail

Why the inboard motor? You would loose that rear berth that you and your wife use if you had one.

I disagree with the loss of rear berth. We have looked at 4 different boats with double quarter aft berts and a inboard. The outboard is bad IMO because of prop wash in high seas and breaking waves. (Two) in a following sea you have a 50/50 shot of the outboard being submersed. Plus when your coming into an inlet in a confused sea an outboard does not handle as well and you loose steerage which can become disastrous if you run a ground. I left power boating to SAIL, my motor is inlet and emergency use only... I am not worried about the smell I dont plan on motoring that long.