Looking for a cruiser with headroom

[Simi 60]

Only place that hasn't got 7 ft headroom on ours is the engine room at 6ft.
Bed is a full sized, household king
Heaps of storage, heaps of space
More comfortable than most small apartments.
For us she's close to being the perfect liveaboard/cruiser
Had to go 60ft and a powered vessel to get it but she was more affordable than any sail vessel with similar attributes

[Winf]

Hiya

At 6'5" I can give you my take.

I won't comment on suitable designs as I can only draw on our first and only boat so far which is 36'.

Headroom was a big issue for me (I thought) when we were looking to buy and very few boats if any we looked at that we could afford had it. I had an attitude of "it's full headroom or its nothing." I kind of gave up focus on that because of lack of availability.

I don't get full headroom throughout ours but I mostly have it down the centreline when below.

We are a centre cockpit sloop with a solid "dodger" (not sure if that is correct nautical term but it is covered and enclosed on 3 sides) and to be honest I now consider that and full headroom when lying in the main bunk to be a higher priority than full standing headroom.

We add a canvas cover to the dodger so the cockpit area is fully covered and the area has such good shelter from the weather we spend a lot of our time there, both day and night. The canvas comes down when sailing but the dodger on its own keeps the wind out and any spray. The helm position isn't covered but the majority of time when under way we are on auto or wind vane and can tuck up in the front of the cockpit under full cover.

We are coastal cruisers only and are in warm climates so that may change for other situations. When cruising we generally day sail and anchor at night but have done up to 4 day passages. We share galley duties - I don't get full headroom when in the galley but it's close. We use the bbq outside a lot for meals.

In the head/shower, we sit for both showering and toilet.

When kicking back in the salon reading or whatever, again sitting for the majority of time.

I wouldn't want to be really hunched over but my head touching the ceiling or having to bend here and there hasn't been a biggie for me.

I am now much more aware of where we spend actual time when aboard and I suspect if I could work out a percentage, most of it would be sitting or laying down. If ever we buy another, the comfort of those spaces would be higher up my list of priorities than standing headroom.

We kind of knew our boat was ours when we first checked it out - and strangely it was not at all like what I had in my mind as to what I thought I wanted.

Admittedly, my admiral is a shorty so can appreciate the opposite consideration on your part.

Enjoy the journey.

Winf

[Brewgyver]

Originally Posted by Windwalker44

Hi Kent, Headroom was a major consideration for our 6 foot plus family when we were searching the East coast 10 years ago. We looked at a bunch of used boats available and fell in love with our Gulfstar 44 which has everything we could ask for in a comfortable cruising boat. No regrets.

Yes, we've oohhed and aahhed over a few Gulfstart on Yachtworld, but I've never seen any of the bigger ones on the West Coast.

[bayhopper]

Our 2004 Jeanneau SO 49 has ample headroom throughout. I am 6'2"" and while I need to bend a bit at the neck at the doorways, I can stand fully in both the forward and aft cabins and heads. The salon/galley area is even roomier.

[daletournier]

Catalina 470, 2.2m headroom.

[jrbogie]

Hunter passage 42.

[Jaiojuan]

Bavaria 42 cruiser has 2 meters of headroom throughout the boat. Not very popular boats in the U.S. though.