Minimalist Live Aboard Brainstorming

[Hudson Force]

Consider that the trip to the Virgin Islands from Florida is much more taxing than the trip back to Florida. You might want to look at boats that are available in the Virgins or in the Lesser Antilles. There can be some good buys there and a much more casual cruise.

[Wookiee_King]

I plan on spending several months fixing/customizing the boat to my specific needs. I've been restoring and customizing vintage Porsches and VWs for the last few years so I believe I'm up to the task. 2 boats that really give me a chubby are the Dana 24 and the westerly centaur. Surely their are some similar boats that were mass produced that I could pick up on the cheap. I've missed 2 centaurs that were in decent shape, each sold for under $3000. I've got a 68 vw camper bus with a brand new engine I'd love to trade for a boat, just thought I'd throw that out there.

[laika]

Originally Posted by Wookiee_King

Bingo!! That's my style right there. I'm a glutton for punishment from mother nature. I've done a couple 400 Mike thru hikes and learned this lil saying. "Embrace the suffering" I have no delusions of being able to stand inside whatever boat I get. No shower, I'll invest in a decent bucket. I would like some input on the poop issue. I've read a lot of people just use a bucket for that as well, inserting a plastic bag when necessary. Is this acceptable?

From a like-minded young guy who lived out of his car for 6mo because it was fun, don't conflate minimalism with masochism Why make suffering for the sake of suffering a part of your criteria in choosing a boat? I've been able to find plenty of that so far without having to look very hard for it

As for the poop, look at composting heads..basically two buckets that separate the liquids and solids. A lot simpler than a standard marine toilet and w/o the stink.

[DumnMad]

Originally Posted by sailorchic34

Rather then a bucket for a shower, get a 2 gallon garden sprayer and paint it grey or black. About $10 at the big box stores and makes a great solar shower.

While a bucket will work for a head, A cheap marine head is not too pricy and a bit less smelly. Plus no danger of tipping the bucket over in rough seas or in the middle of the night.

I think from a new minmalist standpoint, having solar panels and a battery or three will be cheaper overall. Once set up, there is no lamp oil to buy, no ice to buy. I use a cheap $140 120V dorm fridge run off a $50 inverter. Been working 7+ years with no problems and no lugging ICE. Three group 27 batteries, 200W of solar and a $20 PWM charge controller and you're happy as a clam.

Rather then mess with a sextant, get a cheap tablet with built in GPS. Multi functional,Surf, email, skype and chartplotter all in one. If GPS goes down, not likely, you can get latitude with a protractor and stick without mucking about with a book of reduction tables.

The difference between a VW bus and a sailboat, is the sailboat is rocking at anchor all the time. Having adequate head room to stand up and move about while the winds are blowing 30-40 knots, is far and away better for you overall.

Wookie, Sailerchic is THE expert on minimalism. Only problem she is a top mechanic and has no fear of mechanical breakdowns.(not natural)
One option is to get a very cheap boat with dud engine, chuck it, get electric motor and double SC's recommendations for solar. Also get a large sculling oar. When its windy you sail, when its not its the electric motor or sculling.
No motor, no petrol, no diesel. boatalexandra crossed the pacific like this.

[Hudson Force]

Originally Posted by DumnMad

........................
When its windy you sail, when its not its the electric motor or sculling.
No motor, no petrol, no diesel. boatalexandra crossed the pacific like this.

Caution,-wait,-caution,- Let's take an actual reality check here. If you are making way with the aid of trade winds and current, then just taking a nap between sculling and sailing or using an electric motor leaves you with still,- "passage made good". This is in no way related to heading east against the prevailing winds averaging at 20 knots in places like the Mona Passage. There are locations where sculling or weak passive power will keep you in reverse!

[Cheechako]

Originally Posted by Wookiee_King

Thanks for all the responses guys, let's keep them coming! I'll try and answer some of the questions you guys have asked. As far as budget, the whole point is to do this as cheap as possible. Someone asked for my dimensions, I'm a huge farm boy. 6'6 250. That being said comfort is an extremely low concern on this adventure. As long as I can lay down I'm happy, be it down below or up on deck. Surely rum will allow me to sleep wherever I lay my head. I would like the shallow draft so I can go into the crazy beautiful anchorages that ask the latter boats can only dream of.

A few cheapies with good reputations in Fl or SE:

Asking $5k , 6-0+ headroom: http://www.yachtworld.com/boats/1974/Bayfield-25--2447880/Oriental/NC/United-States#.VBy7-pVOVMs
Asking $6.9k http://www.yachtworld.com/boats/1978/Watkins-Sailboat-2717982/Long-Boat-Key/FL/United-States#.VBy8b5VOVMs
Asking $6.9k6-4 headroom: http://www.yachtworld.com/boats/1973/Grampian-30-2351711/Washington/NC/United-States#.VBy86JVOVMs

[barnakiel]

Originally Posted by onestepcsy37

Albin Vega is a good seaworthy boat that has made many ocean voyages and has considerably more room than your VW van (...)

You must have had the extended version then. All the ones I have seen were way smaller inside than a VW van.

b.

[barnakiel]

Originally Posted by DumnMad

(...)

No motor, no petrol, no diesel. boatalexandra crossed the pacific like this.

Glad you did not mention that Magellhanes punk.

;-)
b.

[nimblemotors]

Originally Posted by weavis

Can you give a Price range?

I can imagine he'll be able to afford whatever the van sells for, a few thousand..

First off let me say that you need to find some friends or a partner, as single handing boats long distances is not a safe thing to do, and its just better with company. There is a video about some kids that fixed up a cheap beater and sailed to the VI, maybe you've seen it? Forget what it was called, but it is on youtube. That is what you need, some friends to help with the fixup and the sailing, don't have to stay together forever once you get there.

[Cheechako]

Originally Posted by barnakiel

You must have had the extended version then. All the ones I have seen were way smaller inside than a VW van.

b.

Yeah, good but not roomy for their length...

[sailorchic34]

Originally Posted by nimblemotors

I can imagine he'll be able to afford whatever the van sells for, a few thousand..
.

LOL, somebody has not checked what VW camper vans go for now in the states, even old ones are $5K-$9k to $18K or more depending on condition. Wish I had kept my 71 VW Bus.

[Coops]

Try Australia then. Up to $65000 for a split window and not much at all in a bay window for less than $20,000. Wish I still had all of mine.

Coops.

[nimblemotors]

Originally Posted by sailorchic34

LOL, somebody has not checked what VW camper vans go for now in the states, even old ones are $5K-$9k to $18K or more depending on condition. Wish I had kept my 71 VW Bus.

Well some people think they are very valuable, but I don't think they really get those crazy $25k asking prices. I have a Subaru EG33 flat six and was told they are the killer engine swap into these things, maybe I should find one to swap in my engine, as I have not been able to sell just the engine (trying to sell all my stuff, not much luck)

[Wookiee_King]

One that I built for a customer got $89,000 at auction. I know of several that have sold for over$100,000. Mine on the other hand will not be fetching that much.

[onestepcsy37]

Originally Posted by barnakiel

You must have had the extended version then. All the ones I have seen were way smaller inside than a VW van.

b.

I owned a 1967 Vega and a 1961 Microbus, although not at the same time.

The Vega is 27 feet long, the Microbus 14 feet long. The Vega is 8 feet wide, the Microbus 6 feet wide. The Vega has a 5 feet 10 inch interior height, the Microbus 4 feet. As Albert Einstein said, V=(v1+v2)/(1+(v1 v2)/c2)

I liked the Vega. Nice handling boat, well constructed, easy to maintain and modify. Kept it 5 years in Key Largo. But it had 5'10" headroom, and I needed 6'. I sold it to a young couple who took it to the Bahamas. I met them in the Berry Islands two years later, happy as clams.