Minimum Size for a Liveaboard Monohull

[markmark]

What is the minimal size for a liveaboard monohull?
- For one person

Is 23' too small, is 26' really that much more room?

[Adelie]

No 23' is not too small, and yes 26' really is a lot more room.

To live on a 23 footer you really really have to want it, but it is doable.

Even 26' is a push.

[Dame.n.Jess]

Ours is 28 foot. Husband & wife combo. Cosy but a LOT more room than a 23 footer. still a 35 footer is like a mansion to us.

[Eleven]

A 22ft is better than a tent or a garden shed, but not much. Mine is rated as five berth!!!!
It would take two for a fortnight OK, but there is little scope for much more.
It IS VERY CHEAP though, compared to many of the alternatives.
£100 a month for mooring, £2000 to buy (no mortgage), plus some Gas and some Petrol and some maintenance/improvement budget. Add a thousand for green electrics as a liveaboard and it's done. There's not a land-based option that gets close on price. I'd add odd nights in hotels (Travel Lodge do £19/night if you book ahead - single nights only - double/family rooms) for the winter months.
This is budget living, no frills. Bigger boats seem to cost a lot more to buy in proportion to length. Running costs are much the same, berths are usually by length. Rules are a lot more relaxed than Caravan Sites.

[Don1500]

Originally Posted by Eleven

Bigger boats seem to cost a lot more to buy in proportion to length. Running costs are much the same, berths are usually by length. Rules are a lot more relaxed than Caravan Sites.

Bigger boats are more costly to buy, but they are comparable in running costs. But day to day work is slightly higher, just more stuff to maintain on a bigger boat. I will say that changing an engine on a 22' boat will be easier than on a 35', 22' usually have outboards.

Living costs will be the same, food, entertainment (Ha), luxuries (like soap), they are what they are.

[captainkev]

I have a 29' boat which is plenty for me on my own.Used to have an 18' ultimate t/s so the cat had quite a headache when swung.The more stuff you have the smaller it seems to get. I find my 29/ boat quite roomy as it has a good layout and plenty of accessible locker space.I have to be organised and tidy,but this is good for me.

[ujk1976]

Just bought a 28' to liveaboard on the Hudson. In the meanhwhile, downsizing like mad for 3 years! Good for a single, 'cept can't seem to fit my bike AND fishing poles.
Fortunately, friends were able to "lend" me their basement in lie of cocktails on board. When choosing the size, think real hard 'bout "how comfy" you'd be six months later? I'm a girly liveaboard and had to compromise greatly!
Cheers and Good Luck to You!

By the way, how to prepare the fiberglass for winter liveaboard? I found much info on winterizing the fluids but somewhat short and mixed advice on hull prep? Suggestions taken in all forms as we have some comedians I see...I'm good natured!
Thanks in advance as always, Waterlily....

[hpeer]

I wonder how the Pardey's did it on 24 foot Seraffyn.

Of course having no engine helps.

[Bash]

One thing to consider is that some marinas have limits on how small a boat they'll allow to take a liveaboard berth. One of the marinas we lived in, years ago, would not allow liveaboards on anything smaller than 35'.

[David_Old_Jersey]

Originally Posted by markmark

What is the minimal size for a liveaboard monohull?
- For one person

Is 23' too small, is 26' really that much more room?

Everything is doable, but whether want to is another thing. 23 foot IMO only for the rare (and short? ) few - at least for any length of time.

26 is more like it, but IMO really want to be in at least the 28-30 foot bracket.

It's as much about (useable) volume as length. 2 foot of overhangs on each end might make her very pretty , but the 30 footer becomes a 26 footer inside..........

[Bash]

Originally Posted by David_Old_Jersey

Everything is doable, but whether want to is another thing. 23 foot IMO only for the rare (and short? ) few - at least for any length of time.

26 is more like it, but IMO really want to be in at least the 28-30 foot bracket.

It's as much about (useable) volume as length. 2 foot of overhangs on each end might make her very pretty , but the 30 footer becomes a 26 footer inside..........

This is true, but interior volume isn't everything. One of the problems with smaller boats is that they can't adequately float the weight a liveaboard brings aboard. I've seen boats settle 9 inches on their waterline after being moved into, at which point they are going to sail like dogs, at best.

We did an interesting little experiment when we moved from our 41' boat to a 46' boat. We parked them side by side, and then marked the waterlines on each boat. After we moved everything, the smaller boat came up three inches on its waterline, and at the same time the larger boat only sank an inch.

The one thing you never want to see is a transom that's partially underwater. But I see this all the time in smaller liveaboards.

[Richard Jordan]

Making passages in a small boat is what gets me. I think I could liveaboard on a pretty small boat but want a longer waterline length for the speed and motion factors offshore.

[SabreKai]

I lived aboard a 26 foot sloop for 18 months. It was cozy with my girlfriend and two weeks stuck on board was about the max you could do with 2.

Later I owned a 30 foot sloop which was ideal as far as I was concerned but for the vee berth. I was single again, and if the vee berth had been built properly I would never have considered selling her and moving up.

I now own a 38 foot Cutter and its palatial as far as I'm concerned. The Vee berth is a full 7'6" long and all the room you could want. A full head with shower, that you can actually move around in without bashing something against a wall or door. Main saloon with seating for 6 or 8 if cozy, and a decent workable galley and nav station.

[zeehag]

waterlily--living aboard in hudson--- i would sail south . i have been in hudson in winter-- gawdawful kold. is one of the main reasons the gods made south.....even they wont live there in winter.....
i know folks do that, but...... just wanted to know ye know is damkold there....some of my family is from that area......and they still live there.....

[SurferShane]

Originally Posted by Eleven

A 22ft is better than a tent or a garden shed, but not much.

I like it! My 28' yacht is still a lot bigger than that tent I lived in under a bridge and it sure beats a backpack and my one man mountaineering shelter.

Like I did last week, often the hardest but most important thing to do is go through all your stuff and dump overboard (not literally as that would probably be an offense) everything you don't really need. It is amazing how enjoyable the simple fife can be!