This is not an original question I am sure

[4Winds]

My wife ask me the other day what I would do if she passed away, Strange I thought. I answered to her that I would really love to buy a boat and live aboard. She commented that she thought "Why Wait". Right then that little light came on and got me to thinking.

I have come close to a deal or two to sell my company and today the guy ask me if he could also purchase my house. WOW talk about Gods plan!

First, I am not too sure how to sail, in fact I have only stepped onto a sailboat one and it never left the dock. Im not sure if I could sail across the bay and if I did I might have to call the CG to bring me back.

I have been raised on shrimp boats and been around boats all my life, I still own the first boat I ever had. My father purchased a 16-ft aluminum boat for me when I was 11, I still have it 40-years later. If you ask me to run a boat to the Bahamas, no problem, but don't ask me to sail there....

I have relly been searching for anything with aft cabin, I have a feeling if the stateroom was in the bow I would never get any sleep with the rocking. But with the stateroom in the stern, I would begin to think sleep would be easier.

IS there a difference for all you sea going sleepers, can you sleep well with the rocking tied up? Can you sleep mourned in the Bahamas? HELP is truly needed since we cant test think out before we buy.

[Wotname]

Thousands of people sleep on sail boats every day, at dock, moored, anchored or underway. So yes, it is normal to sleep on a sailing boat.

Can you do it? Probably, but one way to check is to try it before buying - i.e. charter a boat and see for yourself.

And welcome aboard CF, 4Winds!

[WrenchBender]

Bow or stern cabins will feel the same as far as rocking motion on most sailboats. The most stable location is directly over the center of the keel. I personally prefer the bow on my boat mainly because of access reasons, the rocking motion is “why" I sleep better afloat.

[The Blue Heron]

I would listen to the voice.. move on it now.. its called providence...

[Katiusha]

When motor-sailing in steep waves, it's MUCH nicer to sleep in aft cabin than forward. In forward cabin you actually fly before each wave slam.
At the same time, when at anchor, in forward cabin you hear chain moving on the bottom - useful when wind shifts.

We had a king size bed in aft cabin (Jeanneau 35') and that was amazing or any point of sail as you could rotate 360 degrees and still sleep comfortably.

[denverd0n]

Whether a forward or aft cabin is better for sleeping is entirely subjective, and depends on a lot of variables including the particular boat, the conditions, and personal tolerances. Don't rule out forward-cabin boats until you have tried a few.

And that's the best advice--try a few. Like Wotname suggested, chartering is a good way to dip your toe in the waters, so to speak, before committing a large amount of money to something you may end up regretting.

Take a lesson or two. There are lots of sailing schools around that will let you live aboard while you learn to sail. Then charter for two or three weeks to see if you and your wife are comfortable living on a boat. Charter a couple of different kinds of boats. Read a lot. Then you'll be in a better position to know if this is something you really want to do, and if it is, how to go about actually doing it.

Good luck.

[SunnySky]

First off I just want to say welcome to the first steps of finding a boat and pursuing your dreams now. Life's just too short not to live the life you want in the hear and now...
Chartering and crewing on a few different boats before purchasing my current boat helped so incredibly much in the process of finding the right boat. In the beginning I had a list of "needs" and "wants" in a boat, but it wasn't until being on a few (for at least a week or two if it's a solid candidate) that I really KNEW my "needs" and "wants" Some things moved between lists, others appeared out of thin air and a couple "needs" even moved to the "wants" or even "don't need" lists...
I would also encourage you to look at drastically different designs within your interest category, especially as it relates to potentially getting a catamaran or a monohull since the motion of a catamaran on the hook and at sea is VERY different from a monohull. Definitely not going to suggest choosing one over the other because both have their advantages and disadvantages; I chose a catamaran but the list of differences between mono, cat, or tri is pretty long so it's best to try a mono and a cat at some point before making a purchase especially if your concerned about heeling.

Best regards and welcome to the beginning of a very worthwhile pursuit :-)
David
Sunny Sky hailing from Cold Bay, AK

P.S. As a personal side note, I actively looked for boats for around 2.5 years before things lined up to actually get the boat I currently own.

[webejammin]

Welcome aboard Our first boat was an 07 26 ft trailor sailor and glad we owned her as we learned a lot. We shopped for about 4 years looking at center cockpit sailboats and some with a small outside stateroom just foward of the master stateroom so not noisey. But I started sailig a Hobie cat sence the 60's and every time a catamaran came into the anchorage both my wife and I would Perk Up and then one day the monohull we liked tryed to come in to the anchorage we were in and it could not because of the 7 ft keel, that is when my wife said a catamaran will be great. We wanted a 3 stateroom boat to have family visit ( a grandma boat ) but sails fast. I'm lucky my wife started sailing with her family at 3 months in 1956 and is sill a competative sailor if challenged.

If you go to several boat shows and you pick a good sales person to repersent you ( like buying a house ) you will learn a lot and get what you are looking for. I would take a course on sailing with your wife too on boats the size you want to buy but don't expect to start on a big boat smaller boats will teach you to sail better because you can feel the wind more and mistakes don't cost as much like getting wet.

Good luck

[SkiprJohn]

Lots of good advice here. I'd recommend a sailing course or two also.

If you've done powerboats then you can do a sailboat that has a dependable engine. Powering is powering, just less power in a sailboat.

Good luck in your choice.

kind regards,

[micah719]

You might like to google up a man called Peter Smith. He is a very experienced New Zealand sailor, he also invented a certain boating safety device that shall not be named in the interests of peace and quiet........to cut a long story short, he built his dream sailboat and put his cabin amidships...for a better ride at sea or at anchor, and also because he put a hatch in the deckhead so he could see the sail's behaviour from his berth. His site is interesting, especially the many design ideas he put in his boat. Go sail. Enjoy!

[Capt Phil]

Have you considered a medium sized trawler to live aboard? We lived aboard a 54 footer for about 6 years and found that it was much roomier than the 49 foot sail we lived on for the previous 5 years. Both were great cruising boats!
The trawler had a mid hull master stateroom almost the full width of the boat along with an ensuite head with good size shower that had great ventilation through a large port. We would still be living aboard her if not for my health problems... Capt Phil

[Hudson Force]

They used to call sailboats that were designed to motor at hull speed "Motorsailors", but that term is pretty much archaic as most sailboats are equipped with small diesels that propel them at hull speed. I don't log my sailing hours, but over the last forty years of living aboard my wife and I have logged about 8,000 hours motoring at near 6.6 kts at about 1.1 gph. There is no reason to prevent anyone from relying on both sails and power. There can be a good plan for you that allows you to develop sailing skills at your selection of time and weather. We sleep best on a mooring or at anchor as this usualy leaves us pointed into the breeze. Some locations can be troublesome with wakes or rolling swells and we don't choose to remain in these uncomfortable spots. We're soothed by the ripple of wavelets against the hull where we sleep forward. The moment it stops, that's the signal that your'e anchor is dragging!

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by 4Winds

My wife ask me the other day what I would do if she passed away, Strange I thought. I answered to her that I would really love to buy a boat and live aboard. She commented that she thought "Why Wait". Right then that little light came on and got me to thinking.

I have come close to a deal or two to sell my company and today the guy ask me if he could also purchase my house. WOW talk about Gods plan!

First, I am not too sure how to sail, in fact I have only stepped onto a sailboat one and it never left the dock. Im not sure if I could sail across the bay and if I did I might have to call the CG to bring me back.

I have been raised on shrimp boats and been around boats all my life, I still own the first boat I ever had. My father purchased a 16-ft aluminum boat for me when I was 11, I still have it 40-years later. If you ask me to run a boat to the Bahamas, no problem, but don't ask me to sail there....

I have relly been searching for anything with aft cabin, I have a feeling if the stateroom was in the bow I would never get any sleep with the rocking. But with the stateroom in the stern, I would begin to think sleep would be easier.

IS there a difference for all you sea going sleepers, can you sleep well with the rocking tied up? Can you sleep mourned in the Bahamas? HELP is truly needed since we cant test think out before we buy.

You will do just fine. Go for it. The sailing part is not really rocket science and you will get the hang of it.

[Pat Ross]

Originally Posted by micah719

You might like to google up a man called Peter Smith.

Peter Smith's Boat

This is an interesting read

[carstenb]

While sailing, it is best to sleep amidships or in an aft cabin. If you are moored in a marina, the for cabin is usually best since there is almost always some wave slap aft which will keep you awake.

At anchor you can sleep just about anywhere.

Personal advice - listen to your wife, sell the company, the house , buy a boat and go. you will not regret it. Try a charter first, by all means - but go for the brass ring