Newbie considering a year long cruise

[Pete7]

Originally Posted by travellerw

Personally I wouldn't chase a phantom and I would go back to researching good sound monohulls to make that trip. A good solid monohull is definitely doable on your budget.

Plus if its a former charter boat it will likely come with the 3 cabin layout. French or German along the lines of Bav / Jen / Ben would do quite nicely and be reasonably modern with a nice turn of speed rather than some 30 yr old tub with a long keel.

Pete

[Whgoffrn]

Well I guess if cats are not an option I've come back full circle .... gin fizz or morgan oi41? I don't think the newer bavaria and cyclades are in my price range usually anything decent is 80-100k where it looks like the out islands and gin fizz are a quite a bit less (I believe) an out island has a 4 foot draft where I believe gin fizz is 6. Gin fizz more seaworthy but also smaller and deeper keel making bahamas more difficult... out islands shallower draft more room but not sure if they are up to it???? Any opinions welcome

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by Whgoffrn

Well I guess if cats are not an option I've come back full circle .... gin fizz or morgan oi41? I don't think the newer bavaria and cyclades are in my price range usually anything decent is 80-100k where it looks like the out islands and gin fizz are a quite a bit less (I believe) an out island has a 4 foot draft where I believe gin fizz is 6. Gin fizz more seaworthy but also smaller and deeper keel making bahamas more difficult... out islands shallower draft more room but not sure if they are up to it???? Any opinions welcome

The OI's are plenty capable.. ask Hudson Force.. he's been living aboard and cruising the islands and back up the E coast for more than 20yrs on one.
Doubt the Gin Fizz iss any more seaworthy.. just points higher and The Thorny Path to the Leewards Islands is rarely sailed.. iron genny route..

[snort]

Older model catamarans of the British variety are within price range. More recently built composite (fiberglass over plywood) catamarans are less numerous, but may be within budget, and finally, composite trimarans are within budget.
One listed on sailboatlistings was of this design: Searunner Multihulls - CC 35 Tri

Multihulls (more than monohulls) need to be kept relatively light. The Marples would be a rocketship compared to most monohulls, but if speed is no concern, I'd have a look at that Mariah 31. No one is going to tell you that that boat isn't up for the job.
It's a matter of personal taste though. I'd take the Marples.

[OneLeggedParrot]

If I was going to cruise those areas almost exclusively, and with your priorities, I'd seriously just focus on a multi-hull. The only real downside to multihulls (for the use you have outlined and intend), as I see it would be something that won't affect your life on one- getting capsized in huge storms going beam-to. Do you intend to stay on it all year and weather some hurricanes on it? Probably not. You're going to be dealing with rollers at anchorage regardless of what kind of boat you get because you want shallow draft, so the penalties for a multi-hull are none vs. a mono for your intentions.

Since you're not planning on crossing huge oceans, a Cat/Tri would be perfect. If I had a budget like that I'd look for an older Tri that just needed some real repairs -even an older Nicole Type 3 or 2 would probably be fine (check this article out). Heck you could find something for under $20k, that's crossed oceans and might needs serious work and re-outfitting (AND it would be ocean-worthy to boot, if you decided to do a circumnavigation at some point). Get a good crew do the repairs for you once you have it surveyed, and brought to where you want to have the work done.
You could have had it done and just about ready to sail in the time this thread was first posted and since I've last checked it!


I think one of the decisions needs to be to get real clear on just how fancy/modern you want things to be.

The older ply/FRP multi's, with refinishing (after a good, solid survey by someone who knows what to look for and check for this kind of build) could be literally stripped of almost everything, to refinish almost everything -new paint, bedding, fixtures, anything old or deteriorating rebuilt, some plywood replaced and re-epoxied, new rig and sails and new nav gear and electronics -I think you could find a 35-40'+ Tri for under $20k and get it rebuilt and outfit it and still have $10k back up, if you had a crew working fast (to avoid excessive yard fees from a long, slow project). Even if the boat was in California, as long as it could sail, you could get someone to bring it to you, or to the islands, and get it hauled out where you like.

If I had $50k I'd find something in the gulf or in CA like above and get it refinished completely and looking new, and ready for another 20 years of serious ocean work. And I'd have a budget left over for cruising or hanging out on deck for a year drinking some fruity frosty drinks.

In that price range (under $20k or around that) you'll need to have some real work done to it, and it might be scary to think of it, but with a good survey and having a pro check it over inch-by-inch and being ok to replace some sheets of plywood and some fittings and knowing it will need a new rig and probably sails, and going into it being real thorough on what it need and pricing things out before you buy, you could come out under budget.

-Again, depends on how modern you want things. Those showroom, modern ones, are all FRP and while not necessarily stronger or better than a good rebuilt older one, will LOOK more like something from a new ad. And they'll cost 10x but result in the same experience.

So if you want the LOOKS, maybe still go with the older models, and spend the $10k on making it look nicer/new in accommodations?

I'd focus on a multi-hull, and a used Trimaran at that.

$2k for airfare
$1k for surveys on 2 top potentials
$4-$5k to get someone to sail it to where you want

$3k yard fees tops, in-out, etc
$10k work (replacing ply, new FRP in areas, paint, etc)
$3k new rig
$2k new basic sails

$4k new basic electronics, solar and MFD (get good solar and new, good batteries and get a used Radar/older nav gear until you decide on what expensive upgrades are needed)

$20k for a 40+' tri.

Something like that? Or buy something in the top of your price range that doesn't need so much work?

-Have you checked out the book, "The Case for a Cruising Trimaran"?
Try youtube and google -Jim Brown on youtube or Trimaran will get you all kinds of stuff, all day long- and ads of boats for sale too!