Best Feature(s) for Living / Cruising Aboard?

[rebel heart]

Originally Posted by Gadagirl

I notice that few have mentioned fuel capacity. We are in the process of narrowing down a choice and I was wondering about fuel capacity. Our use would be to the Caribbean from the east coast and then cruise and live aboard for a year or two, longer if possible. How many gallons of fuel would be ideal for such cruising? I know it’s necessary to have extra fuel for the passage down. But once in the Caribbean what would be sufficient with out having to strap extra jugs to the decks?
Thanks all,
Judy

It really depends on how much you need to run your engine. Some of us (myself included) view the engine as a necassary evil, only to be used as a last resort or when docking. We have a 120 gallon tank which is ample fuel for any transit, or multiple transits to be honest.

This could easily be a spinoff thread all it's own, but I'd very much recommend getting light air sails so that when the wind falls below 5 knots, you don't need to "raise the iron jib".

[feelsgood]

The most important thing on our yacht is putting eachother first always and telling eachother every day we love eachother.
NO this is not corney. We live aboard 24/7 and in 19 years have NEVER had a bad word between us

[Talbot]

It has been mentioned before, but the smaller the boat, the more important is dry storage for clothing

Invest in Vac Pack bags Then your cloths will take up less room, and be dry when you want them!

[s/v Jedi]

IMO the best feature for a couple living aboard is a big boat. The bigger it is, the less it feels like you're camping out all the time, while you still get plenty of that feeling when you light up the BBQ in the cockpit.

We are very happy with our washer/drier, hot water heater, shower, fridge & freezer and big galley to cook real meals. If would prefer older & bigger over newer and smaller for the same budget.

cheers,
Nick.

[tdine]

Originally Posted by camaraderie

A separate aft cabin with queen sized bed and real mattress.

What boat have you found that has this feature? I've been looking for exactly that but have found that when the bed is advertised as "queen size" it's usually no bigger than a "full". Is the illustrious real queen size out there or is it just a myth?

[feelsgood]

We live on our Colvic Watson 32 full time and yes we have washing machine /spindryer full cooker oven and all other mod cons and we have a good double bed not a queen bed as we like to be close as often as we can ( if you get what I mean). The thing is we have a boat we own no mortgage and no debts. We can afford to go into marinas if we want as the berthing fees are not to bad and we can sail her easily just the 2 of us. Small boats get out of the harbour more than bigger ones and can go anywhere the bigger ones can but with a smaller budget. If I was a millionair in money I wouldnt want a bigger boat than we have now

[MarkJ]

Originally Posted by feelsgood

We can afford to go into marinas if we want as the berthing fees are not to bad and we can sail her easily just the 2 of us.

No matter the size of the boat I feel the size of the budget is more important. We would love to be able to get better use of our monthly budget. Each month so far we have had to spend a fair bit on either the boat or bills from home etc. When it all evens out (hopefully soon!) I want the ability to have a couple of marina days per month if we want it, a night ashore in a resort or hotel every few months, a professional cleaner or polisher every few months. I think those sort of things will give Nicolle a nice 'present' and make living aboard even better

Originally Posted by s/v Jedi

IMO the best feature for a couple living aboard is a big boat.... We are very happy with our washer/drier, ...& freezer

Originally Posted by s/v Jedi

...Nick.

Yeah, I'm for the bigger boat. Our next will be bigger. Not that this isn't big enough, but one needs ambition Bigger is not always better... bigger needs more space. I have seen many bigger where the cockpit is actually smaller than ours. One person needs to sit behind the wheel and can't get direct eye sight of everyone else unless you lean over. An old (classic) 50 footer will have much less living space than our 39 footer.

I see that Oyster have finally released a design where they use a twin wheel cockpit - the new 57. Bigger than I could ever afford of course! Their other versions are the same as described above the person suck behind the wheel can't see his guests. But prior to this new design I would have preferred the 'cheaper' boat because the cockpit is better designed for living (read Beneteau!). Twin wheels open the whole cockpit and theres 'flow-through' from the swim platform ('grand entrance' of the boat) to the companionway. And swim platform! No swim platform - no deal! It makes life getting on board and off into the dinghy and with shopping etc and guests so, so much easier. Great place for Nic to fish without getting bait in the boat, fish cleaning, dangling feet on hot days and a place I can go to be alone.

Freezer: Yes, please! Can someone send me one!

So in conclusion: the biggest boat that I can afford whilst I have the biggest monthly budget to make life workable. Thats the balance


Mark

[Joli]

Ditto that. Fixed the "If" to I, if that is wrong, my pardon please.

Old simple waterline will always be more comfortable and faster.

We like a comfortable motion, the ability to press, and the ability to sail upwind.

Joli

Originally Posted by s/v Jedi

I would prefer older & bigger over newer and smaller for the same budget.

cheers,
Nick.

[zeehag]

i am going to go cruising in 41 feet of leaky teaky---has the range and space--i didnt want 50 ft because of the provisions in some ports demanding pilot board boat and take into some harbors--i will do that meself--and 32 was toooo small fo rmy kat-he is 20 pounds and needs more space than i do! i feel a fridge is a luxury and the only boat i know of with a REAL queen sized bed is a vagabond 47.........mine i smerely full six=zed and min e is not a vee----i hate vee berths
forepeak is for toilets or workrooms......and i donot do marinas..

[s/v Jedi]

Originally Posted by feelsgood

We live on our Colvic Watson 32 full time and yes we have washing machine /spindryer full cooker oven and all other mod cons and we have a good double bed not a queen bed as we like to be close as often as we can ( if you get what I mean). The thing is we have a boat we own no mortgage and no debts. We can afford to go into marinas if we want as the berthing fees are not to bad and we can sail her easily just the 2 of us. Small boats get out of the harbour more than bigger ones and can go anywhere the bigger ones can but with a smaller budget. If I was a millionair in money I wouldnt want a bigger boat than we have now

I spent 17 years sailing a 31 foot boat and loved it. But let me comment on your arguments:

mortgage/debt: that is a budget related argument. We have no mortgage and no debt either.

Afford marina's: also budget. We meet many sailors that tell us they can't afford a bigger boat but they still have two houses, a couple of cars etc. while we sold the lot. So it's also how the budget is used.

Sailed by 2 persons: Indeed, many big boats need big crews. But our Sundeer 64 was designed for a couple to live on and sail it and it's actually easier to handle than all the smaller boats I was on, incl the 31 foot boat I sailed for 17 years. There are more big boats that are easily handled by a couple and they go out the harbor just as often... actually, they spend more time at anchor because they can stay away for longer periods (more storage, more diesel etc.). Jedi didn't enter a marina for 5 years before we got to Panama!

Go anywhere: I could argue that there are places a 32 ft boat would get into trouble while a 60 ft boat would be okay but for the most part it is the crew that's important. However, a big boat will provide much more comfort in the same conditions, plus much faster passages so it gets easier to decide to do that nasty stretch. I have actually seen smaller boats unable to make certain passages like from Colombia to the ABC's due to the conditions (no progress).

cheers,
Nick.

[s/v Jedi]

Originally Posted by zeehag

i feel a fridge is a luxury

Show me a family living ashore in the US without a fridge and I'll show you a family living in Alaska without a fridge!

Seriously, living without a fridge in warm climates is very hard to do for those who are spoiled ashore with one. I would feel like camping without a fridge: nice for a couple of weeks but not longer.

cheers,
Nick.

[zeehag]

Originally Posted by s/v Jedi

Show me a family living ashore in the US without a fridge and I'll show you a family living in Alaska without a fridge!

Seriously, living without a fridge in warm climates is very hard to do for those who are spoiled ashore with one. I would feel like camping without a fridge: nice for a couple of weeks but not longer.

cheers,
Nick.

why bother going sailing if you absolutely require the bathtub and ice machine and refrigerator?? isnt cruising--is staying home with the naybores and having cocktails on a dock talking of cruising. have you done any research into the costs of repairs abroad??the bayfield cuttter i cruised aboard last december had fridge--it broke. he learned the repairs thereof are extremely expensive--moreso thasn in your own comfy naybore hood----he had to survive for 3 months without any way except carrying ice to the boat to keep his cold foods cold. waaaah.

are you prepared to undergo this absolutely tragic situation?? folks qith the attitude that something is impossible to live without gen3erally end up divorced oor selling their boat for pennies in foreign lands because the experience is not what they EXPECTED.
are you cruising in a power yacht with a crew??? if not-----forget the ways of land. it is not the way you figger it will be. cruising is actually 3/4 hard work and 1/4 seeing pretty places. is not sailing from marina to marina to visit the dockriders and share cocktails, thus missing the adventure of seeing that which this planet hides from those under the impression that marina hopping is actually cruising. is your selected cruising vessel totally self sufficient?? if it is not, be prepared to be without certain luxuries. have you researched as yet the costs of repairs in other parts of this big ball we live on?? have you found the prices in other places, predominantly 3rd world nations to match those you pay here?? if so--you are most deluded, i am sorry to say. the owner of the bayfield cuttter i was cruising aboard in \december found the folks who own sailboats and travel are treated as if most incredibly wealthy. the prices are padded and the labor is by the hour. a 15 min recharge is actually a 2 day uncharge and then maybe , if he feels like it, recharge in a few more hours while the "worker" sleeps. are you prepared for this?? his under 100 dollar in this country repair cost him several thousand dollars.
last i heard kalifornikation was/is a "warm" climate. i have resided without fridge for many years--here in so cal.... is not difficult. i have been preparing for my cruise for as long as i have resided aboard. if you plan to cruise, try living aboard the boat you are to cruise ----see how you adapt---you may end up flying to your destination and using hotels instead---might be more to your level of spoiledness......if you own a mega yacht and plan on going for a ride with your crew, maybe that is what you wish???/ is not cruising.
as for swim platfporms---they allow thieves easy easy access to your entire life. are you going to sail with a pitbull??? this economic crunch is everywhere, not just here. as things tighten down, there will be less cruising at the expensive dockriding level and more on the cheeeeep level----there WILL be thieves and pirates of real nature to contend with. are you ready for this?? bendytoys are great for dockriding but very difficult to come out of a cruising situation in comfort despite the racing pluses added for the appearance group of the marque. i prefer a more difficult entry and thus more protection for me and my possessions i decide to keep. folks have not yet realized the first thing a thief sees is the shiny new beautiful money money yacht --they have already been having muurders for money from those looking wealthy in the caribean. are you next?? i am trying my bvery best to appear as i really am---not the richest on the block. maybe we be in same port at same time when the bad guys are rampant. who will be first victim?? shinybright and swimstep---easy entry is the key to having nothing left.

sorry to go on sooo long---there are toooo many things to address for safety and comfort to keep this a short response........

[Sea Wolf]

Good God, woman... you're one extremely negative person! So far as I can see, nothing and no one is any good and no cruising preferences or opinions are of any value except your own opinion. No wonder you're alone!

Loree
Aboard SeaWolf

[zeehag]

Originally Posted by Sea Wolf

Good God, woman... you're one extremely negative person! So far as I can see, nothing and no one is any good and no cruising preferences or opinions are of any value except your own opinion. No wonder you're alone!

Loree
Aboard SeaWolf

i am alone because i WANT to be so---and i am tired of seeing the folks complain of having to pay gawdawful prices to repair their alleged necessities while in 3rd world nations. i am not a dockrider nor will i ever inhabit a marina--i am not a target----i am very positive about safe cruising under sail--it is an experience not to miss. but the alleged necessities dockriders NEED make for reaqlly boring reading and make for massive expenses when those folks are out in the REAL world. seawolf--are you cruising or in a marina??

ps--loreee--are you out cruising or are you a marina hopper????
there IS a difference---i have been cruising., when you have also been cruising, then tell me i am negative. good luck and may you learn what is REALLY out there.

[Sea Wolf]

Same old same old... you're as negative a person as I've ever seen and don't seem to be able to help yourself from attacking others' lifestyles or decisions. If it's not your way it's the highway. To answer your question. I cruised for many years with my husband and daughter. Came home so she could go to land based high school and college. She's done and we're preparing to get out there again. Didn't do marinas when we cruised, but that was our choice. We were never had such a gawd awful almighty opinion that we condemned others for their choice of how they wanted to cruise. To each his own. One is not better than the other, it's just different.

Loree
Aboard SeaWolf.