Completely Overwhelmed

[cat man do]

Originally Posted by GalaxyGirl

The Power Cat is a very nice suggestion, I will definately have to see one in person to compare the space.

You will appreciate the fuel economy, range and the stability and no need to worry much about stuff rolling around while on passage and certainly not while at anchor.

[deckofficer]

I'm not suggesting a Fountaine Pajot 40, but the video will give a rough idea of smaller cats. Plus, there is a large charter fleet of these boats which would allow you to gain some perspective. If you like, with one charter and some homework on the side (seamanship, meteorology, rules of the road, etc) you could captain a vessel in this category out of the box. There are others to choose from, but at $500K and going with a newer design, late model cats in the 40'~45' will fit under that budget. I know this isn't as large as you wanted, but for waterline length the cat will give you close to 50% more room.

Since you are keeping your land based dwelling, no reason you couldn't lease back to a charter company your cat for 6 months a year. Good tax break and much reduced yearly costs, plus of course charter income.

Fountaine Pajot 40, Summerland Catamaran Trawler. - YouTube

[OldPelican]

I think the boat you're looking for is going to be a Nordhavn, GG. Many are listed under $500k and some are in the 50-60 foot range.

I don't think you've mentioned the genders of your kids. The boys would be just fine stacked in pipe berths 2 or 3 to a cabin. They're like puppies that way

If any of the teens are girls, they'll each need their own head..but two to a room will work :P

Interiors can be modified to suit. I've seen a 30' sailboat with three bunks in the forepeak

Mom and dad need the master stateroom. The boys get one, the girls get another and visiting "crew" can rough it on the dinette made up into a berth

So, you only need three cabins and that opens up many possibilities.

Nordhavns, BTW, have circumnavigated

[deckofficer]

Friends of mine are full timing on a Nordhavn 43'. Currently a bit over 20,000 nm with lots of ICW and canals in the East. They have crossed the Caribbean, transited the Panama Canal and are in Golfito, Costa Rica.

Pluses of the Nordhavn

Build quality and hull strength.
Factory service is excellent.
Swings a large deep pitch lower speed prop due to a 3.79 to 1 reduction gear box.
Owners use their boats for cruising (and circumnavigations) and connect socially in planed events.

Small negatives as perceived only by me.

110 hp Lugger L1066T Diesel. Good engine but I prefer the weight savings of a smaller turbo diesel with the same hp output.

Even at only 43', this is a 60,000 lb boat. The heavier the boat, the more substantial ground tackle, lines, etc.

[beachbum29]

When our 5 girls were young we had no extra time with all of their activities & educations. Not sure how you can pull this off.

[Greggegner]

It is winter, good time to chatter a boat in the warm water. I suggest you do that, get a captained 65' for a couple of weeks, take the kids and mom. Then you will jump from Internet help to real experience. I so support you living on a boat and my experience (limited) with kids cruising is favorable. After the charter you can base your decision on the boat you chartered; bigger, smaller, faster or slower, etc. With no real experience the chances of buyer's remorse is quite high.

[deckofficer]

Originally Posted by Greggegner

It is winter, good time to chatter a boat in the warm water. I suggest you do that, get a captained 65' for a couple of weeks, take the kids and mom. Then you will jump from Internet help to real experience. I so support you living on a boat and my experience (limited) with kids cruising is favorable. After the charter you can base your decision on the boat you chartered; bigger, smaller, faster or slower, etc. With no real experience the chances of buyer's remorse is quite high.

This is what I would do also in your situation.

[category4jay]

deckofficer,
not to get off topic here but I read your post and saw you had friends in Golfito. Theres also the guy in Golfito in this thread. Maybe they can link up.

http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...e-89641-3.html

[deckofficer]

Originally Posted by category4jay

deckofficer,
not to get off topic here but I read your post and saw you had friends in Golfito. Theres also the guy in Golfito in this thread. Maybe they can link up.

http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...e-89641-3.html

They just got in the morning of the 14th, anchored just south of town. Vessel name is "Three @ Sea".

[category4jay]

Originally Posted by GalaxyGirl

So, the big question was budget. I would like to be somewhere under $500k. I have been considering several different 65' Hats and a few Choey Lee's. The Power Cat is a very nice suggestion, I will definately have to see one in person to compare the space.

1. Thanks for finally answering the question. Geez.
2. Im a little disappointed though that your budget is in the $K range not the $M range. You kinda made it sound like your "multi state real estate investor" experience banked you MUCH more than that. Most of the posters suspected this all along.
3. That said I assume your 500K budget is for the boat only. What's your monthly budget assumption after you purchase your boat?
4. You never mention your husband or ex-husband. Is he on board with your plan?
5. Finally I love your enthusiasm even though at times you have come across a bit pompous-sorry but true. The more forthright, open, and honest you are on this forum the better response you will receive within the community. If you would have laid out your budget when asked early on you certainly would not have experienced the hostility you did.
6. Don't let anyone stop you from achieving your goals and aspirations. I guess one might say Go Girl Go.

[David_Old_Jersey]

Originally Posted by GalaxyGirl

I am getting much more than very real advice. I pretty much had some folks here just short of calling me a liar.
"Just short" is because folks here are nice .

I think I have a fairly good understanding that fuel is expensive, just because you can't afford it, doesn't mean that I can't.
I would also have a superdupermega yacht if I had that kind of money. A 32' sailboat might be your reality, but my reality is a 65' Hat or maybe a Choeoy Lee....and...like it or not, I can afford the fuel, maintenance, docking etc, etc, etc.............Good stuff on the boat buying budget (but an initial ballpark budget would have been useful). Nonetheless I am a tad confused about how you can be so certain of being able to afford the running costs when you don't appear to know what they actually are .

My quick Google came up with this 65' of Hatteras for $450k:-

http://www.yachtworld.com/core/listi..._id=70231&url=

No idea if that is ballpark for those boats - but what springs out at me (apart from the boat pics look nice) is the year built. 1982. That's 30 years old.

Nothing inherently wrong with an older boat (mine is over 40 - abeit a tad smaller ) but (as a rough comparison) buying something of that age in boats is akin to buying a Ferrari of the same age. Their are good ones and not so good ones (often enough both looking shiney), both will require regular feeding with cash (will always be "something" to repair or replace - as well as the usual maintanence). but the bad one will slowly break your heart. and possibly your bank account .......I bought the Ford .


Anyway, I appreciate your frustrations (red ink - lol ) - but CF a very good place to discover your own questions and in internet terms folks are as nice as they get. IMO getting pissy don't really help folks help you. or care to even try.

[David_Old_Jersey]

Originally Posted by Greggegner

It is winter, good time to chatter a boat in the warm water. I suggest you do that, get a captained 65' for a couple of weeks, take the kids and mom. Then you will jump from Internet help to real experience. I so support you living on a boat and my experience (limited) with kids cruising is favorable. After the charter you can base your decision on the boat you chartered; bigger, smaller, faster or slower, etc. With no real experience the chances of buyer's remorse is quite high.

+100

Now we have the budget sorted - lets spend it for OP .

The above won't be cheap - but will be the best and quickest way of boosting own knowledge (especially if you pump the Captain for info). including / especially simply on the "do I (we?) really like it" angle.

[ranger58sb]

Originally Posted by category4jay

2. Im a little disappointed though that your budget is in the $K range not the $M range. You kinda made it sound like your "multi state real estate investor" experience banked you MUCH more than that. Most of the posters suspected this all along.
3. That said I assume your 500K budget is for the boat only. What's your monthly budget assumption after you purchase your boat?

I think I'd be comfortable with the idea of starting at $500K -- for acquisition costs -- and seeing how far that'd get me.

The point about older Detroit Diesel 2-stroke engines is environmentally legit, and they're not as fuel-efficient as more modern diesels...

Although at the same time they have a rep for lasting pretty much forever -- counting rebuilds, if necessary. We have dock neighbors with '89 DDs, and they just had one rebuilt this last summer; no problem getting parts.

Given a friendly wallet... and good bones... complete repowers aren't out of the question, either. Another dock neighbor repowered a 35' sportfish from twin gas to new Cummins diesels (and gas genset was replaced with diesel), for about $100K. That would vary by size and so forth, but big slow cruisers and trawlers often don't rely on mega-horsepower.

-Chris

[beachbum29]

Originally Posted by David_Old_Jersey

My quick Google came up with this 65' of Hatteras for $450k:-

http://www.yachtworld.com/core/listi..._id=70231&url=

No idea if that is ballpark for those boats - but what springs out at me (apart from the boat pics look nice) is the year built. 1982. That's 30 years old.

Nothing inherently wrong with an older boat (mine is over 40 - abeit a tad smaller ) but (as a rough comparison) buying something of that age in boats is akin to buying a Ferrari of the same age. Their are good ones and not so good ones (often enough both looking shiney), both will require regular feeding with cash (will always be "something" to repair or replace - as well as the usual maintanence). but the bad one will slowly break your heart. and possibly your bank account .......I bought the Ford .

Anyway, I appreciate your frustrations (red ink - lol ) - but CF a very good place to discover your own questions and in internet terms folks are as nice as they get. IMO getting pissy don't really help folks help you. or care to even try.

About $12k for a fill up...

[carstenb]

GG
You apparently did't like my mail, which is fine. But since you do not have any sea experience, you should at least listen when I and others, tell you that skippering a boat is not like driving a car. You note you will just hire a captain and when you feel competent then you will do so youself.

Fine. Unfortunately you failed to mention this in your first posts so it was a valid point to be brought up. Few people, for example, can get into a tractor trailer rig and parallel park it without lessons and practice. Docking a boat is a similar issue.

And by the by, not everyone on this forum is poverty stricken. A number of us have had quite successful careers thank you and are not without funds ourselves.

I still think that you plan, as originally laid out, is a poor manuscript for adisney movie. And one that you need to modify a lot or it will not be doable. Ad if done wil cause a lot of heartache. Your heartache I do not carw about, the other boats that you end up hitting and perhaps sinking do concern me.