motor yacht advice

[Sharked]

I have been boating on inland lakes most of my adult life, starting from 16ft bow-riders 30 years ago, to my last boat which was a 28ft twin engine Four Winns. As I am now within a couple years of retirement my wife and I are looking to make big changes, most notable to sell our house and the 28ft Four Winns to move up to a larger boat.

Our plan is to spend winters in the Caribbean and summers in the Mediterranean, so I am looking for something suitable that can handle the ocean crossing twice a year.

Would you all have any recommendations for Ocean Yachts or Class A rated motor yachts? I am not looking for a super yacht or to spend millions, and I don't need a huge yacht as its just the two of us most of the time. However it seems most of what I have found is very large and marketed towards high end luxury.

Ideally my budget would be around $500-600K, is it possible to find something rated for ocean crossing in that price range?

Sharked

[glenn.225]

Would this be too much boat.


https://www.yachtworld.com/boats/196...awler-3019446/

[Wheelguns]

Take a look at seahorse diesel ducks. Used ones can be had in your price range. They are no nonsense, long range trawlers.

[Sharked]

I don't think I would want to go much bigger then that, but I should have added in my post that my wife prefers something a bit more modern looking.

Most of what I have found only have a range of few hundred nm

For example, she loves the look and style of this:
https://www.boattrader.com/boat/2017...erseo-7949022/

But its too long, too expensive, and only has a range of 315nm.

Is there any company that makes class A rated boats, with the required range, that would be newer style?

Or am I limited to older commercial boats that have been or need renovation?

Originally Posted by glenn.225

Would this be too much boat.


https://www.yachtworld.com/boats/196...awler-3019446/

[Manateeman]

Corten steel, Gardner diesel, Dutch built. That’s the kind of boat I’d go look at.
New Bedford / Fairhaven is a big commercial fishing port. Great boatyards.
Aluminum top on a corten hull with a commercial diesel would be a bit over your budget. Look around for a Alaska type all aluminum ex fishing...you can do the interior later...stick to the basics...hull, engine, design.
Happy trails to you.
The manatee crew.

[goboatingnow]

Don’t buy anything in steel it’s a nightmare.

What you want is an Essing motor boat ( rcd class A , single Luger engine , GRP)

Or else similar in aluminium

I may be spelling the name of that wrong but I was standing looking at one last week.

[ranger58sb]

Originally Posted by Sharked

Ideally my budget would be around $500-600K, is it possible to find something rated for ocean crossing in that price range?

Another approach might be to buy a good coastal boat you like, and have it shipped back and forth to the Med.

Remember tankage is a huge issue. (pun somewhat unintended)

Originally Posted by goboatingnow

What you want is an Essing motor boat ( rcd class A , single Luger engine , GRP)

I may be spelling the name of that wrong but I was standing looking at one last week.

Elling, maybe. Well-rated, but I don't know if they have sufficient tankage for an actual crossing. The layouts aren't very appealing, to us, anyway.

-Chris

[valhalla360]

Originally Posted by ranger42c

Another approach might be to buy a good coastal boat you like, and have it shipped back and forth to the Med.

Remember tankage is a huge issue. (pun somewhat unintended)

This makes a lot of sense unless the crossings are in and of themselves a major reason for getting the boat.

Small ocean crossing power boats come with a lot of compromises to make them viable for ocean crossings.

If you switch to having it hauled back and forth, you can go smaller and more suitable to the actual cruising you plan to do.

[LittleWing77]

Originally Posted by glenn.225

Would this be too much boat.

https://www.yachtworld.com/boats/196...awler-3019446/

This is really gorgeous and sorta reminds me of boatpoker's boat - which is near you right now, Glenn, at Trentport.

Boatpoker? Whatddya think?
LittleWing77

[mvweebles]

Originally Posted by glenn.225

Would this be too much boat.


https://www.yachtworld.com/boats/196...awler-3019446/

Migrant has been for sale for several years. Beautiful boat - wonder why she hasn't sold?

There are a fair number of long range trawlers and motoryachts that could possibly do a transatlantic crossing, but would take an enormous amount of prep, planning, and patience for a decent wx window. Seasonal "commuting" between the Caribbean and the Med is a much different use-case. Boats that get moved seasonally are either commercial vessels or are owned by rich people (thus the luxury accommodations). These boats carry plenty of fuel and room for stores. And they can easily keep moving in sustained Force 8-9 conditions un order to set aside weather as a schedule limitation. These are not small, inexpensive boats. Mostly though, with exception of commercial applications, few people have the desire to travel like this.

But if you're serious, there is one boat that was designed and built for this type of owner/operator travel. The Dashew designed FPB. These are incredible vessels that have no equal because they are fast, efficient, and rugged. Unfortunately you will need to triple your budget, though resale is assured if you maintain it. These boats have easily made very long passages of 3000nms or more averaging 10 kts through steep headseas.

https://www.boatinternational.com/ya...cochise--39129

Peter

[goboatingnow]

Probably cheaper to ship them also

[mako]

Originally Posted by mvweebles

Migrant has been for sale for several years. Beautiful boat - wonder why she hasn't sold?

Easy answer - the price. Drop it down to $200k and then possibly there will be some biters.

[Sharked]

After doing some more research it seems that an ocean rated motorboat is a niche market, and mostly likely well above my budget unless I got an older commercial vessel that would need work.

I also read some advice from a user on here who said something like: buy a boat for the purpose that you will use it most for. This makes a great deal of sense for me, as ocean crossing is not our purpose, it was a means to an end, as my wife wanted to spend summers in the Med, and winters in the Caribbean. However now I am realizing that to achieve this we would be compromising a lot and our budget would be extended.

That being said, if we take ocean crossing off the table, if we were going to spend next 10+ years living on a motor yacht and staying within the Caribbean islands is there specific brands or models that you would recommend I focus on?

My thoughts are:
- budget $500K
- Something 40-60ft range (2 heads, master + 2-3 guest staterooms)
- As self sufficient as possible (water maker, etc)
- Newer style looking (wife's preference)
- Air compressor for scuba diving (or at least the boat should be suitable enough that I can have one added)

A RIB is obviously required, but I would also like a PWC as long as I am young enough to still enjoy them, however I don't really want to mess around with a crane hoist, I prefer the models that have the stern boat bay.

[valhalla360]

Originally Posted by Sharked

After doing some more research it seems that an ocean rated motorboat is a niche market, and mostly likely well above my budget unless I got an older commercial vessel that would need work.

I also read some advice from a user on here who said something like: buy a boat for the purpose that you will use it most for. This makes a great deal of sense for me, as ocean crossing is not our purpose, it was a means to an end, as my wife wanted to spend summers in the Med, and winters in the Caribbean. However now I am realizing that to achieve this we would be compromising a lot and our budget would be extended.

That being said, if we take ocean crossing off the table, if we were going to spend next 10+ years living on a motor yacht and staying within the Caribbean islands is there specific brands or models that you would recommend I focus on?

My thoughts are:
- budget $500K
- Something 40-60ft range (2 heads, master + 2-3 guest staterooms)
- As self sufficient as possible (water maker, etc)
- Newer style looking (wife's preference)
- Air compressor for scuba diving (or at least the boat should be suitable enough that I can have one added)

A RIB is obviously required, but I would also like a PWC as long as I am young enough to still enjoy them, however I don't really want to mess around with a crane hoist, I prefer the models that have the stern boat bay.

Now things are wide open depending on what you want to do.

One consideration may be if you want to enter the river/canal systems at some point. That would set some limits on dimensions.

Also, how fast do you expect to travel?

[Sharked]

I am not too concerned about speed, as this would be a floating house for us, I would probably cruise at the most efficient speed anyhow. If I want to go fast or have some fun, that is why I wanted to have PWC on board.


As far as bridges and canals, I imagine we would spend most of the time island hoping, however when hurricane season arrives perhaps head north on the ICW? Spending summers in northern USA and then head back down to the Caribbean in Nov?