Confusion on boat size - First Boat

[Lancerbye]

I think Paul said it all.

[Ex-Calif]

Buy as large a boat as you can manage in any conditions based on the minimum crew size and hope that there is room to live on it.

[dcstrng]

Originally Posted by Greenman

I am confused... So what I have narrowed it down to is based on a fixed amount of $$, say $80k to buy and $40k for outfitting would you.......

You’ve certainly identified a major dilemma… Like many I initially fell into the bigger-is-better camp… although I set the initial size at around 32 feet (it, being in the Westsail era…), I breezed through that and on to 42 feet, and eventually bumped up against 50 and six figures plus; twenty five years ago…

I doubt there is a one-size-fits-all answer… but some years after becoming totally disenchanted with being more maintenance-officer than skipper on gargantuan vessel number three or four, I returned to sailing with a less-equals-more philosophy… I’ve noticed the little rascal leaves the dock more regularly, seems much more careful with my bank-account (even more frugal than your hypothetical numbers) and seems like a new adventure all over… but, that’s doubtlessly not the universal answer either…

[Sandero]

Smaller boats are sailed more. Bigger boats take more time to maintain and of course everything costs more.

Find a sea kindly hull as small as you can with the most accommdation and stowage for the type of use you intend. And don't forget that you want to be self sufficient and not require crew to sail or move your boat.

If you are weekending you don't need tankage and stowage for example.

Shiva is a 36' Contest which meets my criteria. Very large cockpit, main salon, even an aft cabin, fullsize chart table, U shaped galley and a fair amount of tankage and lockers a plenty. I've lived aboard, done plenty of offshore passages singlehanded and with crew and now cruise her coastally. More than 4 on board for passage is crowded.

Most important she was easy to set up for single and short handed sailing and this was very important. I see big yachts and there's always several people on board. I prefer the privacy and I think nothing of taking off in any conditions - alone. This type of freedom is what sailing is to me. And I have all the creature comforts except AC which is hardly needed.

I would look long and hard at lots of plans and make sure they have what you want, and they can be easily sailed and handled.

[Delezynski]

Greenman,


From our own experience, go with the first choice (small). As you can see from our web pages, we are still very happy with that choice!


We use the extra money from the kitty to do other travels. Our boat/lifestyle does not trap us on our boat.


A smaller boat is also less cost to “not sail”. We also know that after we finish cruising, we can keep our boat. Also, when we are done on the pacific side, we plan to drop our boat in a sea van and ship her to the Med for some cruising over there. Thats something you can NOT do with larger boats, and Dockwise is very high $$$.


Greg

[easterly]

You should not trust every survey! I had my last boat surveyed and the professional surveyor missed about $10k in needed repairs.

[Lancerbye]

If you come upon a boat that you like and your partner says "this is not good, and that is not good"walk away. If you find one that your partner likes because of the color of the window covers and you can see it being acceptable as far as sea worthiness etc. Start dealing. ( Married 41 years to the same woman)

[theonecalledtom]

I followed Lancerbyes advice we'll see how this works in the long run but its a good start...

What are your experience levels? Asking what size boat to get implies lower hours on the water which would prompt me to say look at smaller boats. I've been sailing since I was six, though mostly in small boats, and the 38 footer we have is a handful. The forces involved in the lines are scary once the wind goes over 20 knots and manauvering under power around other boats in windy conditions is no joke. Any less experience going into this and I might have been scared off leaving the slip within the first month.