Advice on buy our next and final sailboat..

[DeaconBlues]

I have a 2006 Hunter 41AC, 2 cabin that I bought as a trial for my wife and I to decide if we like the cruising life as we sailed off into retirement, I'm 65. Two seasons under our belt and we love it and the Hunter has served us well. We've learned more about what we need and are ready to find our next boat. We would like a little more room and more features on our next boat, not a new one but no older that 2010. More storage, cockpit room and master stateroom are my wife's goals, single handling, power winches and bow thruster (I've learned without one) are mine. Budget is up to $350k including taxes. I assume we will use it for at least 5 years. We won't be crossing the Atlantic but want the ability to take the boat south to FL and possibly the Caribbean. This would not be a live aboard but some cruises would last up to 3-4 weeks. Features required include: electric winches, genset, davits, full electronics including radar and SatTV, ac/heat, bow thruster as well as basic canvas, cushions, etc. I realize finding a used boat with every feature will be difficult so they could be added but within the budget. We like the Jeanneau DS and Beneteaus but are open to others. We are docked at marina in Long Island Sound in Huntington Bay, NY and love it here so this will be our home for awhile.

Looking for advice from seasoned cruisers who have gone through this process. Selling and buying, picking a broker, size and must have features for single handling, configuration, electronics, creature comforts. My wife is more about the destination and comforts, I'm more about the journey.
If you've taken the time to make it through all this blather, thank you. Any input, short or epic, is appreciated. I used this forum for advice on the Hunter and it worked beautifully so I'm excited to hear what you have to say.

[JPA Cate]

Hi, there Deacon Blues,

There was a time when I, too, wanted a stateroom big enough to walk around the bed for ease of making it. Jim talked me out of it by reminding me how little time one spends both making and being in the bed. We decided to devote more of the limited boat space to the saloon. What I'm getting at is that while you are making these 3-4 week cruises, you're mostly during daylight hours going to be above decks, and often, into the evenings, as well.

If you're not planning on major ocean crossings, why not keep your present boat (it's paid for) and invest some of that purchase price on making your subsequent years better. 65 isn't all that old, these days. You have a lot of time ahead of you, and you might be better served by installing larger winches on your present boat and keeping fit enough to use them. Ten years from now, then get electric ones, if that's what your body tells you is necessary.

FWIW, I'm 75, and sometimes I crank the winches, sometimes I use the Milwaukee tool to do it, especially, if we're in a hurry.

Ann