Bristol 40 live-aboard for a pilot

[NorthernMac]

Hey guys,

Got a question for you.

I'm looking at a Bristol 40 for a liveaboard, I'm a seaplane pilot and my work takes be up and down the east coast once a year, I'd like the ability to go much further. I spent much of my childhood living aboard and now as a young single guy I might want to get back to that. I'm also looking to get my USCG master based on my background boating as well as seaplane background just to have in my back pocket as the FAA can be kinda odd.

Overall question; what does the hive think of a bristol 40 sloop? I was looking at hanse 461 and la rochelle, but thinking this might be a better proof of concept before dumping money, if that makes sense.

[psk125]

We had friends with a Bristol 40 ketch. The mizzen was a definite impediment in the cockpit, so a sloop would be an improvement. They are narrow, so space is tight. When they came aboard our J/36 the first remark was how spacious it was compared to their 4’ longer boat. The Bristol 40 has a reputation for being well built and seaworthy. It needs about 15 knots of wind to move. Under way it seems to be seakindly, but it is designed to heel going upwind (to increase waterline length) so might not be as comfortable to sail as some others. The length, weight of the boat, and hardware arrangements call for having crew. The cockpit is also too narrow to have the helmsman easily get out from behind the wheel to do anything else but steer.

[skipmac]

Second everything said by PSK125.



Will add one comment. Whether or not the Bristol is roomy enough for you will 100% depend on your preferences. I met two German couples living on a 27' boat in the Caribbean that were perfectly happy and I've talked to a couple on a large 45' boat that thought it was horribly cramped.

[NorthernMac]

That was one of the things I was thinking, I also found a VERY nice mystic 30, spec to spec it actually doesn’t look to be that much smaller inside, though the overhangs on the Bristol seem to help the v birth.

I don’t really mind it being kinda small, heck with my large house (now rented out) I hardly use much of it at all, and the place the company rents for me, I’m usually in my room, sleeping, laptop, changing or I out doing stuff. As it stands it would just be me and my 40lb Australian Shepherd.

Kinda debating how much boat I need for this, it’s both a proof of concept as well as I’d like to be able to single hand the boat without having to grow a extra set of arms.

[skipmac]

This is one of those things that you never know until you try it out. There are minimum size limits below which it gets tricky to store sufficient water, food, tools, spares, etc to be reasonably equipped to cruise in somewhat remote locations. Beyond that it comes down to you.


A cheaper way to get a feel for what space you feel comfortable with is to rent a small camper/trailer for a week or three and see how you tolerate it.

[NorthernMac]

Originally Posted by skipmac

This is one of those things that you never know until you try it out. There are minimum size limits below which it gets tricky to store sufficient water, food, tools, spares, etc to be reasonably equipped to cruise in somewhat remote locations. Beyond that it comes down to you.


A cheaper way to get a feel for what space you feel comfortable with is to rent a small camper/trailer for a week or three and see how you tolerate it.

That makes 100% sense.

Off the cuff what would your thoughts be on a 33’ mystic just over 10’ beam?
From my day job I get the stores thing and fuel burns as well as fresh water, and on the smaller boat the fresh water tank is...small, maybe add a water maker in the dead space in the back as she’s a rear cockpit?

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by NorthernMac

That makes 100% sense.

Off the cuff what would your thoughts be on a 33’ mystic just over 10’ beam?
From my day job I get the stores thing and fuel burns as well as fresh water, and on the smaller boat the fresh water tank is...small, maybe add a water maker in the dead space in the back as she’s a rear cockpit?

Not familiar with a Mystic 33 and a quick google did not enlighten me. Is that the maker, a model or??? Got a link?


Reason I ask, it will depend a LOT on not just the beam but how far that beam extends to the ends of the boat. Overhangs, etc all make a huge different. Example, Hinkley B40 is a beautiful boat but the long sleek design and long overhangs at bow and stern give a boat with similar interior space (if not less) to a Catalina 30.


Watermakers. Nice, always have good water and plenty (assuming a large enough unit) but they are expensive and use a lot of power.

[NorthernMac]

Best I could find, sorry mystic 30

https://sailboatdata.com/sailboat/mystic-30

https://m.facebook.com/MysticSailboats/

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by NorthernMac

Best I could find, sorry mystic 30

https://sailboatdata.com/sailboat/mystic-30

https://m.facebook.com/MysticSailboats/

Helps a lot. My googling didn't do so well here. Most of what I found were random boats for sale in Mystic CT.


This does look like fairly roomy 30' boat. The lines look somewhat like a New England cat boat IE beamy, beam carried pretty far aft. Worth a look if you're thinking of a boat like this to try on for size.

[NYSail]

For wife and I one of biggest motivations for upgrading from a Pearson 36-2 to beneteau 423 was tankage..... gives us more freedom.
The 36-2 had plenty of room and storage...... but to increase tankage would have been difficult to say the least.

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by NYSail

For wife and I one of biggest motivations for upgrading from a Pearson 36-2 to beneteau 423 was tankage..... gives us more freedom.
The 36-2 had plenty of room and storage...... but to increase tankage would have been difficult to say the least.

Fuel or water or both?



Currently have a Pearson 422 with 140 gallons of water and 80 fuel which has been adequate. What's the capacity of the Beneteau?

[NYSail]

Originally Posted by skipmac

Fuel or water or both?



Currently have a Pearson 422 with 140 gallons of water and 80 fuel which has been adequate. What's the capacity of the Beneteau?

The 422 is a nice boat.

The 36-2 (1986) Fuel water and black water were all limited (22 / 75 / 15 gallons respectively).
Beneteau has 56 fuel (changing to 110) 150 water (changing to 100 when get watermaker) and 50 black water.

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by NYSail

The 422 is a nice boat.

Thanks. With a couple of reservations am quite happy with it. Sure could use more ondeck storage. There's no cockpit lockers at all, just a moderately sized lazarette. Not a speed demon but quite comfortable in a seaway. Also not super maneuverable in tight quarters but with care and planning haven't smacked another boat yet, knock on wood.

Originally Posted by NYSail

The 36-2 (1986) Fuel water and black water were all limited (22 / 75 / 15 gallons respectively).
Beneteau has 56 fuel (changing to 110) 150 water (changing to 100 when get watermaker) and 50 black water.

That's pretty limiting on the 36-2. For cruising the Beneteau capacities are close to the 422 and would work for me.


So what part of Long Island? I bought my Pearson in Greenport 10 years ago and on the way back to FL from MA this month spent a few days in Port Washington waiting out one of the nasty fronts that came through a couple of weeks back. Great stopover.

[malbert73]

Bristol 40 will likely have a lot more storage - I suspect tankage maybe under sole and cockpit lockers likely huge without large aft cabin like most boats

[JDOradio]

I live aboard a Bounty II and it's perfect for my needs. Just big enough to handle a seaway, not too big to handle solo. Mine was set up well for cruising in terms of tank age, etc. Interior volume is fine for me, plenty of stowage and room for alterations, easy to heat. Not sure about the Bristol.

Here's a thread on the bristol.

http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/f47/bluewater-bristol-40-a-50643.html

I have recently sailed around Cape May and up through Long Island Sound. When the wind opposes the tide, especially with a fresh breeze, the sea gets up to such a state that you wish you had a container ship. A smaller boat is not in my future. I pick my weather but would have to be way pickier with a smaller boat.