I am already a
live aboard and want to become a mostly financially independent snowbird. I would like a
boat that is capable and be ready to be taken
offshore with a
wind vane and basic systems. I have over 1700 miles
offshore experience; have been through two gales and a tropical depression, did the DEL-MAR-VA,
BVI, also some minor
day sailing on
Puget Sound and the
Florida keys. So I reasonably know what I need and know what I am comfortable with.
I am a mostly a
single hander that might have occasional crew. I also need the larger size for comfort living at
anchor almost year round and also have room for
SCUBA tanks/
gear,
Sewing machine, Tools and other odds and ends. Cruising grounds will be Caribbean/
Florida Keys/ Chesapeake and I’ll be as bold to say in the distant future the
Panama Canal,
West Coast US and then
Puget Sound.
Here’s what I would do to a
boat, Glass over all unnecessary Thru-hulls including switching over to composting
head, eliminating the in
hull speed sensor. Also inspect and
repair thru-hulls and sea cocks adding extra glass and ball valves. Fit a
monitor wind vane to the transom. Add a Max Prop folding
propeller (3 blade or
2 blade?). Simplifying the electrics and not needing anything unnecessary like chart plotter /AIS transmitter/
battery monitors/
wind speed etc. Also will be adding
solar panels that produce surplus
power combined with low draw
equipment and LED
lighting throughout. I am fond of the
VHF that receives
AIS information and shows speed/heading and
GPS coordinates, I have one on my list.
I also have aboard several hand held
GPS and a meticulous ships log and plenty of medium range
charts, also
Navionics for the waterproof
Ipad. I also have complete and separate
maintenance logs like, general
maintenance and
engine logs. In the future I would like to add a cruiser RO
water maker (20 GPH) run by the
Honda eu2000.
Also will be adding multiple redundant
safety features, like several over sized manual and
electric bilge pumps (one operated from the cockpit), sliding barrel lock the
hatch boards when under way, jack lines and 24/7 on
deck tether. A several hundred foot long floating trip line to deactivate the
self steering. Many oversized anchors: New generation plow/ Genuine Bruce/ Fortress/Fisherman. The boat will also have multiple rodes and various length of chain ready to deploy. I may go to all chain for the primary however I really like the
current 9/16” 3 strand with 35’ of 5/16” chain attached. I’m thinking about just having a few multiple rodes set up this way. I like the ease of handling less chain without a windless. I also have a concern about being overloaded and having lots of weight in the bow.
What I want in a boat:
$15,000-$20,000 to spend
32’-35’ Feet Maximum length
Heavy
displacement
Protected
rudder or skeg hung. (Or not?)
Roller Furling head sail
Keel stepped
mast preferred
Tiller
steering (simplification/ tiller pilot for motoring)
Shoal or
shallow draft 4-5 Feet or 4-8 Feet with a
centerboard
Functional
galley with
Propane (I like to cook) or ability to install
propane with
oven
A suitable small
shower that’s functional
Diesel or gasoline
engine
Bonus for: lines run to the
cockpit, cruising
gear, anchors, and bow rollers, manual
anchor windlass and additional upgrades that make the boat safer and more
seaworthy. (Or point me towards boats that usually come with these upgrades and gear).
I’m also very handy with a myriad of tools and systems ;( I could swap a rebuilt atomic 4 over the weekend). I also have experience with
marine diesel engines/systems and the
commercial /industrial painting industry. However I don’t want or need a “project boat”. It seems like there are many great boats in my
price range that are complete and functional. However I’m not afraid to do a little
work.
I live on the Chesapeake so I have a lot of boats to choose from. I have been focusing on makes and builders that made hundreds and hundreds of the same boats as it seems there are many available and competitively priced successful designs most notably the Tartan 34C and Bristol 35.5. I have been focusing less on “one off” designed boats as the value is subjective and they can be hard to find. However if it was in my
price range I would add dozens of heavy
displacement world cruising boats to my list, but were working on a
budget here, so none of these: (BABA 30, Hans Christian 33, West Sail 32,
Sabre 34,
CSY 33,
Cape Dory 33) But also NOT interested in (Catalina 30, Hunters, something made of
wood or anything similar)
I like the simplicity of the
Alberg 35 however it is such a long boat for such a narrow beam and short waterline it really doesn’t make sense from a cost stand point. I have realized that other boats compared specifically to the
Alberg 35 and similar
Alberg designed boats is that I can get almost twice the boat and living space for less yard and marina
fees. The idea here is to be independent from a
dock but also have plenty of comfort and
storage while living on anchor, a longer
water line gives you that, not necessarily beam in my opinion.
Here is my
current List of boats more or less in order but subject to change:
1. Tartan 34C
2. Tartan 30
3. Bristol 35.5 not (C)
4. Bayfield 32
5. Morgan OI 33
6. Morgan 32
7. Bristol 32
8. S&S 34
9. Pearson 35
10. Alberg 35
While I am not overly fond of a
centerboard with its pennant and maintenance issues, under the right circumstances and deal I am sure I would be happy with one. However I really like an encapsulated lead modified full
keel. I currently have a
Sabre 28’ and my former boat was a 26’
Alberg designed Ariel. I also have a love hate relationship with
wheel steering and full keel boats don’t back up worth a damn. However I like my current keel/rudder combination, great
tracking, and turns immediately in forward or reverse, it’s very responsive.
So looking at the list I have, what boats would you add or rank at the top of the list? I have been seeing some very nice well maintained, well equipped boats (mostly with gas engines) with asking prices of $16,000. I have some time to keep planning and looking at boats but eventually within the next 2 years I want to just be on a beach somewhere studying things that wash up on the shore, doing some wreck
diving, photographing
marine life, eating the marine life, and drinking the cold Caribe
beer. Critiques and suggestions of my idea/plans are welcome.
Thank you.
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