Please go easy on me.

[Macncheez]

Well I started homeless at the age 15/16 don't remeber and worked hard to build my life up and just landed a great job at 140k a year with no expenses(I lied phone bill)and I know I should save. But Since I was sailing my own at 15yrs of age localy (19ft sloop to a 27ft irwin) I now want to upgrade. I miss the water and I know what I want. I'm 27 I am looking at a boat about the price of 130k at 40+ feet. My question is how much do I need to set aside for maintenances like on a yearly basis. I don't need exact numbers just rough idea and what you may put down for your boat. BTW I'll never buy a house I'll live on my boats forever....I just sold my house after a divorce and I don't want to mow lawns or trim my trees. I'm very fit but I'll be the first to admit I'm lazy. Unless it's a goal or work.

Brand and style ideas for a 39 to 48ft?
I know that's broad but I like sloops with no swing keels, over that. enough room for myself and a few to travel.

Only reason I went to school and worked so hard was all for this and my dream is coming to be true. Please go easy on my dreams/now reality lol.

[Paul Annapolis]

I salute you for following your dream--(I think....) Not bad work...whatever it may be, if you can get it--for 140k per year--thanks for sharing your annual income with us (I hope the ex wife doesn't take too much of that or the proceeds from the house--thanks for telling us). You admit that you're lazy ("Unless it's a goal or work" as you wrote......not sure what that meant?????)and say you went to school (apparently not for an English degree) but if you are able to purchase a $130,000 boat (especially at the tender age of 27) why should costs of maintenance even be an issue? Whatever boat in the range you specify, it will cost thousands if not tens of thousands per year--depending on a hundred factors. Boats of 40-48' are not likely to have trees or yards to mow. Have you discussed your concerns with a fellow boater or a yacht broker? Besides that--to answer your question depends on so many factors--and then you ask for "brand and style ideas for a 39-48' boat"....well, there are a few--very few boats of that size with swing keels, so why you would include that as a factor is a bit interesting. But there are thousands of makes and styles of boats out there--where could one begin to respond? Any 40' boat will have enough room for you and a few to travel--unless you are used to life in a mansion...but having been homeless (thanks for telling us) perhaps even below 40' or below 30' will satisfy your needs-so yes 40+ should be plenty. If it was such a dream to have worked enough to earn enough $ to go sailing, perhaps you might have considered devoting some work and study to researching some of this so you could at least narrow your choices and criteria (other than swing keel) and pose some questions that perhaps we on CF might actually be able to answer with some clarity of purpose. Be safe and have fun ...out there....

[sailorchic34]

Originally Posted by Macncheez

I am looking at a boat about the price of 130k at 40+ feet. My question is how much do I need to set aside for maintenances like on a yearly basis

I might suggest aiming a bit smaller, toward the 35-40 foot range. Smaller is better in that the cost of ownership is so much lower. Maintenance for a 35 foot boat will be 15-20% ish of a 48 foot boat. Small boats cost less to dock, to sail and to motor.

As Paul said some spend well over $10K a year on boat maintenance, not including slip. More if your not handy. Me I spend less then $1000 a year, but I'm a poor boater with a very simple boat. (though I do sail quite a bit) For me an Old 35 year old boat was in my price range. It's now 44 years old and I still love it.

If you have $130K for a boat. Look for boats in the $80k range. That way you'll still have funds to upgrade/repair the boat once you buy one. 95% of boats sit for years and never move. There is no such thing as a cruise ready boat either. At the very least, it will need a new raw water impeller and most likely new batteries, and the fuel polished.

BTW asking price and condition of the boat have no or very little in common. Never assume the higher price boat is in better condition.

IF you wanted to be very adventuress, you could buy a 32' boat for $8000. put $10-20K into it (or not) and go sailing for x number of years.

As to the type of boat, that really depends. Do you want a dock queen, you take out 2-3 times a year, Do coastal sailing or hit the blue water.

Southwest Florida has some pretty skinny water so a draft of no more then 6 feet would be good. 5 feet even better.

In any case, I wish you luck in your adventure.

[Macncheez]

Hahaha yes my English is bad and my hand writing is worse. I'm a math guy. I only needed 1102 eng and I did horrible. I state all of those things to make a point you don't have to be a drug addict loser in a small town such as mine and go no where. Well the point is yes I will make a lot but I don't know what maintenances cost. Three years ago I was selling stuff just to buy bottom paint and soap. Well I like Morgan's but I also might want newer. I also learned to ask questions to get where I'm at and listening. Listening to advice is the best thing I can do. From those who have been through it. Anyways I ask because It's a huge market I would like maybe an idea at what too look at. I've never sailed anything other then catamarans and sloops below 27ft I don't know what brand just sloop and 39 to 47ft. And this post is my research starting.....lol.

[Macncheez]

I live out of SWF lol. Crack Towny area lol. I was just at my local dry dock looking at models and found one sloop I was interested in but I'm shy 40k of my goal I think I have a year to go :\.

Sailorchic34 thanks your advice is what I needed. Numbers I know.

[alctel]

Honestly if it's just you I'd look at something a bit smaller maybe, especially as you are young. My personal opinion is that ~35 foot is the ideal length for a solo liveaboard - but everyone's different!

Also congrats on turning it around - when I moved to a new town I had no job and no money for food for 6 months (though I managed to make rent somehow) and had to eat out of dumpsters from the back of grocery stores. Not fun.

[Macncheez]

Wow that's harsh. I was spearing fish in SWF for food and purchased rice alot. I had jobs and eventually moved to an apartment. Which btw getting one in your name with no credit or being 18 is hard lol. hurricane Charlie made my mom and I homeless but I moved in to a boat that was abandoned by tourist during the time. Dude hope you made it better. I was lucky compared to that.

[Don C L]

I think you'll find plenty of support here and no one going too hard on you! I know at one time in my younger days I really wanted a Valiant 40. It is fairly large for singlehanding, which is really what you'll be doing I presume, at least for a while, but it is very maneuverable. However, I too would recommend something in the 32 -36 range for ease of sailing, and lower costs all around. I'd like to hear more about YOUR OWN preferences though before rolling out my own list of possible boats. Are you planning some long distance trips? And I agree completely with Sailorchic about costs and benefits of the smaller older boats. To me, an older, well-maintained boat is the smartest way to go. How much are 35 and 40 foot slips in your area? How did you settle on the boat price of 130k?

[Macncheez]

Well I figured after 2 years I'd buy a large sloop to live on. I work alot so I won't be on it that much but as monthly fees range from 275$ to 500$ for a 28ft with Electric and water. I will live aboard it and am an engineer and pretty handy. I wanted larger for living space. As for travel I obviously can't do it alone since it's reckless. I trust my ability to sail I don't trust the environment or Murphy.

[krafthaus]

$100k boat, maybe $10k per year. Depends on what sort of shape it is to start with. For example I had to replace the dinghy outboard on my boat which I was not expecting. If you do a good job taking care of the little things ($) on your boat before they are allowed to become big ($$$) things you will save a lot of money and I would suggest you can see your expenses come down.


Depending on how much you sail, plan on new sails every 5-8 years maybe. That would be up to $2k per year to set aside for that big expense.


Best of Luck!

[Island Time O25]

For a single liveaboard with some expected coastal sailing 32-36ft range is perfect. Closer to 36 if you anticipate to have a live in partner and/or a favorite pet. Once you get into 38-40+ range your costs go up significantly and your options get narrower, especially considering that you are in SW FL, with the skinny water and such.

IMO the space needed for occasional guests/buddies is overrated. It does not make sense to keep up with the expenses and limitations of a much larger boat just to accommodate occasional couple of guests or three. They will manage on a 34-36 ft boat as well as on a 42-45ft one. And some larger boats are less comfortable in that regard than some smaller ones.

BTW newish (mid to late 90s and later) 32-33 footers are surprisingly spacious compared to older 35-36 footers. So may be that's the direction you want to explore.

[Don C L]

Originally Posted by Macncheez

Well I figured after 2 years I'd buy a large sloop to live on. I work alot so I won't be on it that much but as monthly fees range from 275$ to 500$ for a 28ft with Electric and water. I will live aboard it and am an engineer and pretty handy. I wanted larger for living space. As for travel I obviously can't do it alone since it's reckless. I trust my ability to sail I don't trust the environment or Murphy.

Ah, so you are looking for a 28 ft liveaboard just for now? Do they allow liveaboards on boats that size where you are looking? Sounds good to me but I am someone who lived aboard a Columbia 24 while I was going to college. You might consider something like a Catalina 27 for now and a large old van to keep a few items on while you save up for the larger boat...

[sailorjed3]

I lived aboard a sea sprite 34 for a while. Well built by Ryder, solid, shallowish draft, cutter rigged. Decent accomodations. Reasonably priced and lots of devoted sailors.

[bruce v]

Not sure if you are spoofing us or no as you seem to be all over the place but I'll give you the benefit of the doubt. My wife and I are in process of purchasing an older model(1979) Ericson 29 in order to live aboard and cruise the Great Loop. We are pay less than one tenth of what you are offering to pay for your boat and will have sufficient room and comfort for full time living aboard. Of course we have been full time RVers for the past 6 years so living "small" works well for us (to each their own). I am by no means a minimalist but you only need what satisfies you. Sounds a bit like so many of today's youth that you not only want it all but you want it all NOW! If that sounds harsh, sorry, but I want to be real. The point is, even if you are doing well and the opportunity to buy something bigger and better now appeals to you, the new and big of it will soon be gone and reality will crash in on you. Think about smaller and adapting first. At your age, you might try to find something to start out with (owning your own is not like experiencing the life on someone else's and the glamor of room vs costs will set in soon enough. When you ask for advice on cost of maintenance you really exposed yourself to your own naivety. The cost will always be what you make it. If you want more and make more, you spend it. If you can't, you don't. I am still going to suggest you start smaller and cheaper (you can then figure out what you need vs what you want and adjust appropriately). If you stay with the idea and like boat life, you'll know it and can make any upgrade you want knowing the cost of both time and cash that fall within the standards you have made for yourself). You will also have a personal consideration of all the cost. As I said before, we paid less than 1/10th what you are suggesting (I will probably spend that much again on it to "make it my own") but we will have exactly what we want. Of course, I am 68, retired and live on a fixed income 1/2 of what you earn. Been down the road you travel and bought things we really didn't need too. I think what I'm trying to share with you is time management. Slow down a little and give yourself a better foundation to build a lifestyle around. Better to make smaller mistakes while learning than becoming overwhelmed by making "grandiose" choices that seemed right at the time. Good luck in your choices. Fair winds and following seas!

[reed1v]

Set up a boat sitting business and live off others' boats. Or get your six pack license and become a delivery captain. Might as well make your dream pay for itself.