Your choice for cruising with 4 adults?

[Ziggy]

Originally Posted by hamburking

Welcome to CF tradrockrat!

IMHO, if you want to remain good friends, you should get 2 boats...one per couple.

There are many advantages to this, not the least of which is privacy and control or your own vessel. Living in very close proximity can strain any relationship. Are you really ready to mingle finanaces? Do the 4 of you share one home right now...I bet you don't.

I'm sure you can think of many other advantages to 2 boats.
Also, 2 smaller boats likely costs less than one bigger boat...but thats just a guess.

Just something to consider.

That's really good advice, in my opinion!

[boom23]

I've raced cars but when it comes to boating, I'm for comfort over performance. Cruisers spend most of their time (I've read something like 95%+) on anchor. In addition, in rough weather, I want a large & heavy boat.

It is a matter of taste. You should get on as many boats as you can. The right boat will reveal itself to you...

My wife and I love our Lagoon 450. It has more room than other 50ft catamarans we've been on. In my opinion, it's a great boat for 4 people.

[anacapaisland42]

The main ESSENTIAL CRITERIA is that EVERY person has their own "bolt" space to retreat to........ 4 of us ..all adults.... cruised in harmony (and still friends) for 5 months in total on a 30 foot boat because we each had a private retreat (bunkie) where we could hide when we were PO'd with something/someone.
Bill

[tradrockrat]

All of this is great advice. Thank you.

As an addendum to those really concerned about the 4 of us together. We would be in a situation where two of us are only semi-retired. I would need to - on my own schedule - visit my business at least twice a year to make sure all is smooth running. So my wife and I would be taking off for 2-3 weeks twice a year and going back to Texas. The other couple are in a a great situation where they can work online with a very flexible schedule, but might want to spend some time every once ina while on land with a dedicated internet connection for a month or so to work massive hours to build up the kitty.

Point is, for about 2 months out of 12 - guaranteed - we won't be seeing each other.

[rabbi]

Originally Posted by tradrockrat

All of this is great advice. Thank you.

As an addendum to those really concerned about the 4 of us together. We would be in a situation where two of us are only semi-retired. I would need to - on my own schedule - visit my business at least twice a year to make sure all is smooth running. So my wife and I would be taking off for 2-3 weeks twice a year and going back to Texas. The other couple are in a a great situation where they can work online with a very flexible schedule, but might want to spend some time every once ina while on land with a dedicated internet connection for a month or so to work massive hours to build up the kitty.

Point is, for about 2 months out of 12 - guaranteed - we won't be seeing each other.

I would never ever do a long term cruise with best friends. it's the easiest way to lose friends. get two smaller boats and cruise in company.

BTW... six years is a very long time. If there is no way to start sooner stop thinking about this trip until year four or five and just enjoy life in the meantime.

[lilolme55]

I am in a similar position to yourself but not looking to purchase as soon. Personally I wouldn't look at anything less than 40' preferably something in the mid 40's would be best. No matter what a boat can get to be a very small place if you are living on it and I don't mind admitting that I prefer as much comfort as possible. A cat gives you substantially more space per foot length and it doesn't live at 20 degrees when sailing so it is much more comfortable (only my opinion) With four people on board overnight and long distance sailing is no problem and with a mid 40's cat you could even sleep extra crew comfortably if you decide to do an ARC or long distance blue water sail even more easily. A lot of this comes down to money and what you can afford and always remember that you have to make sure you have all the necessary safety gear and electronics on board. In any case enjoy the experience of choosing your boat and certainly read what is written in this group as there are a LOT of really experienced sailors here happy to share their knowledge and that is based on real experience and you cannot get enough of that. Happy sailing.

[tradrockrat]

Originally Posted by rabbi

I would never ever do a long term cruise with best friends. it's the easiest way to lose friends. get two smaller boats and cruise in company.

BTW... six years is a very long time. If there is no way to start sooner stop thinking about this trip until year four or five and just enjoy life in the meantime.

Appreaciate the advice, but if I don't plan now it won't happen. I need to save a few hundred thousand dollars if this is going to happen. That means start planning now. Get ASA classes over the next few years, get Charters on yearly vacations to try out boats, get business to place where it can run without me at the helm 24/7, etc.

Life will be enjoyed - never fear.

[lilolme55]

One thing to remember, a boat based on performance is designed to go fast and comfort is secondary. If you are planning on living on this boat comfort is more important than speed, this is a 24/7 decision even a rattly hinge could drive you nuts. Think of your home now is it basic or comfortable, ditto the boat to live on.

[44'cruisingcat]

There's been some very good advice: 2 hulls, 2 heads, 2 showers.....


Have to say, I'd choose to go with 2 boats!


Can see that economics would be much harder though.

[Juho]

Originally Posted by tradrockrat

Point is, for about 2 months out of 12 - guaranteed - we won't be seeing each other.

Some people seem to be still concerned about the risk of couples eventually not tolerating each others. In oder to give them some peace of mind, maybe you could agree with the other couple how this kind of possible conflicts should be solved (even if they are not expected to ever appear). I guess it is easier to discuss these possibilities now, rather than during some long passage. Maybe timesharing or something like that would be a working default method. Maybe send one of the couples home for a while, or leave them in some (inhabited) island for a while.

[rabbi]

Originally Posted by tradrockrat

Appreaciate the advice, but if I don't plan now it won't happen. I need to save a few hundred thousand dollars if this is going to happen. That means start planning now. Get ASA classes over the next few years, get Charters on yearly vacations to try out boats, get business to place where it can run without me at the helm 24/7, etc.

Life will be enjoyed - never fear.

sorry I failed to express myself correctly. I don't want to discourage you from your preparations like saving money and taking classes. Do sender you need to do to prepare for the dream.
but I would not put too much effort on a particular boat now. things will change in six years. your friends may change their mind. you may change your mind.
it's just too far out.
year four or five will be early enough to get the boat.

[tradrockrat]

Originally Posted by rabbi

but I would not put too much effort on a particular boat now. things will change in six years. your friends may change their mind. you may change your mind.
it's just too far out.
year four or five will be early enough to get the boat.

Ah - gotcha. You are of course absolutely correct. We have no plans to actually buy the boat until year 5. Year one is sail the McGregor 25 all over the lakes and get some ASA classes under everyone's belt. We are discussing the possibility of a charter boat vacation in the Caribbean at some point too.

[tradrockrat]

Originally Posted by Juho

Some people seem to be still concerned about the risk of couples eventually not tolerating each others. In oder to give them some peace of mind, maybe you could agree with the other couple how this kind of possible conflicts should be solved (even if they are not expected to ever appear). I guess it is easier to discuss these possibilities now, rather than during some long passage. Maybe timesharing or something like that would be a working default method. Maybe send one of the couples home for a while, or leave them in some (inhabited) island for a while.

We have already discussed the "Red Hat" method of privacy. If he / she is wearing the red hat, leave em alone. lol

[Kiwi.]

Originally Posted by ZipTie

tradrockrat,

If your looking to circumnavigation with 4 people than you will need lots of payload.

A 40 footer may be too small for 4 people and payload for a few years on the water.

All boats get smaller the more time you spend on them.

More and more circumnavigator’s are going with 45 footers now with tons of solar and larger refrigerator’s/ freezers.

Yes, this is good advice.
You have asked that we don't discuss brands but it is important to realise that the design has a big influence over the weight carrying capacity. So a narrow-hull cat (say a Catana) is much more weight sensitive than a wide-hull cat (say a Lagoon). So for four adults a 40 to 45 foot wide-hull cat could do the job, but on a narrow hull cat I'd be looking for 50ft.
An easy hull width comparison can be made by looking at the aft cabin beds on a Lagoon 450 (full walk around) and a Catana 50 Ocean Class (climb into the hole!). Of course the sailing performance of the narrow hull cats is better, if they are not overloaded! (Same-length same-tonnage the wide-hull cat can be faster than the overloaded narrow-hull.)
So 4 adults wide-hull you need at least 42ft, narrow-hull you need at least 50ft unless you are all Ascetics, and like living in caves.

[valhalla360]

If you are going to do this put everything in writing and have an escape plan.

10 months out of 12 is still a lot of time.

How is ownership handled?
How is the end of the partnership handled? (it may be bad feelings or it may be that someone becomes ill or injured and can no longer sail)
Who and how is it decided when to leave port?
Once on the water, who is in charge?
Who cooks dinner, who does dishes, who waxes the hull, etc....?

It sounds litigious but the more you settle up front, the less chances for mistaken assumptions (ie: Bill used to have a summer job washing and waxing boats, so we'll assume Bill will handle that task.)