Reasonable sailboat size for five people

[Jacob3]

Thanks everyone for replying.
Just to gather the tips:
- I'll pay attention to the storage capacities for occasional ocean crossings;

My family is consisted of my parents, me and my brother (that will be 18 when we are planning to departure for our first one year coastal trip). So it will be 4/5 adults (depending on guests, gfs etc).


- As I spoke to my sailer friend, the smaller the boat the better and simpler it is to take care of (less maintenance). What means I'll keep the boat size between 34 and 40/41 feet.

I checked a list of good bluewater boats at the Mahina website, where I saw great tips about sailboats in general. Mahina Expeditions - Selecting A Boat for Offshore Cruising

I took these makes/models as possible ones for me:
- Bristol
- Dickerson (a little bit off priced for me)
- Amel
- Sadler 34
- Najad 34
- Spencer
- Trintella
Also that C&C 41 is a good bet.

Thanks for your attention guys

[desodave]

The Pacific North West may be a bit different situation than you are facing in Brazil. Lots of relatively sheltered waters here and all kinds of anchorages. We found what we wanted by chartering boats a few times, and cruising the docks wherever we were. Add lots of research and spousal compromise. We go out every year with our daughter and her family - total of 5, 4 adults, 1 near-teen - quite comfortably in our 38. But one of them always has to sleep in the main cabin. We've also had spells of living in each others' house, lots of familiarity, and are never out together much longer than 10 days. Think about doing it in stages - you're young and have lots of years left to meet your eventual goals. Different sized boats may fit different stages of your life cycle.

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by hamburking

Hi,

It would help if you posted the age and gender of your kids.

I spent 5 great summers with my family on a C&C25 here on Lake Ontario, often aboard for a week at a time. Yes, thats a small boat, but the kids were little and could share the vee. When they got bigger, we needed a bigger boat.

IMHO, if you have two daughters, they could share the vee while you and the Mrs share a large quarter berth or aft cabin. You would be very comfortable on a Hunter Legend 35.5. However, if everyone needs their own bunk, you might consider a C&C41...it has a big quarter berth, a vee cabin, plus a pair of upper pilot berths in the main cabin...a really great layout that would satisfy your whole family and a couple guests too!

Considering he's said he's just turned 18 I'd say they're toddlers..

[StuM]

Originally Posted by boatman61

Considering he's said he's just turned 18 I'd say they're toddlers..

He also said:

"And I'm planning to buy this boat in 6 years."

[hamburking]

Originally Posted by boatman61

Considering he's said he's just turned 18 I'd say they're toddlers..

I'm thinking that in 6 years, when he's ready to buy, they'll be toddlers.

So with this new info, I'm going to recommend the C&C25 mk1. Well built boat with excellent sailing characteristics and an excellent setup for a young family. I had one for 5 years when my kids were little. They slept in the vee. It was their safe spot. A cozy fort and comfy hideaway. They loved it. The boat was small enough to easily handle myself, with the engine stowed safely over the stern where little fingers could not get into it. With furling jib, autohelm 1000, an origo stove, and a decent sun tent, we could...and did...go anywhere (on Lake Ontario). And with draft under 4 feet, we could get into lots of great anchorages while the bigger boats suffered in the wind and waves further out.

[Mauro47]

5 people is not too many for crossing an ocean but way too many to live in clse quarters for extended period on the hook. At sea in a crossing you will have a hard time seeing 5 people on a 40-50 ft monohull. In the harbor crew can go off and clean up but you have to be really close friend to make it last. Try charter for 2 weeks on a 35 ft and see. Forget about privacy, almost regardless of the boat size. I sail on a 50 ft sloop and we have been out in 7 without problems for 2 weeks at the time but in the end it is time to go home, at least for some of us.
Planning is the key for success

[UNCIVILIZED]

So then crossing an ocean in a 45' boat with 12 crew isn't possible. Including blazers, & ties for the entire (adult male) crew to attend functions upon arrival. Or 4 people, 2 full sized adults, & 2 17yr old male teens on a 22'er for 2 weeks won't work. It surely did at the time, & people still do as much. Including a couple with 3 kids who cruised extensively on a 25'er. It's about where your heads are at, & what you truly desire to do. So if you're having fun, a lot's possible.

[Mauro47]

A young family of 5 can fit on almost anything. Parents are busy and kids, in general enjoy and learn a bunch, including living in close quarters and help each other. 2.5 couples or just 5 adult friends need more space. Again, not to cross an ocean, then everybody is busy sailing, managing the boat or asleep and live is smooth. On long distance racing it is common to hot bunk the crew. 6 bunks will serve 12 people. Can you do the same on the hook?

[navy davy]

10 ft per person

[valhalla360]

Originally Posted by Jacob3

Thanks everyone for replying.
Just to gather the tips:
- I'll pay attention to the storage capacities for occasional ocean crossings;

My family is consisted of my parents, me and my brother (that will be 18 when we are planning to departure for our first one year coastal trip). So it will be 4/5 adults (depending on guests, gfs etc).

4-5 adults full time for a year or more suggests a need for at least 3 cabins (1 for parents, 1 for each kid) and maybe a 4th cabin for guests if they will be frequent. If only occasional guests, someone can sleep on the couch.

- As I spoke to my sailer friend, the smaller the boat the better and simpler it is to take care of (less maintenance). What means I'll keep the boat size between 34 and 40/41 feet.

Smaller is better but up to a point. When you go camping in a tent, you generally only are all in the tent at night sleeping and most people limit camping to a couple of weeks at a time before going back to their much larger house/apartment. Most of the time, you are out and about. On a crossing or isolated anchorage, you are often on the boat continuously for multiple days.

Thanks for your attention guys

I won't say anything about the particular models you listed other than a 35' mono is going to be a very tight fit. If you are lucky, there will be 2 smallish cabins and then cabins will eat into storage space.

If you want a mono, you are probably getting close to 50' to get 3 comfortable cabins or you can go with a cat, probably a little over 40' to get storage for offshore provisions.

If you are really trying to keep it down (cost and size) a mid to upper 30s (ft) cat would probably be your best bet. Lots of cabins and lots of deck space to spread out. Our 34' Gemini cat had 3 cabins but we converted one to a pantry and the other had misc gear in it that we could clear out for guests if needed. Coastal, you could probably make it work but ocean crossing, storage for 4-5 would start to get tough.

For the right people, it's possible you could do it in a 25' boat but there is a point where smaller is not better.