Best liveaboard and cruising choice

[JanetGroene]

Well said in every respect, KK! The only thing I'd add is that, to be self-sufficient, you should rely on outside sources as little as possible. To get a good solar oven is solar self-sufficiency. To get solar panels so you can have power to run your infrared stove is to rely on knowing how to maintain, use, afford and replace as needed every component of the solar energy setup. Much self-sufficiency depends on your own skills in every aspect of maintenance and repair.

Originally Posted by KompetentKrew

Many previous discussions along these lines - easy to find them if you search Google for something like "bluewater boat inurl:forum". I'm not going to rehash them here.

I went from zero sailing experience in early 2018 (age 45) to crossing Biscay singlehanded in fall 2020 and my advice to you is to get some hands-on experience before pursuing these kinds of discussions.

Everyone's got their own opinions on this matter, and you can hear perfectly cogent arguments from both sides, but you're not qualified to assess those arguments if you have no experience. You can read pages of discussion about the passage-making qualities of a WestSail vs the capabilities and practicality of a Beneteau but it's worthless if you lack practical experience of your own - in that case your only basis for forming an opinion is your own biases.

Get your RYA or ASA certs and do a week's charter in the Caribbean. Take one of John Kretschmer's offshore passages.

You should probably own a boat with a diesel engine before you consider one with an electric engine (unless it is a much smaller boat than those you have mentioned).

IMO self-sufficiency is a bit of an illusion, as you will always be dependent on civilisation for spare parts. But it's easy to manage a week or two at anchor without needing supplies, providing you can do without AC and limit use of the fridge.

Get a boat, sail it and live in it before fitting more solar or changing the batteries for ones which may be incompatible with the existing charger and alternator. These are bigger projects than you may realise.

Yachting is wonderful - you can laze in remote and idyllic anchorages, but it is also an adventure and it can be scary and frightening.

You can't do this unless both you and your partner are 100% on board with it, and it does require sacrifices, especially in terms of comfort. A boat can be comfortable, but there will always be certain amenities of conventional living that are impractical on a boat.

If you have no experience then it's easy to conceptualise this (what you propose) as comparable with RV living, but it's not. Not only that, but it's hard articulate why it's not - there are just too many reasons.

Talking about Pogo 44 and full-keeled boats in the same question! Stop reading brochures and get time on board! Just get on with it - take some courses.

[Captain Graham]

In general a full keel blue water cruising monohull have a hull designed to slice thru the water at 15-20 degrees of heel.
This hull design makes it very unstable at 0 Deg heel, like at anchor.

At anchor you want a sailboat with more of a flat bottom making it stable at 0 deg heel but crossing an ocean the hull will bang (not slice) thru the water making for a less comfortable ride.

Since a liveaboard spends more time at anchor, I would recommend you buy a coastal cruiser sailboat in the 30 ft range that is also good at anchor.

Spend a year or two in the Caribbean then after this adventure you will know a lot more about what kind of sailboat you will like

Some examples are
(I would keep the cost low and target $10K-$20K)
Catalina 30
Allmond 31
Waktins 27 (maybe a little small)
Endeavour 32

[Cynara]

It took us years to find the right boat . We live in Long Beach California. Everyone we know has a boat si it was easy to go sailing on different boats. We choose a Hans Christian 34. Big enough for the 2 of us. Was a good sailor, strong and comfortable especially when the sea got rough. As far as movable keels and the like we took the approach of the less movable is better. We didn't even have roller furling.

Smaller boats are easier to handle especially if you have to do it yourself.



Our boat was a decent sailor. Our first 1,200 miles we ran the 30 hours to make forward progress. If the windvane was steering we were happy.

[NormanMartin]

So much good advice. To reiterate: Smaller boats are a lot less work and a lot more pleasure. Provide yourselves with a really good dinghy. Take sailing lessons. Finally, more often than not the failure is with your relationship not the boat.

How do I know...? Parents cruised all their lives and raised us aboard. One set of grandparents did likewise with my mother. Been teaching cruising to adults since 1985. Met two wives with non sailing husbands and hundreds of husbands with non sailing wives. A frustrating mix. I thought I was going cruising in retirement but mama said no (after having said yes)... house and an acre of gardens now. Horrible. If you aren't in it together it is hell.

[pdjb]

Here. Is what I suggest, go to Willard. Org and see if they are selling 8 ton sailboat, buy it and enjoy, I have one and love it. Good luck,

[Simi 60]

Originally Posted by NormanMartin

So much good advice. To reiterate: Smaller boats are a lot less work and a lot more pleasure. .

Yeah it would be so pleasurable living aboard a 20fter....not.

Give me the king size bed, comfortable lounge, silly amounts of ice cold refrigeration and ice in the drinks, as much fresh water as you want to use both hot and cold and shaded out door space to lounge around on.
Nothing flash, just the things that an average dirt house has.

I'll take that any day as will the financier

Finally, more often than not the failure is with your relationship not the boat.

BS

We have been together 30 years and had several boats together, a couple of them we built.
There is no way in hell she'd hang around if we had a small underequipped, uncomfortable boat.
I don't blame her, neither would I
It's like trying to convince somone who has lived in a house that they can live comfortably and happily in a cardboard box.

Our current vessel had to tick a lot of boxes to get her to move aboard full time
When I found it, she bought it

[Simi 60]

Never having to go into a marina to get water, get supplies or find a laundry
That's damn near priceless in itself

[ovidiunelu]

Listen to all and START LOOKING AT BOATS if you like one then do your homework and ask the good people on the forum. IN THAT ORDER please.
I have an Endeavour 43 and I would not trade it for anything else.

[sgrimm]

+1 to KompetentKrew for their excellent reply right at the beginning.

We were brochure sailors when we started. Picture up on the wall, read all the specs, watched all the video reviews. It was our dream boat that we couldn't afford. Two keel boats later and lots of miles and experience now. We can afford that boat now but we won't buy it.

Get out on the water. See the boats first hand. Charter or buy a cheaper boat to start and see where that takes you.

[Dauzy]

Boats to consider, Island Packet 40, I see a Van De Stadt Satellite 44 2000 for $163,700 lifting keel in YW with others such as Beneteau 42, couple of Caliber 40 LRC both $190K one with M802, 2002, 2004, solar and other stuff. Contest 44. Catalina 40, Valiant 39 and above. Consider crewing as a couple. I've sent a message about crewing from Aus to Tanzania, Cape Town, Caribbean, Panama Canal, Hawaii, Seattle. One or more legs. You could learn about boats, sailing, decide what you like. Many boats are available, you will probably need to make some changes, additions, updates etc. When I started out I learned sailing in 10 to 18 footers in college & racing, then joined a couple of single yacht clubs. Offered to crew on race boats for the summers. Owners needed help with their boats of various sizes up to 50 footers for weekend cruises and summer one or two week trips. Folks would get together and charter boats in Caribbean, Greece, Tahiti, Spain, Italy, San Juans, and Gulf Islands BC. Eventually bought a couple of boats. Married a sailor. Pretty soon in Mexico and South Pacific. Retiring helped a lot too.

[MistyCat]

If you are looking for an ideal passage maker you might check in with morganscloud.com, consider their Attainable Adventure Cruusing subscription, and read about the Adventure 40. I think you can get in on a free trial to see about this new boat, and you may find it well worth the approx $20/year to subscribe for a virtual treasure trove of information about sailing, boats, equipment, practice and more for serious cruisers.