Good Family Boats

[sww914]

A 40 something foot diesel power boat. A floating RV is what you need for now.

[Hudson Force]

Originally Posted by Cruisingdad

We are fulltime cruisers with kids. My kids have spent most of their lives on boats ( 5 days old). We also have a fat bulldog. As such, i am opinionated about this, but take the comments as someone who has at least been there and still is. ..........................

....................... If you dont care about sailability, maybe an old morgan outislander.
Brian

Brian, I'm totally with you regarding fulltime cruisers with kids,- infants aboard to adults and off on their own,..... and the little dog too! I'm also opinionated and with comments as someone who has at least been there and still is. Our thoughts are quite the same, but I must defend my boat, which is not an "Islander", but an "Out Island". You know the Islanders are a different boat. Certainly the Morgan Out Islands are not designed as performance sailboats, but my configuaration and specs are just about identical to the Island Packet 38. I truly believe that the charter market of the seventies gave the Morgan OI the bad rep because of all the people coming down to charter who were used to their smaller, light, fin keel boats at home and could not manage a heavy full keel boat well. I have friends with a Catalina 42 and I can stick with them if the wind is at least 15 to 20, but all the Hunters, Beneteaus & Catalinas blow me and the Island Packets away in the light wind. 'no real offense with the slur, but I do think it's largely a myth.

'back to the size of the boat. People will have different requirements and you can't predict their ability to adapt by their nationality, culture or even number of children. My nephew has been living on a Catalina 22 for a few years without regret. The OP seems to be interested in a power boat and if he's lured by the 45' Commander, then he likely feels a need for a lot of boat space. I do think that most first time searchers for liveaboard vessels feel that they need more space than really necessary.

[scoobert]

wow, tons of great info guys, thanks. the waters ahead for me are uncharted, but i will take it one wave at a time, keeping God on my prow.
and i agree, a water RV is what i am thinking.

[rockborn]

1980 462 morgan

[Bash]

Originally Posted by CaptForce

What people deem neccessary for "living space" varies.

Amen! There isn't a 42-footer in the world commodious enough for me to live aboard with two dogs and a baby.

[Cheechako]

That's a huge powerboat. If you cant do it in that, you'd better buy a really huge sailboat for your end game!

[bobconnie]

We raised 3 girls and 1 boy aboard our 42 ft Colvin ! and that was a mono hull so Im sure if ya can feed those 8-71s aboard that boat you showed in your post, you will have all the room you can use !! just my 2 cents

[DumnMad]

That boat in your post is very roomy. Too much room and that kid will get lonely - they like being near mum&dad when they're young. Good to live on that before you tackle your own fit-out so you will know where your priorities are.
OTOH the big launch might consume you and not allow time for your project whereas continuing to live in a 40ft bus would be incentive to pursue the dream. We (2 adults)lived 5 months in a 15ft motorhome before moving aboard our 45ft'er - a very good preparation.

[captainKJ]

scoobert
Re: Good Family Boats
wow, tons of great info guys, thanks. the waters ahead for me are uncharted, but i will take it one wave at a time, keeping God on my prow.
and i agree, a water RV is what i am thinking.


This one should work nicely for you Scoobert

Terra Wind


Best of luck to you

[captainKJ]

Originally Posted by scoobert

wow, tons of great info guys, thanks. the waters ahead for me are uncharted, but i will take it one wave at a time, keeping God on my prow.
and i agree, a water RV is what i am thinking.

What ever happened to the Travel Trailer you were going to build????

Trailer Life Magazine Open Roads Forum: family camping, how do you do it?

Posted: 02/17/13 05:18am Link | Quote | Print | Notify Moderator
well it looks as if my wife and two dogs will be adding a 3rd member.
we have a 40'TT with two slides, and a den. granted, we do not have the dogs in this camper, we have a separate camper for them.
where exactly do we put a child in here?
do i just wall off half of my den, and make that a child's room for now?
i still have 7 months to work this out.

Do you need any help as I will be in NY next month????