Livaboard 22' Santana, Possible?

[kclancy]

It's going to be fun at first, then it will start to feel really cramped, especially where you live. I have a Catalina 22 that I spend a lot of weekends on and after a few days of not be able to stand and use the porta-pottie very comfortably I am ready to head home. However, I am not in a marina, just gunky it around in lakes on weekends. I am also 6'4" so I am not going to fit very comfortably in most boats....

Have fun, enjoy the ride but try not to spend a lot of money fixing up your boat. You will be looking for a larger boat before you know it.

[uncle stinkybob]

just to put it out there. There's a very nice 28' 1963 Pearson Triton for 3500 in Sequim. Thats a very well built full keel, fully protected prop boat, built at a time when resin was very good and they over built fg hulls. 100x more boat then 22 santana and tons more comfort. But some folks have done much in tiny boats.

[captlloyd]

I recommend you either borrow or buy a small tent and live in it for a few days. Make sure it is small enough so that you can't stand-up in it. Also stay in it during some rainy weather. That should not be hard where you live. You will soon have your answer.

[CREX]

I spent a year, when I was getting divorced, on a Venture of Newport. Really a 21' boat, but a pop top. Loved it at the time and I have another one now. I found roughing it greatly prepared me for my future Sailing career.

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[tsanni]

Thanks to everyone who's taken the time to advise me, it is all greatly appreciated!

The consensus seems to be pretty much divided down the middle. I've decided to bite the bullet and purchase the boat. I think at least for a month or so I won't attempt to live aboard, but will take my time to get familiar with her and make the more immediate improvements. When I feel more confident and have made the cabin liveable I'll give it a shot. The worst that can happen is that I've had an adventure and am left with a great boat to learn to sail on, or I can resale it. Either way I will have learned many lessons, I'm sure! Thanks again for all your advise and info, I'll keep my progress posted.

[CREX]

Ps. The minkota won't do much of anything, except maybe dead calm and full battery. Ok for the dink.

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[seahag]

Well, have fun and don't get too disappointed with the space, knowing it's tight to begin with. Beats living in an igloo with a bunch of smelly roommates right?

[Jim Cate]

Sure it's possible! An unfortunate number of folks live in cardboard boxes under freeway bridges... but at least they have standing head room!

Seriously, I once spent a month long cruise with wife and two smallish kids on a Catalina 22. We had a great time in the Canadian Gulf Islands... but it was mid summer, had no rain (a miracle, I'm told), didn't have to go off to work or such. It was quite all right, but really is not closely related to living aboard in the PNW in the winter, presumably with time related responsibilities. I doubt if you will persist in the practice!

But as you have said, the Santana 22 is a good little boat to learn on... still has an active one design class on SF Bay IIRC. Certainly a better sailing boat than my Catalina 22 was (though I would have argued at the time!) so enjoy her for what she's good at and think twice about turning her into a hovel.

Jim

[Kentb]

I always thought I could do that when I was young... I don't want to discourage you since I am sure this is a "price is right" situation.
Have you ever checked out a Morgan 24 or 25? (same hull different years). They have headroom for smaller folk. My friend has one, and put a small fridge behind the steps from the cockpit. the accommodations will appear to be double that 22' and they are an older design so there are bargains to be found. Also they have a swing keel which gets you places you cant go with a fixed keel (which I assume the Santana is). That opens up cruising opportunities and more choices in Marinas.

[TKDSailor]

Originally Posted by tsanni

I am on the verge of purchasing a 22' Santana sailboat in Portland, OR . This will be my first real boating experience. I now in many ways I may be naive, but I am fully aware of how small that really is, and that I will have to make some improvements to make it liveable. I'm very excited at the prospect of slowly making it must own little cruising nest. Is this remotely possible or am I setting myself up for a huge dissapointment? Also, does anyone have an opinion about a Minn Kota 12v electric motor with solar panel and/or battery power?

I had a friend that lived with his wife and 5 daughters on a 21' boat for a year. They thought they were in heaven when he bought a 31 footer the following year. Anything is doable- it depends on you. BTW, when I asked how they did it, he said it was similar to sardines... oh, one other thing- this was in Florida. Good luck- I'd say go for it, if that's all you can afford.

[Adelie]

Originally Posted by tsanni

I am on the verge of purchasing a 22' Santana sailboat in Portland, OR . . . . Also, does anyone have an opinion about a Minn Kota 12v electric motor with solar panel and/or battery power?

I'm not going to weigh in on the liveaboard plan, plenty have done so, ultimately it will be about what you can live with.

As far as the motor goes a Minkota 45lb thrust would be fine getting in and out of the marina depending on current. Full thrust you will make 2-2.5kt, a bit better than that if you replace the the prop with a Kipawa. The stock props are optimized for acceleration and weed performance. The Kipawas are skewed towards efficiency and speed.

With a trolling motor you will want to stay near the marina unless the forecast is very sure about sustained breeze. If the wind goes light you want to motorsailor not just motor. At max throttle you will get about 1hr run time per battery. The battery will have plenty of juice left but if you take it below 50% you start to eat into the medium to long term life of the battery.

Get 6v or 12v golfcart batteries. These are true deep cycle batteries. Don't let anyone sucker you into buying a "marine deep cycle" which is really a hybrid deep cycle/starting battery, it won't have nearly the life of a real deep cycle. Getting something that says golfcart on it improves you odds of getting a real deep cycle. I am putting 2 12v golfcarts on my boat for a total of about 275 a-hr which would be 2-1/2 or so hours at full throttle.

Do not go out without an anchor and rode, all the likely sailing there is current water and if the wind and you motor not die you need to be able to stay put and not loose ground towards home.

If you get a trolling motor but not an outboard then the prudent decision would be to go up wind or up current depending on which dominates when going out for a daysail with no specific goal in mind.

For that size boat a 5hp outboard motor would work just fine, it's mostly flat water there. Even a 3.5hp would probably work though if there's a strong headwind motor sailing might be required to make quicker progress.

[Pete7]

You should read Nathan's experience on a 21 foot yacht. Note he sold it and bought a 27ft yacht after a couple of years. He lived in a marina with shore power.

Small boat liveaboards


Me? I wouldn't, the acid test is being able to stand up to get dressed in the morning, so thats 25ft upwards really.

Pete

[adrianmoss]

Originally Posted by tsanni

I am on the verge of purchasing a 22' Santana sailboat in Portland, OR . This will be my first real boating experience. I now in many ways I may be naive, but I am fully aware of how small that really is, and that I will have to make some improvements to make it liveable. I'm very excited at the prospect of slowly making it must own little cruising nest. Is this remotely possible or am I setting myself up for a huge dissapointment? Also, does anyone have an opinion about a Minn Kota 12v electric motor with solar panel and/or battery power?

Fo me it is too small but take a look at what Webb Chiles self-portrait in the present sea Webb Chiles as done in his boat. My suggestion is to buy a boat and try it out for a short trip. Most people find that the first boat they buy is not their ultimate boat. |Personally I would want standing headroom and two cabins.....Size is not the most important but experience and ability is...