Living Aboard a Morgan Ketch

[Smith21]

Hello everyone,

my wife and I have been looking at a new boat ton start our live aboard life style and we have been looking at something like this.

1978 Morgan 452 Ketch Sail Boat For Sale - www.yachtworld.com

we are wondering what others thought about this size boat as a liveaboard.

[neilpride]

30.000 pounds!!! thats heavy!!
David Pascoe write few lines about the morgan..
Boat Review by David Pascoe - Morgan 462 Ketch

[Pirate999]

Go for it and enjoy. That's not heavy. Mine is 28k lbs I sailed on one once and she did well. Comfortable. Layout was ok.

[Smith21]

HOW WAS THE HANDLING ON THE MORGAN YOU SAILED ON I HEARD THAT IT IS MUCH DIFFERENT THEN A FIN KEEL.

[HappyMdRSailor]

Originally Posted by Smith21

HOW WAS THE HANDLING ON THE MORGAN YOU SAILED ON I HEARD THAT IT IS MUCH DIFFERENT THEN A FIN KEEL.

There's nothing inherently wrong with the Morgan 452, couple of CF members here love theirs... These are big heavy boats that are not "agile" i.e. tacking up a narrow fairway would be a lot of work... BUT... They are very sea kindly with a ton less motion than the lighter fin keelers.... BTW... this is not a "full keel" boat, it is a fin keel variety... They like to point in one direction, and are easily balanced....

59k is way overpriced for the market... same boat offered on craigslist for 49k... still a bit much....

[Pirate999]

You can't compare these to a fin keel. Apples and oranges. They are a modified full keel with a cut away fore foot and skeg hung rudder. The theory is that that will tack easier and be more nimble than a full keel but retain directional stability with the skeg hung rudder.

True fin keel will be very nimble in comparison. But will have trade offs.

Btw the one I sailed on did very nicely in light winds once we gotmatarted

[pistarckle]

Wonderful boat for living and the cruising that 99 percent of cruisers will do . Those boats have cruised for millions of miles all over the world .
Most fin keels will need constant attention to the helm , this Morgan you will aim and trim and then go fix your lunch . Hell of a boat , priced to cheap ???

[Smith21]

ive been hearing good things about this type of morgan boat. my wife and i are planning on living on the boat we buy. currently we are in the process of selling our house to go full time on the water. but the boat i posted here in an earlyier post said to high for the market and i agree i wouldnt pay that price any way.

[Salty Skipper]

Originally Posted by Smith21

ive been hearing good things about this type of morgan boat. my wife and i are planning on living on the boat we buy. currently we are in the process of selling our house to go full time on the water. but the boat i posted here in an earlyier post said to high for the market and i agree i wouldnt pay that price any way.

What did you find...and how do you like it?

[leftbrainstuff]

We looked at several Morgan 452 / 46 during our 80 day roadtrip. Most were tired and in poor condition but most had a decent layout for living aboard. The link to the Morgan on yachtworld looks like it's in quite good condition.

We ended up buying a Liberty 458 in excellent condition and fully equipped from a fastidious long term owner. You're on the right track looking at vessels in good condition? Good luck with your search.

[Smith21]

Originally Posted by leftbrainstuff

We looked at several Morgan 452 / 46 during our 80 day roadtrip. Most were tired and in poor condition but most had a decent layout for living aboard. The link to the Morgan on yachtworld looks like it's in quite good condition.

We ended up buying a Liberty 458 in excellent condition and fully equipped from a fastidious long term owner. You're on the right track looking at vessels in good condition? Good luck with your search.

there are a lot that i have seen in poor condition or the current owner tries to do a refit and either A doesn't have all the time he/she thought they had to do it or B gets over whelmed or runs out of money for it. My first sailboat was party finished and then i finished the refit to enjoy some time on it and now its time to get one that my wife and i can live on full time. how do you like how the liberty 458 handles in rough weather?

[Smith21]

Originally Posted by Salty Skipper

What did you find...and how do you like it?

i found a Morgan 452 that looks to be in pretty good condition. the only thing is that the price is too high and i need to get a survey done on it when i get back to the states if that one is still for sale.

[rockborn]

ive been on my 1980 462 ketchfor 1 1/2 years now. after upgrading the batteries and charger, hyd steering lines, from copper tubing to braided hose, standing rigging, trans, shaft, prop, injectors and pump,head gasket and air conditioner shes a fine, comfortable and reliable ship. they were asking 55k settled on 37k . then i spent 35k restoring all that was needed. the surveyor was impressed with the hull and the way she moved along in light winds on our sea trial.

[Pegleg Sands]

spent a lot of time on someone else,s O/I 40.It was a surprisingly good light air boat and a good bad weather boat.good on autopilot,too.It wasn't the prettiest boat I've ever seen,but it's not a beauty contest.I'd buy one for a liveabord.

[mcfirth]

We have a Morgan OI 41 Ketch and just love her. Loads of room below, loads of storage. And Pegleg is right - she sails so well in bad weather. Nice and stable. That is because she is solid and heavy. Doesn't turn on a dime because she is not a fin keel. But really nice to sail. If you are cruising and want comfort, space, large salon, large heads, and a nice safe centre cockpit, then that is a great boat. Plus her draft is only 5' 5". You could do the Caribbean / Bahamas not problem at all!

I see Yachtworld shows that boat as "sale pending". Hope you are the buyer!

All the best

Pat & Mike
Matilda Morgan OI 41