As someone who has ambitions of being a
live aboard voyaging cruiser, I've gone through a "process" in which I sought out the
boat most suitable for my use based on a list of criteria. Many of those criteria are base on a very low month to month
budget.
Shallow draft has always been high on my list enabling me to
anchor out in places other people might not go, and the ability to dry out to
service the
hull on a low tide is very attractive, saving unnecessary
haul out costs. Comfort
anchoring out is important. If you are uncomfortable, you will be driven into a marina (floating
trailer park). I like solitude and quiet, and while I do not dislike my fellow humans for the most part, and manage socially, I'm most comfortable when that level of social interaction is low.
I ultimately came to the conclusion which is obvious from what I wrote above, that a
multihull is what I need. A
monohull simply cannot meet these criteria. Up front cost is a big factor, and that will drive me to owner built ply
epoxy boats, and I fundamentally have no issue with this
Ongoing monthly cost considerations dictate a smaller
boat. Less upkeep, less boat to scrape and
paint, fewer systems to maintain. Various other considerations point to
outboard power. I love diesels, and have rebuilt countless
diesel engines over the years. It's a large part of what I do, but I do not want to deal with one or two diesels sunk in a narrow compartment with a prop shaft, hoses and through hulls, and a prop dragging in the
water all the time. I've toyed with various ways to have a
single diesel under a
hood on
deck, and while it's quite possible, I don't want to invest the time and energy and
money.... I want to sail. That points to a
single outboard.
I originally looked at monohulls, then at trimarans, and ultimately ended up with the obvious choice of catamarans due to load capacity compared to trimarans (about double). Also the possibility of a bridge
deck cabin with full all around view on a level with the
cockpit just makes sense.... I would sleep there..... Why live in a hole when anchored in a beautiful and interesting place? I don't mind having a
galley and
head down below, but I want to see my surroundings. The large
cockpit area and lack of rolling will make it possible to actually accomplish things at sea or at
anchor you would otherwise not be able to do afloat. I don't need to be surrounded by huge expanses of glass, or to be able to stand up in the
cabin or pod. One or more sliders or a pop top would do a lot to mitigate low
head room. You can after all stand in the cockpit, or in the
hull cabins... at least some of them.
My criteria point to a
catamaran at around 30-35 feet long 18-20 ft beam, and about 4000 lb payload. Precious few boats fit these criteria. Not because they cannot, but because the designers focus more on performance than utility, or go over the top with convenience and build a monstrosity with a huge cabin and all sorts of conveniences. I've toyed with building my own... but I really don't want to go there. One
designer suggested building one of his smaller designs on the hulls of one of his larger ones with the freeboard cut down to match. The result would have been near perfect, but I don't want to spend years building. I seem to be operating in reverse of everybody else. l read what other people want, and their desires seem always to point toward larger boats. The largest they can afford.... I'm looking in the opposite direction, toward the smallest that will fulfill my criteria.... Of course that is oft repeated
advice of the experts, and almost universally ignored.
H.W.