So, like... Bristol 40, 43, 45...

[Papasail]

Anybody used these boats as liveaboards?Pedigree bluewater/ thinwater... what’s missing, because I don’t hear a lot of people being (in them) as (liveaboards)?!?!

[psk125]

They're expensive to buy. Expensive to maintain, and expensive to berth. They tend to have long overhangs (increasing slip costs) and be quite narrow, so "live aboard room" is tight, as well. They tend to be heavy, so don't move well in less than 15 knots of breeze. Friends had a 40 with a washer/dryer aboard, but didn't use it much because it was no fun to motor everywhere in light air. Pretty to look at, but not overly practical for a live aboard.

[Papasail]

TY....

The kind of experienced view I was looking for...

What blue/ thinwater liveaboards make the list affordably? Affordable = less than $150,000 with refit.

[Papasail]

Sailing to windward seems to be a key feature, as well...

[Paul L]

We have friends who recently sailed a Bristol 40 3/4 of a circumnavigation. The boats are older, so maintenance/upgrades on their systems is a must. They did as well as most boats of their size on the long passages. If you are interested the boat is for sale in Australia now.

[malbert73]

Originally Posted by Papasail

TY....

The kind of experienced view I was looking for...

What blue/ thinwater liveaboards make the list affordably? Affordable = less than $150,000 with refit.

Tartan 40 CB version. Yes, I’m a biased owner

[AiniA]

Bristols come in two varieties, the ones without a decimal, eg 27 and 40 and those with from 31.1 to (I think) a 68.8. The decimal series had different designers, designs and were built to a higher standard. My comments below are all about the decimal boats. I have no personal experience with the older boats.

We lived onboard a 45.5 for a year and half in NYC and then did a circumnavigation and other ocean passages. Including the first owner I think our boat did around 50,000 nm offshore and at least one Newport-Bermuda Race. I think these Ted Hood designed boats are wonderful both for liveaboard and for extended offshore sailing. They are on the expensive side because they were costly to buy and have maintained their value because people appreciate the quality. In some ways they are cheap, for example if you compare a B45.5 and a Little Harbor 44, which are very, very similar boats. Also the Hood boats do not have much in the way of overhangs for boats designed c.1980. The non-decimal boats are quite different.

If all you want is a liveaboard you can achieve this more cheaply with other boats. If you want a serious passagemaker they are well worth considering.

[Papasail]

TY for the comments... i didn’t understand that the decimals meant different designers!

[AiniA]

More than just different designers, but also a different design brief. What happened with boat builders in the past is that they would kill their own markets with what they had already built, i.e. people would not buy a new Bristol 35 or whatever because of what was available in the used market. You actually get a better boat used, all tricked out, cheaper than a new one. Some responded by building a newer, 'better' iteration of before. For example, C&C built five different 27s. Bristols approach was to move upmarket with the decimal boats, to be more like the poor person's Hinckley. The designs were newer and with the Ted Hood/Dieter Empacher heavy centreboard boats quite idiosyncratic. Because they were heavier they also cost more but were also built like a tank. Hood was a genius and built heavy, centreboard boats that sailed very well.

[Captain Parry]

I am an 81 year old male who lives alone aboard an anchored Bristol32 in Florida the past 6 years. Cannot imagine adding a second person. LOL

[SailSonoma]

I've been a live aboard, and run term charters, on a Bristol 41.1 Center Cockpit sloop for the past three years.

I've found that the two stateroom, two full head layout has been very comfortable. Great stowage throughout. Systems have been remarkably reliable and when repairs have been needed, fairly easy. Of course she was a well maintained boat when I bought her. Annual maintenance budget has been at the 10% mark over the past eight years that I have owned the boat.

She does well on offshore passages, and with the board down, sails beautifully and well balanced up wind in all wind and sea conditions.

I think that the current market price for the Ted Hood designed boats, in good condition, represents a great value. Of course I'm biased

[fred4936]

A friend of ours has a 40 or 41 center cockpit, which he just put on the market. Not sure of the vintage, but the boat has a centerboard for the thin water we have here on Great South Bay. Looks to be a very capable boat. He has cruised up and down the east coast with her, maybe further. Very solid boat, and I am sure he is not giving it away.

[fred4936]

Just as an aside, the Bristol 35.5 was on our A list when we were looking. The Pearson we wound up with seemed better suited to our needs. Another friend of ours has a 35.5, and it is a great boat, also cruised all over the northeast.

[joelhemington]

Originally Posted by Papasail

TY....

The kind of experienced view I was looking for...

What blue/ thinwater liveaboards make the list affordably? Affordable = less than $150,000 with refit.

Where are you located? Are you stuck on monohulls? If not then maybe you should consider a Gemini cat in that price range. They're designed for coastal cruising but could do blue water with the right weather windows and caution. Otherwise the Island Packet is probably the best all around with a shallow draft but very blue water capable. While they tend to be roomy, some people feel that they sail like pigs due to their weight and shape.

[Offshore1960]

The 40's are great boats, great to sail, good comfortable boat offshore. The have frequently done the Marion or Newport to Bermuda race. A number have done Atlantic and Pacific crossings as well as circumnavigations. The keel centerboard version is great for the Bahamas.
I'm a biased owner of a 40 and love the older designs.