Catering for Fly In Fly Out Spouse and Family

[GoneDiving]

Thanks for welcoming me to the forum.

I'm at the very early stages of looking for a boat to be used to tour around Asia and the Pacific. I will be sight seeing with a strong emphasis on diving (especially the shipwrecks and big walls scattered around the region).

My family do not share my love of diving but we still enjoy travelling together to areas of common interest. It's quite normal for us to leave separately for areas that only interest one party and meet up later in areas that interest everyone.

I can well see any boat I do get being used for both individual holidays to dive only destinations followed by group holidays to tropical paradises. I severely doubt that the family will be interested in a multi day/week passages to get to areas of interest but they are likely to fly in to meet me there after I make the longer passages, stopping off at diving destinations.

As I'm keen to have as many combined holidays as possible, what are the key points to keep a non diehard sailing spouse and kids interested in joining me for the more family friendly destinations and legs? I'm thinking: have as many creature comforts as possible; make the boat homely rather than a man cave; include labour saving devices so the boat trip is a holiday rather than a chore. My interest in remote and technical diving will see the boat well kitted out with tankage, power and cockpit space so I dont think domestic appliances (washer, kitchen, fridge/freezer(s), bathrooms will be a problem and She will be most welcome to homify the interior. I'm also looking at moderately priced boats so that there is budget available to personalised whichever one does get bought. Is there anything else I should include or consider?

If it makes a difference, I'm leaning towards older converted lobster/cray trawlers in the 45ft LOA/20T displacement range. I see benefits for everyone in having a single level cabin/cockpit/roofline with lots of below deck storage volume.

I am based in Cairns, Queensland, Australia.

Thanks.

[Olly75]

Can't really help on the question of attracting the family to the boat, but are you sure it makes either financial or time sense?

Only asking as I have kind of done what you are intending and having recently looked at the costs for the first year I have reaalised that my man maths was somewhat opptimistic! Obviously the whole concept shouldn't be a number exercise, but....

Ignoring the cost of the boat, and the refit to get myself going, last year I sailed 11,800 nm from Mexico to New Zealand, costing around 35,000 usd. This inculdes all breakages, repairs, spares, food, fuel and beer.

Given the driver behind this venture was to go and see the top dive destinations of the pacifc, I did 80 dives in the year. Yes, topside it was an awesome experience, I saw some truly amazing places and people people and I have absolutly no regrets, but looking at the maths (remember this doesn't take into account the initial boat costs) it would have been cheaper to fly.

Admittedly next year I will cover half the distance so will spend less time actually sailing, and hopefully as a result less time fixing things which will increase the number of dives I can do, but still!

[GoneDiving]

Originally Posted by Olly75

Only asking as I have kind of done what you are intending and having recently looked at the costs for the first year I have reaalised that my man maths was somewhat opptimistic! Obviously the whole concept shouldn't be a number exercise, but....

Ignoring the cost of the boat, and the refit to get myself going, last year I sailed 11,800 nm from Mexico to New Zealand, costing around 35,000 usd. This inculdes all breakages, repairs, spares, food, fuel and beer.

Given the driver behind this venture was to go and see the top dive destinations of the pacifc, I did 80 dives in the year. Yes, topside it was an awesome experience, I saw some truly amazing places and people people and I have absolutly no regrets, but looking at the maths (remember this doesn't take into account the initial boat costs) it would have been cheaper to fly.

Thanks for that. It's always good to hear from someone with first hand experience.

You had a big year!!

As a reference point 11,000nm would see me to Indonesia, Philippines, Truk Lagoon, Bikini Atoll, Vanuatu, Fiji, New Caledonia and home with milage to spare. A land or livaboard technical dive trip to each would be an easy USD5k, more likely 10k for the more remote. And that would just be going where the boat wants me to go with no detours nor family holiday add ons.

I agree that its not just about the dollars but for a trip covering all the associated remote dive sites spanning 11000nm , $35k isn't too far off what commercial operators would cost without the go when and where you want and family inclusive options that DIY allows.

Thanks again