Getting into liveaboard w a family of 7

[LAXTravelMom]

Hi! I’m new to this so I’m not totally sure of the etiquette for this sort of post, so please feel free to let me know how this works.

Me and my husband currently live in LA and have 7 kids (2 in college). We’ve been interested in leaving our lives behind and traveling the world via boat full time. I’m currently a full time mom, my husband would have to mostly leave his work behind. Our kids are mostly onboard with the idea, and I really think it’s a good option for us. My husband is relatively handy (his dad owns a sailboat, so he’s spent some time on the water, but he’s not an expert). We’d probably start with sailing lessons and go from there.

As far as finding boats, I’m a little stuck. I’m thinking a sailing catamaran makes the most sense for us. We definitely need five bedrooms (but we can be creative) and ideally some couch space for our two college kids if they ever end up on the boat. Our house would probably sell for 4.5 mil, so put our budget somewhere around there. The Lagoon Seventy 7 is sort of a dream boat for us... I love how spacious it is and the whole bonus room would be perfect for my kids. I just don’t know if it’s plausible for passages. If anyone has knowledge on wether it’s possible to maneuver one of these without a crew, that’d be great.

I’m not really sure what size is recommended for family liveaboard boats, so any recommended models or brands (in the luxury side of things) would be super helpful. This is definitely a step we want to take, we just aren’t sure how, so anything helps!

Thanks!

Emily (Mom)
Nate (Dad)
Caroline (22)
Mason (18)
James (14)
Alana (12)
Ashlynn (9)
Margot/Will (5)

[Shrew]

Are you taking the two oldest kids out of college? Don't they want to start their own lives once they graduate??

[LAXTravelMom]

Originally Posted by Shrew

Are you taking the two oldest kids out of college? Don't they want to start their own lives once they graduate??

No, they’ll be staying in college, only our five youngest will live full time on the boat. We just want some sort of pull-out-couch/crew cabin situation so they have somewhere to sleep if they end up on the boat over breaks, etc. We’ll definitely be encouraging them to start their own lives after graduating.

[ohdrinkboy]

go to youtube and search for "sailing yacht ruby rose." They did many big catamaran reviews. They don't match all of your specifics, but would give you a great idea of things to look for....plus hours of video enjoyment.

[DMCantor]

With that budget, I'd consider buying two boats - one for the parents and one for the kids. LOL

[skipmac]

My first thought is it will take a lot more than being handy to manage a 70' boat. My experience, the majority of boats in that size range have a professional captain to run the boat while the owner goes along for the ride. Not saying a private owner couldn't or shouldn't operate a boat that size but that is a LOT of boat for someone with little to no experience.

I owned 62' monohull and that was a handful and I had several years experience with boats in the 36-41' range.

[LLCoolDave]

Anything is possible. Before you spent a 1mil on a large cat I'd find a large cat to charter for 3weeks to month. You can probably find a lagoon 62. Have a captain onboard that can teach the family. It will cost a bit but a lot less than the real estate commission of selling your house.

Also if things don't work out large boats can often take a long time to sell.

[Scorpius]

It would seem to me that handling and maintaining a seventy footer, whether mono-hull or catamaran, would require a HUGE amount of experience and expertise. I can't imagine getting the main up and down in even moderate conditions. And docking? In a crosswind or current?

If you can afford it (and it appears you can) go somewhere windy like Hawaii, or New Zealand, or Polynesia, and charter a skippered 70' cat, tell the skipper your plans, and ask him to show you the ropes.

[Mike Banks]

A fifty foot mono or a forty foot cat. Bigger is NOT really better--it just costs a LOT more to maintain and limits some of the places one can visit...

If you are at anchor one can make do for the times one has the oldest kids aboard--and if at sea, one hot-bunks the adults on watches anyway.

[billgewater]

I watched cruising families in Darwin for 30 years. My observations are generalizations.
1. Cruising families are rare. Mainly retirees, in manageable boats.
2. Those that do have families usually have very young children that keep close proximity with mum or dad.
3. Teenagers need high levels of socialization with friends. That's why they like schools! They are spreading their wings.
4. When it does not work, it can become really awful. Much tension. No escape.
5. Home schooling? Really? How is your senior mathematics, biology, physics, foreign languages, music teaching and gymnastics? Who is the resident medic? Who does the clothes washing? Where will you hang it to dry?
6. That is one gigantic boat. A full time maintenance affair. Mucho muscle, dollars and skill to sail. Remember that all those reticulation systems are high tech. Electronics, fuel systems, engines, heating, air conditioning, refrigeration, hull repairs, tender maintenance (for 9?). Then there is everything above the deck!
One Queensland boat had two teenagers. The girl just loved it all particularly meeting adults off other yachts. She grabbed life with both hands and she went on to write joyous articles for magazines on her travels. Her brother just wanted to go home and was often sullen. He finally left. Then the parents discovered that their boat was too large and put it on the market for a smaller boat.
Another yacht (Americans, about 45 ft) had 5 children. The children all attended land based schools and holidayed with the parents on the yacht. It seemed to work but it was near mayhem with everyone on board even though the kids were very well behaved. The kids usually left the boat everyday exploring the Darwin area. They usually had evening meals ashore as it was simpler than preparing food for seven on board a small yacht. Their youngest (a girl) sometimes cruised with them.
It seems fairly adventurous and brave so I would really consider doing some chartering to see just how the gang works together on a boat. Lovely people often turn into little monsters at sea. Some little monsters become semi human.
Best of luck.

[Fore and Aft]

Have you looked at Kids4Sail or Sailing With Kids on Facebook?
With your sort of budget and lack of experience I would have thought an older super yacht with a captain and you guys as crew might be more your style?
I surveyed this yacht below and it could more than accommodate your family. That price is Aussie dollars so it’s pretty cheap.
https://ensignbrokers.com.au/ensign/...thouse/234559/
Cheers

[jimbojonesbos]

Originally Posted by LLCoolDave

Anything is possible. Before you spent a 1mil on a large cat I'd find a large cat to charter for 3weeks to month. You can probably find a lagoon 62. Have a captain onboard that can teach the family. It will cost a bit but a lot less than the real estate commission of selling your house.

Also if things don't work out large boats can often take a long time to sell.

+1 on this, do a long term charter first. Not just a week vacation charter but several weeks.For many many many people the idea of cruising is more attractive than the reality.

[Montanan]

Okay, so a family of nine, with 7 as full time residents. Sounds like joy.

But definitely not along the standard cruiser's couple perception of occupancy limits on board being:

6 for drinks, 4 for dinner, 2 to sleep over.

A big catamaran sounds like the solution. Would looks for ones with separate showers, not wet heads. A big charter design yacht perhaps.

Check out the major boat shows, if and when such events reoccur in a post-Covid-19 world.

Happy family, happy boating.

[laika]

Where do you want to cruise? Large boats can sometimes be limiting, especially when it comes to finding a place to store it for periods of time if flying back stateside. Large monos might have more trouble keeping water under the keel--finding good anchorages, clearing shallow cuts--whereas cats might have more trouble finding facilities to haul at. A lot depends on the location tho.

It looks like you've got another 18yo who will probably be off to school soon? By the time you acquire a boat, learn the ropes, and get it ready to sail, will you still need 5 berths?

If you want the large boat and want to be on the water safely sooner rather than later, a professional captain might be a relatively small pittance to pay for a year or two to make the dream happen.

As others have said, it's certainly possible. But I think most would find a way to manage on something a bit smaller. I wish you the best in finding what makes the most sense for you and your family!

[rhubstuff]

A seventy foot boat rigged as a sloop or cutter will have a mast roughly 90-100 feet tall. The mainsail will weigh hundreds of pounds, the gennie at least that. You'll be dealing with forces on sheets and halyards that can injure or kill in an instant if something breaks or someone screws up. I highly recommend that you buy a smaller boat, say, 30-40 feet, learn to sail it in rough weather, then graduate to a larger boat when you feel more confident. If you wanted to learn to fly, would you start with a Boeing or a Cessna?