I think we settled on a Gemini, change my mind

[JDanielBryant]

My only advice would be to set aside a little money for spare parts and back-ups you can keep on board. My brother has a 2000 Gem and frankly the quality of the build is not too high. Many components are gauged to thin and are not robust. As others have said, it is not a blue water boat; if the seas are over 2’ be prepared for some pretty unsettling wave pounding under the bridge. If you are competent in mechanics you should be OK, however.

[redneckrob]

The Gemini part of your plan isn't a problem, they're nice boats for exactly your situation. The price point is potentially a problem. Have you actually physically gone on board a boat for sale at that price point? Most of what you'll find at that price has been ridden hard and put away wet, so if your wife is already iffy they're maybe not gonna work for you. If you are OK with spending a couple years looking hard I think you can find exactly what you want, there are enough of them out there and some well taken care of examples that you might be able to uncover if you dig enough. But just go on YW and at that price I can tell you from experience you're gonna get lots of mold, smell, sails that you can rip the stitching with your fingernail, rust filled engine compartments, and sketch electrical. You need to join the Gemini groups, walk docks, and find a boat with an older owner who sadly has to give up the boat but has taken great care of it and will sell it to you because they know you will too. The market price for a good condition version of what you're looking for is about 50% more than what you listed, just FYI, but again I think if you work it hard and are patient you have a decent shot at making it work at your price point. Good luck!

[KC375]

If you are able to push your budget a bit you might find a Richard Woods Flica (33 to 37” depending on model). I think you’d find a bit more room and a bit more performance than an early Gemini.
There was one in Grenada I think at $70k and currently one in Antigua asking $60k

[Junglebike]

Originally Posted by KC375

If you are able to push your budget a bit you might find a Richard Woods Flica (33 to 37” depending on model). I think you’d find a bit more room and a bit more performance than an early Gemini.
There was one in Grenada I think at $70k and currently one in Antigua asking $60k

Much wider beam on the Flica though (19' vs 14') - so much more space and stability but no fitting into standard marina slips.

How big is the master berth in the Gemini out of curiosity? Always seemed like an insane amount of space for a 33' boat. Similar to a 45-50' monohull really. Amazing packaging job with just the 14' of beam.

[Gilligan8]

Originally Posted by Junglebike

Much wider beam on the Flica though (19' vs 14') - so much more space and stability but no fitting into standard marina slips.

How big is the master berth in the Gemini out of curiosity? Always seemed like an insane amount of space for a 33' boat. Similar to a 45-50' monohull really. Amazing packaging job with just the 14' of beam.

That was my concern too as I looked them up.

I know the marinas around me are pretty tight because of Katrina.

[CarlF]

Has your wife spent a night on a small cat? While you might be able to get her comfortable on a 105 MC, the 3000 and 3200 are really tight (yes, the forward berth is nice - once you've squeezed your way up there)

As others have said, the purchase price doesn't tell you much. What matters is the purchase price plus the first 12 months of repairs and upgrades. Your wife isn't going to enjoy living in a floating shack. It's just really hard to have a live-aboard cat you enjoy being on for less than $100k - especially for 3 people.

If you try to do this for $50k, you risk turning your wife off to cruising before she even gets a chance to like it.

If she wasn't claustrophobic, the answer would be a nice $50k monohull.

I would go charter a small cat for a week and see how your wife does. You could spend a lot of time and money buying a boat your wife refuses to set foot on.

[valhalla360]

Originally Posted by Tom and Maje

I liked that a lot too, but the Gemini is not an bluewater sailboat. We looked at them fairly seriously, and we were told that unless you plan to buy another boat later on, you will be stuck coastal cruising.

Maje

And yet, many have done blue water successfully.

For what the OP is suggesting it's a good option. $50k should get you to a 3200 or even a 3400 model. Don't expect a gold plater but should be a functional boat.

We lived aboard one for 10yr. Then had a Catalac for a couple years before life got in the way. We're casually looking again and a Gemini is at the top of the list.

[Mr B]

A Queen sized bed in the main stateroom, and a 18 inch high window above your head for the full width of the bed,
Should cure the claustrophobia of sleeping in the Gemini,
Two rear bedrooms are a double bed in each one,
Its nothing like the Dungeon of a mono,

3000 and 3200 are coastal cruisers, but the 105 and 105 mc are both very capable Water boats">blue water boats,
from 2003 onwards, the Gemini's were certified blue water boats,
Tony Smith the builder took one across the northern Atlantic to England, Then came back and lightened it up for Blue water, And had it certified,
There are a few in England,
There are a few in Hawai,
Two in Australia,
Mine crossed the Pacific, Mines a 2003 105mc, Lives in Melbourne, Australia,

Good idea to get a cheap one first, even better, to charter one for a week or two first, Just to see if you like them,

Gemini's were built to a price so more people could afford them, So they are basic boats,
But still very Seaworthy,

[Mr B]

Double post,

[Davy J]

105Mc owner here, owned this boat six years, had a monohull for ten years before that. As some of the other’s are saying, that budget will probably find a boat in need of many things. If your intention is to get your spouse onboard, don’t buy a fixer upper.

[Gilligan8]

Well.... Now I've opened her up to the idea of a Center Cockpit Monohull.

Looking at a Pearson 424 and a few others, but this one looks pretty neat!

[Tom and Maje]

Originally Posted by Gilligan8

Well.... Now I've opened her up to the idea of a Center Cockpit Monohull.

Looking at a Pearson 424 and a few others, but this one looks pretty neat!

It depends what you're looking for. We have a 2004 L40 and friends who have a 40ft monohull always complained about lack of cockpit space for entertaining. My L40 sails really well. I can get her as close to the wind as most monohulls can sail. I'd like a little more salon room, but we all want something a little bigger.

I reject the statement about not getting a fixer upper because of your wife. It was my husband who complained about having to repair and fix things. He was also the one who didn't want a monohull. It's important to go sailing on both types of boats before you choose the boat you want.

Maje

[Gilligan8]

Originally Posted by Tom and Maje

It depends what you're looking for. We have a 2004 L40 and friends who have a 40ft monohull always complained about lack of cockpit space for entertaining. My L40 sails really well. I can get her as close to the wind as most monohulls can sail. I'd like a little more salon room, but we all want something a little bigger.

I reject the statement about not getting a fixer upper because of your wife. It was my husband who complained about having to repair and fix things. He was also the one who didn't want a monohull. It's important to go sailing on both types of boats before you choose the boat you want.

Maje

Not sure if you were addressing me on the fixer up part but that was relative to MY situation and not a generalization.

My wife doesn't want a fixer-upper as she will be the main one living in it.

She also cares more about inside space (specifically salon/galley and master cabin) than any other space.

[Lodesman]

Originally Posted by Gilligan8

Well.... Now I've opened her up to the idea of a Center Cockpit Monohull.

Looking at a Pearson 424 and a few others, but this one looks pretty neat!

It's the 422 that's a centre-cockpit, isn't it? Hard to beat that aft-cabin for spaciousness.

[geoleo]

Originally Posted by Gilligan8

Definitely, the 3200 and 3000's are what we are looking at.

This is just a trial run to see if she can handle it.

I snagged a 105M for under 50! The diesel and drop leg is very cool.I love it and I have many many years sailing experience.