Best 40-50 foot express cruiser/yacht/fly?

[DreJ]

By "Express" cruiser (I think you mean a sports boat - essentially a Targa style).
I will get "flamed" for this:-
But, for me, I consider that you "camp" on a sports boat and "live" on a Flybridge boat.
Both concepts work in their own way .

IMO, jrudge's comments are the most valid points to consider.
His main question is "Are you retiring to live on the boat? perhaps spending time on it?".
His other point about "where are you going to keep the boat" then becomes valid.
These two points themselves might steer you to the style of boat that best suits you.
Space is often the key - if you are just going to use the boat at weekends for 4 or 5 people, either a sports boat or a flybridge will suit.
Sleeping accommodation is probably the best way of looking at space.
For example, a 40 footer is more likely to only have 2 cabins so ok for 4 people but the 5th would probably have to use use a made up bed.
But, generally speaking, a flybridge boat will give you much more space that a sports boat.

I retired 20 years ago - I don't live on the boat but she is very much a second home.
On average, I spend 5 or 6 months of the year "living" on a Princess flybridge but mine is bigger than the 40 to 50 feet that you mention.
For me, a 40 foot boat would be too small.
We started with a 51 foot flybridge which was great around the UK but when we decided to move the boat to the Med, we bought a bigger boat.

You also say that you have been looking at "new" boats.
But, IMO, it would be better to have the correct second hand (probably bigger) boat than a new (smaller) one that doesn't meet the requirements of space.

Finally, don't be put off by the Med.
We keep our 20m Princess in the Med for less than it cos us to keep our previous 15m Sealine flybridge boat in the UK Solent.
The Balearics and the South of France are "eye wateringly" expensive areas but you can berth in the Med for a fraction of those prices.
Our solution is to keep the boat about 100 miles from the Balearics on mainland Spain and "pop across" whenever we want.
Remember, being retired gives you plenty of time to do this kind of thing.

So, I think we need more information about how long you intend staying on the boat and where you intend keeping her.
Until that is sorted, there is very little point in getting onto the flybridge vs sportsboat argument.

Thanks for the response Haven't got a chance to read all the replies yet but I can say that we will not be living on the boat. The boat will mostly be used for trips, activities, family/friend outings but also more occasionally longer trips where the bedrooms would be required. The flybridge seems like the better choice simply due to more entertaining space.

 

[DreJ]

Can I get you guys' thoughts on the Galeon 460 Fly as well as the Prestige 460 Fly?


I appreciate all the advice on starting out with a used boat. I'll definitely take your advice. Any tips on what age-range to go for to get a good price while still keeping modern features and looks?

 

[Hurricane]

Hard tops
Now there's a thing!!

I think that the boat builders are missing a trick with hard tops.
This is probably just me but...
If you had an enclosed hard top, rather than an opening panel, you could fill it with solar panels.
Thus reducing the electrical load at anchor - in the Med anyway.
Thats what I would do - supplement the solar panels that I already have.
So, on a 20m flybridge boat with a hard top, you could fit well over 2Kw of solar panels.
I currently have 600w of solar on my eyebrow and in the summer, they harvest about 3Kw hours per day.
The boat's load (without A/C of course) is somewhere between 5 and 6 Kw hours per day.
So that extra space on a hard top would be really useful - if only.
I'm sure that I'm in the minority though but the world is changing.

Sorry for the thread drift - back to camping!!

 

[Sticky Fingers]

Hard tops
Now there's a thing!!

I think that the boat builders are missing a trick with hard tops.
This is probably just me but...
If you had an enclosed hard top, rather than an opening panel, you could fill it with solar panels.
Thus reducing the electrical load at anchor - in the Med anyway.
Thats what I would do - supplement the solar panels that I already have.
So, on a 20m flybridge boat with a hard top, you could fit well over 2Kw of solar panels.
I currently have 600w of solar on my eyebrow and in the summer, they harvest about 3Kw hours per day.
The boat's load (without A/C of course) is somewhere between 5 and 6 Kw hours per day.
So that extra space on a hard top would be really useful - if only.
I'm sure that I'm in the minority though but the world is changing.

Sorry for the thread drift - back to camping!!

One or two starting to appear, example Greenline 48 Coupe:

 

[BruceK]

Hard tops
Now there's a thing!!

I think that the boat builders are missing a trick with hard tops.
This is probably just me but...
If you had an enclosed hard top, rather than an opening panel, you could fill it with solar panels.
Thus reducing the electrical load at anchor - in the Med anyway.
Thats what I would do - supplement the solar panels that I already have.
So, on a 20m flybridge boat with a hard top, you could fit well over 2Kw of solar panels.
I currently have 600w of solar on my eyebrow and in the summer, they harvest about 3Kw hours per day.
The boat's load (without A/C of course) is somewhere between 5 and 6 Kw hours per day.
So that extra space on a hard top would be really useful - if only.
I'm sure that I'm in the minority though but the world is changing.

Sorry for the thread drift - back to camping!!

As a diehard canopy camper I have invested in solar panels. Best thing I did for the boat tbh