Go Big or Go Home?

[GravyStain]

Hi all,

A couple of questions for the Med based guys, but please chip in if not too:-

The first is of size... Like our partners, we all have different tastes. Given the payback of additional space for a fixed cost by buying an older boat (generally), are there any major pitfalls that I should be aware of (ignoring greater servicing, maintenance and mooring fees) ?

I'm thinking of, say, a Phantom 48 Fly from 2008 or a manhattan 50 from 2005 (roughly similar money) as compared to a newer 40 / 42 footer. It's not all about lebensraum, but given that these are your home from home for a good few weeks of the year, the extra space is a big factor in deciding on the right boat and certainly helps with SWMBO's acquiescence. Taking the point even further, what's wrong with a 2001 Squadron 55/58 etc etc... you get my point. I'm not all about style, practicality must play a part in the process (unless I had the money for a V52 then I'd be shouting "TAKE MY MONEY")...

what are your thoughts, as this plays into question 2, which is:-

When you head to your boats, how much time do you spend cruising, or on the hook as opposed to being in your marina... I'm just trying to guage how much people use their boats as a floating apartment as well as other things. Do you move them to another area annually or every few months?, Do you cruise daily? Do you have a stable home base where the boat stays year in year out. I appreciate every answer will be individual...

Thanks guys.

 

[BruceK]

?

I'll get out the sinners book

 

[petem]

We keep our boat in the northern Costa Blanca, an area that we like a lot. We tend to take it out for the day and return to the marina in the late afternoon. But we do have an annual cruise, last year we went to Ibiza for a few days.

We'll stay in our current location until we get bored at which time we'll move on.

Factors worth considering....

Quality of local cruising grounds
Proximity to an airport with frequent and cheap UK flights
Availability of good / reasonably priced boat fixers
Cost of berth

Unfortunately, you'll never get a location that wins on all four points although where we are scores pretty well.

 

[petem]

?

I'll get out the sinners book

I'd rather buy an older boat on shafts than a newer one on pods !

 

[GravyStain]

I'd rather buy an older boat on shafts than a newer one on pods !

You're not the first to say that!

 

[markc]

I guess the space you need depends on how many of you will be on the boat and how many guests you want to look after (if any). We have 2 young kids and a 55 ft flybridge boat, and that's fine for us for extended stays - we do a max of 6 weeks in one go, 10 weeks in all over a year. I don't feel like we need more space.

In terms of maintenance costs, I think the main consideration is how well a boat has been maintained - an older boat will be fine if it's been looked after properly, just as a younger boat will also have unforeseen problems that need fixing. You need to have a decent toolbox and be prepared to get stuck in whatever age boat you have, or a small problem will ruin your holiday.

We have a fair mix between staying in the marina and heading out for the day or for longer trips. As Petem says, where you moor and the proximity to good cruising grounds can be really important. We can cruise 30 minutes up the coast and find some lovely anchorages where we'll spend the day. Some of these we'll stay overnight too. We also have loads of different ports within an hour or so, so we often book in a couple and head out for 10 days or so mixing anchoring with marina stays. Having young kids means that we do need mix it up a bit for them or they get a bit moany. For us it's important to moor in a place that's easy to walk to a beach, good variety of shops & restaurants close by and lots of different places to go in the boat within 60 minutes or so.

 

[MapisM]

given that these are your home from home for a good few weeks of the year, the extra space is a big factor in deciding on the right boat

"Good few weeks" is a bit undetermined.
You mention the V52, and while as far as I can tell she's a nice boat, I would not even remotely consider anything but a flybridge, for living aboard.
Otoh, when I say living aboard, I mean it: the boat is where I spend most of my time, since more than 10 years, so she's rather my home period, not a home away from home.
And personally, while I've done that on a 53 footer first, and a 56 in the last couple of years, I would set my personal "minimum space" requirement at 50' or so - talking of monohulls, of course.

Anyway, the most important thing to bear in mind is that while certainly age is a factor in the amount of problems any boat comes packed with, size matters even more.
Regardless of what your budget is, you don't want the largest boat you can afford, because that's NOT what improves your life.
You want the smallest boat that is enough to cover your needs. A lot of boat, a lot of problems - no way round that.
Good luck.

 

[GravyStain]

I guess the space you need depends on how many of you will be on the boat and how many guests you want to look after (if any). We have 2 young kids and a 55 ft flybridge boat, and that's fine for us for extended stays - we do a max of 6 weeks in one go, 10 weeks in all over a year. I don't feel like we need more space.

In terms of maintenance costs, I think the main consideration is how well a boat has been maintained - an older boat will be fine if it's been looked after properly, just as a younger boat will also have unforeseen problems that need fixing. You need to have a decent toolbox and be prepared to get stuck in whatever age boat you have, or a small problem will ruin your holiday.

We have a fair mix between staying in the marina and heading out for the day or for longer trips. As Petem says, where you moor and the proximity to good cruising grounds can be really important. We can cruise 30 minutes up the coast and find some lovely anchorages where we'll spend the day. Some of these we'll stay overnight too. We also have loads of different ports within an hour or so, so we often book in a couple and head out for 10 days or so mixing anchoring with marina stays. Having young kids means that we do need mix it up a bit for them or they get a bit moany. For us it's important to moor in a place that's easy to walk to a beach, good variety of shops & restaurants close by and lots of different places to go in the boat within 60 minutes or so.

Great stuff there, thanks. I have a 5 year old who will need to be entertained too so I agree with your thoughts. On a 10 day / 2 week trip I'd hope to use the boat most days. Also, I'm pretty hands on so general maintenance / fixing / troubleshooting (whilst daunting in scale compared to other things) doesn't worry me too much and I see it as a necessary evil to enjoy your boat.

 

[Hurricane]

So, back in 2007, we had the same dilemma - except that we were moving up from a 51 footer for Med use.
For right or wrong, we jumped a long way to a 67 footer.
The point that I make is the we have never regretted the decision.
When you are away from home, you need that extra space.

So, day to day issues if you are staying any length of time on the boat.
Here's a hidden issue.
Washing machine - you don't want to be visiting the marina launderette all the time.
Ours is a washer drier - when I'm on the boat on my own, I bung in the washing and leave it to itself.
So, if I were you, I would make sure you have a clothes washing machine on board.
This brings me to the Squaddie 58 which has that mid cabin next to the galley.
I've never owned a Squadron 58 but I would imagine that the mid cabin could be used purely as a laundry room - somewhere to put the washing before running the machine.

There are lots of other little benefits of "going bigger" that you wouldn't have thought about untill you actually use the boat.
You obviously love the idea of a V52 but it isn't as practical as a flybridge boat.

We use our boat away on anchor a lot but even then, we still spend more time in the marina than away.
Air conditioning in the Med is a MUST.
My A/C pump broke down in mid September towards the end of my stay - the heat was unbearable - even in Sant Carles (northern part of the Spanish Med)

I also agree with the shafts vs pods argument.
The Med is susceptible to barnacle growth.
IMO, the seal round pods is more likely to fail than the deep seals around shafts.
And any shaft problems are much easier to fix.

Happy hunting - but, essentially my advice is "go large"

 

[Deleted User YDKXO]

This is our experience of Med boating

We spent the first 12 years of our boating life in and around the Solent and E Channel before getting fed up with UK weather and moving to the Med in 2003. We started off berthed in the South of France after which we had periods berthed in the Costa Blanca, Majorca, Croatia and Sardinia before returning to the South of France in 2016. After 17 years and experience of various locations in the Med these are my personal thoughts.

The first thing to decide is what type of Med boater you are and there are 3 main types.

The first type is the person who already has a property in the Med and the boat will just be an add on to his villa lifestyle, in other words a day boat. This type of boater is probably best suited to a sports cruiser of moderate size (say 30-40ft) which maximises sunbathing and loafing space and minimises accommodation (must have heads/shower though). The boat will only ever go to the nearest anchorage so engine type, fuel range etc is immaterial. It doesnt matter how old the boat is because, if it breaks down, well there's always the villa and pool

The second type is the boater who is still working and may or may not have kids in tow; this type has limited time to use his boat, probably 5-6 weeks a year max and in short periods, maybe only weekends plus a 2 week summer holiday.. This type of boater needs to minimise travel time to his boat so it matters where he moors it and that means a marina not more than 1hr from an airport served by inexpensive daily flights from his chosen UK airport. He also needs a location where reliable maintenance services are readily available and be willing to spend money paying other people to maintain his boat because he does not want to spend his very limited boating time repairing his boat whilst his wife fumes asking herself why her husband is putting her and her family through this torture and can they take a package holiday to the Costa del Sol next year. Because for this type of boater, his Med boat is also his holiday home, the boat needs to maximise both outdoor and indoor living space and IMHO a flybridge boat is the best choice. What length depends on the number of cabins he needs and that depends on the size and age of his family, not forgetting that he probably also needs a spare guest cabin for the inevitable friends or relatives that invite themselves. A couple without kids in tow could probably be very happy on a 2 cabin 40 footer. A couple with 2 kids probably need a 3 cabin 45-50 footer and if the kids are older and demand their own cabins, he probably needs a 4 cabin 55-60 footer or a 3 cabin 50-55 footer with a usable crew cabin. As to what age of boat, here maintenance is the key factor not forgetting that the owner will not want to be spending his limited time mending his boat so if he is in a location where maintenance services are readily available, he might get away with owning an older boat or vice versa but being realistic, probably he's looking at a good quality boat in the 5-15yr old range. For this owner, boating will consist mostly of going to local anchorages where the kids can use the inevitable water toys onboard, occasional overnighting at anchor in fine weather and maybe more extended coastal cruising during his once a year summer holiday

The third type is the retired person who can use his boat whenever he wants, for as long as he wants and at any time of year he chooses. For this owner, it matters far less where the boat is berthed because he has the time to get there and he will be on his boat for fewer but longer visits. Maintenance services are less important because he has the time to work on his boat himself and if its broken down for a week, well so what. This type of owner is also probably best suited to a flybridge boat again to maximise accommodation. The type and age of boat this owner chooses though will probably depend on his cruising plans. If the owner is happy staying onboard in his marina with only occasional short trips out, then an older smaller boat, say around 40-45ft, may be adequate. However if the owner has extended offshore cruising in mind with a significant number of overnight stays in unfamiliar anchorages, then he is going to need a reliable, newer boat, probably longer than 50ft, that is a capable sea boat with decent range (at least 300nm at cruising speed), good anchoring equipment and a reliable generator

That went on a bit longer than I thought but I hope it is useful

 

[Hurricane]

This is our experience of Med boating

We spent the first 12 years of our boating life in and around the Solent and E Channel before getting fed up with UK weather and moving to the Med in 2003. We started off berthed in the South of France after which we had periods berthed in the Costa Blanca, Majorca, Croatia and Sardinia before returning to the South of France in 2016. After 17 years and experience of various locations in the Med these are my personal thoughts.

The first thing to decide is what type of Med boater you are and there are 3 main types.

The first type is the person who already has a property in the Med and the boat will just be an add on to his villa lifestyle, in other words a day boat. This type of boater is probably best suited to a sports cruiser of moderate size (say 30-40ft) which maximises sunbathing and loafing space and minimises accommodation (must have heads/shower though). The boat will only ever go to the nearest anchorage so engine type, fuel range etc is immaterial. It doesnt matter how old the boat is because, if it breaks down, well there's always the villa and pool

The second type is the boater who is still working and may or may not have kids in tow; this type has limited time to use his boat, probably 5-6 weeks a year max and in short periods, maybe only weekends plus a 2 week summer holiday.. This type of boater needs to minimise travel time to his boat so it matters where he moors it and that means a marina not more than 1hr from an airport served by inexpensive daily flights from his chosen UK airport. He also needs a location where reliable maintenance services are readily available and be willing to spend money paying other people to maintain his boat because he does not want to spend his very limited boating time repairing his boat whilst his wife fumes asking herself why her husband is putting her and her family through this torture and can they take a package holiday to the Costa del Sol next year. Because for this type of boater, his Med boat is also his holiday home, the boat needs to maximise both outdoor and indoor living space and IMHO a flybridge boat is the best choice. What length depends on the number of cabins he needs and that depends on the size and age of his family, not forgetting that he probably also needs a spare guest cabin for the inevitable friends or relatives that invite themselves. A couple without kids in tow could probably be very happy on a 2 cabin 40 footer. A couple with 2 kids probably need a 3 cabin 45-50 footer and if the kids are older and demand their own cabins, he probably needs a 4 cabin 55-60 footer or a 3 cabin 50-55 footer with a usable crew cabin. As to what age of boat, here maintenance is the key factor not forgetting that the owner will not want to be spending his limited time mending his boat so if he is in a location where maintenance services are readily available, he might get away with owning an older boat or vice versa but being realistic, probably he's looking at a good quality boat in the 5-15yr old range. For this owner, boating will consist mostly of going to local anchorages where the kids can use the inevitable water toys onboard, occasional overnighting at anchor in fine weather and maybe more extended coastal cruising during his once a year summer holiday

The third type is the retired person who can use his boat whenever he wants, for as long as he wants and at any time of year he chooses. For this owner, it matters far less where the boat is berthed because he has the time to get there and he will be on his boat for fewer but longer visits. Maintenance services are less important because he has the time to work on his boat himself and if its broken down for a week, well so what. This type of owner is also probably best suited to a flybridge boat again to maximise accommodation. The type and age of boat this owner chooses though will probably depend on his cruising plans. If the owner is happy staying onboard in his marina with only occasional short trips out, then an older smaller boat, say around 40-45ft, may be adequate. However if the owner has extended offshore cruising in mind with a significant number of overnight stays in unfamiliar anchorages, then he is going to need a reliable, newer boat, probably longer than 50ft, that is a capable sea boat with decent range (at least 300nm at cruising speed), good anchoring equipment and a reliable generator

That went on a bit longer than I thought but I hope it is useful

I guess you are in category 2 but maybe working towards category 3 (with or without the self maintenance).
Yes - I agree with everything you say.
Good to see that you have covered the location aspect as well.

I would like to add to the affordability bit - particularly with reference to location.
A lot of the places that you have kept your boat has been in "eye wateringly" expensive marinas.
I would like to add that there is a version of your category 2 person who simply cannot afford those berthing prices.
I would therefore like to point out that the cat 2 person does exist in cheaper parts of the Med.
Here we go with prices again - a 55 footer in the SoF or Mallorca - I guess £25,000 to £30,000 per annum.
In locations where it takes a little longer to reach (Sant Carles for example is a couple of hours from Barcelona - a big European airline hub) the prices can be as little as £3,500 to £4,000 and that includes services.
So, yes, I agree with your categorisation but cat 2 people are prepared to have a little extra inconvenience in order to afford their boating.
And it is a BIG cost difference.

 

[Bouba]

This is our experience of Med boating

We spent the first 12 years of our boating life in and around the Solent and E Channel before getting fed up with UK weather and moving to the Med in 2003. We started off berthed in the South of France after which we had periods berthed in the Costa Blanca, Majorca, Croatia and Sardinia before returning to the South of France in 2016. After 17 years and experience of various locations in the Med these are my personal thoughts.

The first thing to decide is what type of Med boater you are and there are 3 main types.

The first type is the person who already has a property in the Med and the boat will just be an add on to his villa lifestyle, in other words a day boat. This type of boater is probably best suited to a sports cruiser of moderate size (say 30-40ft) which maximises sunbathing and loafing space and minimises accommodation (must have heads/shower though). The boat will only ever go to the nearest anchorage so engine type, fuel range etc is immaterial. It doesnt matter how old the boat is because, if it breaks down, well there's always the villa and pool

The second type is the boater who is still working and may or may not have kids in tow; this type has limited time to use his boat, probably 5-6 weeks a year max and in short periods, maybe only weekends plus a 2 week summer holiday.. This type of boater needs to minimise travel time to his boat so it matters where he moors it and that means a marina not more than 1hr from an airport served by inexpensive daily flights from his chosen UK airport. He also needs a location where reliable maintenance services are readily available and be willing to spend money paying other people to maintain his boat because he does not want to spend his very limited boating time repairing his boat whilst his wife fumes asking herself why her husband is putting her and her family through this torture and can they take a package holiday to the Costa del Sol next year. Because for this type of boater, his Med boat is also his holiday home, the boat needs to maximise both outdoor and indoor living space and IMHO a flybridge boat is the best choice. What length depends on the number of cabins he needs and that depends on the size and age of his family, not forgetting that he probably also needs a spare guest cabin for the inevitable friends or relatives that invite themselves. A couple without kids in tow could probably be very happy on a 2 cabin 40 footer. A couple with 2 kids probably need a 3 cabin 45-50 footer and if the kids are older and demand their own cabins, he probably needs a 4 cabin 55-60 footer or a 3 cabin 50-55 footer with a usable crew cabin. As to what age of boat, here maintenance is the key factor not forgetting that the owner will not want to be spending his limited time mending his boat so if he is in a location where maintenance services are readily available, he might get away with owning an older boat or vice versa but being realistic, probably he's looking at a good quality boat in the 5-15yr old range. For this owner, boating will consist mostly of going to local anchorages where the kids can use the inevitable water toys onboard, occasional overnighting at anchor in fine weather and maybe more extended coastal cruising during his once a year summer holiday

The third type is the retired person who can use his boat whenever he wants, for as long as he wants and at any time of year he chooses. For this owner, it matters far less where the boat is berthed because he has the time to get there and he will be on his boat for fewer but longer visits. Maintenance services are less important because he has the time to work on his boat himself and if its broken down for a week, well so what. This type of owner is also probably best suited to a flybridge boat again to maximise accommodation. The type and age of boat this owner chooses though will probably depend on his cruising plans. If the owner is happy staying onboard in his marina with only occasional short trips out, then an older smaller boat, say around 40-45ft, may be adequate. However if the owner has extended offshore cruising in mind with a significant number of overnight stays in unfamiliar anchorages, then he is going to need a reliable, newer boat, probably longer than 50ft, that is a capable sea boat with decent range (at least 300nm at cruising speed), good anchoring equipment and a reliable generator

That went on a bit longer than I thought but I hope it is useful

That’s really well put?

 

[Deleted User YDKXO]

I guess you are in category 2 but maybe working towards category 3 (with or without the self maintenance).
Yes - I agree with everything you say.
Good to see that you have covered the location aspect as well.

I would like to add to the affordability bit - particularly with reference to location.
A lot of the places that you have kept your boat has been in "eye wateringly" expensive marinas.
I would like to add that there is a version of your category 2 person who simply cannot afford those berthing prices.
I would therefore like to point out that the cat 2 person does exist in cheaper parts of the Med.
Here we go with prices again - a 55 footer in the SoF or Mallorca - I guess £25,000 to £30,000 per annum.
In locations where it takes a little longer to reach (Sant Carles for example is a couple of hours from Barcelona - a big European airline hub) the prices can be as little as £3,500 to £4,000 and that includes services.
So, yes, I agree with your categorisation but cat 2 people are prepared to have a little extra inconvenience in order to afford their boating.
And it is a BIG cost difference.

It is certainly true to say that I am currently marooned in cat 2 but I'm looking forward to being in cat 3 ?

Yes I agree that some of the marinas and places we've berthed in have been eye wateringly expensive but there's a reason for that. They are close to international airports and nice cruising areas. For Med boaters with a family and I've been there and got the t-shirt on that one, there is a real predicament between family and boat. Lets face it, most of us have got wives who's first choice of holiday would not be on the boat. Give them a choice between 2 weeks on your boat or 2 weeks on a swanky cruise ship or 5 star hotel, I know what most of them would choose. And then there's the kids. Whilst they're young they arent a problem but when they get to 8/9yrs old they're asking why they have to go to the boat instead of seeing their mates and then when they become teenage Kevins they are a real problem, too young to leave at home but old enough to make your life hell on the boat

So the last thing you want to inflict on your wife and kids is the late night delayed red-eye out of Luton followed by a 2 hr trek in a rental car to a marina followed by the reverse 2 or 3 days later. You might have fun and think its all worth it but I guarantee they won't. So the price I've paid over the years for a happy wife and a kid who doesnt whine all the time is a convenient journey to the boat and plenty of non-boaty stuff for wife and kids to do there, which I'm afraid does mean one of the more expensive Med locations

 

[Hurricane]

It is certainly true to say that I am currently marooned in cat 2 but I'm looking forward to being in cat 3 ?

Yes I agree that some of the marinas and places we've berthed in have been eye wateringly expensive but there's a reason for that. They are close to international airports and nice cruising areas. For Med boaters with a family and I've been there and got the t-shirt on that one, there is a real predicament between family and boat. Lets face it, most of us have got wives who's first choice of holiday would not be on the boat. Give them a choice between 2 weeks on your boat or 2 weeks on a swanky cruise ship or 5 star hotel, I know what most of them would choose. And then there's the kids. Whilst they're young they arent a problem but when they get to 8/9yrs old they're asking why they have to go to the boat instead of seeing their mates and then when they become teenage Kevins they are a real problem, too young to leave at home but old enough to make your life hell on the boat

So the last thing you want to inflict on your wife and kids is the late night delayed red-eye out of Luton followed by a 2 hr trek in a rental car to a marina followed by the reverse 2 or 3 days later. You might have fun and think its all worth it but I guarantee they won't. So the price I've paid over the years for a happy wife and a kid who doesnt whine all the time is a convenient journey to the boat and plenty of non-boaty stuff for wife and kids to do there, which I'm afraid does mean one of the more expensive Med locations

Yep - agreed
But it is a HUGE price to pay to avoid a couple of hours in a car and you still have to get to/from the airport in the SoF.
I remember when we visited Antibes, JFM very kindly drove SWMBO to the airport for me and there were huge queues through Nice so it isn't all plane sailing anywhere.
For a young family, I would suggest that a marina with a swimming pool would be higher on the list.

 

[MapisM]

It is certainly true to say that I am currently marooned in cat 2 but I'm looking forward to being in cat 3 ?

I never thought of myself as a boater "of the third type", but it's a classification I can live with!

 

[Deleted User YDKXO]

Yep - agreed
But it is a HUGE price to pay to avoid a couple of hours in a car and you still have to get to/from the airport in the SoF.
I remember when we visited Antibes, JFM very kindly drove SWMBO to the airport for me and there were huge queues through Nice so it isn't all plane sailing anywhere.
For a young family, I would suggest that a marina with a swimming pool would be higher on the list.

You should have asked Jimmy the Builder. He would have taken her on the back of his scooter! Much quicker. Our average journey time from Nice airport to the boat or return with our tame taxi driver is 40mins

Yes agree a swimming pool is a nice to have for kids but entirely IMHO not worth a difficult journey to the boat

 

[Blue Sunray]

So the last thing you want to inflict on your wife and kids is the late night delayed red-eye out of Luton followed by a 2 hr trek in a rental car to a marina followed by the reverse 2 or 3 days later. You might have fun and think its all worth it but I guarantee they won't. So the price I've paid over the years for a happy wife and a kid who doesnt whine all the time is a convenient journey to the boat and plenty of non-boaty stuff for wife and kids to do there, which I'm afraid does mean one of the more expensive Med locations

Very much so. Not Med not Motor Boating but it took me years to get back on the water for pleasure after being forced to spend summer holidays from age 12 to 16ish on 'Daddy's Boat'.

 

[GravyStain]

"Good few weeks" is a bit undetermined.
You mention the V52, and while as far as I can tell she's a nice boat, I would not even remotely consider anything but a flybridge, for living aboard.
Otoh, when I say living aboard, I mean it: the boat is where I spend most of my time, since more than 10 years, so she's rather my home period, not a home away from home.
And personally, while I've done that on a 53 footer first, and a 56 in the last couple of years, I would set my personal "minimum space" requirement at 50' or so - talking of monohulls, of course.

Anyway, the most important thing to bear in mind is that while certainly age is a factor in the amount of problems any boat comes packed with, size matters even more.
Regardless of what your budget is, you don't want the largest boat you can afford, because that's NOT what improves your life.
You want the smallest boat that is enough to cover your needs. A lot of boat, a lot of problems - no way round that.
Good luck.

Thanks Mapism... The V52 comment was flippant in that they are so lovely to look at... but it's flybridge all the way for me, as you say too. It's a no brainer if you're spending plenty of time on the boat with your family / friends.
I like your point regarding buy the smallest boat that will suit your needs. it makes sense, and 50ft is my sweet spot i think...

 

[Portofino]

We are a combo of type 1+ and 3 and the kids have long since flown the nest .
MikesF ,s post is excellent , We started in the Cote d Azur as Nice is Frances ( pre covid ) 2nd busiest airport and was easy to get in / out from the UK year round ,Also its easy to spin off to other EU places ,Eg a few days on the boat ( Oct 1/ 2 term ) followed by a few days in say Venice .
Similarly @ Easter with the kids a week sking followed by a fight from GVA to NCE to boat .

How ever since retiring @54 and relocating to Europe after 15 years based 35 mins from NCE we recently more for a change of scenery moved the boat to Italy , despite a holiday home in Antibes ( the group 1 qually )
,
I have had the pleasure of being on both MikeFs , Marc ‘s, MC Anderson’s boat and rendezvousing with Bouba on here .
All different boats .
.Theres plenty of marinas in the Cote d Azur with lovely beaches within a short walk or adjacent for the bucket + spade stage with the kids + a lot of shore side stuff to visit , the keep entertaining the kids .
Tbo we never got the “ kevin” experience when they were teenagers they enjoyed it , the travel the boat , the restaurant s and general razza mataze .
As said we always flew in social hours etc , sat in air port lounges and had a few car hire club cards so zero queue s , or just took taxis .

Boats , around 50 ft on shafts .
The berths are beam specific.You can go wider, if you do it moves you up a category with the tariffs .An extra meter or so length is allowed .
So you need to balance , the berth , the boat and the location paying particular attention to the distance from an airport and the flights available when you intend to use it .Also the shore side attractions for the kid(s) and when the weather dictates not going out .
There are multiple solutions .

Edit none of us have British boats ! read into that what you will and we bought them in the Med as well .

 

[GravyStain]

So, back in 2007, we had the same dilemma - except that we were moving up from a 51 footer for Med use.
For right or wrong, we jumped a long way to a 67 footer.
The point that I make is the we have never regretted the decision.
When you are away from home, you need that extra space.

So, day to day issues if you are staying any length of time on the boat.
Here's a hidden issue.
Washing machine - you don't want to be visiting the marina launderette all the time.
Ours is a washer drier - when I'm on the boat on my own, I bung in the washing and leave it to itself.
So, if I were you, I would make sure you have a clothes washing machine on board.
This brings me to the Squaddie 58 which has that mid cabin next to the galley.
I've never owned a Squadron 58 but I would imagine that the mid cabin could be used purely as a laundry room - somewhere to put the washing before running the machine.

There are lots of other little benefits of "going bigger" that you wouldn't have thought about untill you actually use the boat.
You obviously love the idea of a V52 but it isn't as practical as a flybridge boat.

We use our boat away on anchor a lot but even then, we still spend more time in the marina than away.
Air conditioning in the Med is a MUST.
My A/C pump broke down in mid September towards the end of my stay - the heat was unbearable - even in Sant Carles (northern part of the Spanish Med)

I also agree with the shafts vs pods argument.
The Med is susceptible to barnacle growth.
IMO, the seal round pods is more likely to fail than the deep seals around shafts.
And any shaft problems are much easier to fix.

Happy hunting - but, essentially my advice is "go large"

Thanks Hurricane -as mentioned earlier, the V52 comment was flippant as they're a toy (albeit a lovely one). It will always be a flybridge. If we draw the imaginary triangle of Age / Cost / Size, then 50ft is about right for my current set of brain cells , also given that I'm a noob in these regards and the bigger the boat the more daunting it could be. I am drawn to a slightly older Squadron 55 with all its utility room and space vibe and I don't care that it doesn't have fandango windows (that are too hot for the med anyway). I'm 6'3" so a larger freeboard would be nice, but that comes with more modern boats...

thanks so much for the input.