How would spend £200K and £1400 per month to buy a bluewater yacht to liveaboard and sail / maybe circumnavigate for years to come?

[newtothis]

Take you round the world for £59k. Lots of money left over.

NEW LISTING - 1978 Rival 41 - SELKIE - Mark Cameron Yachts - Specialist Sail and Motorboat Brokerage

I have no association with the Broker, boat or seller.

Think that one may have gone already; it's not showing on their main listing.

 

[Tranona]

You mistakes modern boat building for quality boat building.,they aren't the same. Modern boat building for mass production isn't about making reliable and tough boats for high mileage applications. Its about engineering them to be adequate in their majority use. You charter boat will have spent most of its time motoring about from marina to marina. Its didn't do 1000nm passages or more.
It was operating entirely within the environment predicted by the designer.
If you want things to last and perform under more demanding conditions, you design them accordingly.

There are many older boats about that would suit the op. Giving a balanced view that all that is new isn't necessarily better is my goal.
As my surveyor said. Don't touch the latest mass production boats. The older models are better built.
As an engineer I value good design. It great to see the high tech race boats all arriving in Antigua for the Caribbean 600. Lots of modern machinery that super high tech and expensive. A long way from modern mass produced charter boats built to a price

You should tell that to all the owners of charter companies and sailing schools who buy and use standard production boats again and again for intensive commercial work. I know you try and build this myth that "bluewater" sailing is somehow special and needs something different (preferably 40 years or more old!). Load of hogwash. The boats that Sunsail use for their charter and corporate sailing business in the UK (standard off the shelf Jeanneaus) do more work and miles in all weathers in their 6-7 years on the fleet than most ocean sailing boats. Do the sums. 25 weeks a year 250 miles a typical week for 6 years - well over 30000 miles. They don't break of fall apart and then have a long life with subsequent owners. I could go on with other examples but you don't want to hear that.

Your claims about how modern boats are used just do not stand up to any rigorous scrutiny - exactly the same boats that you claim (incorrectly) are lightly used (have you ever actually owned and operated a charter boat) are widely used for "bluewater" sailing. It has to be so because those are the ones that are affordable. As I pointed out even 25% of your Tilman inspired OCC members chose standard production mass produced French or German boats. I don't care what your "surveyor" says - he is hardly likely to tell somebody with a closed mind they might be wrong would he? Why are you now talking about high tech race boats? Nothing to do with the current subject matter. Another diversionary tactic to avoid a serious discussion.

BTW have you now worked out how modern rudder bearing systems work and why they are so superior to Victorian steam engineering. Might explain why they are almost universally used by today's boat builders at all levels of the price range. (see post#157) It is not because they are cheap and easy (they are not) but because they are simply better.

Getting back to the OPs original question. You will note in more than one of my responses I have suggested that he may well choose an older boat, not because it is necessarily better for the job, but because in the smaller and cheaper price range up to around £50k boats of that type are more numerous and often better value. But as the budget increases the proportion of newer boats increases and older boats decrease. The properties of many newer boats make them more attractive for long term cruising and offer better value.

 

[ridgy]

Do sunsail boats out of the Solent really average 250 miles a week? You'd have to be pretty motivated and lucky with the weather to be doing that. Can't imagine many families even doing half of that.

 

[Sea Change]

When a Sunsail boat breaks, they're likely only a few hours away from a port of refuge.

 

[geem]

When a Sunsail boat breaks, they're likely only a few hours away from a port of refuge.

The ones out here are all in varying states of disrepair! Ditto Dream Yacht charter (AKA Nightmare yacht charter).
We meet plenty of charterers who pay out to charter these boats. Not many we speak to are happy with the boat condition. Lots of broken systems on these heavily used boat here in Antigua.
I am sure a lot of it is down to poor maintenance by the charter companies and charterer who don't have much clue. Either way, we hear their complaints.
Ps. We generally meet them because we kite surfing and wingfoil. Lots of charterer seem to bring this kit on holiday with them here in Antigua

 

[DoubleEnder]

I’ve never done proper blue water cruising. A few longish races, but that’s all.
However, some good friends of mine have. In the 1980s they did a long Atlantic circuit, in a Nicholson 30. traditional heavy long keel.
In the 1990s they operated a sea school, one of them was a YM instructor and did mile builders to Canaries as well as coastal stuff. For this they used a Westerley ShiteHawk or something (Corsair maybe, had an aft cabin). This was an AWB I guess. It survived some extremely testing conditions on one occasion, in Biscay
Then about 6 or 7 years ago they sailed U.K. to Australia in a Bavaria 41/42 something, second hand but newish off the shelf lightweight fin keel death trap. They made a few mods, nothing radical, bought good sails and some anchoring kit etc. Trouble free. They sold the boat very easily in Australia.

This couple is very experienced and capable. They moved with the times I guess

 

[Tranona]

Do sunsail boats out of the Solent really average 250 miles a week? You'd have to be pretty motivated and lucky with the weather to be doing that. Can't imagine many families even doing half of that.

The boats I was referring to are the ones they use for racing and corporate days , not for family cruising. Equally boats used by sailing schools will do that sort of mileage. 6-8 hours a day underway at 5-6 knots average.

As you see people with no actual knowledge and experience of running charter boats waffle on about lots of unserviceable boats and unhappy customers - all observed from the bar or drifting around on a kite surfer . Nothing could be further from the truth. Of course the boats have a hard life and things break when you let inexperienced people loose on big powerful boats, but they have to be robust enough and easily fixed ready for the next group of punters with a 24 hour turnaround..

In the 7 years I ran my charter boat it never once failed to be available for a charter. Nothing of any consequence broke. The most common repair items were to do with domestic equipment, loos, water systems, lights, cooker electronics etc. Never anything to do with engine, saildrive, steering rig or deck gear. When I sold it after 14 years the only non original parts of consequence were the saildrive (after 3500 hours and abuse by charterers) Lofrans windlass, sails and forward water tank.