Liveaboard reccomendations

[eddhewett]

Hi everyone,

I am hoping to draw on the wealth of knowledge and experience on this forum to give me some ideas.

Myself and my fiance have been working in the sailing industry a long time and have finally found ourselves in a position where we might be able to get our own boat to live on. We have sailed a variety of boats, know what makes a good boat but also know we couldnt afford our dream boat and with all our experience at sea, have no experience of buying one.
Basically, we have a tall list of what would make the ideal boat for us but realistic ideas of what we might actually be able to afford.

We would be looking for a yacht between 35 and 65ft (perhaps not 65ft with our budget!).
We have about £65,000 available (could push it very slightly for the dream boat) but that would clean us out so preferably it would cost less.

Features we would like:
Large master cabin (preferably aft)
Large Pilot house/deck saloon with seating area
Sheltered cockpit
Heavy/Stiff/Stable/Safe

Features we would like (to enable us to have the option to run trips/courses on the boat) but could easily compromise on:
Extra 4+ berths (as well as our double master cabin)
2nd heads

We aren't the average sailors and have had extensive experience in rough seas and high latitudes. We have grown accustomed to sailing a sturdy vessel that we can trust no matter what is thrown at us and wouldnt consider something light and bendy.

As for materials, we wouldnt consider a wooden boat. Aluminium would be the dream (which we probably cant afford) but steel or a strong fibreglass construction would do. Nothing that bends when you go to windward!

Ideally it would be something we could find in the UK, we could extend our range to Europe for the right boat but travelling further afield to buy a boat seems unlikely.

Finally, we are experienced in maintenance and repairs but are not looking for a project. If a boat needs a little TLC that is fine but we want to move straight aboard, not have the boat in a yard for a year.


So... If anyone has any ideas for makes or models they think we should look out for, places to look or general boat buying advice/pitfalls to avoid then we would love to hear it.

Thanks in advance to anyone who takes the time to share their knowledge/opinions.

Edd + Charly

 

[Graham376]

So... If anyone has any ideas for makes or models they think we should look out for, places to look or general boat buying advice/pitfalls to avoid then we would love to hear it.
Edd + Charly

I think you need to wake up from the dream and look realistically at what you can get for your money which, allowing for refit costs, allows £45k to £50k for a 1980s boat. Look around at the CC Westerly and Moody options and, if you want to keep marina costs sensible, <12m.

 

[jezza]

We're liveaboards - for 6 months of the year only - but do so on a UFO31. The thought that much bigger might be too much a challenge. Cash was also a consideration, but we did want a performance boat. Ours is that, with a scintillating race record in her day. This, however, had led a subsequent owner to butcher the original practical seagoing accommodation and make her into a caravan. She was in terrible condition, except hull was found to be excellent, dry and pox-free. We got her for a knock-down price - but it's taken three big refits and umpteen thousands of pounds to get her to her present very comfortable and highly specified condition. If we were doing this again, we'd stick to something from the Oyster family, which originated from our boat. To cut to the chase, I'd certainly look at the Oyster 39 ketch, also a Holman & Pye design, with a very seakindly and well moulded hull. The 39 isn't the most attractive of the Oysters, but has super accommodation . . . big double stateroom aft, deck house, big saloon with double dinette, good galley, two pilot berths forward of that, heads/shower, and big focsle with vee-berth usable as a double or two singles. This therefore would fit your commercial needs. They're not easy to find, and you might have to look abroad. Prices are affordable - tatty ones around £35,000 and better ones £50,000 or so. Next up from that would be the centre cockpit Oyster 406, a m/head sloop with less accommodation also around the £45/£55k mark, while what's about the best of the breed is the 435 - Clarrie Francis's old boat fitted out for extensive liveaboard and bluewater sailing's on the market for £85k, so probably a budget-buster, but it's every single widget, gizmo and thinggy there is! (on YachtWorld site). One thing that's important to note is that an increasing number of UK and Continental marinas are now either banning liveaboards, or putting premiums for berthing. Camaret, in Brittany, for example has this year introduced a 50€/month/head surcharge. That's 1,200€ annually on top of the €2,000 annual berthing contract - still a third the price of some UK docks!!!

 

[geem]

For what you are after I would guess that your budget it about half what you need.

 

[FlyingGoose]

Oh I do like a good search picked some out for you to look at , Steel is a pain to maintain ,if its not done right , not many Alu boats out there mainly French boats and some Dutch , but price out of your league .
For Sturdy boats in Fibre , and this will always cause a debate but look at the early Moody's and Westerly's build stong and longer keels I have a Moody 42 Ketch built like a tank steady as a rock but it crys like a baby when put to winward :ambivalence:
All boats are compromises
Good luck in your search

https://www.yachtworld.co.uk/boats/1982/alan-mummery-41ft-steel-cutter-3130376/?refSource=standard%20listing

https://www.yachtworld.co.uk/boats/1972/van-dam-trewes-47-ketch-3118107/?refSource=standard listing
this van dam has been on the Market for years make then an offer

https://www.yachtworld.co.uk/boats/1970/van-dam-ketch-42-3141794/?refSource=standard listing


https://www.yachtworld.co.uk/boats/1986/van-de-stadt-44-zeelust-3072384/?refSource=standard%20listing

https://www.yachtworld.co.uk/boats/1999/bruce-roberts-43-3526659/?refSource=standard listing


And if you really want to make your Mark on a boat here is a project
https://www.yachtworld.co.uk/boats/2009/bruce-roberts-40-spray-3541572/?refSource=enhanced listing

All boats are subject to offers , make then one you may be surprised, you can get an AWB in your range but it seems that not what your looking for , I presume you want Alu or Steel for High latitude sailing , if not then there is no reason to go Fibre Glass on a production boat they will handle most

 

[BobnLesley]

There are two schools of thought, the first says, "buy the biggest you can afford" the second "buy the smallest you're comfortable with". We took the latter option (after two years on a motorcycle with only a tiny tent nick-named the 'nylon coffin' all yachts looked spacious) so are no doubt biased, but over the years we've met more yotties regretting option one - usually during a period where they're going back to work to meet the maintenance bills/top up their cruising funds - than those regretting option 2.

 

[Bobc]

See if you can find a Tyler Endurance to look at. Not for the aft cabin, but otherwise would fit the bill.

Most are 37ft, but there are some up to 50ft.

A few examples here:-

https://www.yachtworld.co.uk/boats/1979/endurance-44-3235033/

https://www.boatclassified.co.uk/listings/1983-tyler-endurance-37-boat-for-sale/

https://www.yachtworld.co.uk/boats/1987/endurance-40-3539213/?refSource=browse%20listing

Knackered old ones can be as cheap as £10k, but a good example of a 37 will cost about £30k, and a really nice 40 or 44 (the one I like most) can be got for your £65k budget (unless you buy one in Turkey).

 

[ross84]

I did the whole live in a tent thing too - what length is your boat btw?

 

[Ashman]

How about this one https://oceancruisingclub.org/newsitem/476/

 

[25931]

Having lived on, amongst others, a TSDY and a catamaran if I were to return to that way of life it would be a cat.
You don't say where you would be based and it is dificult to advise without knowing likely cost of, for instance mooring.
Unless you are very confident about your ability to spot problems it might be worth considering a surveyor.
It would not be wise to spend every last penny, much better to have an emergency fund.
Good luck, I hope that you'll have as much happiness as I did.

 

[capnsensible]

Here is an alternative. My wife and I have lived comfortably on our Moody 33 for nineteen years. Two Atlantic circuits.

You can get them cheap. Bank the rest and carry on working on other peoples boats? I do now having sold my school yacht.

Happiness is one cheap yacht!

 

[lindsay]

I like the capsensible philosophy that happiness is one cheap yacht. My definition of "cheap" is that its monetary value to you is that you can simply walk away from it, if and when ownership becomes too onerous.

 

[laika]

Look around at the CC Westerly and Moody options and, if you want to keep marina costs sensible, <12m.

Westerly Oceanlord ticks all the OP's boxes except "deck saloon/ pilot house". The older sealord is <12m and cheaper. Not all marinas have tiered rates and not all that do put the break at 12m. Premier it's 12m (unfortunately for me) but MDL it's 12.5 (which is more than the loa of an oceanlord). Big win for the oceanlord over some of the smaller centre cockpit boats of that era: As long as you're not 2m+ tall the cockpit is big enough to lie down in

 

[steve yates]

This might be worth a look, if I was buying now I would seriously consider it...
https://www.yachtworld.co.uk/boats/1988/custom-ocean-going-sea-trader-41-3135950/

 

[Ariadne]

My question is where and how do you intend to use it?

Answer this and you're halfway there. In the Med' you'll be 50:50 at anchor, or in a marina. In the Caribbean 90% at anchor, around the Canaries it's up to your budget, both options are viable all the time.

Moody's and Westerlies are heavy boats, and pretty boring all round to me, if I was doing it all again I'd look at a Beneteau about 40ft, or a cat.

Mine is in your budget and going up for sale soonish, needs some TLC inside, but is being re engined with a new Beta 60SD in Grenada at the moment. It's booked (and paid for) on a transport back to Southampton next April, unless somebody makes me an offer...

 

[capnsensible]

I think you need to wake up from the dream and look realistically at what you can get for your money which, allowing for refit costs, allows £45k to £50k for a 1980s boat. Look around at the CC Westerly and Moody options and, if you want to keep marina costs sensible, <12m.

Hiya. A friend of mine has just sold his Moody 376 after living on it for around ten years and completing a circumnavigation. Top boats!

Can get them for 40k ish.

 

[Tony Cross]

An aft master cabin is a mistake IMO in the Med. You'll be stern-to berthed everywhere which means you'll get all the pontoon/quay noise whilst you're trying to sleep.

 

[Tiger Rag]

"An aft master cabin is a mistake IMO in the Med. You'll be stern-to berthed everywhere which means you'll get all the pontoon/quay noise whilst you're trying to sleep."

Or you could do what we used to do and moor bows in. Better security and a lot more privacy when sat in the cockpit.

 

[KellysEye]

That looks like a good option and excellent value: https://www.yachtworld.co.uk/boats/1999/bruce-roberts-43-3526659/?refSource=standard listing

 

[capnsensible]

An aft master cabin is a mistake IMO in the Med. You'll be stern-to berthed everywhere which means you'll get all the pontoon/quay noise whilst you're trying to sleep.

I've nearly always berthed bow to in the med......