Med liveaboard and cruise in a motorboat

DoubleEnder

DoubleEnder

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Does anyone have any views or experience of Mediterranean cruising in a motor boat, something like Broome 37 for example? I have a very nice sailing boat here in UK, which is pretty, fast and fun but has little living accomodation and very limited long term cruising potential.

I was thinking about using an older style motor cruiser to take a trip through the canals to Med, then using it to tour, visit cruise whatever in Greece and Turkey. I am not really very keen on fast flybridge styles, but something like a Broome or similar with smallish diesels, decent accomodation, modest proportions....seems like a good idea to me. Med is often windless, so maybe I wouldnt be missing out too too much. And I could have lots of comfort, kit, space etc

But I would be interested in opinions.

Thank you
Graham
 
I think what you propose is quite possible Graham. I've never made the trip through the French canals to the Med, but I've met many who have and the vast majority have really enjoyed the voyage. I couldn't comment on the logistics of the idea, you know how much/cost of fuel for cruising under engine all the time but I think with careful planning and a good eye on weather forecasts you could get to the same places that sailing yachts do. It may mean a little more coastal work before setting off across any large open areas of sea, but you could do it I'm sure. In a well prepared seaworthy boat, go for it mate. :D
 
We brought our Princess 435 down to the Med via the Biscay route, taking our time and had a great trip. It is a great boat to live aboard.
Blueglass will doubtless be along shortly, who came down through the canals with his Atlantic 38 and is now in Greece.
PM me if you have specific questions.
 
Go for it Graham

There's lots of people here on an assortment of motor yachts and whilst I regularly decry them on the basis of fuel costs, I also reflect when it's time for a new sail or rigging that I could buy an awful lot of diesel for what I'm shelling out.

There's also a regularly repeated joke, which like all the best ones has more than a grain of truth to it: 'There are two types of motor boat cruising the Med, those without masts and those that have got them!'
 
Two types of motor cruisers

Yes that's what I was thinking. Lots of paople I have spoken to/read say that there is often a sad lack of wind. So maybe just being realistic and getting a motor boat is a reasonable tactic?
I don't know motor boats very well. I have 2 questions really:

First, how 'seaworthy' will it be? In other words if I get caught out by bad weather in a 37-38' semi displacement motor boat, assuming it is well-found, will it be more risky/uncomfortable/vulnerable/expensive than in a typical Beneteau/Bavaria type of sailing boat? I know there is all sorts of debate about these modern sailing boats, and I really dont want to blow on those coals. Just to know how capable my theoretical motor boat will be in comparison.

Second- cost. Again I know that there has been all sorts of useful discussion about long term budgets, and again I dont want to re run that. But are there any forumites here who have done what I am positing, who could comment? My guess is that (again given a boat in initial good order) the costs would be a bit higher for the mobo, but probably not much. More engine to take care of, but les sails and rigging. More space aboard= less dinners ashore...And a fair bit more on fuel.

Anyway, thank you so far

Graham
 
I took my Moody 38 through the French Canals and then spent a season in the western Med. We ended up motoring so often, a semi displacement motor boat or a Grand Banks Trawler would have been absolutely ideal.

We had a few dinners aboard three different Grand Banks and all the owners were very happy. Not sure on the cost differences, but it's certainly an ideal trip for that sort of boat.
 
I seem to remember reading many moons ago on the Mobo' forum an account with photos of a voyage in a big motor cruiser from mainland Spain to Malta via the Balearics. I never read it all as unfortunately he mentioned the fuel bill at Menorca and I passed out, but there may be someone on there with first hand knowledge. :D
 
We left Southampton in our Sea Ray Sundancer 400 mid April this year and came down to the Med through the canals. We used 2000 litres of fuel to get to Port St Louis, and then a further 700 litres traveling down to Sant Carles. The alternative cost of shipping the boat to the Med was prohibative, and the trip through the Canals was so much more enjoyable than we ever could have imagined.

Once in the Med, there is no doubt that the fuel cost can be an issue, it depends primarily how fast you want to go, our twin Caterpillars (350HP each) burn about 90 litres an hour at 22 knots and about 16 litres an hour at 8 - 9 knots. The great advantage we see is the amount of useable accommodation space, the ability to get somewhere quickly if we want to, and all the comforts of home that we have on board.

Graham
 
We always chose the motorsailer type boat for Med cruising, mainly because the fuel consumption can be less than one gallon per hour and when the engine/s fail you can always get to a port somewhere without calling out the lifeboat. The boat in my avatar is only 36ft but had a deck saloon and two comfortable double cabins. We rarely sailed in the 6 years we owned her, although her sailing performance was good.

We had friends with a new Ocean 37 years ago who never went faster than 9 knots because of the fuel cost.

I would second the suggestion of a Grand Banks for a cruising motor boat, but preferably one of the smaller engined ones. We have other friends who cruised for years in a GB 32 with a single engine after coming down through the canals. That was a very comfortable boat for two people.
 
We have a s/d 38ft Atlantic 38 which is exactly the class of boat your thinking of and have indeed (thank you planB) done the trip down to Greece from UK (currently Corfu based) We found the boat exactly fit for purpose and no problems with the sea passages, We have twin 225 turbo engines capable of 18 knots but we cruise at 8k for economy so some of those passages (100 miles or so) were longish by mobo standards although not by sailing boats. The superior accomodation levels length for length are a major bonus IMHO. The only downside is that you will inevitably spend more on fuel. We averaged about 3.5 mpg, better than that of course at canal speeds, and as others have said - yachts with sails up are an uncommon sight in these parts. A flybridge would be nice but then we wouldn't have got through the canals, so horses for courses etc. If you have any specifics get back to me but in the meantime - go for it.
 
gdallas said:
Yes that's what I was thinking. Lots of paople I have spoken to/read say that there is often a sad lack of wind. So maybe just being realistic and getting a motor boat is a reasonable tactic?
I don't know motor boats very well. I have 2 questions really:

First, how 'seaworthy' will it be? In other words if I get caught out by bad weather in a 37-38' semi displacement motor boat, assuming it is well-found, will it be more risky/uncomfortable/vulnerable/expensive than in a typical Beneteau/Bavaria type of sailing boat? I know there is all sorts of debate about these modern sailing boats, and I really dont want to blow on those coals. Just to know how capable my theoretical motor boat will be in comparison.

Second- cost. Again I know that there has been all sorts of useful discussion about long term budgets, and again I dont want to re run that. But are there any forumites here who have done what I am positing, who could comment? My guess is that (again given a boat in initial good order) the costs would be a bit higher for the mobo, but probably not much. More engine to take care of, but les sails and rigging. More space aboard= less dinners ashore...And a fair bit more on fuel.

Anyway, thank you so far

Graham
Click to expand...

Go full displacement, thry use a lot less fuel! or like myself a motor sailer, best of both worlds, for the meddy anyway. IMHO.
 
Go for it!!

Hi Graham

It better be feasible, still a few years off yet but it’s similar to what we're planning to do at retirement.
Down the French canals to the Med, expect to split our time 50-50 between using the French & European canals and cruising the Med.

To keep fuel costs reasonable our plan is a single engine aft cabin cruiser of about 12m (39-40ft) the Dutch steel boats look to be ideal. A Single engine with its prop well protected in the centre is also less likely to suffer damage on the canals.

For canals air draft is important, the below is generalizations of where various air drafts should let you get.

Air Draft
2.5m air draft is the ideal, allows access to all waterways including the River Rance, Central Amsterdam & Berlin!
2.7m air draft (as long as cabin of boat not more than 4m wide) allows access, full length of Midi Canal.
2.9m air draft all of Midi except Capestang bridge, you can turn off the Midi into the Med just before it
3.1m air draft most of the canal network through France (except Rance & Midi)
3.45m air draft restricted to the main canals through the centre of France.


Two boats that look best to us are the Aquanaut Drifter CE-1200 aft-cabin. & the Bully 40AC Bully, both have an air draft below 2.5m

Go for it, good luck with your plan!
Regards
Paul
 
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Hi Gdallas
We have a 13 mtr heavy displacment motor boat we have cruised the med for the last 7 years we only fueled in duty free ports.
We have storage for 4000 ltrs fuel single engine 6 ltrs hr at 6 knots weight 30 tonne so you can cruise without it costing a fortune.
Go for it
 
gdallas said:
Does anyone have any views or experience of Mediterranean cruising in a motor boat, something like Broome 37 for example? I have a very nice sailing boat here in UK, which is pretty, fast and fun but has little living accomodation and very limited long term cruising potential.

I was thinking about using an older style motor cruiser to take a trip through the canals to Med, then using it to tour, visit cruise whatever in Greece and Turkey. I am not really very keen on fast flybridge styles, but something like a Broome or similar with smallish diesels, decent accomodation, modest proportions....seems like a good idea to me. Med is often windless, so maybe I wouldnt be missing out too too much. And I could have lots of comfort, kit, space etc

But I would be interested in opinions.

Thank you
Graham
Click to expand...

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
In my case I would not like to do the Med in a Broome 37 or similar, but like others have mentioned semi or heavy displaced cruiser would be the most ideal, with these types you can travel about at sailing yacht speeds and as cost effective as you can fuel wise. We have a 50 foot Deck Saloon S/Y with ample accommodation comfort etc weighing some 23 tons with a 135hp engine that will travel at 7.5 knots on a calm sea at under 6.5 ltrs an hour but of course we have the option to sail if and when we can. Without de-masting the canals would be out the question for us or any other S/Y.

The only down side for us with a S/Y and maybe a good case for a cruiser is that this year we traveled down to the Aegean from the Northern Adriatic via Croatia, Italy, Ionian and via the Corinth Canal and I could count on one hand the decent sails we had, typical for the Adriatic and Med. Mostly we had no wind or were head to wind for the direction we were wanting to travel and this was mostly due to the need to be in places on route to meet up with visiting friends. This was a mistake on our part running to a time table and it is a lesson learnt. Hopefully the winds can be a generally better here in the Aegean especially in the Summer Months and we do need a constant 10 knots before we so any sail.

Remember though, there's no adrenalin rush with a cruiser like there is with a yacht when tramping along under sail.

----------------------------------------------------------------------
 
Brooms are what mother-in-laws fly arround on!

Nothing against Brooms,
But its the name. Could I be seen dead in one after all the stick i'v given the mother-in-law about flying around on one?
 
Originally Posted by grumpygit View Post
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In my case I would not like to do the Med in a Broome 37 or similar

----------------------------------------------------------------------
Why not?
Reply With Quote

You asked so IMHO

Quite simply I have no wish to own a weekend fly bridge bath tub. If I ever felt I was not fit enough to sail a yacht there is no way I would wish to buy the boat in question (or any of similar ilk) that you have in mind.

I'm in no particular hurry to go anywhere, burn loads of fuel and annoy fellow yachtsmen.

I don't know what other yachties think but through experience I feel we have been used for target practice by such types while on transit! So often there has been no other boat on the horizon at any compass point and a mobo (especially with a fly bridge) has passed so close they don't just spill my drink but tip me off my seat - after seeing the whites of of my eyes! Is this because they are envious, have no respect for raggies, or just feel a look out is not required? Yes I am biased and many a time aggrieved.........!

However, the above does not answer the question.

Given any rough seaway, high winds etc as frequently experienced in the Med, (usually when not wanted) I would much rather be in a boat made for cutting through a body of water, whatever the conditions, than bouncing around on top. My first requirement is to feel comfortable in any seaway, hence in our case the heavy displacement, long keel etc.....

--------------------------------------------------------------------
 
Sail boats are great waypoints for motorboats!

Hi Grumpy

This should stir things up!

Yes sail boats make perfect aim for points when offshore in a power boat.
Sail boats move so slowly, for all intensive purposes, even from a 20 knot motor boat they can be considered as stationery.

From a motorboat it's far more comfortable on the eye, easier & more economical to keep a straight course when you have something to head towards.
A great big white triangular 'none moving' sail is as good as it gets!

The Sail boat only needs to be roughly in the correct direction to be used as something to aim towards. Without sail boats to aim for motor boats without auto pilot burn more fuel zig zaging about trying to keep a straight course by compass or GPS alone. Its just as annoying for the motorboat on reaching the sail boat (hopefully not too close) as a new target in roughly the correct direction now needs to identified.

Suggest you ditch the big white easily seen, way point style, flappy thing and go for a camouflaged or transparent sail.
 
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Just collapsed with laughter, people in the next berth think the 'ol boys having another of his funny turns I suspect. :D :D

(When I see one of you buggers coming then I shall drop my sails...then you'll be lost Ha! Ha!)
 
Mobo living

After 35 years of li ving in a sailing boat, then a motor-sailer, we have changed to a displacement motor cruiser, being now well over 80.
But the age is not an obligatory factor. If that's what you want go for it.
In live-aboard cruising you spend far more time in harbour than under way. Even Hiscock, the world girdler was at sea for only 30% of the time. Our figure overall was 27%.
So the rest of the time matters.
But please be considerate. I say this because some (not all) m/b owners are not. It's only good manners after all and every co-operative m/b owner helps to change the adverse conception.
And the canals? Very enjoyable. Why not try the Danube? We did.
 
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