CLB
Well-known member
The only issue I can see would be that of the fuel bill. Long term cruising on a 50ft flybridge planing hulled boat is going to be expensive, but if you can deal with that, then go for it. I am a tad jealous :encouragement:
Motor Boat Liveaboards
- Thread starter derekbland
- Start date
derekbland
New member
I take your point and with fuel as expensive as it is in he Med, the idea is not to blat from place to place but to take our time. If we forecast we can't d so many miles on month/year then we don't. We want to explore inland as well and so will hire a car for a few days and maybe do a B&B here and there. Again, this is all rough ideas at the moment and we will see what is achievable nearer the time. Bottom line is, we'll cruise as far as the wallet will let us.
Ian.S
Member
This is something I’m looking at doing,just can’t decide on where at the moment, I just know it has to be somewhere warmer than here! We initially fancied Lanzarote but it’s just not suited for motorboats really and getting one over there would be a bit of a nightmare not to mention expensive.
longjohnsilver
Well-known member
We have a 48’ full displacement mobo, we’ve spent months at a time on board, but never as a proper live aboard. However we have all the facilities on the boat that we have at home. I’m sure that we could live aboard quite easy if we wanted to, so I can see no reason why you cannot do the same, and with a fair amount of comfort.
nortada
Well-known member
OK, currently I am a rags, flags and bits of string merchant but in the past have been a gin swigger and advancing years could push me back in that direction. Again, advancing years, make endless days at sea increasingly unlikely so the cost of diesel is not so significant.
We have spent the majority of the past 20 years afloat but not in the same country or on the same boat so I do not fit the mould of an expat or a true liveaboard (currently trailer trash at Walton).
My observation is, unlike the fierce rivalry that exist between the conflicting disciplines in UK Waters, the relationship between power and sail is far more relaxed overseas.
Possibly, we hang together or fall appart
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blampied
Member
A 33’ Aquastar has been big enough for the two of us to live on for the last 5 years.
Not got to the Greek isles, but from U.K. to Jersey then have meandered all around France, Spain, Gib, got as far as Morocco, Italy
Not got to the Greek isles, but from U.K. to Jersey then have meandered all around France, Spain, Gib, got as far as Morocco, Italy
dabsolute470
Member
hiya, our pearl is a fly bridge aft cabin twin 370 volvos, we have tended to do lots of trips to holland and the channel islands and where possible we travel at about 8 knots weather depending, its nice to pop it up to 26 knots if needed
we find it great living aboard and have 2 trips planned coming back in about 10 or 20 years or so time
just need to sort some issues out then we are off
we are in our late 50s and been boating for most of our lives and like the ease and safety of our motor boat
good luck
heather and steve
we find it great living aboard and have 2 trips planned coming back in about 10 or 20 years or so time
just need to sort some issues out then we are off
we are in our late 50s and been boating for most of our lives and like the ease and safety of our motor boat
good luck
heather and steve
dabsolute470
Member
our plan is to maybe first go round the uk following friends who have done this then over to holland and take the shipping canals down to the black sea
there are so many countries to explore on the way and a motor boat is for us the best alternative as the rivers run at 6 knots in places or more
there are so many countries to explore on the way and a motor boat is for us the best alternative as the rivers run at 6 knots in places or more
dabsolute470
Member
as said before we have all the comforts of home and more on our boat and if all goes to plan our last trip will be
via -Holland, Luxembourg, Germany, Austria, Hungary, Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia, Bulgaria Romania to Istanbul.
this is as others have done
via -Holland, Luxembourg, Germany, Austria, Hungary, Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia, Bulgaria Romania to Istanbul.
this is as others have done
Bertramdriver
Active member
15 years of med living / cruising until ill health forced us to give up. Some personal observations
We met people living full time on 28' cats, 60' sloops and a 38' princess All happy.
We owned a 1980's vintage Bertram. 47' loa, semi hull and two 450 HP Detroits. Which we spent time upgrading and renewing. Winters In the eastern med are too cold in Dec/ Jan/ Feb and we made a habit of coming back to uk to keep in touch. We always left the boat out of the water after a couple of bad experiences with marinas and storms. Also gave me the chance to check and maintain hull, props and transducers etc.
As regards the hull form. I would recommend a semi every time. Med cruising is not all flat seas and sunny days. It rains cats and dogs, sea state can go from flat calm to ten foot waves in an hour and the wind can do a 180 in half an hour. A semi will cope when a planer has to come off the hump and torture its crew with corkscrewing. The trick is to use the revs to get the bow up to fend off the wave wash and smooth the ride as the hump pushes over the waves. At displacement speed @8 kts you have economical fuel use age. At planing you have around 20 kts to get out of trouble.
Most of your life is spent either on the hook or tied to a wall so living space is absolutely vital to maintain sanity and is more important than the number of cabins ( mostly unused and end up as dumping space).
Not all semis are "trawler yachts" (too boxy and ugly for me) so do your homework before you go shopping
We found the flybridge to be either too uncomfortable to use in bad weather, hot weather and night time, and the extra height acts like a sail when you're trying to dock in a high wind. I actually took mine off!
Finally get the best anchoring set up you can afford. Windlass, chain and anchor and a spare. It helps you sleep.
Good luck
We met people living full time on 28' cats, 60' sloops and a 38' princess All happy.
We owned a 1980's vintage Bertram. 47' loa, semi hull and two 450 HP Detroits. Which we spent time upgrading and renewing. Winters In the eastern med are too cold in Dec/ Jan/ Feb and we made a habit of coming back to uk to keep in touch. We always left the boat out of the water after a couple of bad experiences with marinas and storms. Also gave me the chance to check and maintain hull, props and transducers etc.
As regards the hull form. I would recommend a semi every time. Med cruising is not all flat seas and sunny days. It rains cats and dogs, sea state can go from flat calm to ten foot waves in an hour and the wind can do a 180 in half an hour. A semi will cope when a planer has to come off the hump and torture its crew with corkscrewing. The trick is to use the revs to get the bow up to fend off the wave wash and smooth the ride as the hump pushes over the waves. At displacement speed @8 kts you have economical fuel use age. At planing you have around 20 kts to get out of trouble.
Most of your life is spent either on the hook or tied to a wall so living space is absolutely vital to maintain sanity and is more important than the number of cabins ( mostly unused and end up as dumping space).
Not all semis are "trawler yachts" (too boxy and ugly for me) so do your homework before you go shopping
We found the flybridge to be either too uncomfortable to use in bad weather, hot weather and night time, and the extra height acts like a sail when you're trying to dock in a high wind. I actually took mine off!
Finally get the best anchoring set up you can afford. Windlass, chain and anchor and a spare. It helps you sleep.
Good luck
Bertramdriver
Active member
By the way. You can get an insight into life on a mobo by reading my book. The Bertram, the Aegean and Two Virgins. Available from Amazon and all good bookstores
derekbland
New member
Thank you for a superb and encouraging reply. Due to a change in life choices, more specifically, deciding to take our foster boy long term, any plans to go liveaboard have been put on hold. Instead, we are going to start travelling more and ramping up the trips in around 2 years time, starting with a trip to Prague in December. We feel in the short term we would rather travel the world and then may consider the liveaboard life again in the future.
Manic76
New member
That sounds like an interesting trip, any blogs of others who have done this that I can read?
derekbland
New member
Are you talking about our booked break to Prague or the post by Bertramdriver?
Manic76
New member
dabsolute470
Member
Hiya
we have a pearl 43 with twin 370 hp volvos, its a flybridge aft cabin boat with a small keel she will do 27 knots if needed but we tend to go around at 7 knots most of the trips then flat out for the last 15 mins of any trip to clear out any cobwebs lol
good luck
we have a pearl 43 with twin 370 hp volvos, its a flybridge aft cabin boat with a small keel she will do 27 knots if needed but we tend to go around at 7 knots most of the trips then flat out for the last 15 mins of any trip to clear out any cobwebs lol
good luck
dabsolute470
Member
mcanderson
Well-known member
I just had a look for your book and it’s not available on Amazon right now.
Bertramdriver
Active member
Sorry about that. It's out of stock at the moment. They would have stock if nobody was buying it so it seems it's my fault for not forcing them to carry higher stocks. All I can suggest is that you place an order and play patience for a few weeks.
Thanks
mersey
Member
Looks like it is in stock now.
