Retiring aboard a Legend 36

[peteandthira]

I recently bought a Legend 36 and have liked it so much that we are taking early retirement next year to leave the rat-race and live on her with SWMBO (who is OK single handed already), no kids and no property. The boat is brand new and is getting fitted with all the trimmings, radar, auto, wind, plotter, generator, watermaker, power management, big anchors, liferaft etc.

The plan will be to tour western UK starting in Scotland where she is based now, taking in Ireland, S coast, France and eventually Med when our experience allows.

We like the huge comfy accommodation, I can stand up throughout at 6'1" and even take a shower. Huge king-sized bed looks good for long term and is comfier than the one at home.

We would appreciate hearing from anyone with any experience of spending any real time on board Legends or similar production yachts, in particular any practical advice concerning the B&R rig and storm sails. This boat is the in-mast reefing version and can be sailed by one person with one hand, something we considered vital in case of personal accident at sea.

We plan to carry spares of all "vital" bits, pumps, engine parts, tools, drinking water in case of watermaker failure etc and should never be more than a couple of days from a decent marina. However, the plan is not to use marinas more than once or twice a week. Winters probably spent tied up and plugged in at better rates than main season.

Anyone out there with any top tips?

 

[TigaWave]

Having lived on a Bav390 (the old well built Bav's) with just two of us there was never any need for a water maker. From talking to others the cost complexity and maintenance were only really essential when crossing the Pacific. We had enough water for two really good showers before we met customs in Barbados after a 20 day crossing.
Other wise it was a great live aboard and passage maker, the best accessory was the towed generator and the hot air heating. And essential for live aboard especially in th ewet is a good cockpit canopy, I'd consider a fully enclosed one in the future.

 

[Deleted member 478]

Congratulations!

I spent 4 months in Portimao on the Algarve where there was a large liveaboard community. It's a wonderful lifestyle and just when you think you don't have the experience to do something, someone appears that is able to advise you.

There is another large liveaboard community in Almierma.

Sorry, I have no useful tips. Just wanted to say how lucky you are and wish I was back there.

 

[peteandthira]

Tigawave

How big was your watertank? Ours is only 65 galls and we don't want the weight and consumed storage space of extra tankage. We have "heard" that watermakers are now quite good and low-maintenance, having advanced in technology quite rapidly. Plus we are leaving that installation until the end of the year when they should be even better and cheaper.

At the moment self and swmbo get a shower a day each and don't economise on other water uses - the tank gives us about 4 days use. We are only on board at weekends at the moment, tied up and plugged in so it doesn't matter yet. Watching this space.

 

[peteandthira]

Stingo

Why cant you go back there?

Pops

 

[anglo_saxon]

i had the best 5 years of my life living aboad in the med spending 1 year in antibes and 3 years in malta (was only supposed to be 3 days). a great way to live, fantastic people, much healthyer lifestyle except for the odd beer.
my boat was very basic and i found out that what i didnt have i didnt need.
this time though i am travelling with my better half and fitting our new boat out with a few more extras because we are going further afield and will try and avoid marinas as much as poss.
i think most people will agree that for the med. a watermaker is not essential.

 

[chrisc]

me and my wife spent 2 years on a bav 34 -no problem, enough storage for cycles etc. You definitely need to be on good terms to start with. will do it again soon....

 

[stevesales]

Whatever else get a reliable outboard and a good anchor on plenty of chain. Unless you want to spend a fortune you'll be anchored up and the dinghy is your lifeline (i.e. to get to the bar).
Just had the pleasure of staggering out of a splendid Caribbean restaurant in pitch darkness full of lobster and wine to find 2 stroke mix pouring out of the air intake of the piece of c**p that occasionally pushes my Avon along, despite the petrol tap being turned off. Burial at sea contemplated.
Watermakers are very noisy, use quite a bit of power and need all sorts of mysterious solutions to keep them happy.
Unless you really like over wintering in UK waters go West, young man.
Those of us who may not have too many Springs left to see do much better in hot climes.

 

[AndrewB]

The most important things?

[ QUOTE ]
Whatever else get a reliable outboard and a good anchor on plenty of chain. Unless you want to spend a fortune you'll be anchored up and the dinghy is your lifeline (i.e. to get to the bar).

[/ QUOTE ]I agree with you totally about the anchor and chain, but not regarding the outboard. Not only are they messy, a pain to transfer, and a major source of maintenance grief, but you spend all your time ashore worrying whether someone's nicked it for a joyride. Rowing a decent rigid dinghy really isn't that much sweat, and so much less hassle at either end.

 

[Deleted member 478]

[ QUOTE ]
Stingo

Why cant you go back there?

Pops

[/ QUOTE ]
Hope to get back there by the end of June.

 

[Anonymous]

We've just started out ourselves - sailing to the Med in early July. We decided on a watermaker right at the outset and bought a boat which had one fitted. I've spoken to several very experienced Med cruising couples who have watermakers and wouldn't be without them. While I can't speak from personal experience myself, I do know how much water suits our lifestyle. On the whole, those who don't have a watermaker consider them to be unnecessary and problematic, those who have them, love them. There are a few who seem to have had trouble from day one - could be a poor installation, poor operation, unrealistic expectations or plain bad luck, I suppose?

A regular (and very experienced) liveaboard forumite here said recently that in places he had to carry the water to the boat; now that isn't on our agenda, at least not by design! Our needs are not all the same so the cruising equipment we choose to carry will differ. Don't be too easily swayed by negative views on watermakers - the vast majority don't have them and do not have first-hand experience of them.

 

[peteandthira]

Lemain

Nice to hear something positive about watermakers. I like the idea of being self-sufficient for as many aspects as possible. We are now dependent on marinas only for diesel. Food doesn't always need a marina IMHO and sheets and towels can be laundered when we get fuel. I would welcome an email or two about your plans/experiences and the kit you have on board. The trouble is, I don't know how to arrange that here yet and don't want to make my email address public! At the moment I have zero "spam".

I am also interested in costs: My budget is 1600 drinking vouchers a month after tax with a fully-equipped new boat and no overheads.

 

[Anonymous]

Food doesn't always need a marina IMHO and sheets and towels can be laundered when we get fuel.
We have the small electric 'washing machine' sold by Force 4 Chandlery for £69.95 Click Here for Washing Machine and we wash almost everything in it. We had planned on installing a 'proper' Eumenia machine but I'm glad we didn't for weight and space reasons.

I would welcome an email or two...
I've sent you a Private Message via this forum. Look at the top of this page and you will see a very small flashing flag icon. Click on that for your PMs. They are completely private; most people exchange their private emails and details this way to avoid having them in the very public domain of a forum.

I am also interested in costs: My budget is 1600 drinking vouchers a month after tax with a fully-equipped new boat and no overheads.
You should be fine as long as you don't eat out all the time and you do as much of the maintenance yourself as you possibly can. I would strongly recommend joining the Cruising Association. There are dozens of people in the same position sharing information about different cruising grounds. And this forum, of course, where there is a huge amount of experience. Don't expect to agree with everyone's ideas, though, as much of it is a personal thing.

One important thing to add to your list if you are kitting out at the moment - consider very carefully how you are going to get your weather forecasts throughout your cruising area. There is a lot of information in the forum here, if you search, but also look at Frank Singleton's Home Page . Frank is a retired professional forecaster who lives aboard in the Med (and is an active member of the Cruising Association).

 

[scarlett]

If you are planning to visit a marina once or twice a week in the summer and live in one in the winter, why a watermaker? I thought they were no use in harbours and marinas because of the contamination risk. Am I right.

I have never had a problem getting water, free or 'reasonable', in Belgium, the Netherlands, France, Italy or Greece.

If I were in your position I would go for one year, keeping you cash dry and then decide what suits your style of living on board.

Happy Days

 

[stevesales]

I can see the attraction of a watermaker because it isn't always possible to get to a hosepipe and carrying water (with outboard or oars) in jerrycans is a pain and, particularly for old crocks, probably the most regularly risky thing one does.
We inherited a watermaker with the boat, the previous owner had stopped using it and we have too. A gallon an hour with Tom + Jerry sound effects plus the decision to have either solar powered cold beer or solar powered warm water.
Agree re oars, I have got quite expert in them now thanks to a useless outboard but have also spent an hour just keeping station against the wind while rowing like an idiot. Anyone tried electric outboards ?

 

[stevesales]

I forgot (its me age)
Good anchor, lots of chain AND an electric windlass.
Have you tried the main halyard yet ?
I've got a ketch with a big Lewmar winch but even so I find it hard going (partly because the controls are currently all lead back to the cockpit, a definite two edged sword when the added friction of all those pulleys and bits of string is taken into account).
The sails seem to go up and down like the proverbial fiddler's elbow and I confess to lusting after an electric winch (not wench- its me age) - especially round turn 100 of the 105 odd it takes to raise the mainsail when the last red blood cell has drained out of my brain to the R bicep and I can only see in sepia tone.

 

[peteandthira]

Scarlett

I had heard that many marinas wont let you just pole up and demand water for free. Unless you are taking on fuel. If this is the case, then a week is too much for our water tank with our desire for showers etc. I am not rushing into the watermaker idea, it's on the list but not being fitted until we are sure we need it. I understand the tech side of them has improved greatly and that for about 1500 drinking vouchers you can get 13 galls an hour, run from your generator while charging your batts and heating the shower water. That sounds fairly good and reasonably self-sufficient to me.

Still, good to hear other opinions and I won't be ignoring them!

 

[peteandthira]

Drowning

I don't need the elctric winch - the sails almost fall out of the mast on a Legend and bringing them in is no issue either, despite the pulleys and corners.

I am well aware of the shortcomings of in-mast and roller reefing, but since time is the one thing I will have plenty of we are not interested in speed and performance. We preferred the ease and convenience. We have been in up to 32 kts and it's still no effort to pull a few yards in on the move.

My next hunt is for a storm jib that goes over the existing rolled-up one. Has anyone out there used one of these?

 

[Anonymous]

Pops,

Is there a Legend Owners' Association of some sort - maybe a Yahoo group? It would probably pay you to compare notes about things like managing severe weather and what sail plans work with the type. The Legend has a fairly flat bottom at the stern and I think you might find that motoring is the preferred way to ride out severe weather - but don't take my word for it, do check with those who have type experience.

 

[jonjo]

[ QUOTE ]
Having lived on a Bav390 (the old well built Bav's)

[/ QUOTE ]
Where exactly is your Bav superior to a recent model?