S.O.S Info needed

[mermaidmike]

Hello everybodies, I'm very interested in buying a live-a-board, and am looking for help and advice as I'm fairly new to the game but very keen (retiring shortly and want to get my feet wet). I have around 100,000 pounds to splash out for the right product with all comforts (sleep, 5 or 6 mermaids), the beast needs to be able to confront the big blue sea's. If antbody out there can pop a little not into my bottle I would like to recieve any and all information, advice that could help me make my choice of boat. thanks to all for reading, hugNbugs to those that help. m@m

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[AndrewJ]

I really think there are so many variables, which are a matter of individual preference, it would be better if you were
to look at a lot of boats. with each one you'll find features that you like and others that you don't particularly need.
then decide on what features and come up with some makes of boats. a query along those lines, i.e " what do you
think of ____ boats". (as an example, I finally settled on my last boat because among some other features it had,
strength etc, a large engine room that I could crawl into and get to all sides of the engine. ) Good luck..
(half the fun of buying a boat is looking at all the different ones...)

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[MeritaII]

You can live on just about anything over 30ft, but in comfort, ! well !
But more important is, what do you want the boat to do ?
And where you think you might like to go?
Do you want power, sail or something that has both. ?
Your seagoing experience and requirements are where you should begin you serch,
There isn't much point in buying a 40 ft sailing yacht to take you up and down the French canals . So where do you plan to go ?
How much money have you got to spend on fuel ?
Can you sail competently? a force 7 or 8 can be pretty scarry in anything !
A 35foot yacht is not an easy thing to manage singel handed, are you always going to have a crew available.?
Different types of hull cost hugely different sums of money to move from place to place if you want a motor boat.
Our 37 foot ( wood) displacement boat plods along very comfortably on a gallon or so an hour, my friend fills his , very fast, 24 footer up with £200 of petrol and goes off for one afternoon !. ( he dosn't do it often !)
Get out on a few different types and designs of boat. Try making a cup of coffee on a 40 ft Gin palace that is doing 25 knots in a moderate sea and see just how difficult it can be !
See how cold it gets (at sea) at the same speed!
Mooring charges these days can be a nightmare.
Where are you going to put it?
What are the charges per ft/mtr
What about the winter, Heating and so on , or are you heading for warmer climes' if so it isn't much fun on a boat with limited ventalation when it's very hot.

There are a lot of boats out there each have their own merits and de-merits .
You could do a lot worse than one of the Dutch steel boats, lengths vary of course , they will take a bit of sea but there are limits to that with many of them.
How much time do you want to spend maintaining the boat, can you do it all yourself ?
If not who will do the repairs that will need to be done . If you are going to use a boat yard prepare for some heafty bills, it is important to budget for that . Even if it is only a coat of paint every year. ( which it won't be-it never is !)
I think that what I am trying to say is that it is not about what you can afford to buy , but what you can afford to maintain, and if you are intending on going to sea then my 30 years at sea tells me that this maintainance should be top of your list, never mind what colour the cussions are !
I think that living on your boat is a great idea, plenty of people do it and love every moment, but they have to work at it, and damned hard sometimes.
In the end the choice is almost endless for you, but your choice needs to be 'informed' so you can find the right boat for you and your future plans.
Good luck in your serch.



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[mermaidmike]

Hello again me old joly sailor boy's, Many thanks for all this advice, its just what I need. I'm realy interested in a sailing yacht and am now starting to realize that this is going to be a long hard study if i'm to get it right, so keep all these little bits and pieces coming. I'm off to the boat show this weekend and will be making a pest of myself there asking all sorts of silly questions, so beware... again many thanks and all the best, hoping you keep the wind in your sails, m@m

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[MeritaII]

Off to the baot show 'A', well you 'ain't going to find much there for £100K that you can live on, I think lesson one is about to begin!

Enjoy your day.

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[timevans2000]

Depending on who you listen to, you will get hugely differing advise. I suspect that what ever you buy, within a couple of years of sailing it, you will have sufficent experience to know pretty clearly what you really want.

If I was you I would buy something for about half your budget that was easy to sell. Sail it for 2 years and then sell it and buy your dream boat based on your own experience.

also you will learn in a cheaper, smaller boat that you will probably bash about a bit until your skills are honed. You dont want to over face yourself with a large bluewater cruiser until you have the basics

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[DavidJ]

We don't livaboard but have a 37 ft motorboat just outside Rome at the moment in Porto di Roma. The raggies are just coming in for their winter livaboard and we spend a lot of time on each others boats. Anything under 42 ft for a yacht does seem over cramped even for just 2 people.
Best of luck
David

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[dolphin46]

i have had similar case, but on very limitted budget, as you
and can share my experience

last three years i spend, looking for a sailing boat !
on the end i bought old 37', steel boat, with very good sailing hystory
and on very reasonable price
spend additional usd 10000 - now i have a boat which i can use
everytime i as much as i like
of course, this is not my dream boat but as a first attempt and gaining
sailing experince is perfect

what i would suggest is to follow my steps - find a second hand boat in the range
of max usd 50000, length 35-40', spend additional for example usd 10-15000
for repairs or improvements and for the 1/3 of money, will have a boat
to enter the "business"

later depend how the things go, can decide what to do !

good luck !

nb
in case need, sharing of experience on searching, please advise

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[goupil]

First thing you need to choice the type of sailboat you want :
she must be a pleasure for you to look at from the seaview pub !
More sériously I 'll give you some tips from my own-experience :
Most sérial boats are good blue-water cruisers with some extras.
With half your money you can find a second hand one ready to go !
Small is beautiful and easier to manage :
30 to 40 feet no more. Depending on your idea about comfort,
Remember that sophisticated things are source of troubles at sea.
Some people spend more time fixing their gear than sailing ...
or enjoying the Tropics !


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