The Ideal retirement boat?

[TiggerToo]

Garcia Exploration 45

I looked at that at Dusseldorf's Boot, this year (I think it was her). I was really not impressed.

By the way, before you tell me that Goss has more experience than I have (correct!), it seems to me that he also has a vested interest in marketing the boat.

If I had the money (I don't), I'd go for a Boreal any time above the Garcia.

By the way, looking behind the closed panels (which the guys at Boot objected to, when they found out I was looking - weirldly, because I though that was what boat shows were all about!) the finishes, the details, looked pretty shabby for such a high-end "exploration" boat; e.g. cables all over the place.

 

[Skylark]

I wasnt commenting on the Garcia. I was generalising. When somebody goes out and spend a load of money on something crap. The Garcia isnt crap its just not for me.

In which case I apologise with humility for jumping down your throat ?

As you know, when I bought my current boat I committed so many cardinal sins that I should be sent to the dungeons for the rest of my days. I like teak deck, twin wheels, fat arses and electric drop-down transom. That said, I have maintained the ability to respect and admire most things that float, regardless of their price tag ?

 

[wombat88]

The ideal retirement boat is on a nice jetty in a quiet marina just round the corner from your house. It is a motor boat (gasp) or possibly a motor sailor with as many or as few features as you want. It should be the sort of thing that you can step onto and go.

Ideally it should also be comparatively inexpensive since you will be spending money on moorings and a house by the coast. Furthermore as you get older you will start hitting things with it.

You can take several years of your retirement looking for this fabled marina, house and the boat. During this time if you feel the need you can sail the type of dinghy that is unlikely to get you wet.

By the time you have found 'the boat' and 'the marina' and 'the house' you will be too old to want to go anywhere.

 

[pvb]

I guess my current boat is my "retirement" boat. It's a 37ft AWB, with lots of water tankage, big heads/shower, heating, music, full nav stuff, inmast furling, thruster, fake teak on the decks. No dedicated drinks locker, but quite a few lockers have drinks in them! 6 years on, and it continues to delight; virtually zero maintenance, it just needs lifting every couple of years for antifoul and polish.

 

[Mudisox]

My 32' Comanche Cat with two inboard engines seems to fulfil nearly all the requirements that people want, and also didn't cost both legs and arms. Even SWMBO likes staying level, especially at Anchor. Fits in the French canals too.

 

[NealB]

My 32' Comanche Cat with two inboard engines seems to fulfil nearly all the requirements that people want, and also didn't cost both legs and arms. Even SWMBO likes staying level, especially at Anchor. Fits in the French canals too.

Our 32' Comanche cat (we sold her 3 years ago) had a single extra long shaft 9.9 Yamaha outboard.

A great boat.

 

[Zagato]

You have some weird ideas about reliability and an obvious romantic attachment to something as crude and low quality as an old Land Rover. I've driven all sorts of cars ( inc Land Rover) since the early 60s and have not the slightest doubt that quality and reliability has improved every year since then.

Fascinated to watch a video on Harry's Garage of him taking a Testarossa to the Sahara - without significant problems. Not only an ageing supercar but Italian quality to boot. Bet he was more comfortable and had fewer issues than you would have done in a 60s Landie.

What Car have just done a reliability survey of Manufacturers for the last five years. Sadly Land Rover came worst off as the most unreliable of manufacturers tested with a whopping 78% giving problems. I guessed 70% so wasn't far off. They have been close or at the bottom of the reliability rankings for a quite a few years now... shame but not a surprise considering how they are built and what with. Just the engineering of how to route wiring harnesses is shocking compared to something like a Honda or Toyota. Love the look of them but...

 

[doris]

I guess my current boat is my "retirement" boat. It's a 37ft AWB, with lots of water tankage, big heads/shower, heating, music, full nav stuff, inmast furling, thruster, fake teak on the decks. No dedicated drinks locker, but quite a few lockers have drinks in them! 6 years on, and it continues to delight; virtually zero maintenance, it just needs lifting every couple of years for antifoul and polish.

OK then. What is it? Sounds like my perfect new acquisition.

 

[johnalison]

The difference between working and being retired, for most of us, is that you have time to do what you want and sailing can be measured in months instead of days or weeks. This means that a retirement boat must both be comfortable enough to live on for several months, and have sufficient 'legs' to go where you desire, whether across an ocean or around the canals. That's about it, really.

 

[RAI]

The older you get and the longer you live on a boat the more SWMBO demands mod cons, quite rightly too. So an island bed and a decent heads and shower cease to be luxuries. Then more time in marinas and less time getting there.
That may lead to a move to the dark side.

 

[pvb]

OK then. What is it? Sounds like my perfect new acquisition.

Bavaria Cruiser 37.

 

[Greenheart]

• Plenty of "Wet" storage for ropes, fenders, bicycles etc

Don't bicycles suffer quite badly, left in a salty space with ropes and fenders?

 

[dunedin]

The difference between working and being retired, for most of us, is that you have time to do what you want and sailing can be measured in months instead of days or weeks. This means that a retirement boat must both be comfortable enough to live on for several months, and have sufficient 'legs' to go where you desire, whether across an ocean or around the canals. That's about it, really.

And importantly, if generally coastal cruising, much more concerned about sailing and manoevering capabilities in light to moderate winds and waves, and not so worried about capabilities in F7+. Because with less time constraints, most retired coastal cruisers wait for the right weather window - not needing to do a long bash back upwind to get back to work on time (or return charter boat). Hence modern boats often suit ideally for this plus the above reasons.

(Clearly may be different if your retirement cruise plans include the Roaring Forties, but most don’t)

 

[doug748]

.......................in the flesh they are ugly and for me I would never want an aluminium boat. They dont age well. Having seen some very tatty Ovnis about that are very hard to get looking good I would give them a miss. If you bump them they have a dent for ever. At least with grp you can have it filled and repaired easily anywhere in the world........

Yes, Just the very thought I had earlier in the season.

There are lots in France (obviously ) and I was mulling over how dog rough a great number of them now look. I have nothing against alloy boats but they do age to look like the new millennium equivalent of 1970's home built steel cutters.

.

 

[Bajansailor]

You could always paint an aluminium boat, using the same philosophy as to how you might paint a tired old GRP boat that has lost it's shine?
The only disadvantage (apart from the initial cost) is that you then feel compelled to 'touch up' dings and abrasions (which wouldn't be noticed if it was not painted).

 

[geem]

You could always paint an aluminium boat, using the same philosophy as to how you might paint a tired old GRP boat that has lost it's shine?
The only disadvantage (apart from the initial cost) is that you then feel compelled to 'touch up' dings and abrasions (which wouldn't be noticed if it was not painted).

Painting aluminium is frought with problems. Its a specialist job and not cheap. Far more difficult to get it right than repainting a grp hull. On our grp hulled yacht the biggest pain is keeping aluminium portlights and the aluminium steering pedestal corrosion free. Even using brush alacrom and followimg all the correct procedures the corrosion doesnt stay away for long.

 

[johnalison]

Don't bicycles suffer quite badly, left in a salty space with ropes and fenders?

We have had bicycles since the '80s. I see a lot of rusty old boat bikes, unless they are stainless, which are as rare as folding tandems. I was in the habit of servicing the bikes at the end of each season, with a power wash and re-oil before WF40-ing for the winter. As a result, corrosion has never been a problem.

 

[Laminar Flow]

Don't bicycles suffer quite badly, left in a salty space with ropes and fenders?

Ten years in our bikes are fine. They live under the cockpit floor hatch. Lines stay on deck, fenders along the rail. That's what deep bulwarks are for.

Except for the lifting keel, which we do not need at 4'4" draft, and the redundancy in rudders, long keel and heavy steel shoe protection, our boat ticks all of "scruff's" boxes and it didn't cost a fortune either.

As far as Boreals are concerned: our friend has a 43. They are nice, not perfect and further more, are clearly designed for folk under 6' and he has the scars to prove it. If you are taller than 5'4" you will not be able to cook on a port tack without suffering brain damage as the cabin side hits you in the head while you're trying to make oeufs cocottes.

 

[rotrax]

Ten years in our bikes are fine. They live under the cockpit floor hatch. Lines stay on deck, fenders along the rail. That's what deep bulwarks are for.

Except for the lifting keel, which we do not need at 4'4" draft, and the redundancy in rudders, long keel and heavy steel shoe protection, our boat ticks all of "scruff's" boxes and it didn't cost a fortune either.

As far as Boreals are concerned: our friend has a 43. They are nice, not perfect and further more, are clearly designed for folk under 6' and he has the scars to prove it. If you are taller than 5'4" you will not be able to cook on a port tack without suffering brain damage as the cabin side hits you in the head while you're trying to make oeufs cocottes.

Before we started sailin as opposed to boating - we had been boating for years - First Mate pronounced that any boat we purchased would have standing room in the galley and heads.

Not a high bar for a pair of shorthouses............................................

 

[geem]

We have had bicycles since the '80s. I see a lot of rusty old boat bikes, unless they are stainless, which are as rare as folding tandems. I was in the habit of servicing the bikes at the end of each season, with a power wash and re-oil before WF40-ing for the winter. As a result, corrosion has never been a problem.

Our steel Bromptons are 17 years old and have spent the vast majority of their life onboard. They live under the saloon table. They have some corrosion on the frame now so I am just having them shot blasted and powder coated. They have had very little maintenance over their life and they still perform perfectly.