Help Choosing

[Capt Robbie]

welcome,
If you are planning to cruise Florida keys and Caribbean is I understand that region you may want to consider a shoal draft boat as I believe many areas are draft prohibitive. I would look at a southerly with I swing keel. This is a unique boat design as it offers best of both worlds, shallow draft 3-4 feet when raised or up to 8-9 feet when lowered. Some models can also be beached. Look on YouTube under distant shores they have owned two models and have circled the globe with them.
They appear to be great boats.

Also if possible talk to some charter companies in the region you are planning to navigate, get some feedback from them. You may want to charter a few boats before you make a purchase.

Hope this helps

 

[Terry Cox]

When we did our boat search back in 2001, we did many of the things mentioned by the replies here. A well cared for low use ten year old boat will last you many years and should be available well under your number. We purchased our boat after looking at many models and sizes. The one we settled on was mostly driven by the admiral's preferences, but also included the things the crew needed for off shore cruising. We've sailed her thousands of miles all over PNW waters and have no regrets. No off shore excursions yet, but if one were in the offing, many expensive upgrades would be required before venturing such an experience.

We've done several two month plus cruises and have been in all kinds of sea states. In a typical year we will spend on average four plus months on the water. This particular model has extensive off shore experience, as do other production boats. It really boils down to what best fits your needs. To do that requires spending time, not much different than buying a home. When we settled on our boat and before we finalized the purchase, I obtained lots of input from fellow skippers of this model who were regulars on this site, many of whom were off shore cruisers. They were very helpful in our decision at the time.

 

[Tally Ho]

Maybe you should consider getting a “starter” boat that you can learn to sail on, not feel too bad if you ding her up a bit, sell if you decide you don’t really like sailing...day sail, do some overnights, Etc.

Then, if you really like the life and don’t get seasick, you will have a MUCH better idea what you really want, and can move up for a more permanent crushing boat.

I started with a 28-foot Hunter that was pretty cheap ($25k) and that was I. Great shape...a good starter boat that I could learn on, and not feel too bad if I dinged her up a bit.

a few years later, I bought a 32 foot O’Day 322 that was 10 years older than the Hunter, but a whole lot more boat. And the same price range...

I don’t know that I could live in my O’Day 322, but some people do...


Greg

 

[CarlN]

Has your family sailed enough in ocean seas to know that no one gets seriously sea sick? This is the most frequent reason plans like yours die. Start by chartering a boat for a week in the Caribbean with a captain and see if everyone's still "onboard" after the trip.Your family will also have an idea of what they want in a boat.

Next. Don't even think about buying a boat for an Atlantic crossing or even to the Caribbean. Buy a boat to go to the Bahamas. This will cost a lot less than a boat that you would sanely and safely cross the Atlantic. I have good friends who I met in the Bahamas. They were on their first trip - the plan was to go to Grenada. It's six years later. They've never gone farther than the Bahamas and have had a great time. When you do decide to cross an ocean, it's an easy matter to sell your current boat and buy one that's suited for the job.

The biggest mistake people make in buying a used boat is the amount they'll spend in the first 12 months getting it the way they want. Some will be repairs the surveyor didn't find. But most will be things like replacing the old mattresses. Changing the cushion colors to something your wife doesn't hate. And getting new electronics. A 40ft boat in "sail away" shape will usually require $25,000-$50,000. An boat more than 20 years old will usually need twice that. It is always cheaper to buy a used boat that's been fixed up than one that needs work.

A "gotcha" to buying a 50' boat these days is that insurance companies won't insure you unless you have experience captaining a 50ft boat. They'll make you hire a captain for at least a while. You've got a better chance convincing them to insure you in a 40ft boat but be prepared to show them experience for even that.

 

[David in Sandusky]

I would recommend that you keep an open mind about the size of boat you seek. In my opinion, most boats 35+ have room for two parents and three children to sleep, eat, lounge, and store their stuff. The maintenance and operating costs go up as the square of the length. So a 50 footer will cost more than twice a 35 footer every year. Also, there are dramatic increases in the forces and momentum of a larger boat. Even for a shoal draft boat, the draft will be deeper.

You could charter with a strong company in the BVI's. Ask them for a captain to come along, and schedule a 35 footer, and a 50 footer over the course of a week. You will learn a lot about being a captain, and about the impact of size on meeting your needs, and on sailing. The fee for a captain are quite reasonable compared to the cost af a charter, last time I looked.

 

[rgranger]

@Kings Gambit has given you some good advice. With his advice in hand and your comments... I'd start looking at something like the Morgan Outisland line. They were made mostly for the charter biz so they are shoal... but they also maximized the cabin space. So a 41 would be enough room for all of your peeps and a bit smaller so you can $ave money on $lips, and all of the other $tuff that $cales with $ize.

 

[rgranger]

Here is a similar design...

39 Allied Mistress 1973 - boats - by dealer - marine sale

39 Allied Mistress 1973 Ketch-Rigged Center Cockpit ACCOMMODATIONS: 6'4" Headroom Newly Remodeled & Undated Interior Including New Cabinet Faced & Doors & New Quartz Countertop Two...

charleston.craigslist.org

 

[capta]

Anything less than 6' isn't going to be a particularly good sea boat. It isn't going to go to windward well and it will roll it's guts out downhill. If you have a good dinghy, you won't miss out on much in the Bahamas with a 6'+ draft.
Almost every sailing boat doing the winter in the eastern Caribbean leaves the anchorage with at least one reef in their main. It is windy, usually, down here then. That's where you'll appreciate the draft, so you might want to consider which area you want to spend most of your time in.
Next, there are a lot of good prices on ex-bare boats. There always are. But a good number of them have been beat to hell, literally. Many have had hard groundings that no one will tell you about and the most valuable guy in a bareboat company's employ is the fiberglass/gel coat guy. They can cover up damage the owner never heard about! However, you could get lucky, but there is no "full disclosure" law regarding boats.
Choosing a boat is like choosing a home, but much different criteria. Ventilation is very important in the tropics, as well as plenty of storage for your family's personal gear and food, boat spares and tools.
I can't tell you which boat would suit your family, but I think after 30 or 40 walk aboards, you'll have a much better idea of what will suit you best.
Be prepared to spend every bit of $100 grand total on a $60k boat, once you consider things like insurance and any real upgrades. Watermakers are still $2k even if you build it yourself. Good sails (and specialty sails like a code zero and/or a cruising chute) are always nice when beginning an endless journey.
Good luck and maybe we'll see you when you get down here.