Large boat purchase

[Pilgrimtex]

Hey guys thanks for the responses so far. My plan is to start using the ICW to Jacksonville then cut through to the Bahamas at first after a year or two the plan will be to take the ICW to around Moorehead North Carolina cutting east southeast then south to the leewards and then putt around to the windwards. As I could easily go for a vessel around 36-40 I'm keeping the wife in mind as she like most women like more space found in the larger boats. My biggest worry is that people say the production boats can't hold up to the beating of a "blue water water boat" mean while the boats at 50ft have over 100 gal fuel and water.

Well now you "Gone and Done it". The can of worms has been opened. This is my take on it.
The difference between a production boat and non-production boat is:
1, The number of boats manufactured in a year.
2, The number of options you can choose from.

As to can a production boat hold up to blue water sailing?
It all falls back on the Captain and crew and how you have outfitted her. When my Oceanis 37 comes in and she is fully outfitted; I will put her up against any other boat out there as far as capability goes where I want to venture. Do I want to sail around the Horn? Probably not. Do I want to venture into the Southern Ocean? Probably not. Do I want to tackle the North Atlantic? Probably not. Do I want to sail into the eye of a Hurricane? Probably not.

Go back to my first post on this thread and clear your mind of all the trash and begin to ask yourself some very serious questions. Even your kids cannot be a factor for you. It's you and your wife that will be on her all the time. Others will be visitors and can be accommodated on a temporary bass.
identify your sailing grounds. Know the seasons for the different seasons offer different challenges. Determine what the two of you feel is the cabin layout for the two of you. Do you want to accommodate or have stowage. Stay within your budget and that includes all the necessary repairs and upgrades if you go used. get everything done up front. The idea is to sail and not spend your future fixing and upgrading.

 

[NotCook]

If you are asking this question, I suspect you really haven't done enough hands-on research yet. The magazines articles make interesting reading, but they are mostly inspired by the builders or brokers. You need to go find out for yourself, before you go spend your hard earned money. My definition of "Experience" is, "experience is what you get when you don't get what you want". Don't blow your $200K to just get "experience".

Some others here have given you very good advice: start doing some bareboat charters in the areas where you are planning to cruise. Try different boats that you think represent what you want. Also, if you spend the whole $200k on the host purchase. You better be prepared to spend $10-20k per year on all the costs to keep it up (see some of the stuff I'll list later). You are going to wish you had spent less and kept $50k of that back for later.

Take it from one with a big boat - you want to think long and hard about a big boat. Also, avoid a "custom" boat, unless you really want to be "on your own" when it comes to solving problems.

EVERYTHING costs more on a 50' boat. Dockage, insurance, lines, chains, shackles, blocks, rigging, batteries, fenders, anchors, lights. Not just "more", but exponentially more. Check out the prices of anchors, just for example. Or 3/4" lines versus 1/2" lines. Or 12" fenders versus 8".

None of us yahoos on here can tell you what boat to get. You need to go out and get experience on some big boats to find out for yourself. And don't rely on a mere sea trial, or the word of any surveyor to assure you that you are making a good choice. If you are going to take some advice, listen to these guys who are suggesting that you go out and charter a variety of boats, for no less than a week at a time - or more - and find out for yourself what you like and don't like about different boats.

Oh, and when you do eventually buy, after you get this experience, don't confuse what they are asking for the boat with what you can buy it for.

Good hunting!