Sailboat buying guidance

[Will Gilmore]

Who knows? You might even find that a catamaran is best for you!

Especially if they go the charter route.

Welcome to SBO @HopeToSeaTheWorld. As you can see (sea), there's no shortage of experience and help on this forum. It's good to add you to our crew.
Obviously the answer to what kind of sailing you want to do is right there in your name. I have some experience with living aboard and cruising from decades ago when I was a kid to a young adult. I have no idea what is availible on the market today. I grew up in Clearwater and spent time on the coast of Maine. A Florida cruiser, especially one on the Gulf coast, will likely be of shallower draft and one found else where, may be deeper. Most boats in the forty to fifty foot range I have found very comfortable. Not all sail well.
I would like to suggest you locate an experienced surveyor who sails. You can probably find one not too far away. Talk to them, in advance, about what you are looking for. The surveyor will know what's being bought and sold. They will have no stake in which boat you buy from whom. They will want to make you feel comfortable with their expertise, and they may already know which specific boats are likely candidates to checkout.

Please keep in mind that the purchase price is not the end cost and if you are thinking that you have 'x' amount to buy a boat with, you might want to find a boat for 'x/2' and reserve the rest for ownership costs.

Of the boats I have experience with, as World cruisers, I liked the Freedom 44 and the Shannon 50. I think the Amel Super Maribu will be out of reach, but, like I said earlier, It's been a long time since I've had experience with these things.

It's great to welcome you to our little group and we all look forward to reading more about your new and exciting adventures.

-Will (Dragonfly)

 

[HopeToSeaTheWorld]

Especially if they go the charter route.

Welcome to SBO @HopeToSeaTheWorld. As you can see (sea), there's no shortage of experience and help on this forum. It's good to add you to our crew.
Obviously the answer to what kind of sailing you want to do is right there in your name. I have some experience with living aboard and cruising from decades ago when I was a kid to a young adult. I have no idea what is availible on the market today. I grew up in Clearwater and spent time on the coast of Maine. A Florida cruiser, especially one on the Gulf coast, will likely be of shallower draft and one found else where, may be deeper. Most boats in the forty to fifty foot range I have found very comfortable. Not all sail well.
I would like to suggest you locate an experienced surveyor who sails. You can probably find one not too far away. Talk to them, in advance, about what you are looking for. The surveyor will know what's being bought and sold. They will have no stake in which boat you buy from whom. They will want to make you feel comfortable with their expertise, and they may already know which specific boats are likely candidates to checkout.

Please keep in mind that the purchase price is not the end cost and if you are thinking that you have 'x' amount to buy a boat with, you might want to find a boat for 'x/2' and reserve the rest for ownership costs.

Of the boats I have experience with, as World cruisers, I liked the Freedom 44 and the Shannon 50. I think the Amel Super Maribu will be out of reach, but, like I said earlier, It's been a long time since I've had experience with these things.

It's great to welcome you to our little group and we all look forward to reading more about your new and exciting adventures.

-Will (Dragonfly)

Thank you so much Dragonfly! So much wisdom and a wealth of knowledge & information here! I love all the answers I’m getting! Giving us so much to think about. We are going to look for a surveyor and a broker - we’ve already walked up & down our marina (we’ve started with Freedom boat club) and asked who we could find about living aboard. Didn’t get much help with that avenue though. We are really excited to get into the nitty gritty of it all. I’m sharing these answers with my husband but he’s busy with work currently and unable to fully respond. He’s on vacation in a couple of weeks and I hope to question some of you further at that point! You’ve all been so helpful thus far! Thank you again!
Tammy (

Who knows? You might even find that a catamaran is best for you!

I’d OVE LOVE LOVE a catamaran!!!

 

[HopeToSeaTheWorld]

Hi everyone! My husband and I are in the shopping phase of our dream boat! We’re at the very beginning. My husband was leaning towards a Morgan with the center console & aft master bedroom. But I’m looking for interior creature comforts, great layout, roomy & higher end. Any ideas where to begin? We’ll be looking for used and under $200,000 but upgraded if older. Will be selling the house - all the kids are gone and we’re relatively young (40’s) not afraid of hard work but the easier for him the better. I’m not sure what else to add - as I already stated ALL HELP IS WELCOME!!

Thank you so much Dragonfly & everyone that’s commented so far. I appreciate all your aspects and views. It’s been so thought provoking. So much wisdom and a wealth of knowledge & information here! I love all the answers I’m getting! Giving us so much to think about. We are going to look for a surveyor and a broker - we’ve already walked up & down our marina (we’ve started with Freedom boat club & we use motorboats and sail boats as well) and asked who we could find about living aboard. Didn’t get much help with that avenue though. We are Hoping to sail all over so blue water - Yes! My husband has some sail knowledge & is very good mechanically. He’s a self teacher & so far very good at it! We like the idea of doing some charters and making sure we can handle the living aboard life. We’d be docked at a marina sometimes, sometimes just anchored and others we’d love to sail the world possibly. We are really excited to get into the nitty gritty of it all. I’m sharing these answers with my husband but he’s busy with work currently and unable to fully respond. He’s on vacation in a couple of weeks and I hope to question some of you further at that point! You’ve all been so helpful thus far! Thank you again! Keep the questions & answers coming please!
Tammy (HopeToSeaTheWorld)

 

[TheCruisingExperience]

When looking for a yacht to fulfill your live aboard needs, it's important to place a heavy emphasis on the creature comforts in order for the lifestyle to become sustainable... very few people want to go camping 24/7/365 year after year. Less emphasis should be placed on sailing experience/ability, these skills can be learned following the purchase when you have all the time in the world to acquire them.

Even though you're looking at sailboats, you'll end up motoring most of the time especially in some areas. We consider our Oyster 53 in Greece to be our wind assisted, ultra fuel efficient powerboat, because in Western Greece there's either no wind, too much wind, or wind on the nose most of the time. So the boat becomes a vehicle to travel from one beautiful anchorage to another at a leisurely pace, sailing is less important. There are areas in the Mediterranean with plenty of wind for sailing, but we just don't happen to be in one of those locations at the present time.... maybe next year.

 

[HopeToSeaTheWorld]

In my opinion, livability is the most important thing to consider when looking for a boat to live on and cruise. This includes a galley that someone can make a good, warm meal in no matter the conditions, but also includes plenty of storage space for all your kitchen supplies, appliances and stores.
Having a good bed, in our case a centerline queen with an over the counter mattress (custom mattresses are very expensive), that can be made without being on it is a huge plus, and at least one head with a separate shower stall, instead of the shower in the head.
Don't forget ventilation! If you aren't going to be on a dock most nights running your AC, or running a genset, then you want a boat with lots of opening ports and hatches. But keep in mind how you can rain proof these as it rains several times a night in the tropics and the last thing you'll want to do is get up to close and open these every time it sprinkles. How comfortable a boat is at anchor is also very, very important. Just ask anyone who has a boat that sails or rolls excessively at anchor. There are a lot of nights those folks wish they'd chosen a different boat!
Way too many folks buy a boat without a really comfortable place to lay about in the salon and watch movies or read. Usually, dinettes aren't those places. Then there is storage space for your personal gear, tools and spare parts. This is most important if one is going for extended cruises. Since you seem to want a pretty big boat for two to handle, keep in mind that if the boat you buy isn't set up for short handed sailing, it can be rather expensive to do so.
These things are much more important IMO, than a boat's speed, pointing ability or looks. It takes most folks at least three tries to get the right boat, so consider chartering several of the boats you are interested in before you buy.

Oh my god David!!! I feel you 100%!!! Those are my thoughts & concerns exactly!!! The hubby better listen to me in this area!!

 

[Will Gilmore]

The hubby better listen to me in this area!!

He will, 'cause if he wants to be the captain, you're the Admiral.

-Will (Dragonfly)

 

[HopeToSeaTheWorld]

When looking for a yacht to fulfill your live aboard needs, it's important to place a heavy emphasis on the creature comforts in order for the lifestyle to become sustainable... very few people want to go camping 24/7/365 year after year. Less emphasis should be placed on sailing experience/ability, these skills can be learned following the purchase when you have all the time in the world to acquire them.

Even though you're looking at sailboats, you'll end up motoring most of the time especially in some areas. We consider our Oyster 53 in Greece to be our wind assisted, ultra fuel efficient powerboat, because in Western Greece there's either no wind, too much wind, or wind on the nose most of the time. So the boat becomes a vehicle to travel from one beautiful anchorage to another at a leisurely pace, sailing is less important. There are areas in the Mediterranean with plenty of wind for sailing, but we just don't happen to be in one of those locations at the present time.... maybe next year.

That’s my point to my husband too! I’d love to be in that position! I want to see Greece so bad! You’re really living the life! I’m trying to stress these points to my husband - I love your advice & where you’re at right now! Enjoy & thank you!!!

 

[HopeToSeaTheWorld]

He will, 'cause if he wants to be the captain, you're the Admiral.

-Will (Dragonfly)

That’s right!!

 

[HopeToSeaTheWorld]

Sadly the OP hasn't answered any of the important questions that would give us a better chance at pertinent responses.

So sorry ggrizzard- I’m doing this on my own practically right now because my hubby is busy with work but he’ll be on vacation soon and we can go through all of these answers and then give our thoughts & answers accordingly. I greatly appreciate All of the info given so far and am Sharing it with the hubby. He just doesn’t have time to reply accurately at this point & I'm absolutely absorbing everything I’ve been told so far! Thank you so much!!

 

[HopeToSeaTheWorld]

Talk to sailboat brokers, go visit marinas and talk to sailors, look at lots of boats, join a yacht club and talk to the members with sailboats, charter sailboats, join crusiersforum and read their threads and finally buy the largest sailboat you two can sail and still find a marina to berth her.

Thank you sail sfbay- we are members of a boating club currently & we’ve tried walking up & down the docks to talk to owners - only found a few so far - it’s not “season” here so most of them are gone but we’ll definitely try that route again. We’re looking into the brokers aspect - I’ve been given a couple names on here. Very helpful. I’m hoping to get tons of information on this forum to help steer us in the right direction. I’m a retired chief of police who was injured in the line of duty with back & shoulder problems so I can’t help him a ton with the manual / physical side of sailing so it’s got to be a boat that we can maneuver easily. But I always say the bigger the better... ?

 

[shemandr]

Those Oysters seem pretty sweet to me!
Keep in mind that very few cruisers do it for the rest of their lives. You'll want to have an exit plan. Enjoy the experience but be able to do something else when it runs its course.

 

[HopeToSeaTheWorld]

It's only been eight hours since the OP's original post, let's give them some time.... It's all about slowing down and relaxin'

"Everything's gonna be alright...."

Thank you so much for understanding!

It's only been eight hours since the OP's original post, let's give them some time.... It's all about slowing down and relaxin'

"Everything's gonna be alright...."

thank you so much for understanding. I’m trying to absorb as much as I can while sharing it with my hubby and wrap my brain around all of the information! We’re going To sit down and go through all of the responses together in a couple weeks when he’s on vacation and I hope to answer all of the questions and get even more information at that point! Thank you for the quote! I love it!

 

[TheCruisingExperience]

 

[HopeToSeaTheWorld]

Everyone is strongly suggesting chartering a few different boats first...can I get some more advice on chartering please? Where? Through who? Best & worst experiences. Things to do & things to avoid at all costs? Price? Any information is appreciated!

Thank you all for welcoming me to your club & forum! The responses have been extremely helpful thus far!

So talking to the hubby regarding all of your suggestions & information we are definitely leaning towards chartering to start. My husband is worried about the expense but it’s cheaper then running out and buying a boat WillyNilly and finding out it’s not the boat for us. That would be a crucial & expensive mistake. So please keep on giving me advice. Good, bad & ugly - I’m taking it all in!
thanks again!
Tammy

 

[HopeToSeaTheWorld]

GREAT SONG!!!

 

[rgranger]

I typed “sailboat charters Florida” into google

a lot of choices popped up

 

[Scott T-Bird]

If you enjoy watching YouTube, there are dozens of V-bloggers out there that are worth watching. Delos (monohull), La Vagabond (catamaran), RAN (monohull) are among the most popular. I like Tula's Endless Summer for catamaran perspective, and you would probably relate to them because they spend so much time in Florida. Wicked Salty & Untie the Lines will give you a sample of the extreme low budget perspective. Sailing Soulianis, Shaun & Julia Sailing will give you perspective on a monohull that you can afford with a pretty good budget (Tartan 37's that are older but well cared-for) You can sample anything from older couples to young couples and everything in between.

These blogs will surely make you excited for the lifestyle, but also give you doses of reality - the difficulties that you will face. I think they can be very helpful giving you a visual about the living spaces that you will need to get used to.

Good luck … it sounds exciting! BTW, I think everybody is suggesting that you need to sail and live with a boat before you truly know what you want. Some are maybe a little hesitant to say it. It's one of those truisms, I think. You can jump into something and truly get lucky, but there is also that hefty chance that you will need to learn from your mistakes. We have all gone thru those experiences and it's all fun, either way!

 

[sail sfbay]

..................with back & shoulder problems so I can’t help him a ton with the manual / physical side of sailing so it’s got to be a boat that we can maneuver easily.

Sailboats like my Hunter 46 with a furling in-mast main, furling jib, electric winch(s), autopilot, bow thruster, anchor windlass, vhf mic at the helm will be easy operate, maneuver, dock and require little or no (set up to single hand) crew assistance.

..............But I always say the bigger the better... ?

The only limitation going to a bigger sailboat was the cost was > $200,000 and finding a berth in the SF Bay for bigger than 47 feet since the only marina that had 47+ foot berths was in Richmond where the wind in the marina blows 30+ knots, the larger berths are a long walk from the dock entrance and is 30 minute drive down a channel.

 

[sail sfbay]

chartering a few different boats first...can I get some more advice on chartering please? Where? Through who? Best & worst experiences. Things to do & things to

Lots of chartering options all over and never a bad experience. My wife and I have charters sailboats in the Chesapeake Bay, Southern California and in the British Virgin Islands (Fleet | TMM Yacht Charters). Chartering is nice way to spend a vacation but cost $3000+ per week and requires a sailing resume before they approve. If you both do not have that then charter with friends that have the prerequisite sailing resume. A relatively low cost option to develop a sailing resume for chartering and sail different sailboats of varying lengths and type is to join a club that has a fleet of sailboats that you can get qualified (maybe under American Sailing Association) to take out as a member for day and overnight trips.

 

[capta]

Oh my god David!!! I feel you 100%!!! Those are my thoughts & concerns exactly!!! The hubby better listen to me in this area!!

Who is David?