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What kind of boat should I look for?
My plan is to get a boat that I can live off of while at sea for long periods of time. I don’t need a big boat, just something that can fit me, and that I can fish off of, but one that can keep me alive during a storm or just in general for months or years at a time. Does this type of boat exist or have I created it in my imagination?
Biased , but a chunky older motor-sailer might be what you need.
No personal live aboard experience but have been invited aboard some relatively small , 28ft up to 45ft motor -sailers that layed over in my old marina
Mostly Canadians on their way back from extended cruisies of the coastal US & Carribean .
A few were permanent "liveaboards"
All said it it akes a real commitment to the lifestyle & the price of that freedom does not always come cheap.
Nice to dream.
Would check magazines & websites dedicated to "living aboard "
Best regards
8 Responses to “What kind of boat should I look for?”
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March 17th, 2010 at 11:22 am
In order to have a chance t being at all realistic, you have to decide the amount of money you can afford.
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March 17th, 2010 at 11:35 am
make a catamaran—theres one on the seattle craigslist located in sequim washington with no motors
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March 17th, 2010 at 12:04 pm
Several years ago a young girl sailed around the world , in a 26′ Sailboat. Took her several months, and she lived aboard the whole time
Check your ‘library for the book "maiden voyage
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March 17th, 2010 at 12:47 pm
A good Grand Banks Trawler
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March 17th, 2010 at 1:10 pm
Having been around boats and owned boats for over 40 years, I’d recommend a good sail boat. Take some sailing lessons before you jump into this lifestyle. There are a lot of things to consider before you do this. First, it’s not all that FANTASTIC once you’re out at sea. You have to really love being on the water. Second, There are NO second chances at sea. You make a mistake or wrong decision, your dead. ALL of your food will be canned or dried. No fresh anything! Drinking water is a must, how are you going to replenish it? or will you just carry a lot of water and use sparingly? Can you navigate by the stars? If not, then you’re a fool to venture out to sea. You’ll need to know how to use a sextant and know how to read a chart, hold a course, how to correct a course, find your position based upon wind, water currents and speed of the boat.
Now there’s the boat. The boat must be Seaworthy to begin with! Not some piece of junk. You’ll need to have the hull evaluated by a Marine Surveyor. EVERYTHING has to work! Sails must be in good shape. A good VHF radio, high buoyancy life jackets and an EPRIB are essentials at sea. Cell phones don’t work once you get past 5 miles at sea from the nearest land mass.
It takes years of experience to know what you’ll need to know and what to do. I have been out to sea many times and the cost of planning and prep isn’t cheap! You give up most creature comforts for LONG periods of time. Unless you know someone that has made a crossing and can really help you, I’d tell you not to risk your life in this venture till you know what you’re really doing.
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Experienced yachtsman with 40 years of experience and certifications. A member of United States Power Squadron
March 17th, 2010 at 1:20 pm
I’m currently living on a 27 foot Catalina sailboat. I think it’s a bit small for my needs. It’s also not a good choice for living at sea. My friends Westsail 32 is perfect for your needs. Have you heard of the movie "Perfect Storm"? That sailboat was a Westsail 32. Sailboats are my choice for living on the water because you can sail around the world with little fuel. It’s common for people to make it on 100 gallons or less. People say sailboat are slow but many sailboats can sail the same speed as a trawler which does about 6 to 8 knots.
You need to find a good solid boat. Heavy is good for comfort but slow. Light is fast but rough. Older boats can be a good choice for I have a friend the returned their light weight 1/2 million dollar Hunter for a heavy $200k 1980’s Bair. The use the remaining money to fix it up. Now it’s worth $800k. So older sailboats can be a great value for the money and the ride comfort.
Most sailboats are not going to have all that you need to live off the water. For example you should have a water maker so you don’t have to run to shore often. It’s also great for longer showers. You will also need power generation. Get a wind generator and/or solar panels. My friend has both and is able to run TV, 3 computers, LED lights, coffee maker, marine radios for weeks without having to start up the engine to recharge his batteries.
For more information, send me an email and I can advise you how we did it and you can go from there. I love living on boats and I will never live in a house ever again.
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I’m a USCG licensed Captain and Instructor. I’ve lived on boats for 6 years and plan to live the rest of my life on one.
March 17th, 2010 at 2:00 pm
My son (now 42) has (and still does) sail all over the world. He has a true blue water sailboat – a 28 foot sloop – that he just loves.
He is a life-long boater (as I am). We spent 4 years sailing together (when he came home from Desert Storm (first Iraq war) and I retired) on my 48′ sloop. He then came across this boat on the used market for $15,000. I offered him mine – but he thought it was too big, too much to single handle.
Now, he has spent at least half of the past 16 years at sea, about half of that alone, and the other half with his girl friend.
His choice cruising grounds are from Galveston, Texas (our home Port) to Bimini, – Island hopping the Caribbean to Tobago where he waits out the hurricane season, – and then across the Atlantic to Naples, and Greece.
At this point (and he is a very good experienced sailor) I don’t think anyone could talk him out of that boat for any amount of money.
He is simply convinced (and with good reason) that it is the perfect vessel for both a voyaging single or couple.
He is a very "frugal" sailor… and he lives a very comfortable sailing and living a-board lifestyle. He always has a fishing line out as he sails the open seas, and he has a gift for finding lobsters, scallops, oysters, and crabs when near the shore.
Just one word of caution however… boats (any boat) especially sailboats of the same size and width, can be very, very different – and built for very, very different purposes. An inland lake, or coastal cruising sailboat – can look very much like it’s much heavier (and bit more expensive) ocean passage maker or blue water sailboat.
Other then price… the biggest – difference in these vessels are strength and weight… If you plan to cross oceans – make absolutely sure you get a vessel built for that purpose.
Why is this so much more important then the obvious "safety factor"? One reason is seasickness… the other is just pure comfort. In a true blue water vessel, you will still be feeling fine – while the people in the inland lake or coastal cruiser are tossing their cookies.
And comfort wise – it is the difference in riding a Yugo 70 mph down a bumpy road for 24 hours a day vs riding a full size Lincoln…
I realize you are in the planning and dreaming stages – which is good. So now my best advice is this:
Sure, you will need a fresh water-maker,and EPIRB, VHS radio, and Ham Radio and license (especially if you want World Wide free e-mail access) and many other things… but the point is this – it is a wonderful dream to have, and one that can (and should) come true…
For now, you need to speed the majority of all your free time – educating yourself on boats and voyaging on the open sea. Yes, there is of course the Internet – but a visit to the library – and reading some books written by Eric Hiscock, and many others… is your best bet of picking up those little hidden tips and suggestions – that make all the difference in the world.
Don’t ever give up the dream, and if you dream it… Do it!
Happy and Safe Boating
Capt. John
PS. you can see a pic of my son’s boat at the link below.
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http://captainjohn.org/GulfCrossing.html
March 17th, 2010 at 2:50 pm
Biased , but a chunky older motor-sailer might be what you need.
No personal live aboard experience but have been invited aboard some relatively small , 28ft up to 45ft motor -sailers that layed over in my old marina
Mostly Canadians on their way back from extended cruisies of the coastal US & Carribean .
A few were permanent "liveaboards"
All said it it akes a real commitment to the lifestyle & the price of that freedom does not always come cheap.
Nice to dream.
Would check magazines & websites dedicated to "living aboard "
Best regards
References :