Time to do lots of homework on purchase

Wiring, absolutely. Parts/systems are generally cheaper to buy/fix and simpler and easier to find. Exterior Maintanence, much easier (much less s/s, no teak, etc). They also tend to be more functional in having organzed storage for many things. I would also say the Searay's generally have less monthly maintanence than an Azimut

Some other things to consider:

1. Is the slip included with the purchase of the boat? If not, do you have a slip lined up?

2. Does the marina where you plan to store the boat allow liveaboards? Based on your requirements you would need this.

3. What amenities does the marina you select have, ie, cable tv, shore power, waste disposal, laundry etc?

Good luck in your search.

Speaking just for myself, I don't think I could have a boat to live on and entertain only.

I would have to run her and prolly run her often so economy and seaworthiness play a part.

I have never been to the west coast & have no idea of S.F. bay conditions but I do agree with you that a house boat might not be the best choice.

Good luck. I will live vicariously through you as I do through all those here who enjoy living aboard.

There is a 2004 48' Cranchi 48 Atlantique asking $259,000 in Ca looking for offers. If you got it near your price that would be a great deal.

I've done a lot of deliveries on those boats in the past. Been in seas even with my head while on the bridge with no problems at all. If I were in your place I'd give that one a look. They're pretty nice boats in that price range.

You won't find a better boat for the area than a Navigator 46/48, proven and reliable systems, the Volvo's will be reliable and efficient, you'll have your own master S/R, huge bridge with plenty of room for a real tender and these boats will take their owners from Puerto Vallarta to Alaska without a problem.

They should have plenty available in the Northwest that have already been fitted with diesel furnaces for those chilly SF summer evenings

3126's are fine motors now, with all of the updates. They have a lot of torque and they run well. Early on before they got all of the bugs worked out of them, mostly from leaking aftercoolers, they were problematic. I ran a '98 45 searay SB to St. Croix back in 2006 with them, the owner then racked up a ton of hours in the time he owned it.....With 2500 hours, they had never had any issues to speak of.

Hi there,

The only liveaboard marina in the bay area downtown will be peir39, the waiting list is soOOooOOoo long! not to mention that it is not a good place to liveabord at, wind and swell are the main reasons, continuous fog and sealions noise are some other reasons. Some yacht clubs have empty liveaboard spots reserved for members, so if you are willing to be a club member, this might be your fastest choice to get a place.

You can search for liveaboard boats that are for sale, this will be your second fast choice, BUT, this will add to your cost, since liveaboard docks are a rarity, and check if the lease is transferable with no extra charges, some marinas will charge you for transfer and might increase your lease.

Also keep in mind that your boat will be checked for quality as a liveabord and your ability to be a liveaboard in terms of keeping up and keeping clean, you might be refused or requested to fix, update or upgrade certain things in your boat to get the approval. Then check the cost of facilities, like pumpout, potable water, electricity, wifi to stay connected to YachtForums, cable, etc. It is for sure higher at this part of the city. Not to mention that if you have a car, you might as well sell it! parkings are so hard to find and your best bet will be on public transport.

My opinion: (Are you willing to commute or travel longer times to work?)
Go to the east bay (Oakland, San Leandro, Alameda), or go north to Sausalito. You will still have long waiting lists, but more boat options if you want to do it fast and better weather once you are on. South towards San Jose or San Rafael is also a better option an easier to get. I personally would go to the east bay, very nice boating communities there and will be in a constant good company and a closer access to the delta if you wanna boat up back home on the weekends.

Now the boat choice, I bet you got many good options from the guys here, I might just add, look at the boats in the marinas, specially liveaboards, you will notice that they are mainly "puff boats", classic looking motor yachts, and trawlers (mainly nordic tugs, american tug, and similar boats and I personally favor Nordic), sport fishing boats are not that many and are mainly used by serious fishermen that go beyond the gate. Trawlers, specially in your size ranfe and if you are not after speed, will be a great choice having a great space and storage and easier to maintain, they also have nice beams and nice weights for stability. If you want a sport fishing boat, sea ray will sure be the best choice in terms of your year/price range, if you are willing to go older, I would think of a Hatteras either a SF or MY which might be older but bigger in size and space and more of a boat.

Wishing you all the best in your quest.

Cheers,

Charter it First

Dear Newbie:
Charter what you most desire before making a purchase... and better yet charter several options before pulling the trigger.

You may want to try the following marinas to get further information:

Marina Village- Marina Village Yacht Harbor
Grand Marina- Welcome to Grand Marina : The Bay Area's Premiere Marina Community
Alameda Marina- Alameda Boat Storage, RV Storage, Commercial Office Space, Alameda Oakland Estuary, California, San Francisco Bay Area - Alameda Marina
Oakland Marinas- Almar Marinas
Fortman Marina- FORTMAN MARINA

These two yacht clubs also have their own marina-

Oakland YC- Home | Oakland Yacht Club
Encinal YC- Encinal Yacht Club

Also check down in Redwood City. There is a marina down there that is live aboard friendly. WE have friends who live in Novato, work in SJ, and split their time in RC through the week.

Try the Point San Pablo marina if you don't mind mingling with pirates. It's a bit off the beaten path but from what I've read it's pretty rad.

I see Yachtworld has a 48 Navigator in Isleton for $229K. It's a buyers market. never know what the take home price would be

As far as quality goes, when you want to talk about accessible and reliable systems, the Navigator will hold it's own against the Carver and SR, albeit without as glossy as an exterior. Remember, beauty is only skin deep, as they say.....Go in the engine room on a Navigator, you can actually put your hand on everything that will need to be serviced. The materials used in construction on the Navigator are = to or better than the other two. If you have some more questions PM me I will go into more detail. In my opinion, the Navigator would be considered over-built compared to the two.

If the price for a Navigator is a bit too high, look at a Bayliner 4588/4788. Similar layout with the exception of the Master Fwd. They have almost a cult group of boaters who love them, and I have a few friends who used them successfully as live aboards as well.

I personally would not touch an older used Hatt MY that has not been kept bristol, as it will $$Nickel and $$$Dime you to death.

I didn't read all the posts above but I recently delivered a 2000 Carver 456 MY for and with a guy to Toronto that lives aboard year round and works downtown minutes from his marina. The bridge was hard enclosed and had heat and AC. A perfect CONDO for him and his needs. Well with in your budget and a great place to hang your hat. No need to buy a Caddy if it's never leaving the garage.

Beware of water intrusion on old Bayliners with cored hulls... and soggy bottoms.