Westport 112 vs 125, more advice solicited

First time post here, and I can't give many of the answers you seek, but wanted to chime in.

I saw the 125 for the first time over the holidays. She was moored up next to a 130 and VERY impressive looking. From my layman charterer's perspective, I think you are making a good choice.

Crew quarters look nice from the pics available, and being a new model I think it's likely better than an older boat of the same class. My impression is that it's hard to get real creative with crew quarters at that size without impacting your guest space though.

By that you're saying that you will have at least 9 total guests. That gives me concern over number of crew. The 112 only accommodates 4 and the 125 only 5 unless the captain is part of a couple. Then you can add one. They accommodate the 4 and the 5 very well. My big question to you would be to you require meal preparation by the crew, either a chef or cook? If you do, I think you have a real challenge. While most 112's charter with a crew of 4, some use 5.

What percentage of your usage will you have 9 or 10 guests including the owner, requiring the 5th stateroom? How much will be 8 people? Other numbers too?

Having adequate crew for your number of guests may be tough if you're always going to be full to the maximum. Now that depends on what you have the crew do. Will you have them getting a lot of toys out, running the tender, preparing meals, serving five star meals, planning excursions? Will bed linens be changed daily? Vacuuming daily? Baths cleaned and towels laundered daily?

Other than cost, there's really no disadvantage of going to the 125. It has virtually the same draft.

Plenty of 112's you can charter. Personally, I'd want more crew on either than will fit in the crew area and would devote one of the staterooms to crew. Sounds like you won't have that ability. It's like 130's which I've seen run with crews of 6, 7 and 8.

From what you're saying in the way of guests and usage, I think you should go straight to a 130'. Most 112' owners eventually do.

130 has space for 10 + 7 crew but requires a lot more crew too. Much more expensive to buy and to own, but considerably more boat than the 125. Draft still only 6'6" although air draft is far more than the others.

But it sounds like what he needs for the amount of people and level of service he wants.

Well, the OP hasn't posted since November so probably a moot subject.

The 6" draft difference is seldom an issue. Shallow waters you can't get either boat but then marinas to accommodate 100'+ are going to be deep water marinas. While there are places you can't go with either of the three boats, there are very few places you and go with the 125, or even the 112, that you can't with the 130.

Now, as to the staterooms. 80% of the time then allowing 1, 2, 3 or 4 crew members to use staterooms is practical on the 125 or 130. When full, there is also the option of allowing perhaps the chief stew or cook or chef and the therapist to share one of the state rooms set up with singles.

Back to the 112 for a moment. Let's say somehow when all were aboard you doubled up somehow, perhaps 1 daughter on the sofa in your room. You still have 7 adults and 2 children aboard and taking care of a 112' boat plus 9 people with 4 people works only with minimal service. If you do have a captain married to another crew member then you have 5 crew members you can accommodate.

As there are plenty of 112's and 130's for charter, you should be able to resolve easily before committing to any boat.

How old are your daughters?

If the draft is a major concern of yours, you should know that the drafts that have been given for the Westports you are considering are half-load drafts -- not max drafts. Maybe someone can provide the max drafts of the 112, 125, and 130 for your comparison.

You will need a chef to cook for the crew. But chartering for a week makes sense.

Unfortunately, there really doesn’t seem to be a ton of other options in the 40m range with a shallow draft of the styling isn’t to your liking. The 40m Sunseeker has a 9’ draft or so. I think the 42m aluminum Heesen has a 7’ draft but even larger still at 400gt. Moonen makes some nice yachts in that range that are aluminum or high tensile steel with shallower drafts but then there is some uncertainty with the financial abilities of the company. You could always look at a one off from Burger, Nordlund or Crescent.

I don't see the 7' Heesen as removing it from consideration, but the 9' Sunseeker is just too much.