a yacht you can drive yourself?

Hi Mets, I hope you are not thinking of going out all alone? This is not a good idea on a 75 feet+ yacht. What you describe is otherwise spot on to this yacht; http://www.lsxquad.com/

Going solo...?

I would stay with 50 or so if I was going out alone on a regular basis.

Too many things could go wrong, and the bigger the boat is, the more "wrong" could happen.

Personally I enjoy smaller boats for buzzing around solo: Less to worry about and easier to maneuver: 25 feet, twin engines, a cooler, a head and a bimini or T-top for shade.

To buzz around solo in a 100' yacht is a bit irresponsible.

Yes, it can be done if you are an experienced captain with all the tools at your fingertips:

1) Intimate knowledge of all the ship's system's.
2) Emergency procedures memorized.
3) Local knowledge of area.
4) Sea-Tow's frequencies and home bases memorized.
5) 100% accurate weather forecast..

That being said, most proffesional Captains would take a mate or deck-hand along even for a short cruise on a big boat.
They know from first hand experience how things can go wrong in a hurry and with that size yacht, money to hire a mate for the day should not a problem.

Not trying to be the party-pooper here Mr. Mets, if money is burning in your pocket, go and buy the biggest toy-boat you can find, but make sure you operate the thing with a bit of responsibilty: Solo ain't it....

Since you can drive from both inside and on the FB it is rather easier, but if you are on the FB in a mooring situation you need to be really fit to be able to run around your yacht. I know a couple (husband and wife) with an AZ 85 that can manage it, but they are very experienced and usually get assistance from shore when mooring.

What Lazzara did not communicate very well on their website is the joystick operation of the four IPS-drives, where you can get your yacht in any direction by pointing the stick. Similar arrangements are also on many waterjet boats, like the Hinckleys http://www.hinckleyyachts.com

Still, driving a yacht of 60 to 120 tonnes all alone is not to recommend, whatever gadgets you have. You can have technical problems, get ropes tangled in your props or simply hit your head when running around and suddenly your yacht is out of control....

Think small or get a deckhand you can trust. And don´t forget that a yacht of 80-100 feet is an almost fulltime maintenance job...

A cool owner operated weekend cruiser?
I've seen the new Mulder 54 open in real life yesterday and it's just as cool as the 59 open. have a look at this.

I currently own a Fairline Phantom 48 and I use it on my own, but together with a professional deck-hand who also has the knowledge of driving a yacht. There are always minor problems which arise and you need a helping hand. In the last month I've had ropes getting tangled in my shafts three times and you always need someone to jump into the water and get the ropes untangled. These things happen and you can't leave the boat unattended.
I am receiving a new Squadron 78 in a few months and I plan to hire a full time captain who will also maintain the boat. Large boats need a lot of upkeep and maintenance which you alone will not be able to provide. You can always drive the boat on your own even if a captain or a professional deck hand is present on board. They will keep out of the way if that's your wish, but will be there in case of emergency and their help is needed.

Good advice Tarek. I didn't even know you had your own ropes dragged in. That's not cool.

I didn't mean my own ropes, but untied ropes of other yachts just floating around in marina waters.

OK, gotcha now.

Here in South Florida, insurance companies are getting more and more stringent and will not even offer a quote for an owner operator who has not had a certain amount of experience. They are also concerned about a yacht without a crew when a storm threatens.
An option might be to find a nice yacht in the 60-90 foot range and hire a crew. This makes going for a spin so much more fun as the work is done by the crew, the fun is enjoyed by the owner. The captain then can give you lessons so that you can run the boat yourself, but with him on board to keep the insurance people happy.
Hope this helps!!

Tucker fallon Yacht Broker

Insurance

On anything 75-100 feet I can feel sure that the insurance companies would have issues with you at the helm, alone!!! Especially having no experience.
I used to operate a fleet of yachts, one of which was a 75ft sportfish, on two occasions I took that out alone (well more like move docks) and would absolutely not suggest doing the same.

I think Hinckley T55 could be a good option for you. Gorgeous yachts that have an ingenius joystick control.
http://www.hinckleyyachts.com/

Sealine is owned by Brunswick (as is Sea Ray). I believe they are typically priced under Azimut, Fairline, and Sunseeker.

If this yacht will be kept on this side of the Atlantic, then there are several North American brands with 50ish flybridges to consider. Such as Alden, Marquis, Neptunus, Ocean Alexander, Symbol, and Viking. Although that is fudging a bit, as the Viking is similar to Princess.

Just my humble opinion, but running a 35-40 foot boat your first season would leave you with a lot more confidence for a larger yacht the second year.

Kelly Cook

Here is the Sealine site. http://www.sealine.com/AboutUs_Innovation.aspx

More here. http://www.sealine.com/

First Pericles

size of boat to choose

Dear Mets,

I have been following your thread with interest. I suggest that you initially concentrate on which size of boat you will be happy with. I can see that you are considering several boats and they are in different size brackets. Only then you can decide whether you will need 1, 2 or 3 crew.

Just to make my case clear, I have started with a 40' boat years back and nowadays I am using a boat around 100'. Each time I moved from one bracket to the other in size. Of course opinions may change in the setting of brackets, but my classification is as follows;

40-50 feet - two nice cabins and a good galley
50-65 feet - three nice cabins
65-80 feet - four cabins, 3 separate dining areas
80-100 feet - could be a raised pilot house and 5 cabins, in any case more space and flexibility.

The above is basically valid for flybridge boats. Open boats may need to be considered differently, but I do not have any experience in such boats.

Up to 62 feet you could survive with 1 crew, if you are a good boat handler yourself. My opinion (valid for Med boating), up to 80 feet you will need at least 2 and above that you may need 3 crew.

Good to know that nilo. Question: are those crew requirements just for running the yacht? Or do they include galley/housekeeping duties as well?

Kelly