How much to spend on a Motoryacht?

In my opinion unless you can pay for the bot cash, $3500 will never cover loan pmt, insurance, running costs and maintenance... And even if the boat is paid for your cruising will be pretty limited especially if you recalling for the Bahamas and Carib where everything is lot more expensive

On that budget a 40/45 trawler or even better a sail boat will let cruise further.

I agree, but don't think 3500 a month will cover the maintanence and fuel and dockage of using a trawler that size. I would say to start looking at sailboats, you might be able to do it on that budget in say a 40' sailboat.

yeah, i didn't even mention dockage since the OP will be cruising and be able to anchor quite a bit to save $$$... otherwise, at $1000 a month on an annual contract in many areas for a 50ish footer, it will never work!

How much cash can you afford to put down, because those words will probably stop you from getting a loan/mortgage. Take the new boat list price of the boat you can afford to buy with cash and figure 10% of that figure for your maintenance costs and subtract it from the after tax income left from your $42,000 a year (and forget the COLA which won't happen this year and who knows about the future). That's what you'll be left to live and cruise on. It's not a rosey picture. Boating is expensive.

For sure in this budget, it is only possible to mantain boats like the one in my avatar and going fishing in a wild beach, where is allowed. Less than a free of $ 5 kg a month, it is impossible to have a boat. An used sail of 10 m here would not cost you less than some 30 Kg Bucks cash, then used, in which you have to update all, it means refit costs a lot. So, make cruises instead all over the year some weeks. Then you can have a boat it is not yours and it is the same enjoyment without much worries. In Florida no worry in that. Hope for sure not disappointing in anyway, but reality is real, we can't hide.

Sarge, If I were you and heading for the keys I'd maybe buy a house there and a small boat. You've got enough places there to explore, fish and visit to last you through years of enjoyment. Maybe along the way you'll meet someone who would like to partner in a cruiser. It might scratch that itch in a way that gives you the best of all worlds without busting the bank. It will also help you grow into a larger boat. Your budget may have to endure some things you may not expect like, if you read some of the threads about people moving up to larger boats, a captain may be required if you don't have relative experience.