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Discussion in 'General Yachting Discussion' started by eegeland, Jul 27, 2020.

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  1. eegeland

    eegeland New Member

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    Hi all - New to big boating and just started my research on motor yachts. Retirement plan for the wife and I is to liquidate all and travel the world... but first we wanted to do the liveaboard yacht thing. This forum has already been helpful and I will continue to dig in.

    My first real quest is to find a combo of
    1. A king size bed
    2. Covered deck of some sort like a covered porch
    3. Place to keep a motorcycle (is that realistic... booming it on and off the slip).
    4. Most historically reliable brand/engines/etc. (i have found posts on this)
    Not entertaining, not having anyone else sleep over, not fishing. Any advice is welcomed!

    Eric
  2. Maxwell

    Maxwell Senior Member

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    What is your budget and where do you plan on primarily using the boat?
  3. Pascal

    Pascal Senior Member

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    Indeed what is the budget?

    king size bed in the master is pretty standard once you hit 75/80’.

    big covered aft deck is a big plus. Pretty much all MY will have that... if not entertaining most boats 60+ will have a big enough aft deck.

    carrying a bike on the top deck should not be an issue. Certainly smaller than a jet ski.
  4. eegeland

    eegeland New Member

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    Safely $200k, maybe more if resale value is good. No home base. The plan is really just to do the Great Loop and then sell it (so I guess I should have included "resale" value).
  5. eegeland

    eegeland New Member

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    Pascal - The problems with 75/80 is it has 4 beds and baths witch is just wasted space for me. thats kind of why I am asking... looking for a reasonable size for two people (40/50) with a king bed! Also, not sure how big I can go and still do the Great Loop?
  6. Pascal

    Pascal Senior Member

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    I can’t think of any boat in the 40/50 range with a king....

    The limit on the loop is height for a bridge in Chicago. Length isn’t a real issue but your budget is going to limit you in size anyway

    If you re going to do the loop it would be a shame not to plan a Detour of a couple of months To the Bahamas.
  7. NYCAP123

    NYCAP123 Senior Member

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    With your lack of schedule and budget I'd recommend a trawler, about 40'-50', maybe even smaller. There's some nice ones around 36'. It should give you the room you need although the king bed might become a queen unless you want to make some alterations. You'll need a davit to get the bike on and off and it'll eat up some cockpit space but it's manageable. Just keep it well covered and coated with CRC or you'll have a rustcycle. You might find it more practical to carry a pair of folding bicycles instead and then rent a car or bike where you want to tour farther from the marinas. Enterprise will pick you up almost anywhere. It'll also enable you to use a smaller davit or none at all and save you about $10,000 and a bunch of cockpit space.
    I like that you're keeping resale value in mind. Too many don't. Most trawlers will hold their value pretty well, and many will fit your budget. They're also easily managed and handled by a couple.
    Btw, upper and lower helm stations is a really good option for that trip.
    Something like this could work well.https://www.**************/boats/1983/grand-banks-49-classic-3601540/
    Last edited: Jul 27, 2020
  8. RER

    RER Senior Member

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  9. eegeland

    eegeland New Member

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    I was thinking about that! Maybe doing the South America thing... just hadn't researched it yet. The loop website said something about a 5' draft limit which I am trying to understand.
  10. eegeland

    eegeland New Member

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    I do NOT need to have a big boat. I just want a big bed, living room, and covered deck. That Vic Franck was awesome with all the windows!

    Good advice on the bike NYCAP! I want to stick to boats on this thread but will look for, or start another, on the education I should pursue... particularly something that teaches me the stuff you would only learn via experience!!
  11. Capt J

    Capt J Senior Member

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    5' draft limit is for the Trent Severen which isn't necessary for the entire loop. I did it with a 5'6 draft with no issues. I'd stay under 65', you're also going to need to be under 19'2 air draft for the loop (illinois waterway). A catamaran will meet all of your needs without getting too long, perhaps something like a Lagoon 43/44' or a Leapord and in/near your price range. Another option would be an old hatteras 53' or smaller.
  12. NYCAP123

    NYCAP123 Senior Member

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    I'm not at all familiar with the Vic Franck. I think it's important to stick with a quality build, especially with older boats. Some use a lot of balsa coring that absorbs moisture and rots under the fiberglass. You mentioned windows. Be aware that, again especially on older boats, that's a place where leaks develop and they can be maddening to try to stop. There and around the deck. The GB is a make everyone knows and respects. However that king bed could be a stickler. It could be done by moving the cabinet under the aft hatch, but you'd have to design a work-around to keep the engine room hatch accessible. I think the king bed might be your biggest stumbling block in choosing a boat. If it's any help, after 43 years the wife and I still manage to fit nicely in a queen (I'm 6', 190) and the linens are a lot cheaper.:D The only place I see 5' draft being any issue is in the Carolinas or if you leave the channel. You'll rarely find channels along the loop that aren't designed to be at leas 6' deep and generally 9'+, but shoaling happens that can change that. Another point for boats like the GB is that they have a full keel. So if you run aground it's usually just a matter of waiting for the tide to come in or getting a tow off. Your running gear is well protected.
  13. Capt J

    Capt J Senior Member

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    The draft problem on the loop is the Lake Michigan and South part (Tenn Tomm, Tomm Bigbee etc.) where getting into marina's for fuel and dockage can be a big problem.
  14. NYCAP123

    NYCAP123 Senior Member

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    Is there such a thing as a cat with a king bed? I'll 2nd the old Hat although the electric can be an issue with 2 x 50 amp and 32v DC. We did it on a 56' FBMY. The master was a queen, but there's room to expand it. Just a shame to hurt that woodworking.
  15. eegeland

    eegeland New Member

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    We could always do our actual sleeping in separate beds... wife would probably love that LOL.

    I started this whole research thing with an article titled "Eight Affordable Older Motoryachts that Make Great Liveaboards" and the Hatteras stood out for me. I also researched this forum and Hatteras was commonly listed as one of the most reliable.

    I DO like the Catamaran concept though! They look super stable and seem to have a more favorable floor plan... although they seem to be ALL plastic/fiberglass inside. Hit me with the pros and cons of a Cat vs. monohull MY.
  16. Capt J

    Capt J Senior Member

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    Yes, the 43'/44' lagoon has a king sized bed in the master.

    EEGELAND:
    Power Cats are more stable and more fuel efficient at slower speeds. Most are very good sea boats. Very stable at rest. More room for their length. Dockage is always based on length, BUT finding slips for a CAT in some areas can be tougher. More deck/outdoor space. The 43' lagoon with large engines will cruise at 16.5 knots at 1.5 Gallons Per Nautical Mile, HOWEVER at 12 knots gets 2 nautical miles per gallon, and at 10 knots 3 nautical miles per gallon. So if you don't push her at cruise, she gets excellent fuel economy. Has great range also holding 400 gallons of fuel.

    Cons- foward staterooms can be narrow. decent amount of steps to staterooms, finding dockage in some areas.

    The problem are your requirements (like king sized bed) and your price range to find a good motoryacht.
  17. NYCAP123

    NYCAP123 Senior Member

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    Catermaran Pro: stable ride, large salon, shallow draft. Con: small staterooms in the sponsons, hard/ expensive to find dockage for due to their wide beam, (2) small engine rooms.
    The old Hats are legendary, but they're getting old. Electric is an issue. As I mentioned on Valhalla we had to run out 2 x 50 amp cords and the DC is 32v which is difficult to find bulbs for. May be more space than you need.
  18. JWY

    JWY Senior Member

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    Cats: Positive: Stability at anchor and underway in calm to mild seas. Good fuel economy. Good layouts for salon, nav station, galley and access to the aft deck. Good aft deck space. Shallow draft. Negatives: Slips harder to find to accommodate beam, often have to find end slip, face dock, or rent 2 slips per nite. Lack of stowage, keeping weight above waterline in mind. Hull stressing in big seas. Small cabins, sometimes short headroom in master. Visibility.

    All variable depending on manufacturers and models.

    Judy
  19. eegeland

    eegeland New Member

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    Part of this research certainly includes the modification of my requirements! You guys are great and I appreciate the help!
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