Need to find a client a "live aboard" cruiser.

[Bubba1235]

I've got a client that I've maintained and sold boats to for several years. He currently has a 2010 25' open bow and is ready to retire and wants a live aboard cruiser that will call Florida home. (Bought a small condo.)

I had him give me a wish list and a budget:

$250K but prefers to come in under that.
Durability and reliablility FAR outwiegh performance.
Must have twin engines.
Doesn't want an outdrive. (Inboard only?)
Capable of long range cruising. (Caribbean on a regular basis.)
Hates fishing and wants nothing to do with it. (No trawlers or convertibles)
Doesn't want or need deck space, wants as much cabin and "living space" as possible.
Wants a FULL head with, in his words, room to turn around.
Wants to be able to handle it with just him and his wife. (Both capable boaters.)


I'm looking in the 40 to 50 range.

So I looked around some via the net and showed him some pics and didn't get a very positive response as most crusiers tend to be a compromise of deck space and cabin space. As an example I showed him a 46' SeaRay Sundancer and he didn't like it saying too much space was wasted on deck space and cockpit while the berths were just too small.

So does anyone have any suggestions for a cruiser the maximizes the "living quarters"?



EDIT: Why am I involved? If it all works out I'll be buying his existing boat on the cheap. Sort of a trade of favors.

 

[r.j.dawg]

Re: Need to find a client a "live aboard" cruiser.

Something like this might fit.

 

[haulnazz15]

Re: Need to find a client a "live aboard" cruiser.

I would avoid "Express Cruisers" like the Sundancers. I'd be looking boats like what r.j.dawg listed. Aft cabins, fly bridge, etc. are better suited to the job. The Sedan/AC cruisers generally have much better head room than express cruisers.

Most of the cruisers in the upper 30'+ range are going to be inboard/v-drives anyhow. No bellows to maintain or outdrives to service. I'd really consider diesel-powered if you can find it, as they excel at the fuel-mileage game in this particular sect.

 

[haulnazz15]

Re: Need to find a client a "live aboard" cruiser.

Not too bad but looking at pic 16 a lot of space is used for deck space and seating.

True, but remember that the enclosures make the area up top more like a "sun room" and can still be climate controlled with some success from the main cabin a/c system. The Carver 38SS and larger aren't bad options, either.

 

[haulnazz15]

Re: Need to find a client a "live aboard" cruiser.

I'm sort of thinking he is going to have to up his budget if he can't give a little on his requirements. I think what he really wants is a houseboat.

I originally thought "houseboat", too, but the open water cruises to the Caribbean is a killer on that one. However, the mainland property kind of makes it redundant. Maybe find him a old barge and a tug boat, he can have a nice house built on the barge.

 

[r.j.dawg]

Re: Need to find a client a "live aboard" cruiser.

I'm sort of thinking he is going to have to up his budget if he can't give a little on his requirements. I think what he really wants is a houseboat.

Agreed. Trying to keep in the relatively new boats is going to be expensive. I found a Carver 404 but it's older. However, it's diesel and it's in Florida.

 

[IllesheimVet]

Re: Need to find a client a "live aboard" cruiser.

Endeavour Trawler Cat? Neighbor & his wife lived on their's 3 years. Nice Boat.

 

[haulnazz15]

Re: Need to find a client a "live aboard" cruiser.

May have found something he'll like. Maybe not this specific boat but one simular but a little newer. It's going in the right direction anyhow.

View Boat Photos - YachtWorld.com

Lol, well it's not my taste, but definitely has a lot of living space. I'm not even sure how you get to the swim platform except by repelling or swimming up to it (there is a back door)! You also need a boarding platform to carry around with you in order to get on/off deck. 17' beam is also a huge thing. Most of the boats I've seen are sub-15' beams. I bet that thing is a bear to dock in the wind, although I'm sure it has bow thrusters.

 

[r.j.dawg]

Re: Need to find a client a "live aboard" cruiser.

Ok - found a longer one

 

[aspeck]

Re: Need to find a client a "live aboard" cruiser.

Just a few suggestions! LOL!

 

[frfly172]

Re: Need to find a client a "live aboard" cruiser.

A trawler would be the answer with the requirements stated there is not much choice unless you go into an older boat like a Chris or pacemaker double cabin

 

[RotaryRacer]

Re: Need to find a client a "live aboard" cruiser.

Hates fishing and wants nothing to do with it. (No trawlers or convertibles)
Doesn't want or need deck space, wants as much cabin and "living space" as possible.

Not sure why you say no trawler. A "trawler" in the sense of a cruising boat may have absolutely NO fishing equipment at all. It has become a general term used to describe the "traditional" semi-discplacement hull boats that are typically used for long distance crusing.

Also, look at this Endeavor as suggested:

EndeavourCats Home Page

 

[JoLin]

Re: Need to find a client a "live aboard" cruiser.

Not sure why you say no trawler. A "trawler" in the sense of a cruising boat may have absolutely NO fishing equipment at all. It has become a general term used to describe the "traditional" semi-discplacement hull boats that are typically used for long distance crusing.

Right. You have a misconception of what a trawler is. Browse Yachtworld and look at Grand Banks, Mainship, Monk, etc. They have a ton of living space, they're very seaworthy and (relatively) cheap to operate. Modern 'fast trawlers' on a semi-planing hull cruise in the high teens (mph). For something more like a traditional flybridge sedan, Carver always has great, user-friendly layouts and amenities. As a rule of thumb, In the 40-50 foot range you won't find anything BUT straight inboard diesels... and that's what you'd want in a boat that big.

Boat show time is right around the corner. Your client should attend a few and zero in on the type of boat he wants.

My .02

 

[Allstate48]

Re: Need to find a client a "live aboard" cruiser.

EDIT: Offer to sell and personal contact info are both forbidden by our rules, Allstate.

Please respect our rules.

Thanks for your cooperation.

 

[Seevee]

Re: Need to find a client a "live aboard" cruiser.

Sort of like the cats but not certain how they would be in heavy seas. All in all, not as much living space as some other designs.

As a side note, I got a broker involved yesterday and he is sending LOTS of information and images.

Bubba,

Getting a broker involved the KNOWS this size of boat is an excellent idea. There's lots of gotchas in getting the wrong boat in this size and expensive to fix.
And you may want to get more details of the exact mission and where the boat will be used. East coast is more "use friendly" for the big boats. Also, getting info on where it will be kept is important, too.

Good luck.

 

[Allstate48]

Re: Need to find a client a "live aboard" cruiser.

Sorry for the mistake. Thanks Doug

Edit: all good Doug, thanks for the follow-up

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Need to find a client a "live aboard" cruiser.

When he says "I don't fish so I don't want a trawler" I knew that you are dealing with someone who knows very little, but is certain about his misconceptions. "Often wrong but never in doubt." Good luck with that.

A friend had a 48' Krogan (sp?) trawler that was worthless for fishing and great for living and cruising. It's history included Alaska and the whole east coast. Beautiful boat, very efficient (but slow), classy appearance--not like the overblown sofa boats you see nowadays.

I don't get a Florida boater wanting all cabin and no deck. Is he just going to sit inside the AC the whole time? May as well stay home. Well-designed boats have open areas you can enclose. A house boat is not a boat.

And I don't see a guy like this making a couple trans-Atlantic crossings a year. Maybe a half a crossing.

Oh well it's his money.