Long time sailor, going to the dark side....

[Curmugeon]

sorry i mean motor sailer

[CF32907]

Most of your followers are talking large boats. Your blog started with wanting or utilizing a trailerable boat. I'm for that a 100%, been doing it for 5 years. Your biggest hurdle is beam. Virtually all states have a 8'6" max width for trailering without permits. Relatively easy for a 9' permit with daylight travel. But for a simple move and use for trailering at your own discretion, keep the beam to 8' - 8'6" max..... Capt. Vince Rakstis, Ret.MS St.Petersburg, Fl.

[ranger58sb]

I think I remember sorta-kinda that the daylight/non-holiday trailering beam can be 10' in most places.

I don't "remember" that well enough to assert categorically, but suggest OP check stuff like that. A 10' beam would make a big difference to liveability on the boat...

-Chris

[mickand]

If your cruising plans are mainly the Eastern Seaboard and down to the lower Caribbean, I would question your trailering and small boat plan.
Why not buy a 40ft trawler with all necessary volume and facilities and use it to live comfortably full time. I have a washer/dryer, a wonderful separate shower and never feel the need for a hotel room.
I cruise 7 months out of 12, covering over 6,000 miles. My monthly costs are $3000 including fuel, some marinas and normal maintenance.
Your allowance should allow you to save for any future heavy repair costs.
You mentioned being on the hook to avoid marina costs.
My 40 footer has a generator and space on top for extensive solar. This allows me to live comfortably on the hook for long periods of time.

[Gaia]

Originally Posted by Scrimshaw4

With the cruising plan you have, which will be dependent of COVID-19 status, I was wondering why the boat needs to be trailerable. That seems to be limiting your boat options to the skinny side for getting down to the Caribbean.

I wondered the same thing and saw no answer on the way down from this post. I can understand trailering going inland to rivers and lakes etc and Atlantic to Pacific but not to the Caribbean. The Darien Gap still exists after all and that is a good thing.

Did I miss something?

Jim sv Gaia

[ranger58sb]

Imagine trailering from NY to FL, then setting out to the islands from there...

Just guessing...

-Chris

[rsn48]

Living aboard a 28 foot Albin, doable but tight and I'm a guy who is used to and like living in smaller spaces. My boat is actually 28 feet, haven't changed my stats here yet (didn't know how long it was until it went up on the hard). But my 28 foot sedan cruiser is the largest 28 I have seen anywhere, including more contemporary boats, why I bought it. But about 8 boats down from me is a lady who had been living in a 28 Albin for a number of years now. She travels and also house sits but the bulk of her time is living on the Albin. It strikes me as a tight fit.

I would suggest you look at something in the 30 - 32 foot range, you will have more space. My wife and I have lived in a number of RV's, 17 foot, 21 foot, 32 foot motorhome and 35 foot 5th wheel. In my experience as long as there are two distinct areas you can go to and exist in a manner you are comfortable with, this is the most desirable arrangement. I'm not talking about whether you argue and have to go your separate ways for a few hours, but more one is up reading or on the computer or on the tv, whatever, the other than escape and to to sleep or do whatever they want to do.

My boat and almost all at the 30 - 32 range will have a saloon and a v birth or similiar bed arrangement. So one can be in the saloon while the other is in the sleeping birth area. The Albin 28 has a very limited saloon space, I would prefer something larger with two distinct areas for living.

For the size of boats you are considering a 14 foot dinghy sounds like too much for the boat. Look at a 9 1/2 to 10 foot RIB, its all you really need, with a 9.9 motor. And I would recommend Seawise davits. The motor in this system rides up and down on a bracket. As you bring the dinghy in, the motor lifts off the transom, remains on the bracket up it away from the boat, sitting on its own. See this short video:

[This guy is using the manual system, what I have, but you can install an electric assit. Some just buy a used rechargeable drill and use it to bring the dinghy up, what I will probably be doing - saves your back].

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zeAK55v7dws

[2savage]

Originally Posted by Scrimshaw4

With the cruising plan you have, which will be dependent of COVID-19 status, I was wondering why the boat needs to be trailerable. That seems to be limiting your boat options to the skinny side for getting down to the Caribbean.

Future plans for RoRo to Europe to cruise there. Scottish Highlands, French Canals etc.

[endlesspursuit]

Check out a Cape Dory. We just bought a 28 flybridge trawler. Single diesel. gets 2-3 MPG and has decent space. 10 ft beam with a saloon and two steps down to galley , head, and v birth.. Maybe a touch small but handles rough seas extremely well. You could trailer the sedan model but not the flybridge. Buy why trailer. Its cheap to run and roomy enough for two people. Good luck and see you in the Bahamas.:

[Reel Love]

Capt.

I am 66 and considering selling my power boat to buy a sailboat. I have been boating and cruising for over 50 years. Here's my 2 cents.

1. 28' is tight. You may lose your first mate if she is forced to live in 28'. Remember, at best a 28' boat with a 9' beam represents 260 sq ft of living area that is shared with engines, etc.

2. You have no idea how much work it is to trailer. Unless you are really open to the task, it ain't worth it. Besides, a Dually will set you back $40K easy, plus trailer = $45K.

3. Once you launch, what are you going to do with the truck and trailer? You cannot just leave it at the ramp for weeks. It will be either stolen, vandalized or impounded.
That's a reality of S FL.

4. I tried living on my 36' Tiara. It was fine for up to 2 weeks and then it got cramped, fast. You need to be looking at something 40' plus, and in a double cabin if under 50'.

5. Water in the Bahamas is expensive. So is dockage. You may want to consider a boat with a water maker.

6. Having done this a few times, it's less expensive to pay someone to haul your boat from say Annapolis to Fl, then to do it yourself in your not yet purchased Dually.

7. You can do it on your budget, but it is going to be tight. Fuel costs in the Bahamas is $4/gal at its best. Some of the out islands cost as much as $6/gal. That is why you want a boat that has either large tanks, or that sips fuel.

8. Believe it or not, AC is a big issue in the Bahamas, as is refrigeration. A 28' boat will not have enough refrigeration, and a small generator may be out of the question.

Overall, you can do it. I would urge you to consider a cat in the 40' range, preferably with a sail so you can avoid buying a lot of fuel. If a mono hull is in your future, go with a trawler in the 40' to 50' range. They hold a lot of fuel, sip fuel, and you can go a long way on a small budget. There are a lot of high quality trawlers available in the 40' range for under $100K.

Better yet, consider a motorsailor or pilothouse in the 40' range. (see https://www.yachtworld.com/boats-for...e=10000-100000).

If you must go power: https://www.yachtworld.com/boats-for...e=10000-100000

Have fun!

[2savage]

Originally Posted by tkeithlu

I've been your basic route. Observations:

The budget seems a bit modest. Do you have a pension or Social Security/medicare to add to it? Retiring on $800,000 and no debt is OK, but not optimal.

Well, I have a two bedroom two bathroom Condo that rents for $2500 a month plus a pension of $2200 a month too, and once the dust settles I think I'll have another $100,000 on top so I'm not worried about $$$$.

I ended up buying a Ranger 29. And my wife and I combined have SS $$ of $4600 a month.

[Creedence]

It’s always nice to see someone follow through on their dreams on the forum- doesn’t happen all to often. Congratulations!