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Bargain Bill · 21-10-2020, 09:32

For 3+ years I searched and chartered 6 different boats that meet your basic specifications. I came back to where I started - - a PDQ 34' power cat. For 10 years we cruised FL and the Bahamas from November thru April. Pretty much self-contained except for Diesel (but a full tank takes us 500+ miles). My boat, currently for sale, has a big house bank, solar, watermaker, and gen set. We can stay on the hook for 3 days without starting the engines or gen set. We added things like a tv with a homing antenna that can pick up all Directv channels from almost anywhere in North America.
With twin diesel engines we have utmost reliability and a cruise speed of 13 kts. Topend is 17+kts (which we rarely run). At a 12kt cruise we get about 3 mpg.
Two queen-sized staterooms lets us entertain friends and family for extended periods. Lots of room to spread out (flybridge, foredeck, cockpit, and salon can accommodate 6 people each).
The head and shower are separate, and I wish we had 2 heads, but no boat is perfect.
Good luck with your search - - you can see mine at
https://www.yachtworld.com/boats/200...maran-3531076/

geoleo · 21-10-2020, 09:32

Get a "Maryland" power catamaran Made by Lagoon diesels by Yanmar 37ft

Astropin · 21-10-2020, 09:41

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shrew

1) Are you single handed, a couple, or a family? A 40+ foot powerboat will be a handful to single hand. It's doable and there are plenty of examples of folks who do it. I single-hand a 40 foot trawler on occasion, but a decent wind blowing me off of a side-tie dock is a challenge.

2) Cruise at 7-8 kts, with ability to go 15 - 20. That is a weird and unrealistic range. You won't find a semi-displacement boat that will cruise at 20 kts. Certainly not in the 40 foot range. semi-displacement boats will cruise around 12-14kts. That takes all trawlers (including semi-displacement trawlers) off of the table.

3) If electronics are important to you, then buy a boat with outdated electronics. You'll most likely be replacing electronics on most used boats anyway.

#1 Already answered

#2 That wasn't me. Never said anything about cruising 7-8 kts.

#3 Yes, that is most likely what will happen.

Astropin · 21-10-2020, 09:44

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lost Horizons

Sea Ray 460 circa 2003-2005.

there we go...something to research [emoji846]

Astropin · 21-10-2020, 09:46

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bargain Bill

For 3+ years I searched and chartered 6 different boats that meet your basic specifications. I came back to where I started - - a PDQ 34' power cat. For 10 years we cruised FL and the Bahamas from November thru April. Pretty much self-contained except for Diesel (but a full tank takes us 500+ miles). My boat, currently for sale, has a big house bank, solar, watermaker, and gen set. We can stay on the hook for 3 days without starting the engines or gen set. We added things like a tv with a homing antenna that can pick up all Directv channels from almost anywhere in North America.
With twin diesel engines we have utmost reliability and a cruise speed of 13 kts. Topend is 17+kts (which we rarely run). At a 12kt cruise we get about 3 mpg.
Two queen-sized staterooms lets us entertain friends and family for extended periods. Lots of room to spread out (flybridge, foredeck, cockpit, and salon can accommodate 6 people each).
The head and shower are separate, and I wish we had 2 heads, but no boat is perfect.
Good luck with your search - - you can see mine at
https://www.yachtworld.com/boats/200...maran-3531076/

Nice! thank you. Is that boat more expensive to keep at a marina vs a 40ft monohull? I love the cats but heard they can be harder to find dockage.

Bargain Bill · 21-10-2020, 10:06

With a 16' beam she can dock anywhere that accommodates sportfishers. And with a 2'6" draft (with protected props and rudders)she can go anywhere most cruisers can't.

ebs001 · 21-10-2020, 10:14

I would buy a Mainship 400 around 15 years old My preference would be the single engine model and to have a propane stove. A single engine model has a cruising speed of 12 knots and a max of 17.

ranger58sb · 21-10-2020, 10:55

Quote:

Originally Posted by Astropin

I thought I gave some decent parameters? roughly 40ft, diesel, mostly short IWC trips, 200k budget keeping some in reserve for upgrades and a few years maintenance.

Hull form (displacement, semi-, planing)? Fast or slow? Number of engines? Number of staterooms/berths? Number of heads? Aft-cabin master or not? Flybridge or not? Galley up or down? Electric galley or propane? Generator or not? Laundry or not? Upper and lower helms? Or just upper, or just lower?

Et cetera.

What I would buy is likely irrelevant (but see avatar for an example).

-Chris

Astropin · 21-10-2020, 11:15

Quote:

Originally Posted by ranger42c

Hull form (displacement, semi-, planing)? Fast or slow? Number of engines? Number of staterooms/berths? Number of heads? Aft-cabin master or not? Flybridge or not? Galley up or down? Electric galley or propane? Generator or not? Laundry or not? Upper and lower helms? Or just upper, or just lower?

Et cetera.

What I would buy is likely irrelevant (but see avatar for an example).

-Chris

Part of the reason I asked what people would buy is because I'm not entirely sure at this point. To me, it would seem my parameters would lean away from Trawlers. Trawlers appear to be for longer extended stay trips or even liveaboards. Yes, they are great for ICW cruising but not if your primary focus is short day trips. My original plan was to do the loop. That would have been a Trawler for sure. Plans change.

The wife wants a permanent location (home or condo) and does not want to live on a boat. I can work with that. So now I'm shifting focus to having a home marina where I can save a little by purchasing extended docking (essentially a permanent spot). Making short trips from there and back again or even just hanging out locally on the water and then bring her in in the evening. That's probably what will happen most of the time. I'm hoping for a few longer trips sprinkled in once she is used to being on and staying on a boat.

Having room for friends or family would be nice also...but...they would likely also just come to hang on the boat for a day as well....not do a lot of overnight trips.

Oh...twin engines would be my preference. The boat I've had for the last 14 years has had twin engines and that has come in very handy a few times.

Cadence · 21-10-2020, 12:01

Quote:

Originally Posted by Astropin

I'm formulating a retirement plan (still roughly 7 years away, give or take a few years). My first big boat is part of that plan. I've been boating since I was 10 and driving boats since I was 12...so 41 years. But, all of those have been small open bow boats on inland lakes.

Ideally, I would like to get something in the 40ft range and diesel-powered.

ICW use of mostly shorter trips. Lots of day trips with some longer trips sprinkled in. Most likely will be living in the Carolina's or possibly Florida.

Budget - 200k (Including funds left over for several years worth of maintenance and initial upgrades). I figure after several years I will have learned enough to do more and more maintenance on my own and have the boat upgraded to where I like it...or maybe I get lucky and buy one just the way I want it. And yes...I realize I'll still need an annual budget for maintenance regardless of how much I learn to do myself.

I'm the type of guy who will want fairy recent electronics installed.

It sounds like you are looking for a real trawler or a motor sailor.
No draft or air draft problems. Capable of gunk holing in the Carolina, GA or Fla.JMHO

Astropin · 21-10-2020, 12:09

Its funny that people keep asking about or bringing up sailboats when I posted this the the power boat section.

Stewie12 · 21-10-2020, 12:11

Twin diesel displacement hull would be good for the ICW and you do not need a lot of electronics for that. Min 3 cabins and heads for your family. Fly bridge. There are plenty to choose from. GRP construction to keep the maintenance down.