45-50 ft. Bluewater with a bright interior?

[DavidJH]

Originally Posted by DavidJH

Wow, this does look like a fantastic fit! Huge boat, reasonably priced used, a true blue water cruiser with along keel and protected rudder. 300 Gallons of water. I don't have the exact STIX number for that model (as its no longer made), but the ones I do have number for are around 50 which is fantastic. I am also surprised how bright their interior is all the way back to the original designs in the early 2000's. Found this one which would work great and is in our price range: https://www.yachtworld.com/boats/200...g#.WzD-rC2ZNN0

Thanks for pointing this out!

Just following up my last post: I found the stability ratings for the Island Packet 485:STIX 66 with an AVS of 143! I think that is the best ratings I personally have ever seen on a boat since I began to look.

[2big2small]

From a Yachting Monthly article:

“To be classified in the ‘A’ category, boats have to score 32 or higher on the STIX scale. ... My own sense is that Category ‘A’ is not conservative enough. Given that the STIX number is considerably affected by the length of a boat, with longer boats scoring higher numbers, for offshore work I consider a better rule to be as follows: the STIX number should be at least equal to the length of the boat in feet – a 40ft boat should score 40 or higher.”

[SteveSadler]

Yes we need light. I assume you are buying new with no financial restrictions.
Cats are full of light on the bridge deck and generally preferred by wives and non sailors. However this light wish also introduces sunlight which is brutally hot.
If you chose a boat with lots of ports for light, you need to use 3m 90% sun block or your windows or they will be covered in shades forever..
We discovered this on our Jeanneau 49ds. Lots of light here.
Also if you don’t like wood you can refit with Formica laminates for your cabin sole, bulkheads to your taste.

[Ericson38]

Taswell All Season Models

44,49,56 ft

http://www.jordanyachts.com/archives/5776

[Van Der Beek]

I prefer darker wood over lighter wood myself, when you sail in the tropics you will eventually want to get out of the sun and the heat, and it is much nicer to retreat into a darker interior than a light bright one, you don’t wanna have to use sun shades inside the boat either, you want your eyes to rest and relax a bit.

I would pick a darker interior and play around with LED lights and the color of the upholstery instead.
My 2 cents.

Added.
You don't’ want too much space on a sailboat either, it becomes dangerous in rough seas if you are thrown around and not able to brace yourself properly moving throughout the boat. If you want that much lebensraum then buy yourself a catamaran instead of a sailboat.

I've been in the market for a "new" sailboat for some time now, been looking at Amel again, Oyster 46, Oyster 485 and Oyster 54. I've even been looking at some aluminium sailboats from Allure and Boreal as well, however, they are all AC which means I'd lose all that deck space. And I need it for fishing, diving, working, and my girlfriend loves the space for Yoga and entertaining.

[daletournier]

I prefer lighter more airy interiors.The photos below are of sistership Catalina 470, which is almost identical to mine. Im not that tall but having lots of headroom adds to the feeling of space.

[Yoty]

If I may address the "learning to sail", first.
How many of us started with a centreboarder ?
Lot of safe mistakes made at a time when we repeat, repeat, repeat and understand with depth and breadth, the nautical do's and don'ts.
As a senior citizen we have foundational 'sea and sail know how' and a confidence to go big and comfortable, or do a "Pardey", or Lt. Col. H.G. "Blondie" Hasler.

Secondly, thanks to the collective chiming in by all who are doing the insane, wonderful, moving feast that is soft aerobics on the water.
Wealth of common sense from you interesting sailing ages..

[schiehser]

I think what you are looking for is a seaworthy catamaran. There are many advantages of a cat which are all wel-documented. One of these advantages includes a light and bright interior that is very livable.
Good luck!
Mike

[Fishbaugher]

Caves are two things. They are both DARK and SMALL. You can address both issues on boat by 1) Choosing a boat with an open plan and 2) Adding as much light as practical.

We lived aboard an Island Packet 38 for about 3 years and it was our third boat. The open plan was fantastic... you could sit on the forward head and see all the way to the stern if the doors were open. Often people would say she felt like a 45' boat inside. I credit that to very well thought-out open floor plan design and good lighting.

The second thing I did was add LOTS of LED lighting. I replace or reworked every fixture for maximum lumens (warm white color temperatures is what I preferred). The result was a well lit open space feel on a 38' vessel that is known for its blue water abilities.

Our vessel is currently for sale in Rio Dulce Guatemala.

[White Cloud1]

https://www.calibreyachts.com/broker...ater-cruising/

Here is beautiful design, that is superior in strength. Something you want when sailing the open oceans. Its not breaking the bank and its wide beam makes her very comfortable to live on. Have a look at the link.

[Caliber40]

Older Caliber 47’s (actually 48) are very bright inside and I think there’s one availabile in Fla....contact Caliber Yacht Brokers at 727-515-9444

Caliber 47 are excellent blue water boats which carry 275 gallons each water and diesel....I own one and would take her anywhere.

GG

[Ronaldvenk]

Think about a custom build yacht interior style and layout special made.
The pilothouse yachts Enk-Sail in aluminium and Noordkaper in steel are real blue water sailors. https://gebrvanenkhuizen.nl/enk-sailing-yacht/?lang=en

[stargate]

If your looking for a "real" live aboard for a family , check out 67ketch.com. It's an incredible vessel and well priced. No harder to run a 67ft than a 50 ft. Best of luck finding your boat!

[seabum]

Unlike plastic, wood "breathes"; this helps greatly in managing the inevitable humidity in a cabin - especially when you live aboard! Builders generally use woods that withstand this humidity better, and as far as I can tell those tend to be darker colored woods (as opposed to, say, pine).

[EricSmith]

Just a couple of thoughts.
>The Jeanneau 490 you were considered is, in fact, a Category A offshore cruiser.
>Displacement at this stage of boat evolution is not the measure of an offshore boat's suitability for it's purpose. If that were the case, airplanes would still be made of spruce and plywood.
>I haven't seen as a part of your discussion what percent of your time will be spent making passages and what percent in port or at anchor? Weighing the factors of brightness and ease of getting around--the boats, the beds and everything else takes on more meaning when you give fair weight to the time you will be stationary rather than on passage. Painting the boat white, doesn't get it done. Light colors, sure, but windows in the coach roof and hull that give viewing out also must weigh into the decision.
>Personally, as all the press is saying, Jeanneau is really on to something here. There has never been a boat with some of these innovative ideas--such east to get around with inclined side decks that lead directly into upright entry into the cockpit, etc. All of this is capped with exceptional room and stability (thanks to the modern use of hard chines that create both more volume inside, and stability in higher wind ranges, and twin rudders which makes steering at all angles of heel a fingertip control issue.

The video offers a detailed walk through, not just romantic clips.