Dreams - make them good and make them big.

[David_Old_Jersey]

180 foot is big, but not that big (in ship size) - probably quite feasible to run (in some luxury, at least on the owner's decks) on $1/2 million a year.

How? Well, we are all familiar with the term OPB - there is also the term OPM......Other People's Money . Not talking about robbing a bank - but always folks with cash looking to invest in "stuff". In a former life I had a freind of a freind whose second cousin once met a man in a pub who knew about "stuff". 1/2 a mill is not an impossible figure for the right idea - and in principle no more difficult to obtain than a million. So may as well wrap the project around generating a million a year - just to cover expenses .

Buying (or building) the ship is the easy part, speccing it up and modifying will be the time consuming part - I appreciate that Anjou doesn't want to take on another build personally, but for something that would generate the income required would take her the next 50 years to DIY! - so will "only" need to project manage others. If willing to compromise a bit won't even need to pay for the bloody thing .

Given the fairly limited budget probably won't be able to keep a helicopter onboard, at least not 24/7 - but that sort of capacity is pretty much a requirement nowadays, turn up anywhere without one and folks will think you are a peasant . or worse - new money (even if you are, no need to look like it ).

The key is of course to ensure the vessel earns it's keep (as well as the core purpose of keeping Anjou in the style to which she would quickly become accustomed ) - a squillion ways to do that, but more on that tommorow..........

[Wotname]

Originally Posted by David_Old_Jersey

........

The key is of course to ensure the vessel earns it's keep (as well as the core purpose of keeping Anjou in the style to which she would quickly become accustomed ) - a squillion ways to do that, but more on that tommorow..........

Hmm... gotta disagree ... The core purpose is to help Anjou sleep at night as counting sheep is getting old. Reference: post 1.

Try to keep up to speed here and focus please.

[Johnny Cruiser]

I agree with wotname and would bet bottle of booze it is M/V Big Dreamship as:
1) No mention of sails and her barge history as wotname mentioned.
2) Looking @ couple ships in this range and the aluminum ships empty were in the 500 ton range. The steel ones were in the 700+ ton range.
She mentioned 1000 ton ticket. (even heavier)
3) Seems too heavy to be a sailing vessel in the 180' range even with steels hull hence must be a motor vessel.

seems like a good "educated" (from my brief sailing) guess while others will call it a SWAG!
(scientific wild as_ guess)

Johnny

[deckofficer]

I was also thinking of Dashew, not big enough, well at least your dreams are big.

[Johnny Cruiser]

Originally Posted by GordMay

Michael Kasten has written numerous excellent articles on metal boats
➥ Articles by Michael Kasten - Kasten Marine Design, Inc.

Including:
➥ http://www.kastenmarine.com/_pdf/mbqMetRef.pdf
➥ Aluminum Strength vs Steel Strength
➥ Aluminum For Boats
➥ Is Steel Too Heavy...?
➥ Metal Boats For Blue Water - Kasten Marine Design, Inc.
and many more ...

GordMay


Very informative post. 2 excellent articles you referenced.

Johnny

[David_Old_Jersey]

Originally Posted by Johnny Cruiser

I agree with wotname and would bet bottle of booze it is M/V Big Dreamship

My guess as well - but IMO no bad thing. Sometimes it is important to get places. and to move from some a bit of speed can be useful. No reason why cannot fit a sailing catamaran on the stern - something like an Outremer. if that in turn had a cat style RIB on the stern (and Anjou went for the Cat idea for the mothership) she would have created a Cat inside a Cat inside a Cat ...a change from the usual Birds (one for the Gourmets amongst ya!)

[minaret]

Originally Posted by David_Old_Jersey

My guess as well - but IMO no bad thing. Sometimes it is important to get places. and to move from some a bit of speed can be useful. No reason why cannot fit a sailing catamaran on the stern - something like an Outremer. if that in turn had a cat style RIB on the stern (and Anjou went for the Cat idea for the mothership) she would have created a Cat inside a Cat inside a Cat ...a change from the usual Birds (one for the Gourmets amongst ya!)

I believe around here they call that a Turducken, as in a turkey stuffed with a duck which is stuffed with a chicken.

[Wotname]

Mind you, I have just finished reading Eric Newby's "The Last Grain Race" which featured the 4 masted bargue "Moshulu" (ex "Kurt").

Now here is a steel hulled sailing boat (no engine) at 320 ft with 47 ft beam, 5,300 tons d.w., 3,116 gross, 2,911 net. Definitely a RTWer, Cape Horner and pretty fast even if not a cat.

So lets not rule out sail unless Anjou doesn't all those sailors going aloft!

PS, I have heard that this vessel is now a restaurant somewhere in the eastern USA, anyone know more??

[deckofficer]

Ok then, here is the ship for you. 499', medium speed diesels, berths for over 100. Just dress like a midshipman, walk from the campus down to the pier (short walk), slip the lines and off you go.
BTW, currents are stiff during tide shifts, plan on slack time.

[Wotname]

Originally Posted by deckofficer

Ok then, here is the ship for you. 499', medium speed diesels, berths for over 100. Just dress like a midshipman, walk from the campus down to the pier (short walk), slip the lines and off you go.
BTW, currents are stiff during tide shifts, plan on slack time.

Any guns on board?

[deckofficer]

No, merchant training vessel Golden Bear. CMA.

[s/v Beth]

Come on, if I going to have a ship that big it ought to have one or two big guns. just for cruising around Somalia of course.

[deckofficer]

Dr Newt, I'm surprised. I thought you were a pacifist? I was lucky enough to train on that Golden Bear my senior year and the old steam turbine Golden Bear my freshman year that CMA had from the late 40's.

[anjou]

And so it shall be.

Ive summed up so far and feel the best option will be a steel cat, with big diesels and no sails. Room aboard for 60+ guests etc.

That leads on to a few new questions, apart from the obvious anchor one, you can think about that in the meantime............

Crew. Got to have some crew. Captain of course and his side kick, a first officer. Big diesels, aircon, gennys, water makers, etc all need looking after so thats a chief engineers job.

I sure dont wish to be tied to the galley all day, so theres an opening for a chef
I also dont want to be swabbing decks, doing dhobies or playing chamber maid, so I need a house keeper too.
Maybe a deckhand? Could polish brightwork and pipe guests aboard? Wait tables too?

Ok. 6 Crew seems modest but I dont want to blow the budget on staff wages.
I deffinately think some of the guys should be ex military and know how to handle trouble if it wants to board.
See, the problem with a nice ship like this here dreamboat is people will make assumptions and figure I got a bunch of money, and im sure they might want to rob me of it.

That brings me to the reality of protection. Ive taken advice and feel we would best defend ourselves with 1 x AK-100mm\70cal and 2 x 50mm chain gun hole punchers mounted on turrets.


Im realy pleased now. Its helping me sleep easier to know my dreams are taking shape but you gotta keep these ideas coming.

Now ive got to give some thoughts to the budget............

[Wotname]

Might have to up the budget a bit for more galley staff. One chef and a part time waiter doesn't seem enough to keep 60+ guests fed and watered.

IT, comms, TV, medic, safety could all be rolled into one position.