Help! Quit my job and buying a boat!

[Rhwins]

A simple answer to a simple question; Islander Freeport; comes in 2 convenient sizes. shorter one is usually more expensive. I have never sailed on one (the simple answer part) but have drooled over a couple of them in Bristol condition and cried for the ones I could afford. ( I sail a 33' C&C, definitely not a live-aboard.)

[dkroar]

Always get a competent marine surveyor to check out your intended boat, but also, this website gives great information about what to look for in an older, (and newer) boat.
Marine Survey 101, Do your own marine survey

[hamburking]

Here you go:

44 45' Motorsailer Twin Engine Yacht Near Cabo in La Paz Baja Mexico | eBay

You're welcome!

[adlib2]

Certainly more than 40ft. My vessel is 43ft and has slept nine; however, for extended living I don't want more than two aboard.
Personalities can change considerably living on a boat.

[tdoster]

First advise. If you think buying a boat and moving the family on board is a great way to beat the cost of living and become closer as a family, think long and hard.

First, take your entire family and rent a 26' RV for a couple of weeks. Lock the door and don't let anyone out, including the dog. If after two weeks you are still getting along and can stand the smell, then you will be looking at a 40'+ boat, most likely an older Morgan OI or Endeavor in that area of the world that will fit the bill on size, and you have to go towards 50' if both adult children want their own personal space. You will definitely want to keep to a center cockpit split plan if you hope to keep some semblance of sanity in the long haul.

You can expect to have to put another 10-20K into either boat at the bare minimum.

[Juho]

Unchained,
You are setting quite a challenge for yourself. But I guess it might be doable.
- You will get good information on this list, so keep discussing
- Hire a good surveyor (people on this list might know the local surveyors)
- Clarify your thoughts on what kind of a boat is best for you
- What is the smallest size you are comfortable with?
- Will it be small trips when the weather is nice, or do you need a more seaworthy boat?
- With your budget I might be seeking for an older GRP boat that has been maintained well
- Save a considerable part of your budget for upgrades and maintenance
- One step at a time, with thought, don't rush to any problems (buying or sailing)

[captstu]

Save money for your divorce. For what you can afford with your budget, you have to grow up on a boat - the reliability and size won't support 4 adults for that price.

[Don C L]

Originally Posted by sailorchic34

Here's a Tayana 37 for $49k with a repowered yanmar that's probably 8 years old (the engine that is). Has two quarter berths of the kids, a big vberth, separate shower.

https://jacksonville.craigslist.org/boa/5366084605.html

I saw this boat, some time ago. Odds are the water and diesel tanks might need replacing and rigging if it's not new is probably 20 years old or older and in need of replacement. If the rigging and sails are newer then 10 years, it would be a great boat for $45K. Not a bad boat for maybe a $45k ish offer.

For a family of 4 a bigger boat would be ideal, but for the money it has a fair amount of storage.

Leaves enough for a bit of fix'n and even cruising.

Edit: Actually Boaties Boat would work better for 4 people, if you have the money.

Yeah, I thought that both of those are good suggestions! The Tayana is nice in that you'll have some money left over for "stuff." It looks like you'll be able to get there from here.

[Don C L]

Originally Posted by reed1v

Knew a family with two little kids all living quite well on a Cal 24. They sailed most of the Pacific.

Now THAT is impressive! Or, maybe, a little crazy.

[Zhim]

Heck if I can do it alone with under 2k in the bank I'm sure you and your family can do it for 65k.

Obviously you will need enough space to be comfortable, but keep in mind that bigger boats are more to maintain (or so I'm told by all these guys in catamarans around me). Only you and your family know what you'd be comfortable with so get on some boats and talk honestly with each other, kids included.

First hand experience is the only way to really know. If you have a size in mind, your budget more than allows for a rental sort of trial on board. If you can't find a real business just go to the marina and ask around, so far it seems to me that these ocean folk love talking about boats. A case of beer in your hands never hurts your chances of making friends haha. Surely you'll find someone who knows someone who's friend's uncle owns a boat right in the size you're thinking of and would let your family spend a couple nights on it just to see how you like it, for a small fee?

Just a few days ago I was hanging out with a family of four who live on a catamaran and sail around. Wonderful people. They didn't have a dog but I don't think dogs are as picky about space as people. The layout was a master bedroom and bathroom on one side, kitchen up top, and two bedrooms to the other side for the kids. The downside is learning in a catamaran that size may be tough, I don't really know at all though. I look a fool enough with my "sailing for dummies" in hand as I try practicing with one of my three (don't even know which is the right one) jibs in the little open area by my marina.

[JPA Cate]

Originally Posted by Lizzy Belle

Welcome to CF, unchained!

Listing every boat that sails and is under $65k will take us months ... (polite way of saying we're not going to do that ). There's websites already listing boats for sale.

How much sailing experience do you all have? What kind of sailing are you planning on?
Have you looked at boats? If so, which ones do you like?
Plastic, steel, aluminium ..? Monohull or cat?
What size are you thinking?
How many people will live aboard full-time - just you and your wife, or the adult kids (!) too?
Do the adult kids each want their own cabin with their own heads as well?
Does your $65k also include all the necessary upgrades etc.?

There are many websites listing boats for sale - go through them and see if you can find some boats everybody who has to live on it full time agrees on. List what a boat has to have (number of berths etc.) and what you would like (but isn't a dealbreaker) and see how many boats you can find that fit - if it's really 4 adults and a dog, it'll be a challenge for that budget, to say the least ...

On edit:

"Quit my job" ... not sure how you'll pay for all the maintenance, slip fees etc. - hope you have money set aside for that too. Buying a boat while unemployed isn't the best move (IMHO) but obviously, your choice Did you already check with marina's to see if they have a slip for you, if you're allowed to live aboard and do you know the costs involved?

^^^^^ Great post Lizzy Belle!

Unchained, the success of this plan is going to depend a very great deal on your, your good lady, and the 2 adult kids. I think it is doable in theory, but it is a difficult time in your lives to be trying this experiment in in-your-face living. If your adult kids can share a berth, it will be easier to select the boat. One huge difficulty is where to store your working clothes, 'cause some of you are going to need jobs.

A rule of thumb I have seen expressed here is that of your total budget, spend no more than half on the purchase of the boat. The rest will go for upgrades and repairs. In your price range, then, you're looking at progressively smaller and older boats. You will be lucky to find something suitable, and if there are 4 adults involved, then 4 people will have to okay the situation. It is a time of life when adult kids are needing to separate from their family of origin, in order to live their own lives, and it may be that they will have little or no say in the situation. You and your wife will have to decide how much input and of what nature you will accept from them.

If they are to have little input, then just choose the boat for yourself and your good lady, with her input, of course, and the kids can like it or leave it. You do risk acquiring a sailing addiction, you know, and may not want to sell the boat at the end of the magic two year period.

It seems a worthy project, full of challenges. Remember they say that what doesn't break us strengthens us.

Good luck with it.

Ann

[Scout 30]

Originally Posted by sailorchic34

Here's a Tayana 37 for $49k with a repowered yanmar that's probably 8 years old (the engine that is). Has two quarter berths of the kids, a big vberth, separate shower.

https://jacksonville.craigslist.org/boa/5366084605.html

I saw this boat, some time ago. Odds are the water and diesel tanks might need replacing and rigging if it's not new is probably 20 years old or older and in need of replacement. If the rigging and sails are newer then 10 years, it would be a great boat for $45K. Not a bad boat for maybe a $45k ish offer.

For a family of 4 a bigger boat would be ideal, but for the money it has a fair amount of storage.

Leaves enough for a bit of fix'n and even cruising.

Edit: Actually Boaties Boat would work better for 4 people, if you have the money.

Wow! That's a lot of boat for the money. I've always been a fan of Tayanas & the pilothouse is a big plus in my book. This would leave 20k for repairs & upgrades. Are you looking for 3 staterooms? If so you're talking a very big boat on a pretty small budget. Not a good way to start. Big boats have really big maintenance bills. Also, have you priced marinas In the Keys? Ouch

[robert644]

what's the job market in the keys like ?

[Terra Nova]

Originally Posted by Unchained

My wife 2 adult children and our dog are looking for a liveaboard that is in good sailing conditions. We will be living in the key and need to move this June. Our budget is a maximum of $65,000. All and any information is very helpful as this is all new to us.

You have a lot of learning to do before you begin shopping for a boat. Take your time and sail on a great variety of boats before deciding what to buy.

[The Garbone]

2 adult children that want to live on a boat. Easy, drop them off at a Navy recruiter on the way out of town. They can sign up as deck apes and learn the ropes.

Buy a 30 to 36 sized boat and have a good time and not go broke feeding two extra mouths.