One Boat or Two?

[dergon]

Hi all. Mrs_dergon and I have been starting to think about the next phase of our cruising lives. It's still some years away, but it's fun to think about.

I'm 47 now and we're both working full time. Our sailing time currently is limited to weekends on Lake Erie with a week here or there plus maybe a week of chartering in the winters. It is possible/likely that in a few years I will be able to go to part time work and increase the amount of time on the boat. I could anticipate a decade of life part-time before going to full retirement. I see us being part-time liveaboards for weeks at a time.

Here's the rub though. It would be likely that I would be taking no more than a few weeks off at a time, leaving me coming in and out from my work home city of Cleveland in all seasons.

I want to both be able to cruise in the Great Lakes in the Summer and "down South" (location TBD) in the Winter.

I don't anticipate being able/willing to commit the time to migrate the boat myself both ways on an annual basis.

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Have there been discussions on how to do both the Winter and Summer in the least financially insane manner possible?

It seems like the options could be to a) keep 2 boats, one up North and one down South, b) keep 1 boat and have it transported back and forth, c) get a trailerable boat (maybe a dragonfly tri ) and move it myself at will.

Other options could be rental or ownership programs etc.


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I know this is a few years away, but I'd love to hear what the community thinks.

Thanks!

dergon

[hpeer]

Only a damn fool would own two boats.

Don't ask how I know.

If they are of any size they can keep you hopping.

[Stu Jackson]

I've been aware of a couple of your options.

A friend from Chicago used to trailer his C22 down tot FL, with his C34 left on the hard off Lake Michigan during the winter. He did it for a few years, said it got tiresome, so found places down in the Keys he could get a house and a daysailor.

Another fella from NYC bought a second low to mid 30s size boat in FL near his condo, left his C42 on LIS on the hard during their winters. He did this for many years.

From my various readings on this and other boating forums, trucking gets pretty tiresome pretty quickly, and potential damages aren't fun to contemplate.

Good luck, happy planning.

[Ex-Calif]

Lots of options here from cheap to insane...

A second boat that you can liveaboard for a week or two is close to insane.

My strategy (although I don't have to escape any winters) is to look at where I might like to go for vacation and find out if I can charter there. It's a couple grand for a week, offset by hotel costs and I am not tied to any particular port.

Find like-minded friends that you can tolerate and share expenses.

Just don't blow up the financial plan. 47-57 you should be socking away the cash so you can get away sooner. Keep your eye on the prize...

[roetter]

Two - work for us.
Bahamas & Pacific Nort West

[markpierce]

Found life sufficiently complicated with only one boat.

[endoftheroad]

I have 2 boats that I absolutely love.

1981 glass Herreshoff 28 that's been around the world

And a 1974 westsail 32.

They keep my busy more than full time but I guess I'm kind of like a rapper that would be a gangsta on the streets or in prison if it weren't for rap music (my 2 lovely boats keeping me occupied).

[stillbuilding]

Well, can certainly "keep you hopping". Must be that cos there is not much in the pocket these days.
Have a new 66' steel Freya and a 60' project steel Freya.

Not too sure what I will do with the project - just too cheap to say "no". Not as cheap now of course!

It helps that I like the design.

Getting used to sailing bigger yachts!! The wife still loves me - maybe.



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[endoftheroad]

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[su2014]

you might want to consider fractional-ownership plans.much less maintenance and front-end costs. and later if you dont like the lifestyle you can sell your month or two etc and your out.i would look for ones that start with a new boat instead of moorings plan where you own the boat 5 years later when the genset,a/c etc have 5000 hours. unless you like fixing or paying to fix broken boat systems.fairwinds and godspeed.

[su2014]

Originally Posted by endoftheroad

I have 2 boats that I absolutely love.

1981 glass Herreshoff 28 that's been around the world

And a 1974 westsail 32.

They keep my busy more than full time but I guess I'm kind of like a rapper that would be a gangsta on the streets or in prison if it weren't for rap music (my 2 lovely boats keeping me occupied).

i remember reading that is was a westsail32 that survived the "perfect storm".must be a real seaworthy design i figure.fairwinds and godspeed

[dergon]

Originally Posted by hpeer

Only a damn fool would own two boats.

Don't ask how I know.

If they are of any size they can keep you hopping.

That's the big fear. I don't want something that I do for enjoyment to become a "job".

Originally Posted by Stu Jackson

I've been aware of a couple of your options.


.... trucking gets pretty tiresome pretty quickly, and potential damages aren't fun to contemplate.

Good luck, happy planning.

I thought about the "tiresome" factor. Hadn't considered the damages of regular transport. Thanks.

Originally Posted by Ex-Calif

Lots of options here from cheap to insane...

A second boat that you can liveaboard for a week or two is close to insane.

My strategy (although I don't have to escape any winters) is to look at where I might like to go for vacation and find out if I can charter there. It's a couple grand for a week, offset by hotel costs and I am not tied to any particular port.

Find like-minded friends that you can tolerate and share expenses.

Just don't blow up the financial plan. 47-57 you should be socking away the cash so you can get away sooner. Keep your eye on the prize...

The "charter when you want to go South" option is our current plan. But there's something about your own boat.... your gear, etc etc .. that just beats chartering. But chartering is definitely the lowest risk option.


And don't worry about the savings. I'm an aggressive saver and mrs_dergon is wonderfully frugal. If I can part-time at 50 and work a few more years without drawing on principal I should be good to go!

Originally Posted by markpierce

Found life sufficiently complicated with only one boat.

Yeah. The full two boat option seems lke a set-up for frustration.

Originally Posted by sugarbaby-dot-c

you might want to consider fractional-ownership plans.much less maintenance and front-end costs. and later if you dont like the lifestyle you can sell your month or two etc and your out.i would look for ones that start with a new boat instead of moorings plan where you own the boat 5 years later when the genset,a/c etc have 5000 hours. unless you like fixing or paying to fix broken boat systems.fairwinds and godspeed.

*Nods* Definitely on the list of considerations for the period of transition while I'm working part-time.



Thanks to all of you for replies.

Feel free to keep them coming... it helps me just to think things through.

[Stumble]

Not that it's ideal, but I keep thinking of something like a Corsair 37 tri. Large enough to live aboard, but trailerable (not on a weekly basis, but twice a year wouldn't be a huge issue.

[belizesailor]

Owned two mid sized cruising boats for a thankfully short time. It sucked for me. Way too much maintnance.

If you only anticipate having a few weeks per year why do you need to own the boat for the other 49? Charter.

[dergon]

Originally Posted by Stumble

Not that it's ideal, but I keep thinking of something like a Corsair 37 tri. Large enough to live aboard, but trailerable (not on a weekly basis, but twice a year wouldn't be a huge issue.

I'm right there with you. Am following the Cragonfly 35 vs. Corsair 37 thread closely.