In the planning stages...

My wife and I have mad eht decision that we will follow our dream, purchase a trawler and eventually live aboard. We currently live a little over an hour from the coast and for now plan on keeping our house though we are selling some acreage and timber to help defray the costs of purchasing a boat, slip fees and the maintenance. Our current plan is:
1. Use the next year or so to find a boat we like in our price range (under 75k)that is in fairly good condition. I am mechanically inclined as well as good with carpentry, electrical, plumbing etc (we built our own house). So I am not afraid of some work but don't want a junker.

2. Keep boat on the Mississippi Gulf Coast for the next few years as I would like to be near my aging parents. More than likely will split time between boat and our current home. I work 14 day hitches offshore so I have 6 months to enjoy the boat and maintain it. The wife is ready to live aboard full time NOW! LOL

3. Eventually, sell our Mississippi home and land, move to the Florida keys and live aboard full time and fly back and forth to work offshore.

4. Finally when finances allow, retire to boat and cruise fulltime or who knows might just hang at a marina all the time...

So as I said we are in the planning stages. Finances shouldnt be too big a problem as we will be debt free in the next couple years if nothing big changes and we are conservative as we tend to be. My job schedule allows us the freedom to live pretty much anywhere and I have plenty of time off. We do not have children. We have both lived in close quarters before and actually enjoy it. Before we commit to liveaboard though we have decided to live in our camper for about a month just as a further experiment. LOL.

Although I havent seriously started searching for a particular boat I have the following thoughts/observations/ comments. From our research and our living style, the following things I think we are looking for. Please feelfree to advise, etc.

1. Outdoor space is very important to us. We spendthe greatest part of our day outdoors. We really like the sundeck model boats we have seen. We are willing to give up some interior space for niceoutdoor area. We love to cook and eat outdoors. Except for inclement weather we won't be spending much awake time indoors.

2. I am 6'6 but have worked and lived on boats so I understand that living slumped over is just part of it but I would like a boat with as generous headroom as possible.

3. Diesels--I am a fan as I am familiar with there characteristics in a marine and industrial enviroment. I can't really imagine having gas burners.

4. We dont care for speed. We like to putt around. Fuel economy and comfort is much more important to us. Most of our cruising will be ICW.

5. Galley--As we both likeoutdoor cooking,andthis is strictly for say breakfast and such usually, up or down is no big deal. We do want as big a fridge as possible.

6. Definitely want a flybridge boat (see outdoor comments above)

7. Would like a fairly shallow draft boat so that more places are accessible though dont want to sacrifice ride and steerage for a extreme shallow draft.

8. Twin or single screw--verdict still out on this.

9. A question--Are there any boats out there (in my price range) with Teak decks that arent rot jobs? I have to be honest and say I love them. I love wood and don't mind maintaining it (actually enjoy it) but dont want to have to deal with some of the issues I have read others have.

10. A finance question, I feel that finances will not be a problem but I will ask....I gross around 110K a year and as I said we should be relatively debt free by the time we live aboard. We live a fairly modest lifestyle. Do you think there would be any problems financially?

11. Any particular boat models that I need to know of that fit our desires? I realize it is just a matter of us looking and finding the one but if there are any that stick out I would like to look at those models first!

Okay...comments, advice, etc,etc

There are plenty of boats within your price range. However for what you want to do you will probably have to make some compromises in your expectations.

The chances are that the kind of boats you will end up looking at will not have teak decking unless they are very old or poor condition examples of boats that were built with this feature; Grand Banks, Island Gypsy, CHB, etc.

If you haven't already done so you might read over a thread on this forum titled Taking The Plunge. The situation of the person who started the thread is somewhat similar to yours.

Yes, I have found life is pretty much a series of compromise decisions! I have read the takingth plunge thread and have to say it is very inspiring as well as informative. Really, the only thing we require uncompromisingly is that the boat we choose be in good enough shape for the price, has adequate outdoor space and flybridge, and preferably diesel. All the other is as you said is a work in compromise. Main thing is that once we have the cash in hand to purchase in the next couple months, we are going to take our time until the right one comes along.

Slim,
What's eht? Essential hot topics?

Most of us try to think w our heads but in the over time it's surprising how many important decisions we make in life choosing w the other end. You will probably know when the right boat comes along and most likely your rear end will have a lot to do w choosing it? Don't fight it too much.

With your emphasis on outdoor space, I say "Flybridge." One with a grill. Now a nice aft deck is good too, but having a bridge just really increases your outdoor space.

eht is non-typing fat finger code for "the" LOL!

Yes, as logically/un emotional as I try to be when making financial decisions, I am sure my heart will have some say so in this decision. There again its about compromise. How much am I willing to trade for the "just feels right" of a certain model.

I agree that a flybridge is an attractive option that would fit our outdoor needs. I like to grill (big green egg--don't get me started!) and we enjoy eating "al fresco". Plus nothing ends the day like enjoying a sunset over the water with a scotch and cigar. Or a bloody mary sunrise to start off for that matter!

I really appreciate the input! This seems to be a great bunch of people here.

Sounds like a good plan to me! There are lots of marinas along the coast not far from you. Walk some docks, look at lots of boats and strike up conversations when you see owners on them. Don't take up too much their time if they are busy but most wil be happy to talk about their boats, cruising, and boats in general.
Good luck

Hi Slim and Admiral.

The only Big Green Egg we see in Oz is an Emu egg and those suckers would feed a tribe, good luck cooking one of them.

Best Wishes on the search for your chosen boat.

Regards.

David.

Manly Q. said:

Hi Slim and Admiral.

The only Big Green Egg we see in Oz is an Emu egg and those suckers would feed a tribe, good luck cooking one of them.

Best Wishes on the search for your chosen boat.

Regards.

David.

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His green egg is about as far out there as an Emu Egg.



It was a fad started by tv commercials and some have stuck with it religiously.

BandB said:

His green egg is about as far out there as an Emu Egg.

View attachment 39961

It was a fad started by tv commercials and some have stuck with it religiously.

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I like to think we're pretty much immune to fads and cults (trawler cults excepted). We were won over to the BGE by neighbors who use them regularly--simply put it's the best-tasting food we've ever had off a grill. Other egg-type grills may be as good, but you can have our BGE when you pry my cold dead fingers . . .

Hey! Anchor threads have been pretty scarce lately. How about a gas vs. charcoal discussion???

angus99 said:

I like to think we're pretty much immune to fads and cults (trawler cults excepted). We were won over to the BGE by neighbors who use them regularly--simply put it's the best-tasting food we've ever had off a grill. Other egg-type grills may be as good, but you can have our BGE when you pry my cold dead fingers . . .

Hey! Anchor threads have been pretty scarce lately. How about a gas vs. charcoal discussion???

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Most members of the BGE cult....excuse me...most proponents of the BGE have the same loyalty you do.

Toss electric into your gas vs. charcoal argument. On our patio we have gas which we love. We don't and never have or will do charcoal. But on the boat and also countertop at home we have electric grills which we absolutely love. No, they don't get as hot as gas, but they get quite hot and because of the lack of flames in many ways you can get more consistent results. No hot spots on the grill. I'm a big time griller at home and on the water. I first used electric indoor grills in NC when times of the year just weren't conducive to outdoors. At least 2/3 of all the meat we eat, we eat grilled.

angus99 said:

...

Hey! Anchor threads have been pretty scarce lately. How about a gas vs. charcoal discussion???

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GAS to cook FOOD!

CharCOAL to cook FOOD!

Oh, my. YUCK!

How about REAL WOOD! Get some real smoke flavoring, not COAL! How does GAS taste?

The only place gas should be in the path to cooked food is when the gas is in the chainsaw to make firewood!

Now that I have stirred that pot....

How to get wood to grill on a boat is a major concern of mine.

We may want to take this outside, errr, to another thread.

Back to the OP, I have to agree that outdoor space on a boat is very important. I was looking at really nice boat design yesterday when I noticed there was no out door space and no way to have a fly bridge. So what looked good at first was not so good after all for what we want/need.

Later,
Dan

Alert! Thread Drift here! Danger Will Robinson Danger!!!!

Thanks BandB.

We have something similar down under called a COB, yes charcoal brickettes. But as far as I know no cult following which has been noted in the newspapers yet.

Regards.

David.

Stop planning, start doing!

Don't worry about the grillage...

We wanted outdoor space more so than indoor but we are not live a boards . Our covered deck is about 11' x 12 ' or so, big for a 32 ' trawler . We love the space ,but it's a trade off .All cooking is done outside . We have a small frig and sink in wheel house ,with v birth ,head and walk thru door for engine room . Below aft deck is generator and a butt load of storage.
dannc, If you're wanting to grill with wood, do you think a pellet grill would work? You would need power for the blower and feeder.
Oh yeah ,Welcome to the forum

BandB said:

Most members of the BGE cult....excuse me...most proponents of the BGE have the same loyalty you do.

Toss electric into your gas vs. charcoal argument. On our patio we have gas which we love. We don't and never have or will do charcoal. But on the boat and also countertop at home we have electric grills which we absolutely love. No, they don't get as hot as gas, but they get quite hot and because of the lack of flames in many ways you can get more consistent results. No hot spots on the grill. I'm a big time griller at home and on the water. I first used electric indoor grills in NC when times of the year just weren't conducive to outdoors. At least 2/3 of all the meat we eat, we eat grilled.

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Had a $1k gas grill; gave it away. Have an electric at my apartment and it's certainly serviceable. But until you've tried a hamburger, Boston butt or pizza on a hardwood charcoal Kamado-type ceramic grill, you simply have been deprived. We have an extra large BGE at the house, but any well-made ceramic covered grill is probably equally superior to gas. Not a Kool-Aide drinker, just an easy choice for anyone with working taste buds.

These people are not role models!

Here's a new listing here on TF

http://www.trawlerforum.com/forums/...cht-cockpit-motor-yacht-20123.html#post330988

for a 1986 46 ft Jefferson CPMY. My buddy had the 42 ft version....same boat without the cockpit. Lots of useful living space, indoors and out. Flybridge, sundeck, cockpit and foredeck. No teak decks and very little teak trim. Probably among the best use of space in a boat this size, but you will find you go up or down steps moving from one area of the boat to another. Only areas without steps is galley to fwd head to fwd stateroom. Everything else is 3-5 steps moving between areas. Fortunately, the FB access is more step-like than ladder-ish.

I don't know anything about this boat or its condition, but he's asking $65K. It located in CT...a nice boat ride to MS.

I like a boat that brings the outdoors in and the indoors out. Here's my view as I type.

"We do want as big a fridge as possible."

The fridge will be your biggest electrical load when not operating and the noisemaker is shut down.

The Sun Frost folks make quite large well insulated 12v or 24v DC units.

You may have to remove a window to get it inside.

For weeks at anchor with no noisemaker propane units will do the job and also come in monster sizes .

The point is Specific Cruising requirements call for special answers to have success.

Budget the changes to get the boat systems you need , as both a Dock Queen or ICW cruiser may not have the systems you desire.

Research the std of living requirements you desire , and make sure they can fit aboard.

Slim
You might want to check out Ocean Springs MS. We stayed there for a couple of months on our way down from Indiana and loved it. It is still our favorite stop of everywhere we have been. Great and affordable municipal marina.

READY2GO said:

Slim
You might want to check out Ocean Springs MS. We stayed there for a couple of months on our way down from Indiana and loved it. It is still our favorite stop of everywhere we have been. Great and affordable municipal marina.

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We love Ocean Springs! My Mother in law lives just inland from there so we are very familiar with the area. The Occasional drive by that marina has kept the fire alive for our ambitions of being boat dwellers for years now. Actually that was the place that we were driving by when my wife said (just after we had built our house....)"I have always wanted to live on a boat!!!" So now you tell me! LOL

It is definitely high on the list. We are going tot he coast tomorrow for an early Mothers day dinner with the in laws and will more than likely spend the rest of the day bumming around the marinas. Planning our escape, if you will!

"Eventually, sell our Mississippi home and land, move to the Florida keys and live aboard full time and fly back and forth to work offshore."

And you will be prepared to either abandon the boat or run it to a safe place each time a Hurricane sweeps by?

FF said:

"Eventually, sell our Mississippi home and land, move to the Florida keys and live aboard full time and fly back and forth to work offshore."

And you will be prepared to either abandon the boat or run it to a safe place each time a Hurricane sweeps by?

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Not much running lately. It's been 8 years now.

Hurricanes are just a fact of life in the deep south. Leave boat, run it to hurricane hole, stay aboard and ride it out....all choices that can be made when the time comes. If I lived my life worried about hurricanes it wouldnt be much fun. I spent Andrew on a 135x35 towboat holding a fleet in the Mississippi river. Was offshore on a production platform for one I cant remember the name of. Ran from Katrina then returned to no power or water for a month. So boat or land, hurricanes are just something you have to deal with.