Grand Banks 32 as a liveaboard

[Grandbanks3642]

Hi all,
I am testing the waters and gathering info for potential live aboard boat options. One I am considering is a GB 32. I am pretty set on living on a GB, for a first livabord boat the 32 checks most of my boxes however I am a little concerned about lack of space. Has anyone ever lived on a 32 or similar? Another consideration is the 36 but as I am looking at glass boats the price increases pretty fast from the 32 (Budget 50-60, 65 max). Would insurance be hard to find? When looking at a GB what are some immediate red flags?

Any feedback helps

Thanks for looking!
Grandbanks3642.

 

[Swa]

I would go bigger. Red flags-lots of high maint teak, leaky teak decks,steal tanks and windows. Small vbirth etc 50-65k buys a lot more boat. Single 120 Lehman you will be passed by sailboats. Good luck

 

[JohnP]

I have owned both a 32 and 36 IslandGypsy there layout is the same as a GB. For liveaboard the 36 would be kind of the smallest I would go. I have been on Grandbanks42's and thats what I would get if I were you. There are other boats but you seem to want a Grandbanks so thats my suggestion. For your budget you might have a look at https://www.yachtworld.com/boats/1983/grand-banks-42-classic-3547294/

 

[Wayfarer]

No personal experience with Grand Banks myself, but 32 would be too small for me. 36 would be the smallest I’d consider.

 

[FF]

IF you have spent much time on a 32ish sail boat the GB 32will be fine.


The biggest hassle is usually downsizing from a roomy dirt house.


Vacuum Storage bags that can be kept for seasonal clothing are a great help.

 

[mvweebles]

25-years ago, I lived aboard a Willard 30, a relatively small 30-footer, smaller than the GB32. If you don't have a lot, you don't need a lot. I worked an office job and had my suits on a closet-rod on one side of my v-berth. I lived in San Francisco and cruised the boat regularly up the Delta with Cheryll. It was tight, but not impossible. Would not be my first choice for a liveaboard, but it does force some choices that, in a way, improves the liveaboard lifestyle. Definitely connected to the environment. But it is really easy to clutter-up so much that the boat is virtually impossible to use as a boat.

One suggestion I would make for a liveaboard is a stall shower vs a wet-head.

 

[RT Firefly]

Greetings,
Mr./Ms. 3642. Many, many variables are at play here. I think, for sure, whatever size you decide upon and living in the PNW the boat must be warm and dry.


Another deciding factor will be how much you anticipate actually cruising. IF you spend 95% of your time simply living aboard, you may get by with a vessel that is mostly dependent on shore power. Meaning an electric galley and no generator and possibly electric heat. One alternative IF you do cruise, in such a vessel, is spending most nights plugged in to shore power.


IF cruising a fair bit, a generator is VERY handy and possibly a necessity AND you will need auxiliary heat.



Consider your lifestyle, as well. How much space do you need to store your "stuff". Do you need a variety of clothing (suits, shoes, ski equipment etc.)? Hobbies? Tools? Books? Stamp collection? Cooking utensils? Kayak(s)? Fishing equipment? Will you be hosting/housing visitors, relatives, lady/men friends? Do you have a pet(s)?



Only you can decide how little space you can live in. We had a 34' Marine Trader double cabin and for myself, alone, I may have been able to survive aboard but it I would have found it quite claustrophobic if forced, by weather, to stay indoors for extended periods. 34' is completely out of the question for 2 of us for anything longer than a month, or so.



Go big or go home....Wait, what?

 

[Baker]

Not only is a GB32 a 32 foot boat, it is a small 32 foot boat. It surrenders a lot of space to wide side decks and large cockpit. I lived aboard a Prairie 29 for five years. Girlfriend joined me for three of those years. The Prairie was bigger than the GB32. Prairie also had at least three LARGE drawers and 3 medium drawers. And a relatively large hanging locker....all things that make living aboard easier. You seem emotionally stuck on the Grand Banks brand. If you allowed yourself to get outside of that, $60k could get you a better live aboard boat. But to answer your question, yes it can be done. You didn’t mention if you have a significant other. That can add a lot of complication to the equation.

 

[Fletcher500]

32 ft is small for a live aboard, but then again last night I watched a You Tube video of a guy in Indo who dug a small home out of the earth with a stick and he seems happy. Impressive feat. It’s all relative, and whether you can down size enough and are ok with a fairly small space on a long term basis.

 

[tiltrider1]

There is a bill in WA chambers re defining liveaboard uses on DNR land. If this bill makes it to law it will eliminate 80% of the moorage in WA form liveaboard use. Before investing in a boat, make sure you have moorage that allows liveaboards.

 

[Portage_Bay]

Do you have a link to the bill? Or text of the bill? Do you know who the sponsors (it that's the correct term) of the bill are? The reason I'm asking is having been a live liveaboard and may wish to again this bill hits close to home

There is a bill in WA chambers re defining liveaboard uses on DNR land. If this bill makes it to law it will eliminate 80% of the moorage in WA form liveaboard use. Before investing in a boat, make sure you have moorage that allows liveaboards.

 

[Grandbanks3642]

I have looked at this boat and it’s great except I would have to ship it to Washington some how, I’ve heard some horror stories that leave me skeptical to buy a boat that far away.
Thanks for the input!

Edit: this was in response to JohnP

 

[Grandbanks3642]

Thanks for the input, I would intend to cruise with the boat a lot, (weekends, a couple week long trips here and there). You raise a good point about the generator, that’s a point I’ve been thinking about a lot lately.

 

[Slowmo]

It looks like you may be in Seattle. If you're doing a live aboard I assume you'd not be under a cover? If so you may consider other boats. I was at a major boat yard a couple years ago and they were doing a major refit on a GB 32. Since I was interested in GB 42s I asked what issues the boats have. The foreman of the yard said the GB cabins and decks, especially older ones, can be real issues if moored outside. He said they'd had to do a number of significant repairs on GBs that were not kept under cover. The hulls are bullet proof but topsides not so much. He indicated the plywood that GB uses in their cabin cores wasn't, in his opinion, very good and rots easily. GB are like a Mercedes, very nice but also very expensive to own as they age- lots of maintenance and repairs (unfortunately I DO know about that first hand).

As to size, you'll have to judge for yourself if it's big enough. Just a suggesetion, you might want to look at an older Mainship 34. They have more usable space, a better galley by far, and as I understand it are far less prone to issues when sitting outside.

 

[Nomad Willy]

I have a 30’ boat w walkaround decks and she’s been a liveaboard at least twice. I’ve lived in Juneau Alaska and observed numerous people living on mostly small open boats w semi-clear plastic covering the open part of the boat. It’s a sight to see in January at night as the snow is lit up w a warm incandescent color light. You could call them “glow boats”.

Re the GB 32 it would be a fine liveaboard if it were a widebody but it isn’t. If the boat is super cheap and the hull and cabin good it’s suddenly a good liveaboard. But the #1 feature of a liveaboard is how much useable space is aboard.

 

[Larry M]

We lived on 2 different boats in the PNW. Size really matters in the winter. Between the cooking, breathing and heating, you’ll be dumping a lot of moisture into the interior including under the mattress. Fighting condensation will be a full time job. Yes you can do it, but I’d go for the 36 footer.

 

[Baker]

http://www.trawlerforum.com/forums/s9/monk-roughwater-41-a-48918.html#post843665

Like I said....if you are willing to consider other makes, then your options open up. This one is even in your area!!!

 

[mvweebles]

http://www.trawlerforum.com/forums/s9/monk-roughwater-41-a-48918.html#post843665

Like I said....if you are willing to consider other makes, then your options open up. This one is even in your area!!!

I came close to buying a Roughwater 41 back in the mid 1990's. Very liveable, bit of an unusual layout. I believe they are plywood deckhouses - here's a Yachtworld listing for a 1977 R41 in La Conner WA. Guessing by the beams across the cabin roof likely means a wood superstructure. Might want to look closely for rot.

https://www.yachtworld.com/boats/1977/roughwater-41-pilothouse-3471487/

 

[Pete Meisinger]

32 is too small, IMHO

pete

 

[WayneDana2]

Our marina in Portland will not accept liveaboards under 35 ft. Or credit scores under 650. And a good income. And references. Things are even tighter up in the Sound from what we found. Like years long waiting lists most places.

 

[tiltrider1]

Here is a link to the bill.

https://app.leg.wa.gov/billsummary?BillNumber=6027&Initiative=false&Year=2019

 

[Max Simmons]

32 would get awfully small during this long stretch of wet weather.

 

[SteveK]

Grandbanks3642
I first lived aboard a 37 allwest, then moved to a 30 catalina sail and found more usable room due to the floor plan. My new GF became my wife and I moved ashore. Together we settled on a 36 Grand Banks aft cabin style for our cruising comfort and V berth for guests. We do not live aboard but spend many days aboard.
If you are single and set on GB32 for price etc then it will work for you, live-a-board for two, not so much. Go with your budget and your heart in choosing a boat for today, worry about tomorrow when it gets here.

 

[psneeld]

Depends on your hobbies....activities off the boat...then a 32 is minimal but doable.


Want a dingy? Outboard....oars, gas, jackets, etc.
Like to fish? Tackle boxes, rods, reels, baits stuff, knives, cleaning board, etc....
Kayak? similar to dingy...


It's not just regular stuff that takes up precious space...but it's the extras that will may out every crevice...and if you like getting underway...better all these things have a place to go rather lying on the deck someplace.


People can vacation on almost any size boat...living on one will start to pair down what you like in life very quickly if you don't buy big enough.


This is my 3rd liveaboard and even a 40 footer nowadays is minimal and I am pretty simplistic.

 

[refugio]

GB will not survive in PNW unless under cover. 32 is indeed almost impossibly small to live on - zero working space for doing any kind of project. Agree that Roughwater can provide better value in a similar style and they’re somewhat common in PNW. Every aspect of living aboard is getting harder - waste management, insurance, shore parking - it’s not what it used to be.

 

[Bob Cofer]

Forum member “ebbtide” lives aboard a GB 32 in Seattle. I suggest contacting him for actual information vs opinion.

 

[Wayfarer]

Forum member “ebbtide” lives aboard a GB 32 in Seattle. I suggest contacting him for actual information vs opinion.

View attachment 99041

The best advice in the thread so far.

And if you’re really dead set on living on a 32, and you know in your bones that you can make it work, then by all means, give it hell. We all wish you the best of luck, and hope you enjoy it! You know you better than we do, after all.

 

[Redhook98]

Go find the size you think you are comfortable with, then go 5 feet longer. Minimum.. We have a 49ft RPH and I think it's too small for my wife and I. It's all about your own perception of space.

 

[Marlinmike]

As an old scientist friend once told me, it's all relative.....

 

[sbu22]

As a bachelor I bought my boat as a liveaboard. 43 with 14.5 beam. Good fit for me at the time. Comfortable. Of course, this was after Katrina had relieved me of a lot of accumulated stuff. I was running pretty light in those days.

Wife and I will go aboard for a week and it's feeling pretty tight by the end. For us, I think it would take a 55 Taiwan trawler configuration to make it work as a liveaboard. That's just us.

Remember interior volume varies by the cube of length.