How We Ended Up Buying a New Boat

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bowball said:
My process was to start used, for two reasons: 1. I wasn't sure how much I would use the boat, and wanted a year or two to decide whether or how big my "final" boart should be. 2. There was one immediately available, older than I wanted, that was conveniently located and had a well know service history with little usage. It made everything easy for me.

I assume that I will lose substantially on it when I sell, as I paid a covid premium and I am like all things I do over improving it. However, against the cost of a lost season or two, and making a mistake on my new order or relatively new boat by going too big or too small or even any boat, it seemed like a reasonable tradeoff.
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If I was younger - in 50’s - that would have the way I would behave. We simply think there is only one boat life left in us before health compels us to be land-lubber.
 
hrk, love your decision making logic. Since we have different goals we would never have chosen the boat you have even using the same logic but so what. Why others feel like knit picking your decision I will never understand. I have bought new boats and used boats because they fit my needs. Sometimes money means nothing compared to getting what you want.

I do like hearing your thought process and will enjoy following your journey on building not just a new boat but the first of a new model. My only advise would be to contact Steve Antonio, a forum member, and learn from him what a buyer should know about building a new boat. He has managed several new builds for customers and will be full of good insights.
 
guy with a boat said:
Financial analysis can certainly be part of a boat-buying decision without any illusion of making a profit. Often the goal with boats is to lessen (or at least consider) the overall cost to own from start to finish. Lowering the cost of ownership can be just as valuable as making a profit on another purchase or activity in the effect it has on overall finances.

I’m a finance guy to the bone, and also a big believer that often the most cost-effective purchase is often one that requires a higher initial purchase price for a higher quality product with lower maintenance cost and higher resale than the other choices. Seems to me that’s what the OP has in mind when he say financial decision.
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I look at it much the same way. How much will I pay for the fun I'll have. It's an expense through and through, just like taking a vacation or anything else you do for fun.


I have looked back at all the boat's I've owned and what owning them cost me, and thankfully they were all money well spent.
 
Great Story

Please continue…!
 
hrk said:
.....I will read and comment / reply for sometime in this thread but further new threads will move to Kadey Krogen forums or some other forums. Still getting used to how to navigate TF comfortably and in useful way.
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hrk, love the story, and the plans - all except this last. Please don't just tease us with a bit more, then hive subsequent posts off to a more narrow KK dedicated area or forum. Please keep us up to date as well.

And I'm not just saying this because I'm a moderator on here, but because even folk who don't own KKs will/would love to follow your progress, and vicariously enjoy your dream. Your story would slot nicely into the "Liveaboards' section on TF. Just sayin'... :flowers:
 
HRK, this should be your signature line "One boat life left". I relate to that having stepped away from boating for a few years only to get the bug one more time.
 
Quite right @Soo-Valley. I'm thinking of renaming my next (and last) boat from "Mako" to "My Last Hoorah"
 
HRK mentions “one boat left.” Why? I agree to manage it as a couple, but I look at all the fun trips that Tony Fleming still has, with a hired captain. Maybe another crew hand. At the price of these bigger boats, that’s not an outrageous extra cost.

Why isn’t that a possibility, for those at least that have the means? Or charters I guess.

And I absolutely want to hear more. Keep the posts coming!
 
I think there’s a thread somewhere here on TF about converting tugs. Conclusions included that it’s very romantic but very Impractical.
 
Certainly not practical to convert one but all the works been done on this boat. 9.5 gallons an hour running both diesels & the generator seems reasonable but I bet you could run 1 diesel on a passage & get that way down. Sure has a lot of character but so do Krogens when you compare them to most boats.
 
Comparing a 1946 tug to a brand new build trawler doesn't belong in the same discussion in my opinion.
 
It's not how big of a boat but rather, a COMFORTABLE boat, we can safely 'single hand' if necessary.
We can dream about crossing oceans but very few will do it.
Most of us will be coastal or ICW travelers.
Figure the boat you buy will be your 'last boat'. We never know when we will be called 'home' or our health gives out.

This is why I suggest a mid 30 to lower 40 foot boat. Pay attention to the air draft and water beneath the keel then, adjust your cruising area.
 
OldDan1943 said:
It's not how big of a boat but rather, a COMFORTABLE boat, we can safely 'single hand' if necessary.
We can dream about crossing oceans but very few will do it.
Most of us will be coastal or ICW travelers.
Figure the boat you buy will be your 'last boat'. We never know when we will be called 'home' or our health gives out.

This is why I suggest a mid 30 to lower 40 foot boat. Pay attention to the air draft and water beneath the keel then, adjust your cruising area.
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OD I tend to agree with you. I don't criticize the Op for wanting a 60 footer, but looking at the layout, there is an awful lot of below decks accomdations. Lots of room and beds and heads. I don't see the point if you are mainly a cruising couple. I'd think a boat in the 40's could provide ample living space for 2 w/o all the extra bedrooms. But that's just my opinion, and we all have them. I wish them all the best and look forward to more updates on their journey.
 
BandB said:
I don't question decisions as much as I do methods, other than when the decision is totally inconsistent. The point is I think you went through a very organized way of making a selection. Your process was good so I have to trust you made the right choice for you.

Only one thing I'd argue with, your mention of making a wise financial decision. There is only one when it comes to boating, don't do it. Otherwise, it's expensive and there is no right financial choice in boating, just some perhaps worse than others. I only buy new boats but will also freely admit they're unwise financially. Still I do it. That's fine. Just don't lead yourself to believe that finances led to your boat choice. No, your study did, followed by you falling in love with a new model and deciding it was the one. Nothing at all wrong with that.

I look forward to following your build progress and seeing you actively boating in a couple of years. And tell KK to put the 60 open on their web site so all can see the model.

Would I argue with some information in your post? Yes, but any two of us would argue about any boat. Few boats on which there's a consensus.
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Well said Band B. Thanks
 
backinblue said:
OD I tend to agree with you. I don't criticize the Op for wanting a 60 footer, but looking at the layout, there is an awful lot of below decks accomdations. Lots of room and beds and heads. I don't see the point if you are mainly a cruising couple. I'd think a boat in the 40's could provide ample living space for 2 w/o all the extra bedrooms. But that's just my opinion, and we all have them. I wish them all the best and look forward to more updates on their journey.
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I went through a similar process and ended up with 55’. I’m younger than the OP and not even a couple, but my logic was I wanted to have friends or relatives join and the smaller boats wouldn’t accommodate (no pun intended) that as easily. Since I wanted to experiment as to how much I would use this boat combined with how and whether people would actually join, I had to have the ability for them to comfortably do so. At times I think otherwise though.
 
bowball said:
I went through a similar process and ended up with 55’. I’m younger than the OP and not even a couple, but my logic was I wanted to have friends or relatives join and the smaller boats wouldn’t accommodate (no pun intended) that as easily. Since I wanted to experiment as to how much I would use this boat combined with how and whether people would actually join, I had to have the ability for them to comfortably do so. At times I think otherwise though.
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Absolutely no doubt that if you expect to have another couple or 2 or 3 staying with you for a few nights regularly. But for only a couple, it seems like a lot of empty rooms to be pushing through the water all the time. Nothing wrong with that if that's what you want, just isn't what I would do for the 2 of us with a rare overnight guest.
 
backinblue said:
Absolutely no doubt that if you expect to have another couple or 2 or 3 staying with you for a few nights regularly. But for only a couple, it seems like a lot of empty rooms to be pushing through the water all the time. Nothing wrong with that if that's what you want, just isn't what I would do for the 2 of us with a rare overnight guest.
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Completely agree. That’s why I think my boat could well be just for two years. Either go up or down in size. If I’m primarily by myself as a couple I could easily see going smaller happily. By my 70’s though, I’d probably go bigger and hire a captain.
 
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No insult intended to anyone, but if I was going to hire a capt to drive me around, I think I'd rather just go on occasional private charters or small cruise ships. And by small I mean dozens of people, not thousands. For the price of ownership of a large boat plus crew, you could do a lot of that in a year in a lot of places in the world.
 
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My current boat is a 36 GB classic woodie. This was a boat I saw in the 70's and over the years continued to want. How did I settle on size, could have gone 42, thought about it.

I had a 35 & 37, a very comfortable 30 all of which were great for a couple but without 2nd couple sleeping except in the Saloon.
The Tri cabin layout worked for my plans because;

1) We had a couple that would change their plans and often came with us, that has changed, so far just once in three years, we all are aging out
2) Everyone I know has asked for a ride on the new boat, but none were available on my timetable. I am not about to work on their schedule.
3) 36 is adequate for two of us because we do not live aboard, a 40-42 in that case.
4) moorage is cheaper on a 36 than a 42 and it does not make sense to pay extra for a little more comfort with our current cruising being weekend, week at a time or even two weeks occasionally.
5) less than 36 no longer seems comfortable enough for the two us and we do not want to sleep in the V berth.

Bowball I mention this because I think you are nuts or have too much money to buy a large boat to entertain friends & family and maybe sell in 2 years taking a financial hit for your efforts. (No offense meant)
 
backinblue said:
OD I tend to agree with you. I don't criticize the Op for wanting a 60 footer, but looking at the layout, there is an awful lot of below decks accomdations. Lots of room and beds and heads. I don't see the point if you are mainly a cruising couple. I'd think a boat in the 40's could provide ample living space for 2 w/o all the extra bedrooms. But that's just my opinion, and we all have them. I wish them all the best and look forward to more updates on their journey.
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Size and weight is also comfort at sea and at anchor.
We comfortably sit in anchorages in 30 knots hardly noticing the change in conditions that has 30 to 40 footers turned into vomitoriums and running for shelter in conditions which for them, would be pretty ordinary.
 
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backinblue said:
No insult intended to anyone, but if I was going to hire a capt to drive me around, I think I'd rather just go on occasional private charters or small cruise ships. And by small I mean dozens of people, not thousands. For the price of ownership of a 70 ft boat plus crew, you could do a lot of that in a year in a lot of places in the world.
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Since I suggested it, I will respond. That’s a very valid point and one which I will probably agree with at that point in life. Of course, many have multiple homes when renting hotel rooms or Airbnb would be more economical?
 
Soo-Valley said:
My current boat is a 36 GB classic woodie. This was a boat I saw in the 70's and over the years continued to want. How did I settle on size, could have gone 42, thought about it.

I had a 35 & 37, a very comfortable 30 all of which were great for a couple but without 2nd couple sleeping except in the Saloon.
The Tri cabin layout worked for my plans because;

1) We had a couple that would change their plans and often came with us, that has changed, so far just once in three years, we all are aging out
2) Everyone I know has asked for a ride on the new boat, but none were available on my timetable. I am not about to work on their schedule.
3) 36 is adequate for two of us because we do not live aboard, a 40-42 in that case.
4) moorage is cheaper on a 36 than a 42 and it does not make sense to pay extra for a little more comfort with our current cruising being weekend, week at a time or even two weeks occasionally.
5) less than 36 no longer seems comfortable enough for the two us and we do not want to sleep in the V berth.

Bowball I mention this because I think you are nuts or have too much money to buy a large boat to entertain friends & family and maybe sell in 2 years taking a financial hit for your efforts. (No offense meant)
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Well, I didn’t want people to think I was nuts but You may well be right and no offense taken my father certainly thought so too when I originally bought it so join the club! I’m still trying to figure out my next chapter as it’s all new to me being an empty nester and retired now. I hope I don’t sell my boat and everything - size etc - is perfect as I predicted (guessed) but I’m willing to adjust my circumstances to fit what the future holds for me. I made the best decision for me now given my predications about what might happen. But if it doesn’t I’m willing to adjust my boat selection even at a loss. Does that make sense? Less nutty?

You mentioned the other couple joined less as they “aged out.” What roughly is that age that couples are less willing or available to join?
 
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bowball said:
Well, I didn’t want people to think I was nuts but You may well be right and no offense taken my father certainly thought so too when I originally bought it so join the club! I’m still trying to figure out my next chapter as it’s all new to me being an empty nester and retired now. I hope I don’t sell my boat and everything - size etc - is perfect as I predicted (guessed) but I’m willing to adjust my circumstances to fit what the future holds for me. I made the best decision for me now given my predications about what might happen. But if it doesn’t I’m willing to adjust my boat selection even at a loss. Does that make sense? Less nutty?

You mentioned the other couple joined less as they “aged out.” What roughly is that age that couples are less willing or available to join?
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OK, having done crazy things then that makes sense.
Life changes, health & work get in the way. In the case of our still dear friends are now grandparents and designated babysitters. Also health issues crept in. Age can be anywhere, for us +60, then +65 things taken for granted start changing.
 
bowball said:
Since I suggested it, I will respond. That’s a very valid point and one which I will probably agree with at that point in life. Of course, many have multiple homes when renting hotel rooms or Airbnb would be more economical?
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Good discussions all around. I think you kind of missed my point though. Most boat owners enjoy piloting the vessel and doing all the other things like docking and anchoring. That's part of the attraction and sense of adventure and accomplishment. If you get to the point where it's just about being on the water and having someone drive the boat while you sit in a lounge chair and enjoy the view with a cocktail, there's better ways to do that than buying a bigger boat and hiring a crew. If that's what I wanted to do, I would rather travel to different parts of the world and charter a boat with crew or some sort of small size cruise ship. I think the experiences would be better at a fraction of the cost, but everyone has differnt ideas of what they enjoy, so my opinion is just that. It doesn't have to be right for you or anyone else. I don't think that's quite the same as having more than 1 home vs. staying in a hotel.
 
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