Question regarding beam implications

[moparharn]

My search goes on, and on ,and on. One of the boats I am seriously considering has a 16 foot beam. I am searching in the 38 to 54 foot length and seeing beams ranging from 13'6" to 16 feet. This particular boat is 50 feet long.
I know that both of the marinas I use for service and storage are limited to 15' beam in their travel lifts/hoists. I am not sure exactly what the boat well sizes are in my area, and probably need to make some phone calls on this.

Is there a point at which beam becomes a bigger issue? Is beam an issue in doing the loop? Storage? What things am I missing or should be considering here that I may not be aware of? Is 50 x 16 unusual?

Thank you for any input you might give me that would help in making a better decision in my boat purchase. Bill

In case more information is needed as to my search parameters:

Length 38 to 54. I think 42-49 is more of a sweet spot.
Beam- who knows,I just assumed I take what I get.
Draft- prefer under 5, but would consider up to 5 1/2
Construction- prefer steel /aluminum, but will take dry composite.
Power- prefer single diesel, but would consider twins capable of prolonged hull speed runs.
Wants- good water access, or clear plan for creating it. clear access for washing and driveline maintenance. A boat friendly to a larger person with significant arthritis issues.

 

[Woodland Hills]

Our beam is 18’6” and we have never had a problem getting hauled if we needed. Not every yard can do it but there is always one around that can. We also have a 5’6” draft and it has not been too inhibiting, although there have been times looking for an anchorage that I am envious of those that draw 3’6”! Still, the huge increase in interior volume more than makes up for any down side: you appreciate the extra storage and living room everyday.

BTW, Hatteras made 18’6” beam boats as short as 56 feet....... ours is a 58’ motor yacht with a factory 5’ cockpit. A 49’ boat has all of the same equipment as we do, there is just less room around it to service it.

 

[Comodave]

A 16’ beam isn’t unusual. We had a 46’ boat previously and it had a 16’ beam. It also had a ton of room because of the beam. If you are considering doing the loop then I would try to keep the draft under 5’. The Trent Severn Waterway will allow up to 6’ draft but if you draft over 5’ you do have to sign a waiver for damages.

 

[caltexflanc]

Our beam is 18’6” and we have never had a problem getting hauled if we needed. Not every yard can do it but there is always one around that can. We also have a 5’6” draft and it has not been too inhibiting, although there have been times looking for an anchorage that I am envious of those that draw 3’6”! Still, the huge increase in interior volume more than makes up for any down side: you appreciate the extra storage and living room everyday.

BTW, Hatteras made 18’6” beam boats as short as 56 feet....... ours is a 58’ motor yacht with a factory 5’ cockpit. A 49’ boat has all of the same equipment as we do, there is just less room around it to service it.

To be precise, the beam of that series is 18'2" and draft 5'. I had a 56MY for years, and am very familiar with all the flavors up from there.
We never had any real issues finding dockage or travel lifts here on the east coast, and I know there are several big Hatterases and the like, on the Great Lakes, including a whole bunch of the 15'10' series which drew slightly less than 5'

 

[HenryD]

We Looped in 2016 in our boat - a 47' trawler with 16' beam, and 3' draft. We did not have issues with the beam and really enjoyed the shallow draft, allowing us to anchor cruise in areas that concerned others. The air draft is a concern for many of the 45+' boats but we only need 16.6 feet for bridge clearance ( easily done since the mast is on an electric winch).

 

[Fletcher500]

Less beam is a good thing in Southern California in regards to dock access, but sounds like you are in the Midwest. For our final boat, and I am standing by that per my promise to the Admiral, I also wanted to be in the same boat length range you are focused on, but did not want to be >49 ft. Same reasons; dock availability, moorings, etc. If we lived in FL or other areas with more access, I wouldn't mind being >50 ft.

 

[moparharn]

Thank you everyone for your input. It looks like I need to call around and see what impact and extra foot of beam could have on my ability to get serviced or get docked for travel. I expected to own a boat by now and made some phone calls in the fall to see where I could store the boat indoor heated for the winter. To my surprise there was not a single place I could find indoor heated storage. I expanded my search northwards from Detroit as I expected to be coming from the north down to the Detroit area. I worked may way up past Tawas and around to Charlevoix (maybe leave the boat up north for the next boating season). Nothing. Zip. Zero. It did not matter what I was willing to pay. No marina would guarantee me a spot.
So I decided to use the my "old faithful" marina for me and store it outdoors and stretch wrapped. My guy said "what's the beam?". I said "not sure yet as I am still in the process". He said " if it is under 15' I can help you, if it is one inch over 15' I cannot", "does it have rub rails or flares that are not in the beam measurements?". Again " I don't know".

My plan was to be coming down late, just before ice in or marina closures. That is not the time to find out that you have no place to stay for the winter. I realize that I could have reached out to other marinas for outdoor storage, but there was enough concern regarding the boats beam that I realized I sure don't know what I don't know. This 15 foot beam sure seems like a magic number in more than a few conversations with lift operators. It seems that 15 feet is a common size limit for the more common lifts around here.
Thank you again for your thoughts. Bill

ps- I know I could bubble almost anywhere, but I am unwilling to consider it. In a pinch or disaster I would have had to do it.

 

[Comodave]

Here at our boatyard beam isn’t the determining factor, rather weight is. Our boatyard lift can do 30,000 pounds so we had to buy a boat that was less than that. He says ours is the heaviest boat they lift based on the hydraulic pressure that he uses. We don’t store at Inland Marine but did you try Inland Marine in Au Gres? 989-876-7185. They have heated indoor storage.

 

[moparharn]

Dave,
Yes, I called them. I called everyone. even Drummond Island. Two of the boats I am considering are 55,000 and 65,000 pounds respectively. When I threw 65,000 at Tashmoo on Harsens Island (where I usually indoor store) he was not at all concerned. As soon as we hit 16 feet on the beam it was a no go. I have seen some pretty big boats in his buildings. i guess none of them were over 15 feet on their beam.

If this exercise comes up again I will be looking southward instead. Colony and Gregory handle some big stuff, and so does Toledo beach. If I end up with a boat this year, winter storage will be the first thing I attend to.

 

[Pete Meisinger]

I know there is a boat for every person who wants to boat. But as we all know, buying any boat involves some type of compromise. At least for all but the very most wealthy of owners.

Again, excepting the very most wealthy of owners, I would predict that every boat owner, sooner or later will have to find themselves in the engine room, in a confined space in a head or with your arms into a wiring closet. Emergencies happen.

Inside heated storage is generally about 4 to 6 times more expensive than out outdoor storage. So if your marina wants about $2,000 for outdoor storage, inside storage will be around $4,000 and indoor heated will be between $8,000 and $10,000. If you can afford it and can find it good for you.

But the catch is that at some point in time you will have to get your "large, arthritic" body either into your bilge or up a ladder to prepare for storage or shrink wrapping.

If it were me, i would steer my boat choices toward a smaller more easily maintained boat.

What is nice about a smaller boat is that there is never a question if I will be able to find a lift which can handle me, never a storage problem, never a transient dock issue and if I can't put up the framework for a shrink wrap the wrappers can do it for a few bucks. BTW. I have a custom tarp made for only a few thousand $$. A 50 foot by 16 foot custom tarp would probably cost $10,000 and would weigh 500 pounds and would come in so many zippered sections it would really take an able bodied expert to assemble.

Think small..

pete

 

[moparharn]

I appreciate your comments Pete. My last boat was a 35 Bertram, indoor heated was $2750 if paid before September 15th. Outdoor was $1700 plus another $400 for stretch wrapping. The extra $650 was worth it to me so that I could work on the boat all winter if I wanted to.

As for access, the "Large" boats I am looking at both have no flybridge and both have a walk in engine room. One has great water access and the other has a nice work around for getting into and out of the water. I have looked extensively for almost four years now and feel I am getting better at understanding my needs. I have considered smaller boats, but the only boats that work for me are wide open work boats and trailerable, otherwise I want some room for what I perceive my needs to be.

As they say in the car sales world- "There is an ass for every seat". I just need to find my seat. Please don't respond that I need to find my ass too.
Thank you again for your thoughts. Bill

 

[rslifkin]

Inside heated storage is generally about 4 to 6 times more expensive than out outdoor storage. So if your marina wants about $2,000 for outdoor storage, inside storage will be around $4,000 and indoor heated will be between $8,000 and $10,000. If you can afford it and can find it good for you.

Depending on the area, inside unheated storage doesn't always work out to be much more cost than outside storage. For me, this winter, outside storage would have been about $1700 (total with tax, etc.). Inside storage (unheated) was about $2800, so an $1100 difference. However, figure in some cost for shrink wrapping (I don't have a set of winter covers for this boat) and that difference looks a lot smaller now (no need for shrink wrap inside, worst thing we get is a little bit of dust). Add in not having to deal with snow and being under covers while working on the boat and the inside storage isn't such a bad deal. Heated inside storage is a whole different ball game cost-wise though.

 

[Comodave]

We store inside unheated and it costs about $1400. It isn’t too bad, we have propane heaters that we use. We cover the boat with a blue tarp to help keep the heat in and the bird poop off the boat. We can work on the boat most anytime through the winter unless it gets extremely cold. Last year I used one 20 pound bottle of propane. This year I am working mostly inside the boat so we use the small heater that takes the 1 pound bottles and we have used about 15 of them so far. Mostly because my wife has been going down to the boat with me and she doesn’t like it cold. If it is just me than I don’t use the heater. I am really surprised that 15’ is such a critical measurement since a lot of boats are beamier than that. Well good luck finding a place.

 

[rslifkin]

We store inside unheated and it costs about $1400. It isn’t too bad, we have propane heaters that we use. We cover the boat with a blue tarp to help keep the heat in and the bird poop off the boat. We can work on the boat most anytime through the winter unless it gets extremely cold. Last year I used one 20 pound bottle of propane. This year I am working mostly inside the boat so we use the small heater that takes the 1 pound bottles and we have used about 15 of them so far. Mostly because my wife has been going down to the boat with me and she doesn’t like it cold. If it is just me than I don’t use the heater. I am really surprised that 15’ is such a critical measurement since a lot of boats are beamier than that. Well good luck finding a place.

You're lucky with the propane heat. Those aren't allowed where I am, so all I get is a pair of space heaters. Fortunately there are 30A outlets in the storage building, so I can warm things up enough while I'm there (and I just dress warmly).

 

[Pete Meisinger]

I kept my boat inside, unheated one year. The cost was not unreasonable. On a cold day outside and on the floor of the storage barn it was around 10 or so degrees. (F) Up on the flybridge where we were stripping off the teak it was "shirtsleeve" warm.The building roof leaked a tiny amount which was a bit of a headache but not a real problem. Likewise the pigeons added to the dirt.

Pros and Cons:

Pros:
Able to work most of the year
Didn't need to shrink or really even cover the boat

Cons:
Added expense
The launch and lift out were strictly up to the marina, we went in and came out when they said it was our turn, not really convenient for us.
The boat was very, very dirty in the Spring. Much dirtier than outdoor storage under a cover
Access to the boat was a real "headbanger" especially carrying supplies and equipment.
It stayed cold in the building when it was prime time for outdoor painting and waxing
Too dark to do any detail work or much engine room work, plus the engine room was really cold
It was a long walk to the bathroom

That is not to say I won't go inside once more when I want to remove the ret of the teak. Just saying it isn't all you might expect it to be.

pete

 

[Comodave]

I guess that I have it really good here. The yard is down the street from my house about a mile so it is very convenient. They put my boat in last so that it at the front of the barn and easy to get to. They leave room on the side for scaffolding so that I can climb the ladder and step onto the scaffold and have a staging area instead of having to climb off the ladder and right onto the boat. We cover the boat with a blue tarp mostly to contain the heat from the propane heater but it does keep the bird poop off also. The owner will open the barn up as soon as I ask him in the spring otherwise it does stay cold in the barn for a long time. Since I am pretty much the only one that goes into the barn during the winter, and I am in there 5 or so days a week, I get to do what I want and they will accommodate me in any reasonable way they can. The only thing I can’t do in the barn is sand bottom paint. Last year we spray painted the whole boat and being inside was great.

 

[rslifkin]

We can sand inside, but we have to tent the boat and tarp the ground for dust collection.

I typically solve the ladder / staging area problem by placing the ladder behind the boat. Climb the ladder to the swim platform, then up the boat ladder to the deck. And you can place stuff on the swim platform and then move it up to the deck fairly easily.

 

[Comodave]

Here are a couple of photos of our setup that we have used for the last 3 years. Makes it easy to get on and off the boat especially when we are carrying tools and supplies.

 

[timb7734]

Walstrom Marine in Cheboygan, my boat is 17’ beam and 40 tons, also can handle it at Drummond Island Yacht Haven

 

[Nickair]

15’ seems to be the magic beam number for Common access. Lot of boats are bigger and they go somewhere. Commercial yards will be a sure backup if ya don’t mind mucking with industry crews.

 

[moparharn]

Walstrom Marine in Cheboygan, my boat is 17’ beam and 40 tons, also can handle it at Drummond Island Yacht Haven

I called Walstrom and Drummond, both were full up inside heated. I was really surprised that this was going be such an issue. I think asking late in the season was as much an issue as anything. The Detroit area inside heated places would not even return the phone call. Some would offer to put you on a waiting list, and then tell you that you have little chance. I see the big boat (over 38 feet) world slowing winding down in my part of the world. Younger people see to have no interest in big boats, unless they are center consoles. It seems strange that there is so little capacity for indoor heated storage.

Since both of the boats I am leaning towards are made of steel, indoor heated is not as important I think. My concern would be sweating that could lead towards interior rusting. Is this a legitimate concern?