Recommendations for motoryacht - 12-13 passengers

[HorizonDefeated]

Hi everyone,

I'm new to the forum and I'm a first time poster. I'm also new to the whole hobby/lifestyle.

I'm looking for recommendations for boats that can accommodate/sleep quite a few people. Right now I'm trying to do research and get myself acquainted with the types of boat options out there. So far I have been unable to find many boats that achieve what I'm looking for.

Desires:
Number of passengers: 10-13
Number of cabins: 5+
Type of voyages: Offshore, bluewater bonus. Interested in spending time in places like the Carribean, Mediterranean, etc.
Budget: $800K-$1.2M
Timeline: Purchase within a couple of years
Usage expectation: Might spend 6-12 months living aboard and cruising, also might spend just summers over multiple years.
Desired Hull type: semi-planing, flybridge model
Desired length: 50-70 feet
Crew: Plan to owner crew, but ability for 1-2 professional crew is a plus

Some additional explanation. I'm married with four kids (6 total). I also have multiple siblings with similar family sizes. I'd like to be able to take my family for extended periods (like all summer or maybe even a whole 12 months) and then have a sibling and their family join us for 1-2 week sails. Or some combination of friends. Most of what I see when I look on YachtWorld or elsewhere is some big boats but they only have 3-4 cabins.

Ideally I would get some guided crew training with courses and/or hiring a pro crew to teach me the ropes for a while.

I've seen a few interesting sailboats like the Priviledge 585 on a popular vlog (

) which has five cabins and a "captain's cuddy". I feel like I've seen at least two sailboats with similar configuration. However, I don't think I want a sailboat. Surely this type of thing must exist in motoryachts (even if it's less common).

Can anyone make recommendations? I'm looking for model names. I'm also curious about any recommendations about how old of a boat I should be considering if I want problem free operation, but I don't want to buy new.

Thanks!

 

[ranger58sb]

I've not ever shopped for that kind of capacity.... (we can sleep 8 in actual beds but never do; we allow most of our visitors to enjoy a nearby hotel room)...

But you might have a look at Aquila powercats. Maybe in the 70' range? I think they're popular in the charter market because they can handle a boatload of pax...

It's a bit tacky to suggest a different forum, but you might ask the same question on yachtforums.com since the population there pays more attention to larger boats. You may be approaching "superyacht" territory, although I dunno if there's a specific length associated with that term.

-Chris

 

[kthoennes]

For what it's worth, the owners club for Boat magazine sets a requirement of 24 meters or about 79 feet for "superyacht" status - to be in the owners' club in other words. That's pretty much a random, entirely un-authoritative standard I know, but it's good for making jokes to my wife when we're boat shopping. Honey, I need 39 more feet to be in BOAT's owner's club.

 

[long-cours.62]

Unfortunately...for us , our is only 4 cabine,
In the range size you looking for it will be difficult to find one with at les 6 cabin

 

[Adopo]

Five plus at 850 to 1.2 will be interesting, certainly not a Aquila or other as they will be more. I watch some sailing youtube channels and it does appear that often they are intact under power, so there's that. It is cool that some of these seem fast as or faster than trawler speed under sail. For the room and price maybe a sailing cat with 5 cabins would work? Of course when you search some of the sites do allow you to state the number of cabins in your search function.

 

[Tingum]

For an inexperienced boater I think you are biting off much more than you can chew

 

[Osprey69]

Sent PM...

 

[Duke 239]

For an inexperienced boater I think you are biting off much more than you can chew

I thought that went without saying. But, he did specify he would hire a Captain.

 

[Adopo]

I thought that went without saying. But, he did specify he would hire a Captain.

Will have to if he wants insurance.

Also for the price point and amount of room, you might consider looking at a vintage Hatteras. Most of these are four stateroom boats as well. Getting 5 or more in a less than 80 foot boat is not often seen.

https://www.yachtworld.com/yacht/1987-hatteras-77-cockpit-motor-yacht-8530290/

This one is five staterooms, but big power. I think most folks cruise in the 10-12 knot range on these anyway and not 20 plus.

https://www.yachtworld.com/yacht/2000-hatteras-sport-deck-motoryacht-9201249/

 

[BruceK]

A small used cruise ship might work. Holland America had smaller ones.

 

[HorizonDefeated]

Thanks for the replies everyone.

First let me address the safety aspect and biting off more than I can chew. I appreciate the remarks on this and I will definitely not put on the captain's hat prematurely. One advantage with shooting for lots of cabin space is that I could have a crew until I achieve proficiency and then owner crew after that.

I had seen the Aquila (thanks ranger58sb) before, but I forgot about them. With a brief look on YW I didn't see a lot of Aquila's for sale pre-2020. So maybe I should be searching for other power catamarans as well.

Adopo, what are some sites that allow searching based on number of cabins? I will look at the Hatteras more before I comment on that. Thanks.

 

[Pascall]

https://www.botentekoop.com/boot/1989-heesen-28-7163566/

I can't see it well on the map but thought I counted 12 beds.

Greeting

Pascal.

I have found even more information about this yacht, unfortunately max 8 people.
Greeting

Pascal.

 

[Adopo]

Thanks for the replies everyone.

First let me address the safety aspect and biting off more than I can chew. I appreciate the remarks on this and I will definitely not put on the captain's hat prematurely. One advantage with shooting for lots of cabin space is that I could have a crew until I achieve proficiency and then owner crew after that.

I had seen the Aquila (thanks ranger58sb) before, but I forgot about them. With a brief look on YW I didn't see a lot of Aquila's for sale pre-2020. So maybe I should be searching for other power catamarans as well.

Adopo, what are some sites that allow searching based on number of cabins? I will look at the Hatteras more before I comment on that. Thanks.

Yachtworld on the broker side has a feature for number of cabins at the bottom. I help a broker some but am not in the business nor paid for my support.

My advice is to find a great broker in your neck of the woods and put him to work. You will likely pay a commission regardless if you buy a boat in the size you are looking for. For instance, when you put in 5 plus cabins in the price range you indicted, there are 44 listings. Below is an example of the type of boat I like, while I am dreaming lol. Cant you just see yourself in the crows nest driving this beast in the ice field in Tracy Arm?

BTW I absolutely detest YW on the consumer side, it totally sucks and is light years antiquated vs the broker side. Slow, clunky, without the search functions the brokers have. Just got on it to get this listing, and it is HORRIBLE. What are those idiots thinking? Just pure stupidity. They should survey the consumers who use it to find out, if they cared, they would.

https://www.yachtworld.com/yacht/1975-custom-dittmar-donaldson-8374159/

 

[Adopo]

Now here is one of the 44 that actually looks pretty good. Who can tell us about Symbol?

https://www.yachtworld.com/yacht/2004-symbol-pilothouse-9211271/

 

[Shrew]

No insurance company will underwrite you on a boat that large with so little experience. You'll be looking at hiring a captain.

Also, 10-13 guests is just an unrealistic expectation. My parents retired and bought a 4 bedroom (2 kids, expecting families). My brother and I have never been at my parents retirement home at the same time in the 19 years that they've been retired.

You will never have that many people on the boat. If you did, you'd never want to do it again.

 

[kthoennes]

I think for most boaters, Shrew is right. I don't know if it's a contemporary culture thing or what, but in the now nine years we've owned our boat, no more than two family members have ever visited at the same time. Even in our relatively large marina, we hosted guests on just one blustery late-season fall evening, the family next door with two kids so there were eight of us total. It was a special time that we remember fondly, but in nine years it's only happened once, and kind of entirely by chance. I was very pleased the salon and boat accommodated everyone comfortably, but then kids can sit or sleep just about anywhere. I remember when my brother and his wife visited, he slept on the flybridge because it was a beautiful summer night with stars all around and didn't use the cabin. Maybe you'll be the exception, but I think that's the prevailing pattern.