Is there “the” coastal cruiser

The friendliest place on the web for anyone who enjoys boating.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
See posts with no answers
B

bowball

Guru
Joined
Aug 21, 2021
Messages
1,138
Is there any consensus on the highest quality coastal cruisers (say Alaska to Mexico, able to comfortably transit between protected waterways where it would spend its time and would be optimized for.) Anything new, definitely under 75’, able to be handled by a couple? For this purpose, assume one won the mega lottery, and production or established designs.

What would Jeff Bezo or bill Gates own if they wanted to captain themselves to Alaska? Would they turn to an established European yard or buy something production? Go Nordhavn or Fleming or …?

(It’s winter and the holiday season so plenty of time to dream, and I’m on an Amtrak train)
 
Last edited:
Custom build for me, nothing done by marketing team or off shelf ticks my boses
23 metre aluminium landing barge with spuds
Massive living area top and aft, garage in middle for the motorcycle and Daihatsu Scat and that leading out to a front party area, extended when door dropped horizontal.

An extended accommodation and wheelhouse version of this

Water-Police-boat-with-rally-car.png


With the ability to do this

1_4.jpg


The stupidly priced and totally useless version here
https://www.passagemaker.com/cruiser-reviews/mansion-yachts-houseboat
 
Last edited:
+1 for Fleming. To me they have just nailed the aesthetic, and I for one want my imaginary boat to look good!
 
Alaska and Mexico are going to stretch the limits of most true 'Coastal Cruisers' simply based on tankage and range. You're typical Mainship, Albin, etc. might have to have accommodations for extra fuel or water (either water making or tankage).

Grand Banks Aleutian, Nordhavn, Kady Krogen, Flemming, Marlow
 
bowball said:
Is there any consensus on the highest quality coastal cruisers (say Alaska to Mexico, able to comfortably transit between protected waterways where it would spend its time and would be optimized for.) Anything new, definitely under 75’, able to be handled by a couple? For this purpose, assume one won the mega lottery, and production or established designs.

What would Jeff Bezo or bill Gates own if they wanted to captain themselves to Alaska? Would they turn to an established European yard or buy something production? Go Nordhavn or Fleming or …?

(It’s winter and the holiday season so plenty of time to dream, and I’m on an Amtrak train)
Click to expand...

Well Bezos and Gates wouldn't want to captain themselves, would go custom, and would be well above 75', so don't look at them for guidance.

Now, I think the Fleming is an excellent choice but I'd go for more speed. A Sunseeker Manhattan 68 would be excellent for that purpose. The new Grand Banks 60 would be good, although the 85 would be better. Cheoy Lee has some offerings in their CL series. I'd choose the CLA 76. Outer Reef has some nice models like the 650 MY. What about a Hatteras? Well perhaps a Hatteras SF. Their MY's would have been great had Bass Pro and Johnny Morris not pulled the plug on all of them.

There are so many potential boats and limiting the vision to the traditional trawler brands may be overlooking your best choice.
 
socalrider said:
+1 for Fleming. To me they have just nailed the aesthetic, and I for one want my imaginary boat to look good!
Click to expand...

I'm very much a believer in form follows function - beauty results from purity of function
 
Retriever said:
With an unlimited budget for fuel and no desire to see really off-the-beaten-path destinations (Aleutians, Chilean Canals, Antarctica) or cross oceans, I'd prioritize more speed than Fleming offers.

The new GBs are beautiful and seem fast, capable, comfortable, and very well built.

Or this: https://www.yachtworld.com/yacht/2017-jarrett-bay-90-convertible-8052145/
Click to expand...

Unlimited budget and no ocean crossing, a lot of semi-displacement and planing boats that are very worthy of consideration.
 
BandB said:
Well Bezos and Gates wouldn't want to captain themselves, would go custom, and would be well above 75', so don't look at them for guidance. ...
Click to expand...

I saw Paul Allen's small yacht in Miami once. The tenders were 40' LOA.
 
Last edited:
We have a Chris Craft Constellation in a back corner of our marina's storage yard that's been rotting away for years. Named Hotel California. Even falling to pieces with birds making nests at the helm, you can tell it was a grand boat in its glory days.
 
I think the way this should be approached is the way a boatbuilder/shipright would approach the build of their own vessel.
Intended cruising grounds and a list of needs and wants to comfortably cruise those grounds then build the vessel that suits or if fortunate enough, find one already built if such a thing exists.

So many do it the other way around, buy a vessel they "think" they need more often than not based on appearance or perceived status and then find it doesn't really do what they need it to do
Or
It's so over priced and over speced for what they actually needed.(Nordhavn for coastal cruiser for example)

Off the shelf boats produced for average Joe are more often than not very much the compromise
 
I am pretty much a coastal guy but always want some seakeeping ability for the hops that are more exposed.
I got a cold call from a party interested in buying LIBRA a few days ago so took a look at global inventory in the segment that would interest me.
We made the decision to stay with LIBRA but if we had made a different decision, I would have looked in this direction for a mission similar to the OP:

https://www.yachtworld.com/yacht/2009-marlow-explorer-61e-4477253/

I already own an ocean-going Cat that really has me excited, but if I did not already own one, I would certainly consider that, probably ahead of the one in the link.
 
James Packer isn`t in Bezos wealth territory but not without a $. Here`s a pic of his current boat which is/was for sale:
286fc04677f173fa250cbaa6c8f08406
 
BruceK said:
James Packer isn`t in Bezos wealth territory but not without a $. Here`s a pic of his current boat which is/was for sale:]
Click to expand...

A bit bigger than the 75 ft, skipper yourself stated by the OP. ;)

Iron Joy, anchored beside us now would work for me
.
 

Attachments

  • FB_IMG_1640742147819.jpg
    FB_IMG_1640742147819.jpg
    111.8 KB · Views: 39
Last edited:
Simi 60 said:
A bit bigger than the 75 ft, skipper yourself stated by the OP. ;)
Click to expand...
Well yes, but Bezos and Gates (and Musk?) won`t be happy with a 75ft tiddler, and they`re part of the criteria.:)
 
Shrew said:
Alaska and Mexico are going to stretch the limits of most true 'Coastal Cruisers' simply based on tankage and range. You're typical Mainship, Albin, etc. might have to have accommodations for extra fuel or water (either water making or tankage).

Grand Banks Aleutian, Nordhavn, Kady Krogen, Flemming, Marlow
Click to expand...

I dunno :)

The longest stretch in ther northern section is Yakutat Alaska to any of the three towns of Seward, Cordova, or Whittier. Thaty range is approx 320NM

On the southern end Turtle Bay to Los Cabois is around 450NM

In between is the whole of the US and Canada with fuel at a maximum every couple hundred miles and mostly shorter.

No reason that most any Coastal Cruiser could not make the trip.

I am sitting in La Paz this evening and there is a 32' Bayliner (the older FD/SD hull) sitting on anchor a couple hundred feet from my hotel room. You casn pretty much guarantee that boat came down the coast on its own bottom.

My 4788 Bayliner with it's over 600NM of safe range will be here next winter or you'll be reading about my demise. :blush:
 

Attachments

  • 6348DBFD-451E-4968-9A81-AE969703C75A.jpg
    6348DBFD-451E-4968-9A81-AE969703C75A.jpg
    155.9 KB · Views: 32
One might consider a semi custom built on a commercial fishing hull like a Delta. From time to time these come up for sale on Yacht World. I like the concept of a tough, proven hull and propulsion package.
 
IMHO there is no single answer to the question of what is 'the' coastal cruiser. There are well known boats in different size ranges such as the Grand Banks 36 and 42 that were made for decades without major redesign (yes I know the hulls changed a bit in the 90's). Same with Krogens, the KK 42 is well known. However if you ask 10 people you're likely to get 10 answers. You'll even get different views as to what a 'coastal' cruiser is. The simple fact is all variety of boats travel up and down the coast (either coast) every year.
 
A modern version of a Trumphy "houseboat" would be easy on the eyes and fine for a couple.

About 50 ft LOA is enough to maintain , and is easy to handle.

The key to great cruising would be the systems chosen to maintain the lifestyle.
 
ksanders said:
I dunno :)

The longest stretch in ther northern section is Yakutat Alaska to any of the three towns of Seward, Cordova, or Whittier. Thaty range is approx 320NM

On the southern end Turtle Bay to Los Cabois is around 450NM

In between is the whole of the US and Canada with fuel at a maximum every couple hundred miles and mostly shorter.

No reason that most any Coastal Cruiser could not make the trip.

I am sitting in La Paz this evening and there is a 32' Bayliner (the older FD/SD hull) sitting on anchor a couple hundred feet from my hotel room. You casn pretty much guarantee that boat came down the coast on its own bottom.

My 4788 Bayliner with it's over 600NM of safe range will be here next winter or you'll be reading about my demise. :blush:
Click to expand...


Good point. Range is generally not a huge issue. And as you pointed out, heading down to Mexico is tougher than Alaska. Even with the big, thirsty gassers, my boat could do the Alaska run with appropriate planning. But the Mexico run would need at least 100 gallons of supplemental fuel to be comfortable or a truck delivery arranged somewhere.
 
Another choice is the Pacific Mariner 65. Excellent pedigree and about 1/3 the cost of a similar year Fleming 65. Then comes Outer Reef, my favorite in this size range and with proven blue water long distance travel if need be.
 
BandB said:
Well Bezos and Gates wouldn't want to captain themselves, would go custom, and would be well above 75', so don't look at them for guidance.

Now, I think the Fleming is an excellent choice but I'd go for more speed. A Sunseeker Manhattan 68 would be excellent for that purpose. The new Grand Banks 60 would be good, although the 85 would be better. Cheoy Lee has some offerings in their CL series. I'd choose the CLA 76. Outer Reef has some nice models like the 650 MY. What about a Hatteras? Well perhaps a Hatteras SF. Their MY's would have been great had Bass Pro and Johnny Morris not pulled the plug on all of them.

There are so many potential boats and limiting the vision to the traditional trawler brands may be overlooking your best choice.
Click to expand...

My son agrees with you. Calls my trawler “ugly” and much prefers your choice of a style like the Sunseeker Manhattan 68 (or a Benetti etc). I tell him,, no covered side decks, too much windage, speed useless due to floating logs, etc etc. and consequently not great for the PNW. That it’s more of a Mediterranean or Florida boat. Am I wrong?
 
Last edited:
bowball said:
My son agrees with you. Calls my trawler “ugly” and much prefers your choice of a style like the Sunseeker Manhattan 68 (or a Benetti etc). I tell him,, no covered side decks, too much windage, speed useless due to floating logs, etc etc. and consequently not great for the PNW. That it’s more of a Mediterranean or Florida boat. Am I wrong?
Click to expand...

The ability for speed is never useless.

BTW there are a LOT of boats in the PACNW that operate above displacement speeds. The whole log risk thing is a bit over emphasized by folks that cannot go faster than 8 knots.

Remember that having the ability to travel faster than displacement speed does not mean you have to use that speed. It is simply another tool a prudent captain can use to plan a voyage.

A great example is overnight hops. If you are willing to burn some fuel you can make it twice as far during daylight hours at 16 knots vs 8 knots. This often times can be used to reduce a overnight passage to a simple day trip.

Something to seriously consider especially if you operate your boat with minimal crew.

A major consideration is that there are few choices in boats that can cross oceans and also get up above displacement speeds but they do exist.

Here is a GREAT real world example. In just a few months I will be crossing the Gulf of Alaska (again). This time it will be single handed.

The trip is 220 NM between safe harbors.

If I cruise at 7 knots I will save fuel but the trip will take 31 hours. Staying awake for that period of time is impossible. fuel burn would be about 125 gallons.

If I speed up to 10 knots which on my boat is the maximum bow pretty much level speed then the trip is 22 hours. That is doable, but still a long time. fuel burn would be about 220 gallons.

If i get the boat up on plane I can cruise at 15 knots. Then the trip is a bit less than 15 hours. Now it's just a day trip. but... my fuel burn would be about 300 gallons. Still doable with my boats 440 gallon capacity, but close.

Or... i can take on crew. I have a good friend that would help out, or my son might go, but that involves things like return fligt schedules and in my sons case scheduling vacation. Now my easy peasy pick your great weather window voyage becomes a delivery trip with a schedule. We all know the weather decision risks that adds to the mix.
 
Last edited:
Antares said:
One might consider a semi custom built on a commercial fishing hull like a Delta. From time to time these come up for sale on Yacht World. I like the concept of a tough, proven hull and propulsion package.
Click to expand...

Exactly. Metal hull, shaft drive, built by a yard with decades of fishing hull experience. The perfect NW boat.

I'd probably go aluminum, unpainted except for the bottom.

Don't know how that would go over in Mexico...
 
ksanders said:
The ability for speed is never useless.

BTW there are a LOT of boats in the PACNW that operate above displacement speeds. The whole log risk thing is a bit over emphasized by folks that cannot go faster than 8 knots.

Remember that having the ability to travel faster than displacement speed does not mean you have to use that speed. It is simply another tool a prudent captain can use to plan a voyage.

A great example is overnight hops. If you are willing to burn some fuel you can make it twice as far during daylight hours at 16 knots vs 8 knots. This often times can be used to reduce a overnight passage to a simple day trip.

Something to seriously consider especially if you operate your boat with minimal crew.

A major consideration is that there are few choices in boats that can cross oceans and also get up above displacement speeds but they do exist.
Click to expand...

The important thing is that some fast boats are good at going slow, others are not so good at it (due to small rudders, hull shape, etc. making for poor tracking or other bad behavior at low speeds). In general, that's more of an issue with boats meant to cruise north of 20 kts than it is with boats meant for a planing cruise in the teens.

Something like your Bayliner or my boat is pretty good at going slow (big enough rudders, enough keel for good tracking, etc.). But you look at an average Sea Ray type and the picture is totally different. There's a 39 foot Sea Ray sitting next to my boat right now. Almost identical in size, a few thousand pounds lighter. Same engines as my boat, but less gear reduction and smaller props. Rudders are half the size at best. No keel, plus props and rudders have their low speed effectiveness limited by deep prop pockets on the Sea Ray. And in the end, it's only a few kts faster than my boat.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

Portage_Bay
An interesting read on the security of GPS
2
Replies
40
Views
3K
AMG
A
Wayfarer
What's your dream boat?
5 6 7
Replies
194
Views
29K
OldDan1943
OldDan1943
BaltimoreLurker
Interesting early american aviation history
Replies
7
Views
1K
SomeSailor
SomeSailor
FF
Avation History
Replies
12
Views
2K
Marin
M

Latest posts

Back
Top Bottom