Liveaboard aluminium sub 36f boats?

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Leafaboard

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Sep 5, 2021
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Hi all,

Been preparing for living aboard for quite a while and soon I'd have to buy a boat and I love aluminium.

It's just me and my wife right now and in about 6 months we will be seeking a liveaboard marina around new york greater area.

Still undecided on the boat but the hard limits are separate head, galley, aluminium boat, very safe and sturdy

We will mainly live on it but if things are right we could explore on some coastal or river cruises

Any good recommendations for boat brands companies models?

Thank you very much!
 
I've not looked hard, but I don't know that I've seen *any* Al trawlers in that size range. I recall seeing a couple of sailboats, but I suspect that in today's market restricting yourself that much is not a good idea unless you're contemplating a custom build & don't care about resale.

A Yachtworld search reveals 46 vessels *globally* for sale in Al from 30-36'. This is the only one that seems worthy of consideration at first glance.

https://www.yachtworld.com/boats/1986/camano-marine-36-camano-trawler-3680931/

But why? Fiberglass is great for this size range.
 
The advantages of aluminium, and I love anodes :p

I don't want to deal with osmosis, cleaning and repainting as much, as with fiberglass. Also would love something lighter for less fuel consumption.

Do you know why that size range isn't so represented in Al?

Thank you for the advice to loosen up my requirements, it's very sensible
 
socalrider said:
I've not looked hard, but I don't know that I've seen *any* Al trawlers in that size range. I recall seeing a couple of sailboats, but I suspect that in today's market restricting yourself that much is not a good idea unless you're contemplating a custom build & don't care about resale.

A Yachtworld search reveals 46 vessels *globally* for sale in Al from 30-36'. This is the only one that seems worthy of consideration at first glance.

https://www.yachtworld.com/boats/1986/camano-marine-36-camano-trawler-3680931/

But why? Fiberglass is great for this size range.
Click to expand...

Personally, I detest the "traditional V berth". Have to disassemble it to access the drawers and fitted sheets are non-existent. One way in and out of bed disturbing the other occupant.
 
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Welcome aboard. Might I suggest that you also start looking for a marina ASAP since liveaboard slips are not always easy to find. Some areas it can take years to bubble up to the top of the waiting list.

As to aluminum, you will have taken out maybe 95%, maybe more, of the boats on the market. Most boats in the US will be fiberglass. Not to say aluminum is bad, just not nearly as popular. Also, I think, that finding aluminum in the 36’ range will be even more difficult to find. Many more aluminum boats in the smaller boats. I am not saying that you can’t find one in your size, just that you have narrowed the field dramatically by saying it has to be aluminum. But I wish you luck in finding what you want.
 
Am not trying to insult the OP. Two posts, city is listed as Tokyo and he is looking to liveaboard in NY state. I fear the OP has no boating experience and is now headed off in a bad direction. Many people romance the thought of living on a boat but find the reality to be unacceptable. Living on a 34’ is more like camping. Choosing Aluminum for a boat that is mostly a liveaboard but some river cruising because he thinks it is less maintenance and less fuel cost shows his lack of knowledge. Again, I am not trying to be insulting. A lot more thought needs o go into this before a big mistake is made.

Start with listing your living needs. Like wet head or separate shower. Heat needs, laundry needs, cooking needs, storage needs, internet needs, electrical consumption needs, entertainment needs, and finally what is the budget?

I am not trying to blowup the OP’s dream. I am trying to make sure he is thinking this through.
 
Tiltrider1, all the things you mention are found in the AT34/36. Let's face it, a 34 OAL works out to about 32ft WLL. We might compromise and say the internal livable length is about 30ft (allowing for the chain locker)
I had 5 custom cabinets made for my AT, installed the berth mattress hyd lift system but cant make the stingy hanging closet any bigger. SMIRK
 
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tiltrider1 said:
Am not trying to insult the OP. Two posts, city is listed as Tokyo and he is looking to liveaboard in NY state. I fear the OP has no boating experience and is now headed off in a bad direction. Many people romance the thought of living on a boat but find the reality to be unacceptable. Living on a 34’ is more like camping. Choosing Aluminum for a boat that is mostly a liveaboard but some river cruising because he thinks it is less maintenance and less fuel cost shows his lack of knowledge. Again, I am not trying to be insulting. A lot more thought needs o go into this before a big mistake is made.

Start with listing your living needs. Like wet head or separate shower. Heat needs, laundry needs, cooking needs, storage needs, internet needs, electrical consumption needs, entertainment needs, and finally what is the budget?

I am not trying to blowup the OP’s dream. I am trying to make sure he is thinking this through.
Click to expand...

I've been sailing a bit, boating a bit. Been reading on the bad aspects of living aboard for quite a while (years) and have lived in spaces smaller than most 36 feet boats, together with my wife and everything we own.

Thank you for your concern, it's well intended and honestly necessary

Separate shower is not needed, no entertainment is needed. Storage is minimal. We cook a lot of fairly simple meals, an oven is a massive bonus. Laundry is not needed as well since we hand wash the few items we own (high grade merino wool makes this really easy)

Budget is around 100 000$ if new, less if second hand.

We've also camped in negative 7 celsius temperatures on hammocks multiple times.

Electrical is whatever is necessary to run a dehumidifier, laptops, oven at peak, fridge, composting toilet fan etc. But wouldn't be anchoring out too much

And we're flexible where to live :p
 
Leafaboard, check the list with your other half SMILE
She may want to rework the list. We aren't getting any younger.
 
OldDan1943 said:
Tiltrider1, all the things you mention are found in the AT34/36. Let's face it, a 34 OAL works out to about 32ft WLL. We might compromise and say the internal livable length is about 30ft (allowing for the chain locker)
I had 5 custom cabinets made for my AT, installed the berth mattress hyd lift system but cant make the stingy hanging closet any bigger. SMIRK
Click to expand...

AT34’s are not your typical 34’ boat. They are very exceptional. They are also outside the budget of most. However, OP has a realistic budget and realistic expectations and I think an AT34 would be a good suggestion for him.
 
Aluminum would not be my first choice

Leafaboard said:
I've been sailing a bit, boating a bit. Been reading on the bad aspects of living aboard for quite a while (years) and have lived in spaces smaller than most 36 feet boats, together with my wife and everything we own.

Thank you for your concern, it's well intended and honestly necessary

Separate shower is not needed, no entertainment is needed. Storage is minimal. We cook a lot of fairly simple meals, an oven is a massive bonus. Laundry is not needed as well since we hand wash the few items we own (high grade merino wool makes this really easy)

Budget is around 100 000$ if new, less if second hand.

We've also camped in negative 7 celsius temperatures on hammocks multiple times.

Electrical is whatever is necessary to run a dehumidifier, laptops, oven at peak, fridge, composting toilet fan etc. But wouldn't be anchoring out too much

And we're flexible where to live :p
Click to expand...

A couple aluminum boats brands come to mind . North River has the market cornered in my part of the world for aluminum fishing boats ,they make a larger boat that you can live on . I don’t know if that hundred thousand dollars was a typo or not but you can’t buy a new boat for $100,000. Another brand that comes to mind is Marioneta I’ve been told it’s the aluminum branch of Chris craft they either make or use to make some fairly decent live aboards. There’s many other one off boat builders two within 100 miles of my house that specialize in Aluminum boats however you’ll have to wait six months or so before they could even get started I’m assuming the cost would be north of two hundred thousand dollars .Aluminum would not be my first choice.If you’ve ever welded aluminum you would understand ,aluminum is very finicky to weld it Has to be very clean ,aluminum doesn’t rust it oxidizes and if there’s any oxidation on what you’re welding it won’t weld. it is difficult to do repairs on all aluminum sometimes not possible. I won’t bore you with all the technical stuff ,that’s got to do with melting temperatures ,oxidation melts at a much higher temperature than aluminum ,Also you have to be very careful with oxidation due to stray electrical currents in the water, I seen big holes corroded in a very short amount of time , you’ve all seen outdrives corroded to nothing over the winter ,Aluminum has its pluses and minuses.Choose your potion wood ,steel,glass, aluminum everything has pluses and minuses
 
There’s quite a few marionette boats available most of them twin gas if not all of them , you can get a Lotta boat for a little bit of money, so that might be the way you can go
 
$650,000 gets you a new one of these:
https://eaglecraft.com/portfolio-item/36-cruiser/

If you place your order now you can get it delivered in about 12 to 15 months.

We don’t have an Eagle Craft boat, but love our Kingfisher aluminum boat. We live on it all summer, but wouldn’t think of living on it year round.

There are a zillion aluminum fishing boats in the PNW. Folks here don’t seem to worry excessively about oxidation or electrolysis if they have a galvanic isolator and replace worn anodes.
 
Striker made a sport fisher at 36 foot. Also a 44 footer. Chris craft also made some smaller aluminum power boats in the 60s and 70s if I remember correctly should be around the size you are looking at. Both would be very much sub 100k boats and fit your stated requirements. As far as sub 36 foot aluminum trawlers I’ve never seen one at a reasonable price, also all would be custom one off boats that I have seen. Best bet would be look in Canada or Europe as both of them made more small aluminum pleasure craft in the sizes you are looking at. Also anywhere near 100k is a pipe dream for a new welded aluminum boat of any quality, 100k will get you a well taken care of and well built aluminum boat from the 60s 70s and maybe some all right boats from the 80s. Well taken care of aluminum boats maintain there value quite well. I own an aluminum boat and would advise for the boat being inspected by a surveyor who knows aluminum boats. Study up, aluminum boats are not the end all be all no maintenance boats some people believe them to be. Every material in saltwater has there own set of issues and as an owner of an aluminum boat you really need to be en expert on the downsides of aluminum boats so you still have something to sell when you are ready to sell it, unlike every other material there are few experts on aluminum boats and YOU need to become the expert on it so you don’t damage or allow someone uneducated working on your boat to damage it. While aluminum CAN be very low maintenance it can very easily eat itself to death quite quickly with minimal neglect or negligence. Fiberglass boats are the most forgiving overall and quite numerous and well priced.
 
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Scooby5959 said:
There’s quite a few marionette boats available most of them twin gas if not all of them , you can get a Lotta boat for a little bit of money, so that might be the way you can go
Click to expand...

Scooby,

I had a 38 Marinette and it is/wasa great boat with twin 360 Chrysler engines.
Some do come in diesel, but they are rare. Only seen one in my life.
This looks to be a well cared for vessel https://www.yachtworld.com/boats/1977/marinette-double-cabin-3846482/
but there are about 5 or 6 more...have not checked to see if any are diesel.

These boats age quite well, like a Chris Craft or Grand Banks, just waaay lighter. Many hidden gems in these Airstream like vessels. Great engineering.
https://www.yachtworld.com/boats-fo...000&hullMaterial=aluminum&makeModel=marinette

Good Luck.

Capt. DJ
 
Captain DJ said:
Scooby,

I had a 38 Marinette and it is/wasa great boat with twin 360 Chrysler engines.
Some do come in diesel, but they are rare. Only seen one in my life.
This looks to be a well cared for vessel https://www.yachtworld.com/boats/1977/marinette-double-cabin-3846482/
but there are about 5 or 6 more...have not checked to see if any are diesel.

These boats age quite well, like a Chris Craft or Grand Banks, just waaay lighter. Many hidden gems in these Airstream like vessels. Great engineering.
https://www.yachtworld.com/boats-fo...000&hullMaterial=aluminum&makeModel=marinette

Good Luck.

Capt. DJ
Click to expand...

I had a 28' Marinette and loved it. Great boat to learn to maneuver a twin-screw boat. Light enough to push off docks or other immovable objects, although the light weight also made it more subject to wind. When I was ready to step up to a larger boat, I couldn't find a suitable Marinette on the west coast, and I wanted diesels, so I got a fiberglass 37' Canoe Cove, which I love for the layout and interior space, large flybridge, walk around decks and only 2 stairs, so I can continue to enjoy boating when I'm "less mobile." Good luck in your search.
 
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