Hello Boating People

[subseawellhead]

Hello all. Looking to venture into owning a boat I can sleep in, multiple days, weeks, or months. Have a year to do my research before planned retirement at 62. Have owned trailerable powerboats all my life. Worked on the offshore oil industry all my life, around the world so very used to being on the water Indian Ocean, West Africa, North Atlantic, Caribbean, and mainly the GOM. In fact now on the "Harvey Intervention" doing subsea work in 2000' water. My budget is geared towards 80's-90's models Jefferson, President, Mainship, Tollycraft ,Defever Etc. Member of many forums so know how to use advanced search feature and will be lurking here to learn more.......

Cheers all,
Bill

 

[menzies]

Welcome Bill.

Enjoy the search and purchase. While it can be frustrating it is also one of the more enjoyable aspects of boat ownership - the thrill of the chase!

 

[Bacchus]

Welcome aboard TF.
A good resource to get started is Boat Search 101

https://www.trawlerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=14905
Here's a link to a similar thread with my std suggestions in post #13.
https://www.trawlerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=52540

I will bet you share some great seas stories given your experience.

 

[GregBrannon]

Welcome!


Greg.

 

[Comodave]

Welcome aboard.

 

[JohnS]

Welcome aboard. I worked offshore drilling in the Gulf of Mexico back in the days.
It is good to take time to find out what you need and want in a boat. Much like a house, it is a major decision, but instead of "neighborhood" it will be crusing areas which may focus or limit your choices. Ghere is a lot of overlap, but generally "Loop" boats do not need the heavy build, thick windows, and remote capabilities of a bluewater cruiser.
Much of our search was deciding what we wanted a boat to do for us, and where the design considerations would rub up against how we wanted to use our boat. (As a liveaboard, and Loop boat). This put some interior features into the "dealbreaker" category. We wanted a decent galley, headroom, (I am 6'4"), walk around queen bed, so that we don't wake each other up finding the head at night, and decent living spaces (saloon and deck spaces).
Wide side decks were a necessity, as we both can be clumsy at times.
We found several otherwise nice boats where the shower stall was either short or coffin like. Might do for a weekend, but not every day. Also consider access to the things which require maintenence, and who will do the maintenence. If you, can you work on it without double jointed, detachable arms?
Do a lot of on line searching, then start going to see the boats you like in person.
Learn what you can from books and online, then charter a boat or two with a training captain, to have that record when you go to get insurance.
Good luck with your search.
John

 

[subseawellhead]

All, thanks for the welcome and advice. I have made a spreadsheet with all my desired features such as layout, power, systems, etc. This seems to get more detailed every day Lucky I have a year to find a boat, some nicely equipped boats for sale will be available a year from now from what I am seeing here and Yachtworld.
Cheers, Bill