You read this a lot on forums. But I have kept pretty good records of what it has cost my wife and I to live and cruise full time the last 7 years on our 41' boat. I did an analysis of how much less it would have cost to have been on a 30' boat instead and it worked out to a savings of 3-5% of TOTAL includes everything costs. So yes it costs more in boat cost, but not a killer in the total big picture. The increases definitely are near linear and not exponential Meanwhile the comfort etc. of a 41' boat over a 30' boat is priceless.
So I say get the largest boat needed to be comfortable on. The sweetness of the lower costs of a small boat quickly scours with the everyday hate of a too small boat.
I’ll be cruising with my son, I would like two separate staterooms, what I like about the GB classics is the separation of the cabins, fore and aft. I like the saloon with port side settee, would prefer Lehman engines due to th ease of maintenance, I don’t care much for a lot of the Taiwanese trawlers that have the galley down the entire side of the saloon. I’d be stoked if I could aquire a 42, but think we can live with a 36.
I have been pondering this move for almost 10 yrs now, has taken that long to get the wife motivated, she’s retired now as well. Been watching boat sales, following others, and reading/watching everything I can on living on a trawler the past two years. I think I have a handle on costs and such. I’ve set the budget with the idea of having the bottom painted if it hasn’t been done in the last year, new electronics, and upgrading tankage for living on the hook if need be, and a water maker. I’m thinking purchase of boat and then another 20-25k on upgrades and repairs. I’m not going to buy a wood boat with hull problems, soft decks I can fix myself, sanding painting varnish easy.
I’m really not that worried about a older boat that needs manual work, when your living on the hook I think there’s plenty of time to work on the boat, cleaning engine room, sanding, painting and such. I see it done by many.
Lots of things can be done that you don’t have to be on the hard or tied to a dock. Tight hull good running engines, everything else can come in time. I’m one of those guys that say, the stove does not work, just use the bbq. The toilet quit, use a bucket and so on. You just adapt and move on. I’ll have a decent chunk back in the bank, monthly pension, and we will be eating off the sea and coastal forests.
I know you’re all thinking this guys a fool, but there’s plenty to eat in the ocean, and I’m good at foraging.
My major costs per month will be insurance, fuel, and internet. We won’t be cruising everyday, cruise to a spot, and stay for a bit exploring the area. Stay out of marinas. You’re all saying again, yeah right, but I’m used to having much of nothing, never have I lived in the lap of luxury.
The dream was to live on the beach when retired, being around the sea. Cost of a home on the beach is outta the question, boat I think will be even better as I can move around to any beach I want, as well as those long inlets on the BC coast.
Roll outta bed and step out onto the cockpit with coffee looking across the water and the mountains, waterfalls. It’s worth a bit of suffering
