Newbie in SW Florida

All,

I'm a life-long sailor about to move over to a trawler. My wife likes to day sail but finds it too uncomfortable and wants more space. Seems like a reasonable request to me, too. Our goal is to move aboard in 2-3 years with two dogs (pug and papillon) and do the ICW, Great Loop and Bahamas. Before moving to Florida we were in NH and ME and also love Nova Scotia and PEI. I really want a boat with excellent systems and engine access. The Great a Harbour N 37 seems like a good fit. I'm also quite taken by the 'Steadsailor' that Lyman-Morse is selling but the 58' length and 4'6" depth seem daunting. My goal is to continue working, at least part-time, for the next 10 years while we cruise. What are your questions and recommendations? Thanks in advance for your input.

Greetings,
Welcome aboard. Yup, 58' is indeed a handful for two (I don't expect the dogs would help a whole heck of a lot).

A competent couple can handle a 58' no problem. I've run 70's, 80's and even a 90' with just myself and a mate. And 4'6" is no big deal either. Under 5' is fine for running around in SW FL or the Bahamas.

Many people start with a smaller boat and quickly find they want/need more room. So looking at something bigger than 37' is not unreasonable.

I would suggest chartering a few different size boats to get a better feel for what you think you need.

Chartering some is also my recommendation. You will get more of a feeling for size and style. Also start a list of requirements, intended uses, likes, and dislikes.

We agree - we are going to charter the N 37 in August and keep looking from there.

Several charters out of the Sarasota area not to far from you

One of the things we need is space for kayaks. We will have two kayaks and a sailing dinghy. Any recommendations on storage? Easy deployment?

Olliedad said:

One of the things we need is space for kayaks. We will have two kayaks and a sailing dinghy. Any recommendations on storage? Easy deployment?

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Frankly, before you start worrying about kayak storage, you need to hone in on the boat(s) that best suit your style and lifestyle. In that regard the advice offered by BandB is spot on: charter.

And don't forget what Mother used to say: "The ideal boat sleeps two, feeds four and drinks six."

Never count on folks visiting and or traveling with you. It doesn't happen -- not often and far too frequently I hear folks who wish they'd gone a bit smaller as the anticipated guests (friends, children and grands) simply never could get away. Buy the boat that works for you and your bride.

In my opinion of course.

Thanks for the input - scheduling an August charter now

Olliedad said:

Thanks for the input - scheduling an August charter now

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And if you're looking to loop then do keep both water draft and air draft in mind. As to water draft, less is obviously better and people will debate the cutoff. I consider anything 5' or less to not be an issue. Up to 5'6" I see ok and up to 6' I'd consider tolerable. Above that and I would not see it as a good Loop boat. Note that the Champlain Route alternate route probably limits you to 5'.

As to air draft, 19'1" is absolute. There is no alternate route to the bridge in Chicago that has that clearance. Now your route from NY to the Great Lakes is also determined by air draft. If you want to take the Erie Canal the entire way, you're limited to 15'6". Most take alternate routes. 17' is a limit on one option and the other isn't limited for practical purposes, just falling back to the Chicago limit.

Fuel range must be at least 250 miles which should not be an issue in any boats you're considering.

Hello Olliedad: Good luck with your august N37 charter. I love that boat. I also think your dog's name "Pug" would be a very fitting name for a Great Harbour!

I'd also start making some notes just to focus on likes and dislikes. You can learn both on a charter. Do you like galley up or down or do you care? Maybe one that just doesn't have enough storage in the master stateroom? Find those things you love and want on your "must have" list. Each of us has a few things that become absolutes in our decisions. But they vary for each of us.

And as someone said, think of your normal use, the 95% of the time. For that other 5% anyone can make do. You just pile in, even pull out air mattresses.

A also find yachtworld a great tool just to look. Just like looking at homes through Realtor.com. Don't look yet trying to find the dream boat. Look seeing the differences in available boats and those things you like or don't. And when you're at marinas or anchored, look at the boats around you.

The right boat is of course priority 1, but if serious about carrying 2 kayaks definitely factor that into your choice. Even my one little "sit on" 10ft kayak takes a surprising amount of space and causes inconvenience, until I can chuck it in the water(you can, the dinghy will need kinder launching) when we moor or anchor. I`ve heard quoted "get the smallest boat that does the job", give yourselves some space, without creating short handed operating hassles.

Excellent feedback - thanks. The boat is really a platform to journey from spot-to-spot with the toys and launching easily is important to us (and it needs to be sea worthy and comfortable...).

Olliedad said:

Excellent feedback - thanks. The boat is really a platform to journey from spot-to-spot with the toys and launching easily is important to us (and it needs to be sea worthy and comfortable...).

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Figuring out the toys you want will be critical too. When you look and charter keep that in mind. I'd make a list now of essential toys and the optional ones. If you're talking about a rib tender, two kayaks, two bicycles, and a jet ski, I don't see a 37' accommodating that well for the loop. They would definitely get in your way. They toy I wish I could take but don't have room for nor truly want that badly is a Gibbs Amphibian. The trip to the grocery store two days ago would have been a 15 minute drive instead of an hour each way. Oh and speaking of toys, any submarines desired?

Ultimately the selection process is compromise. The key is determining those things that are easy to compromise on versus those that would change the experience too significantly.

It's something that your going to start with a GH N-37 Charter. Once you get aboard and see the space you have in that thing, it'll be hard to find anything below 45' that will get even close to that cube. Storing two kayaks on that bow acreage is nothing. If it has no fly-bridge, the roof is another easy option.

BandB said:

Figuring out the toys you want will be critical too. When you look and charter keep that in mind. I'd make a list now of essential toys and the optional ones. If you're talking about a rib tender, two kayaks, two bicycles, and a jet ski, I don't see a 37' accommodating that well for the loop. They would definitely get in your way. They toy I wish I could take but don't have room for nor truly want that badly is a Gibbs Amphibian. The trip to the grocery store two days ago would have been a 15 minute drive instead of an hour each way. Oh and speaking of toys, any submarines desired?

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Having been on a Manatee (see Janice142 article Manatee Moves) I can say without doubt that a Manatee can accommodate all you desire and more. I'd add them to you list of possibles.

I guess I'm not a very objective source on the matter, but it's true that if you're looking at a Great Harbour, the 36 ft. KK Manatee would be 2nd in line for space above and below. The engine room on the Manatee requires removal of the salon sole for access, and the machinery space below the galley is a tight squeeze, especially with a genset. The engine room/machinery space on the N-Series GH is incomparable, and may well be the reason this stiff old frame of mine would opt for the N-Series in the future.

When chartering, one thing to keep in mind during that time. The length of trips you plan vs the length of the charter. Spaces grow smaller the longer the trip. If your typical trip brings you to a marina every few days where all can be replenished, that's one thing. But refrigeration and freezing can become critical on longer trips where regular grocery shopping is less frequent. Also the desire for multiple passenger areas changes. The desire to have your own spaces. Clothes storage and washing capabilities. Pantry and supplies storage. Something as simple as toilet paper. Spare parts.

So while chartering is a great way to learn, also look at the charter boat in terms of what will be different.

This is great input - thanks. I'll look at the Manatee as well. I will need a dedicated office space that can be used for an occasional guest. Can the N37 and Manatee comfortably make the Bahamas? Labrador (from Nova Scotia)?

Olliedad said:

This is great input - thanks. I'll look at the Manatee as well. I will need a dedicated office space that can be used for an occasional guest. Can the N37 and Manatee comfortably make the Bahamas? Labrador (from Nova Scotia)?

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Define comfortably.....

If that means one time and I have all the time in the world to look for the perfect weather window......

Or does it mean, regular trips back and forth and I don't want to have to wait a couple of weeks for the right conditions......

This is where you get into figuring out your regular use vs. those occasional things you'd like to do. Also when you start talking "can do it" versus "comfortable doing it." As to the Bahamas, making Bimini the first stop, it's a very make-able trip. But that's 60 miles and a one day trip. To other areas at 200 miles or more, then careful window selection as now you're talking overnight and into a second day of weather. In any of these the gulf stream comes into play. If you were in Fort Lauderdale today contemplating the trip across in either of those, you'd not be planning it for this week. There are times of the year though you could do it. As to Nova Scotia to Labrador, I'm not as familiar but that area is in our future plans. Today, looking at Halifax Harbor, a strong wind warning in effect. I would personally say neither would be my preferred boat for that trip from Nova Scotia to Labrador. New Brunswick perhaps, but Labrador is a bit daring for me.

If you click on the link on Janice's post above, you can see what people are willing to do with a Manatee. At least one N-series GH has gone to Hawaii. I've also seen the Pilgrim 40 and 43 down island. People do blue-water distance and island hopping with these boats, but they were not built to fight weather in the process while still offering a reasonable level of comfort for the average cruiser. If I were looking at Labrador occasionally, I'd still watch the weather but my boat choice would be different, but you did mention the GH N-37 so I figured you preferred an under 40 vessel. If not, a Willard 40 or a Hatteras 42 or 48 LRC come to mind. Krogen 42 and the high-buck 39 would be secure choices. For the same money as the 39, you could swing into a Nordhavn 46....no question about the capability there. Some steel custom builds would also be out there. The Manatee and the N-37 GH both do the Bahamas run and stay for months on a regular basis, but on blue water, they are fair weather boats if you want the comfort you mentioned above. Over 40 would open a whole world of possibilities. Of course, if you're talking about 10 years to try out things, the list could change a lot by then. My opinion.

My mistake - not Labrador but Newfoundland including St Pierre and Miquelon. I absolutely agree with waiting for a suitable weather 'window'.

Welcome aboard!