localboy
Scraping Paint
- Joined
- Sep 19, 2019
- Messages
- 450
- Location
- USA
- Vessel Name
- 'Au Kai (Ocean Traveler)
- Vessel Make
- C-Dory 25
I am a new member, so I thought I'd intro myself. I have been a "lurker" for a while but finally decided it was time to become official. I work in LE in the Seattle area and my wife is an operating-room registered nurse. I was born/raised in Hawai'i, hence the "local" boy reference.
My wife and I currently own a 25' C-Dory and reside in WA State. Being working stiffs, we mainly boat in the Salish Sea (Puget Sound) up into B.C. We have had the boat for 10 yrs and it has suited us well, but with my retirement approaching (in less than 3 yrs) we are contemplating our boating future. We are considering moving up to a part-time live-aboard in the PNW. One possibility is we would live on it mainly from May thru August and then head down to AZ for the remainder. The 25 is too small for our needs should this come to fruition. It is a very good boat. Solid, dry, capable, safe. It has taken us to Desolation Sound from Bellingham and to Predeaux Haven...but it is very basic. Very. Water, ice, fuel are it's limitations and luxury is non-existent. Although we are pretty low maintenance we don't wish to live this way for months at a time.
As a result, I've been looking, dreaming, researching and considering the pros/cons of such a decision. We want a trawler with a fly bridge, if possible. A complete galley with oven and decent sized refer/freezer and an island bed. The island bed is the killer. Many boats we have researched have full beds against a bulkhead or the hull. Nope. And the V-berth is out as our primary sleeping arrangement. Since this will be a part-time live-aboard, we want it to be as "house-like" (is that a word?) as possible yet within our budget. A second berth (V-berth) is not a requirement and I'd take salon space over it. But again, we have to stay within a fixed budget and I have not seen anything that fits under 40'. Also, NO TEAK DECKS!
We would love a GB 42 Classic but price and teak decks are a deal breaker. I have looked at a few of the "Taiwan trawlers" with mixed feelings; most don't have a queen island bed. My research has led me to a Monk 36. It seems to meet most of our wants/needs and will not break the budget. I saw one in Winter Cove, BC and it peeked my interest.
I'm leery of the complexities/myriad systems involved vs the simplicity of our C-Dory, but I'm relatively handy. I'm no pro mechanic, but I did all our basic maintenance on the Dory (outboard powered) and added several systems the boat did not have like a solar system, radar, VHF radios, up-dated battery relay, diesel heater etc. That said, I know almost nothing about diesel engines, except basic maintenance (we have a 3/4 ton Ford).
So, I'll be a lurking, reading, dreaming... I have already learned much from you all; heads are a big talking point I've seen...that and anchors. And as the search and decisions proceed, I'm sure I'll have many, many questions.
Aloha & mahalo,
Mark & Meredith
Lake Stevens, WA
My wife and I currently own a 25' C-Dory and reside in WA State. Being working stiffs, we mainly boat in the Salish Sea (Puget Sound) up into B.C. We have had the boat for 10 yrs and it has suited us well, but with my retirement approaching (in less than 3 yrs) we are contemplating our boating future. We are considering moving up to a part-time live-aboard in the PNW. One possibility is we would live on it mainly from May thru August and then head down to AZ for the remainder. The 25 is too small for our needs should this come to fruition. It is a very good boat. Solid, dry, capable, safe. It has taken us to Desolation Sound from Bellingham and to Predeaux Haven...but it is very basic. Very. Water, ice, fuel are it's limitations and luxury is non-existent. Although we are pretty low maintenance we don't wish to live this way for months at a time.
As a result, I've been looking, dreaming, researching and considering the pros/cons of such a decision. We want a trawler with a fly bridge, if possible. A complete galley with oven and decent sized refer/freezer and an island bed. The island bed is the killer. Many boats we have researched have full beds against a bulkhead or the hull. Nope. And the V-berth is out as our primary sleeping arrangement. Since this will be a part-time live-aboard, we want it to be as "house-like" (is that a word?) as possible yet within our budget. A second berth (V-berth) is not a requirement and I'd take salon space over it. But again, we have to stay within a fixed budget and I have not seen anything that fits under 40'. Also, NO TEAK DECKS!
We would love a GB 42 Classic but price and teak decks are a deal breaker. I have looked at a few of the "Taiwan trawlers" with mixed feelings; most don't have a queen island bed. My research has led me to a Monk 36. It seems to meet most of our wants/needs and will not break the budget. I saw one in Winter Cove, BC and it peeked my interest.
I'm leery of the complexities/myriad systems involved vs the simplicity of our C-Dory, but I'm relatively handy. I'm no pro mechanic, but I did all our basic maintenance on the Dory (outboard powered) and added several systems the boat did not have like a solar system, radar, VHF radios, up-dated battery relay, diesel heater etc. That said, I know almost nothing about diesel engines, except basic maintenance (we have a 3/4 ton Ford).
So, I'll be a lurking, reading, dreaming... I have already learned much from you all; heads are a big talking point I've seen...that and anchors. And as the search and decisions proceed, I'm sure I'll have many, many questions.
Aloha & mahalo,
Mark & Meredith
Lake Stevens, WA
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