Which boat would you buy, solo liveaboard, $100k budget

[Portage_Bay]

Have been planning on oversizing the anchor, seems like a fairly small expense for some peace of mind when it gets rough.

It's more than just over sizing the anchor. Many recreational boat anchor windlasses are not up to holding the boat in strong winds. You'll be messing about with an anchor bridle. Easy with two or more aboard. Not so when solo and it's blowing hard. So, proper anchor winch with the power to drive it and the structure to support it. Don't forget a larger rode.

Dirt address has come up before. The plan was to maintain my current address for the next several months, then give up the lease once I've successfully transitioned to full time liveaboard. What sorts of problems am I going to run into when I give that up? I was thinking a PO box would solve most of my problems, but apparently it's not that simple.

It's not possible to figure this out in advance. What I've experienced in recent years, I'm no longer a liveaboard, is "they" will reject a PO Box as a residence. For a while I got away with a private PO box I could use <street address of private mail station> # <box number>. It looked like an apartment address until "they" pulled the address up and found it was a business. The most recent go-rounds were over vehicle registration and title, enhanced drivers license.

I'm looking at the 70s and 80s vintage boats mostly, but taking a full day in the middle of the week to fix something isn't always going to be doable.

Those in terms of likely being a project boat are old boats. Wiring and plumbing will be old. Unless constantly updated many systems will be old. Recreational systems were never intended nor designed for full time liveaboard demands. Starting with old you'll wear them out quickly.

 

[RedRascal]

My vote would be for a "trawler" type boat because you'll have a fair amount water and fuel. Then within that class I would figure out if you prefer the tri-cabin layout like the Grand Banks 36 or the Europa style cabin arrangement. In the main living space think about if you want two places to sit or stretch out vs one. Many Taiwanese trawlers in the mid-30 foot range usually have 1 L shaped settee. I think this is important for you to think about since you will be spending a lot of time in this space working and living. Think about how much natural light you would like to have or need. Some folks need tons of light/windows and others do fine in a sailboat with only a glimpse of the outside world.

Next I would go after a boat with:
-generator
-diesel heating
-stall shower

Then go for the boat that is well maintained, even an maintained boat will have an ongoing list of projects. You are just trying to minimize the list or pick a list that fits your DIY skillset and time.

Also it doesn't have to be black and white with living 100% on the hook. In the dead of winter you could rent a slip for a couple months to make life a bit easier. When it's 25 degrees outside and blowing 50 it's sometimes just easier to be on a dock. Yes slips are hard to find but they are out there if you look hard enough.

I look at this kinda like adventure travel where you seek out some type of experience. You may do the boat thing for year or two then move on to something else. You won't know how it is until you do it so if you are able to do it you should. I think you are in tune to the fact that this may not work out to be a way to save money. You are going to be paying for an experience that hopefully gives you more joy than regret.

 

[Spinner]

It's more than just over sizing the anchor. Many recreational boat anchor windlasses are not up to holding the boat in strong winds. You'll be messing about with an anchor bridle. Easy with two or more aboard. Not so when solo and it's blowing hard. So, proper anchor winch with the power to drive it and the structure to support it. Don't forget a larger rode.

It's not possible to figure this out in advance. What I've experienced in recent years, I'm no longer a liveaboard, is "they" will reject a PO Box as a residence. For a while I got away with a private PO box I could use <street address of private mail station> # <box number>. It looked like an apartment address until "they" pulled the address up and found it was a business. The most recent go-rounds were over vehicle registration and title, enhanced drivers license.Those in terms of likely being a project boat are old boats. Wiring and plumbing will be old. Unless constantly updated many systems will be old. Recreational systems were never intended nor designed for full time liveaboard demands. Starting with old you'll wear them out quickly.

Re the statement about recreational boat windlasses not being up to holding …. The real point is that they are not supposed to be used to hold the anchored boat, wind or not.

If you have a rope rode, you cleat it off. If you have an all chain rode, you throw on a bridle. That’s just normal practice!!

 

[tiltrider1]

Portage Bay brings up a good point that I my self have had some issues with. The last time I renewed my driver license the DMV rejected my address. They said it was a commercial address and couldn’t be used. Fortunately some lawyer who used the same address filed some sort of complaint and DMV was forced to recognize our address. I ended up running into the issue again for my passport.

I point this out so others don’t get blind sided by this issue. Fortunately I own an apartment complex so if forced I can always use the building’s address.

 

[Art]

Howdy!

I read the first page! Skimmed posts on other pages.

Seems you are virtually a beginner for purchasing, owning, using, maintaining and living aboard a "trawler" type of boat. There are many items that will arise which are completely different than sail boat experience.

You mentioned a large boat is not necessary and that you have looked into a Tollycraft 40'er. I like Tollys!

My recommendations; i.e., my 0.02 sense: LOL

1. Purchase a 34' to 40' tri cabin style boat. That design offers all kinds of interior and exterior room. And, in that size range self handling is pretty easy. I strongly recommend full access side decks. You'll most understand that statement when you dock single handed.

2. Have a flying bridge. Great place to pilot from. Lots more outdoor relaxation room. You can still have a solid overhead-cover for solar panels.

3. Make sure there is fully equipped galley. If you spend much time aboard... that is necessity.

4. Twin engines make handling a boat in close quarters much easier than a single. Twins also make for redundant propulsion source if per chance one fails.

5. A fully equipped, roomy head [or two] is another needed item. Guess why!

6. Swim step. For many reasons and uses.

7. Generator... when you need it - you need it!

There are sooooo many other items to suggest. Those 7 "hints" I mention are some of the most important in my opinion.

Oh yes... here's two more: Get a fiberglass boat that has little to no wood to care for on the exterior. And, for safety sake have plenty of guard rails all around on exterior.

Good Luck!

Happy Boat-Search Daze! Art

 

[Sababa]

My pick in this price range would be a well-kept Marshall-built Californian 42 LRC. They come on the market reasonably often, but they don’t stick around.

 

[Spinner]

I would always recommend a boat with a cockpit AND full access side decks. As a single-hand skipper, I don’t think having to climb up and down ladders to get onto the dock is really the best course. Frequently, there is nobody to meet you at a dock and assist with lines, so maximizing the ease of moving on and off the boat is important.

 

[markpierce]

Howdy!

I read the first page! Skimmed posts on other pages.

Seems you are virtually a beginner for purchasing, owning, using, maintaining and living aboard a "trawler" type of boat. There are many items that will arise which are completely different than sail boat experience.

You mentioned a large boat is not necessary and that you have looked into a Tollycraft 40'er. I like Tollys!

My recommendations; i.e., my 0.02 sense: LOL

1. Purchase a 34' to 40' tri cabin style boat. That design offers all kinds of interior and exterior room. And, in that size range self handling is pretty easy. I strongly recommend full access side decks. You'll most understand that statement when you dock single handed.

2. Have a flying bridge. Great place to pilot from. Lots more outdoor relaxation room. You can still have a solid overhead-cover for solar panels.

3. Make sure there is fully equipped galley. If you spend much time aboard... that is necessity.

4. Twin engines make handling a boat in close quarters much easier than a single. Twins also make for redundant propulsion source if per chance one fails.

5. A fully equipped, roomy head [or two] is another needed item. Guess why!

6. Swim step. For many reasons and uses.

7. Generator... when you need it - you need it!

There are sooooo many other items to suggest. Those 7 "hints" I mention are some of the most important in my opinion.

Oh yes... here's two more: Get a fiberglass boat that has little to no wood to care for on the exterior. And, for safety sake have plenty of guard rails all around on exterior.

Good Luck!

Happy Boat-Search Daze! Art

Yeah. Buy what Art did. Not like me because I had different priorities. Like 360-degree deck close to dock level, strong (not wiggily) railings, rudder and propeller protected by keel, and as a former sailor, comfortable at moving at six knots.

 

[ranger58sb]

We bought a 2006 boat last June. Not a project boat. So far, I've spent $117,506 more on it, not counting my own labor hours.

Of that, $54K was engine rehab...

My point is only: keep your eyes wide open.

Pardon; I didn't mean to be overly scary. Our current engines are probably more of a "high performance" type compared to many that might be logically installed in "real trawler-style" boats. So our engine rehab costs above would likely NOT be representative...

One of the boats we looked at -- a "trawler-style" boat that showed promise but very different from the two models we were mainly tracking -- had twin Cummins 450s with about 5K hours on 'em. I suspect a full rehab could have cost more like maybe $5-8K each. Not a rebuild; I just mean renewing hoses, pumps, coolers, heat exchangers, AirSeps, filters, fluids, etc. Of course that boat went off the market before I got a chance to actually go see it...

-Chris

 

[Portage_Bay]

Re the statement about recreational boat windlasses not being up to holding …. The real point is that they are not supposed to be used to hold the anchored boat, wind or not.

If you have a rope rode, you cleat it off. If you have an all chain rode, you throw on a bridle. That’s just normal practice!!

Yes you are correct, I could have phrase it better re a recreational anchor windlass not designed for holding the boat. I did speak of the need for a bridle for use with that kind of windlass. All good for summer cruising once the technique is mastered, even single handed.

My point really is about a single hander dealing with the anchor in winter storms. OP stated he wants to be living on the hook year round. He also said his plan is to oversize the anchor which is an overly simplistic solution. With due respect to your experience as a solo cruiser and speaking to the OP I'll say I can't imagine trying to remove the bridle, maneuver up to the anchor, haul the anchor and secure it all single handed in adverse conditions.

I've been able to manage anchoring in winter storms single handed with a big hook. And a skookum anchor winch strongly built to be able to take the strain. Powerful enough to be able to pull the boat to the hook against the wind. I'd want nothing less to live on the hook year round.

 

[GoodShipLollipop]

Thanks everyone for all the advice. It's incredibly helpful, all of it. I won't respond to everyone point by point, that'd just make a huge wall of text. I will comment on a couple things that came up, though.



re: Anchoring. I hadn't considered that handling the bridle would be something that was difficult to handle solo. I can definitely see how using a winch that can take the load instead would make some situations a lot easier to handle. Will be thinking about this, thanks.


re: Single vs. twin engine. I've gotten opinions on both side of the issue, my own thinking is that I'd prefer a twin engine for safety, but I'm a pretty big guy so having a cramped engine compartment is going to be a problem. 6'0", broad shoulders, and more than a little extra weight I'm working on losing. So I think I'm probably going with single unless there's something out there with a really roomy engine compartment and two engines. But I doubt there is with these smaller boats I'm looking at.


Thanks again, everyone!

 

[Spinner]

And one more thing about anchoring!

I want to address the anchoring and windlass issue (again)…

Windlasses are not designed (any of them to the best of my knowledge) to take the load of the anchored boat. Putting a bridle on the chain takes 1-2 minutes! I recommend the Mantus bridle that I have. You finish anchoring, anchor set, sufficient scope out. Attach the clip to the chain with the two legs of the bridle led outside of railing and cleated on both sides. Let out some more chain until it forms a nice loose catenary and the bridle is taut. You’re done!

Thanks everyone for all the advice. It's incredibly helpful, all of it. I won't respond to everyone point by point, that'd just make a huge wall of text. I will comment on a couple things that came up, though.



re: Anchoring. I hadn't considered that handling the bridle would be something that was difficult to handle solo. I can definitely see how using a winch that can take the load instead would make some situations a lot easier to handle. Will be thinking about this, thanks.


re: Single vs. twin engine. I've gotten opinions on both side of the issue, my own thinking is that I'd prefer a twin engine for safety, but I'm a pretty big guy so having a cramped engine compartment is going to be a problem. 6'0", broad shoulders, and more than a little extra weight I'm working on losing. So I think I'm probably going with single unless there's something out there with a really roomy engine compartment and two engines. But I doubt there is with these smaller boats I'm looking at.


Thanks again, everyone!

 

[grahamdouglass]

I've run a Marine Trader 41, which is identical to Defever 42 for several years now on my own. Running solo even with a single engine is not all that difficult, just takes practice. You might find that boat systems need a lot of maintenance.

You could try going small. The Grand Banks 32 is a really nice vessel for a single guy, doesn't cost much and would give you all the experience you might need when you upgrade to a bigger boat. It might be considered a cheap boating education.

 

[Simi 60]

t. Putting a bridle on the chain takes 1-2 minutes! I recommend the Mantus bridle that I have

I'll just point out that the Mantus bridle is nothing more than very expensive nylon rope with an eye splice, thimble and a shackle.

We anchor daily and replace our single snubber ever few years not because of wear, more because of looking ratty.

For less than the price charged for a Mantus bridle I bought a whole 100m roll of 20mm nylon, a lifetime supply and more.
Commercial quality (not s/s) thimbles and load rated shackles are cheap and reusable
Eye splice is 1/2 an hour while drinking a beer.

If not wanting that, several metres of rope and thimbles will still cost well under $100

 

[Mac2]

A real beauty! Aluminum would be my first choice. Very little maintenance to consider, other then cosmetic. All boats will have water enter core structures eventually, so really consider the core materials. I entered the boating world 20 years ago with the same kind of experience as you. I bought a Krogen Manatee and proceeded to do everything wrong. Everything! The fact your on this forum puts you miles ahead of me. The fact I bought a great brand to begin with saved me. The PVC coring is one example. It can't rot, so it bought me time to make repairs properly.

My top three systems to consider for the livaboard would be as follows:
1)Anchoring system-Oversized anchor(cost should not be a consideration), at least 300 feet of all chain rode, Crosby shackle-no swivels unless they state a working load-which I doubt they will. Top notch snubber. Every thing sized at the breaking load of the chain. If things get ugly (usually at night when you can't see anything) have a plan to clip a fender to the chain rode and cut the rope tied to the end of the rode and ride it out at sea till you can come back and recover the fender/rode. I can't see you pulling the anchor by yourself in the conditions causing you to drag.

2) Heat: Diesel hydronic heating going through the water heater. I also had a dickenson stove/fireplace (loved the viewing window) and a red dot heater running off the engine. Why three sources of diesel heat? Because I couldn't figure out how to get a fourth. Nothing as good as being toasty warm in a snow storm at anchor! Your happiness is directly tied to your comfort.

3) Watermaker. For a livaboard and the convenience of not having to pull anchor to get water (good luck if your in a remote area with water shortages)
this is a must have. Also makes it easier to rationalize a fresh water rinse of boating equipment, which pays off in longevity.

Lastly, you talked about fishing. I also thought I would fish a lot from my Manatee. I learned the first time out, my boat went to fast at the lowest gear setting. I needed a trolling gear. I ended up putting it in and out of gear. Not practical and hard on the gears. Also, picking up anchor just to go fishing is a pain in the ass unless you don't mind not rinsing the rode and letting all that stinking mud on board. I would plan on fishing from a dinghy and would really recommend something that doesn't inflate. If your by yourself you need to think about pure reliability.

I'm glad I got into boating as young as I was. You can't put a price on knowledge base. I'm at 20 years of boating and I'm starting to feel comfortable of my skills. Oh yea, and carry as many tools as humanly possible!

 

[Mac2]

The link didn't go through. It was a 36 Nils Lucander called Sea Dove on Youtube and Yachtworld several years ago.

 

[Finnegus]

I'm sorry if I hurt your feelings. I'm usually a really nice guy, especially with newbies. The idea of crowd-sourcing a decision from scratch just seemed like it needed a dose of reality versus "how did you feel when you boarded a GB36?" Good questions would have been "I looked at XYZ and ABC boats and like this-or-that about them. Here's what I intend to do with them. Any feedback?"

That said, I love these little Roughwater 37s. Would be my choice over a GB36 but mostly because I've developed an alergy to teak decks; and as mentioned, I like sedan layouts. Classic Ed Monk design. Fiberglass (vs the 36s were wood topsides). Single engine gives a verys serviceable engine room. Dining table would provide a decent office-space.

https://www.yachtworld.com/yacht/1981-roughwater-37-sedan-8231113/

Traditional style, new Cummins.

Peter

My Utterly Unbiased opinion is that the Roughwater 37 is the best boat EVER

 

[tdomenech]

Mine is for sale. East Coast, however. Would be a great live-aboard.

 

[Gypsyjon]

If I were planning to do what you are, the Krogan Manatee would be at the top of my list. Huge interior and fly bridge room, but at the expense of docking- no side decks.

David

No side decks mean going through locks single handed will be VERY diffiicult.

 

[PNK]

I applaud your willingness to step outside what may be your comfort zone, and consider a different life-style. Everyone who said you should go look at a lot of boats is right, there is no other way to narrow down what you do and don't like, what are your must-haves versus Nice-to-haves, and so on.
If one of your main goals is to be away from marinas for extended periods, going solar is a good idea; there are many forum members here who have added solar, and there are a lot of threads about it.
To allow for extended time on the hook, I would suggest considering dry and refrigerated storage space, tankage, and even a water maker. If you are not planning on doing a lot of cruising, trading more water storage for smaller fuel, for instance, is a compromise that might be reasonable. Most trawlers have much larger fuel tanks than fresh water- although the Manatee is an exception!- which is why I mention a water maker. An easy to mount and dis-mount dinghy system is also important since it sounds like you will be on your own most of the time.
Since you are in the PNW, take a look at the Camano 31, there are a number of them around your area, usually pretty well priced. But there are many other options that will appeal to you.
Enjoy the hunt, it should be fun!

 

[hfmckevitt]

I'm going to be buying a boat to live aboard in a month or so. There seem to be just tons and tons of good options in my price range, so I figure it's best if I ask for advice early in the process.

My budget isn't super firm, can make it work up to about $250k. But I'd rather go with a well found old boat that costs less than a newer, nicer boat. The nice boat is planned for 3-4 years from now, so the more I save today the nicer a boat I can get then.

Aside from power, my needs are pretty modest. I'm going to be working full time from the boat (software engineer), and listening to a generator all day every day sounds awful. So I'll need either lots of solar+lithium or to spend weekdays plugged into shore power. Solar strongly preferred, l'd much rather spend my time on anchor than in a slip. From what I've seen it looks like I'll be installing that myself, not a lot of trawlers seem to have big solar arrays, or even have the space for them without adding a hardtop.

I don't need much personal space, so I'm fine with smaller boats. I was planning to buy a sailboat and go cruising before I got this job offer, so even the smallest trawlers have loads of space compared to what I was planning for. I suppose more space is better so family can visit in more comfort, but it's a relatively low priority.

I have lots of experience on much smaller boats, but none on anything as big as a trawler. So ease of operation for a single hander is a must. I figure that makes a bow thruster a key feature, and somebody mentioned ease of access to the side decks, but otherwise I really don't know what to look for here. All my research on single handing was centered on sailboats.

I'm an avid fisherman and will try to spend every waking minute fishing if I'm not working. Probably I'll have lines in the water while I'm working. Sorry my task is late, boss, but this salmon isn't gonna land itself! I don't know if any trawler is particularly well suited to fishing, but if there is one I'd love to know.

I've been looking hardest at the Grand Banks 36 and Tollycraft 40 Tri Cabin, but I'm open to all suggestions. I'd like to split my time between the Columbia River and Inside Passage. Absolutely no project boats, I just don't have that kind of time.

I would be looking at a sailboat, a Gemini 105m. The is a good one for sale in Ft Myers for under 100k
Good luck
Henry

 

[Airstream345]

In addition to Yacht Club outstation docks (Seattle Yacht Club has some amazing outstations and is less expensive to join when you're younger. Not a member but many of our friends are and they bounce from outstation to outstation all summer) many of the destination marinas in the SJIs and North offer "winter moorage" by the month from Oct - May. Great way to get on a dock with power, water, access to town and to safely tuck into a safe harbor during nasty winter weather. We had some 40 - 50 knot days in hte SJIs this winter - not impossible on anchor, but not exactly "fun" either.

We're on a version of your plan where we sublet our normal "home" slip here in Shishole for the months we're on winter moorage up in the SJIs. Working from the helm on a daily basis. Starlink is pretty game changing but cellular LTE/5G will work around here.

Good luck. It's pretty sweet.

 

[martyopp]

Lollipop,
Since you're in Seattle, come and visit and we'll show you Liberty. A PT-38, single engine trawler. Sedan style with centerline double forward, second cabin with bunks, roomy enough head and extremely roomy engine room.
NOT THAT WE'RE FOR SALE, though I suppose we could be, but there are other PT-38's out there.
Marty

 

[martyopp]

And we have no issues with insurance coverage, even though we're a 41yo boat. Covered by Red Shield Insurance in Portland OR.

 

[ORIF]

Thanks, this is exactly the kind of info I need!

For a fishable cockpit close to the water and comfortable interior look at Tollycraft 44 CPMY
Plenty of them on the west coast

 

[NCheaven]

Great question!

So many interesting and good responses!

Cleaning out the basement, sadly I tossed out almost every issue of PassageMaker since it’s founding, holding back the first and a few others, but it gave me a chance to save the cover story featuring a Camano, and another issue/article especially relevant to your question, “How Big is Big Enough?”, Spring, 1988.

I recommend tracking down that one. Headings tell most of the story: overall cost is Important, Simpler is Always Better, Cruusing provides the Answers, A Good Boat for this Stage of our lives, etc. An especially found resource I found in Steve Zimmerman’s class in Trawlerfest 2016 in the form of worksheets on what your rang me will be, how many people, speed, hull shape, and much more, helping the reader/student choose wisely.

So, in the typical month you have in mind, what distances to you plan to cover daily? What storage needs do you have buying food and water? How long between pump outs? How much dry and wet storage are you willing to pay for? What’s your budget for bottom painting, maintenance, etc. Do you like varnishing and oiling teak? Work through the financial budget and the labor you are willing to invest in cleaning, varnishing, etc. Do you want to pay for servicing two engines or one? Do you yearn unprotected propellers hanging down under the boat to snag crab pots, or dies a single engine with keel and skeg protecting the prop? Flybridge for the view and seeing over fig in the water? Visibility around the boat since you plan to travel alone?
Part 2 after lasagne dinner with the Admiral….

 

[NVR II Nauti]

For a fishable cockpit close to the water and comfortable interior look at Tollycraft 44 CPMY
Plenty of them on the west coast

Absolutely, and easy to single hand if you get one with the lower helm for docking purposes. Fantastic boat!

 

[NCheaven]

Part Two, How Big is big enough?

Lasagne was great.

I don’t know the waters you described, or the extent of the range you are considering. But, having a boat commonly plying those waters and up the inside passage, having no exterior wood, having 33 years of proven reliability and amazing value retention, active owners groups in both coasts, and a group on TF, I wonder if the Camano would suit your needs. The greatest limitation might be the holding tank. Range is ample at and somewhat above hull speed. My boat with solar and LED interior lighting has more than ample current without a generator, which some people say is often an ongoing maintenance item.

Given the remarkable value retention and reputation especially in your area, simplicity, protected prop., highly regarded seaworthiness, maybe it’s worth a look. I found 15 days in board including 11 days transitioning from Bristol to the Pamlico River to be a wonderful experience, and I would love to do a trip if that length or double that again.

You tube, Camano Program, 29 minutes, is a good place to start.

Best wishes for finding the best boat for you!

 

[Bryant]

New liveaboard

I'm going to be buying a boat to live aboard in a month or so. There seem to be just tons and tons of good options in my price range, so I figure it's best if I ask for advice early in the process.

My budget isn't super firm, can make it work up to about $250k. But I'd rather go with a well found old boat that costs less than a newer, nicer boat. The nice boat is planned for 3-4 years from now, so the more I save today the nicer a boat I can get then.

Aside from power, my needs are pretty modest. I'm going to be working full time from the boat (software engineer), and listening to a generator all day every day sounds awful. So I'll need either lots of solar+lithium or to spend weekdays plugged into shore power. Solar strongly preferred, l'd much rather spend my time on anchor than in a slip. From what I've seen it looks like I'll be installing that myself, not a lot of trawlers seem to have big solar arrays, or even have the space for them without adding a hardtop.

I don't need much personal space, so I'm fine with smaller boats. I was planning to buy a sailboat and go cruising before I got this job offer, so even the smallest trawlers have loads of space compared to what I was planning for. I suppose more space is better so family can visit in more comfort, but it's a relatively low priority.

I have lots of experience on much smaller boats, but none on anything as big as a trawler. So ease of operation for a single hander is a must. I figure that makes a bow thruster a key feature, and somebody mentioned ease of access to the side decks, but otherwise I really don't know what to look for here. All my research on single handing was centered on sailboats.

I'm an avid fisherman and will try to spend every waking minute fishing if I'm not working. Probably I'll have lines in the water while I'm working. Sorry my task is late, boss, but this salmon isn't gonna land itself! I don't know if any trawler is particularly well suited to fishing, but if there is one I'd love to know.

I've been looking hardest at the Grand Banks 36 and Tollycraft 40 Tri Cabin, but I'm open to all suggestions. I'd like to split my time between the Columbia River and Inside Passage. Absolutely no project boats, I just don't have that kind of time.

Peter has some great advice. The GB 36 Cl is a great choice but you have no use for two heads unless you have a partner. However, a good boat carpenter could remake the v berth into an office and you’d have an aft stateroom for the master. Mine is for sale and listed in boat trader. There is already an offer on it but the ad has some nice pics that might aid your hunt. A good GB 36 that is well maintained, of older vintage, will go from the high 80s to 100s. You can’t go wrong with a GB.

 

[Mark Laurnen]

GoodShipLollipop, I congratulate you on your enthusiasm and "can do" attitude. If you are willing, I believe there is a way. I think what you are hearing is that no single boat is perfect for every owner, and no one boat is perfect for every purpose ... there is no such thing as a perfect boat. Any boat you pick will come with known issues, any boat you pick will come with unknown issues. I have no doubt that you will be able to address and correct the problems through learning and application. What many posters are correctly implying, and has been my personal experience, is that almost universally, boat issues are seldom fixed easily, quickly, or cheaply. This is the nature of boats ... when everything is working, it won't last long.

Seamanship, on the other hand, is an art and should be viewed as a lifelong learning opportunity. Old salts know carry a lot of wisdom, usually borne of experience, so I always listen to learn. "Experience is what you get when you don't get what you're expecting." While some posters may come across as critical, they really are not. These are the vets with countless hours under their belts, and for them, it is important to impart reality so as to possibly avoid the pitfalls they have experienced. Everyone has done things they wish they had done differently, and this applies to boating as well. Some mistakes we just have to make ourselves, if ego is the only casualty then we are fortunate and educated.

I wish you well on your voyage into the unknown, despite the inevitable drawbacks I doubt you will hear many who preceded you say that they regretted the journey.