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Liveaboard Info/Help?

Discussion in 'General Yachting Discussion' started by creepin, Feb 15, 2009.

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  1. Pascal

    Pascal Senior Member

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    that budget will probably allow you to look at the 80s 58 Hatt as well as the wider beam 56MY (fewer available). With some luck you might even squeeze in a late 80s/early 90s 54MY, also wide beam. the 58 YF is also a good choice, being basically a 53MY with a cockpit (great for kids)

    with young kids, these hatts are ideal, you can close the pilothouse and wing doors so that they can't get to the side decks and bow, only the aft deck. safer.

    it's hard to beat these boats for quality and value. the older ones (15'10" beam) can be found in the mid 100s these days which woudl leave you plenty of cash for upgrades.

    you may want to look at Vikings as well (mid/late 80s) and also teh Chris Craft flush decks although i think that from a build quality perspective it's hard to beat the hatts.

    the defever 49 mentioned above feels like a much smaller boat and being a two stateroom boat, you're going to have issues with your girls in a couple of years... may as well go for 3 SR right away.

    If you want the "euro style" look, you can probably find some Viking Sport Cruisers and others close to your budge, but will be probalby be 2 stateroom and a bit more cramped (the price you pay for all that sleekeenes!)
  2. creepin

    creepin New Member

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    Also I am thinking staying around the 55' range due to all the other issues mantance,handling.I dont want to be working on it from the time I get up till the time I go to bed.(I'm a neet freak,you can eat off my bilge,And when you look at my haul you better have sunglasses on:D )

    My thing is layout, the Hatts have a nice layout.And I not oppossed to other brands just not that familiar with whats out there in the 50'-60' range besides the norm Hatt,Chris,Bertrems.
  3. Pascal

    Pascal Senior Member

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    browse YW (use advanced search) for size range and price range... there could be other choice, maybe Cheoi Lee, trawlers, etc.. that you will find appealing although when i did that i kept coming back to Hatteras.

    good luck eating off the bilge with a Detroit Diesel powered boat :)
  4. K1W1

    K1W1 Senior Member

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    Hi,

    Maybe he likes Oily Food :)
  5. NYCAP123

    NYCAP123 Senior Member

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    Had a feeling that's what you were looking for. I asked a friend (V & K) to PM you. These folks are meticulous and the boat fits what you're looking for and is extremely well maintained. BTW, for a family liveaboard/cruiser your right on target. Except that my wife would kill me that's right were I'd be. Good luck
  6. creepin

    creepin New Member

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    As mentioned in a prior post I request info on the 56 Matthews,I am just not familiar with the brand ,Beautiful yacht....I just have to educate myself on the subject.
  7. creepin

    creepin New Member

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    Thanks......

    Just what to make a smart and educated decision for the long term.
  8. NYCAP123

    NYCAP123 Senior Member

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    Think Hatteras. In fact, I'm not sure who came first.
  9. creepin

    creepin New Member

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    Heres one....How would think living aboard would be in the CT or Boston MA area would be?
  10. CaptNeil

    CaptNeil Member

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    Go down to Duffy Creek marina in February when the wind is blowing 40 kts out of the NW and stand on the pier for 2 hours and then ask yourself this same question. Then ask yourself this question "How would living aboard in Palm Beach Florida be?"
  11. Pascal

    Pascal Senior Member

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    after the boat, the most important thing is the marina and location. things to consider besides neighborhood, shopping, etc (as if it was a home) are...

    -ease of boarding
    if you have to board on the side, is the finger pier long enough? can you get the stern close enough to board without a passerelle?
    -protection from wakes and chop:spending your time holding on to bottles, glasses and pots while cooking is no fun! If your friends can't visit you without puking their guts out, it's no fun!
    -parking: convenienent, safe, secure...
    -privacy: if you are at the end of the dock, you have a longer distance to walk but fewer people walking by. i prefer that...
    -security: gated dock, security guards making the rounds, etc...
    -neighbors: too many liveaboards around you may sound nice (community /social thing) but less privacy. I like being on a dock with a few liveaboards but spearate by non live aboards.
    -pump out: if you have to move the boat to the pump out every week or two, make sure the hours are convenient so that you can stop when returning from a week end out on the water. having a pump out at each slip is ideal...

    as to living aboard up north... winter bring a whole set of challenges from keeping the ice and snow off the boat, walking down a frozen dock, getting water when pipes on the dock are shutdown because of freezing, getting a pump out, etc... yuck! in the summer time, no problem!

    Teh other issue is that some marinas do not allow liveaboards... either because they dont' want any or because zoning and local ordinances dont' allow it... do your homework.
  12. creepin

    creepin New Member

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    For the do your homework..........I'm trying.
  13. creepin

    creepin New Member

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    I can do the same thing here in PA at my house.....But why, same Difference.
  14. NYCAP123

    NYCAP123 Senior Member

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    Summer, wonderful although Boston tends to be bouncy so I'd choose Ct. and visit Boston. Winter, your family will abandon you or throw you overboard before Thanksgiving. Look toward Beaufort, N.C. and below (preferably Charleston and below). Being miserable is never fun.
  15. creepin

    creepin New Member

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    Well if it was up to me and jobs and money were no issue I would be in FL in winters and on the Chessy in the summer but....Due to current circumstances,as of yesterday my wife has mentioned some opportunities for her in CT and or Boston areas.So in this economy I'm going where the money is.Thus my reason for asking about those areas.I also keep the liveaboard thing going reason being the industry my wife is in is constantly changing (Pharmaceuticals) and actualy it has suprising been alot of my wife wanting to be liveabord:) .We are in talks of liveaboard also for the downsizing of our lifestyle...And I do understand the cold thing with the area,I guess I am compairing climate to Chesapeake area basicly 2 1/2 months of crap and the other 3 months not bad at all then it's nice.Which we could handle.
  16. NYCAP123

    NYCAP123 Senior Member

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    Ct. has many spectacular and comfortable harbors, but winter on a boat in a cold closed down marina won't be fun. HOWEVER, Ct. has a lot of summer vacation houses that stand empty all winter. You could break in (kidding):D you could easily find a rental for the few winter months at a very reasonable rate or even house sit.
  17. Nasomi

    Nasomi New Member

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    ************** is where i do all my browsing of boats. it has a ton of boats of all variety, in most all locations. Don't try the regular search, it's almost useless. Advanced search is the way to go. With your budget, you can get one very beautiful boat.
  18. NYCAP123

    NYCAP123 Senior Member

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    Searching on the net is so easy. Why limit yourself to one site? Look around. If you're looking for a boat under $100,000 I don't recommend looking at anything more than 100 miles from your home. Over a million search the world. And qualify the boat before you get on a plane. Learn the questions to ask that will keep you from chasing shadows.
  19. creepin

    creepin New Member

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    Well as of now I am in a holding pattern.....My has been in contact with the companies in CT and Boston.And it dosnt sound fun being a liveaboard up there....On the up side if we do relocate up there its not like I still dont have a boat now that fits our need and quite well.:D
  20. NYCAP123

    NYCAP123 Senior Member

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    Maybe you should try living aboard part of the year where you are now. You have a little longer season than in Ct. (again, Boston tends to be bouncy). If you like it for a summer where you're familiar with the area then expand your horizons. If not, you've not wagered much.