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New smallish yacht for family

Discussion in 'General Yachting Discussion' started by Deepsleep4, Jan 13, 2020.

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  1. Deepsleep4

    Deepsleep4 New Member

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    Hello Everyone, I want to introduce myself and give you a little background. I’m a professional in my forties with three young kids 11/10/8 years old. They all love the water and were taught to swim from when they were 2 years old. I had a lakehouse in the past with a boat but found that what I really wanted was a boat to stay on with the kids and family and take out on the big holidays and weekends and just put the anchor down and relax. I am not looking to run in circles all day pulling people and trying to keep ropes out of the prop while getting sunburned. I have access to a largish lake and want to have something to make some memories with the kiddos while they are young.
    I am looking for something in the 40-45 ft range to serve as both a lakehouse and take out on the weekends. I love the flybridge visibility but have older parents who would struggle with the access. The common boats around here are carvers, searays and meridians but I love the agelessness and quality of the SUNSEEKERs. Is it worth it to ship one in vs buying a local boat? Desirables include washer/dryer, central vac two staterooms and possibly would be willing to step up in length to get three. Budget is 3-500 but would be open to cheaper boats however I am concerned with excess deferred maintenance on the older ones.
    The sports cars are gone to prepare for the expenses that may arise but obviously I would like to minimize losses where possible. Any thoughts are appreciated.
  2. RER

    RER Senior Member

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    The longer you keep it the better you can amortize the transportation cost. If you have a short attention span and will be selling in a year or two it probably makes more sense to buy a local boat. But that's a generalization.
  3. olderboater

    olderboater Senior Member

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    It's worth it if you find the right boat to take it by water to you. What lake are you on? You need to look at the boats on the lake where you'll be. Likely you'll be interested in the largest ones there. That will give you an idea of what others have found worked for them.
  4. KoffeeCruising

    KoffeeCruising Member

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    W/your Missouri profile are you thinking Lake of the Ozarks, TableRock or Beaver? If so a houseboat may be the right tool for the job. You could get the space, amenities without the beefiness and twin diesels of an ocean going yacht. We rented a Houseboat on the Ozarks years ago and it was perfect. You can tow your runabout/wakeboat; sleep 12 and have stairs to the FB. You can tie to trees in some if the coves to “anchor out”. You’ll cruise slow- and PartyCove was awesome in a HB
  5. olderboater

    olderboater Senior Member

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    Very true. That's why I asked what lake. I don't see a 75' Sunseeker on Lake of the Ozarks.
  6. Capt J

    Capt J Senior Member

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    He's talking 40-45' on that size on a yacht you can forget about having a washer and dryer, and a central vac......space is precious and those things would be very rare. A flybridge will give you a lot more interior volume. Given what you're looking at, a Silverton or Carver would probably be better suited as they're more volumous, although the quality is lower, it's good enough for the lake. While not as sexy, a houseboat would be your best bet.
  7. Deepsleep4

    Deepsleep4 New Member

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    Good point on the houseboat. I will look into it The last time I looked the ones that were for sale were all huge as in 100x20 and very expensive but I’ll look into it some more. And a 75’ SUNSEEKER on table rock would be a pretty crazy sight lol! I have to admit I am a sucker for style and as I am replacing my cars I would like something with some style like a SUNSEEKER vs a box!
    Last edited: Jan 13, 2020
  8. Capt J

    Capt J Senior Member

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    Sunseeker would be my choice in that size. But keep in mind, the washer/dryer you find on even a 66' Manhattan is a total POS. You can fit 2 XL t-shirts in it and it takes 4.5 hours. 3 t-shirts and they never dry. There are compromises on that and I believe the smallest you'll find in a flybridge is a 52' Manhattan
  9. olderboater

    olderboater Senior Member

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    Are there any Sunseekers on Table Rock Lake? I just don't see the match between one and Table Rock Lake. We lived on a lake not that much bigger and the house on the lake plus a bowrider just worked. Your kids are going to get bigger and even a 50' boat will get smaller as they do. You're very close to being the parent of a teenager, then two teenagers, then three teenagers.

    Do you plan long term on staying where you are and keeping the boat there or is there some different long term plan?

    You might consider a Beneteau Swift Trawler.
  10. Capt J

    Capt J Senior Member

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    Prestige is another thought the 50' Flybridge has 3 liveable staterooms plus crew and has a useless washer/dryer and I think a central vac also.
  11. KoffeeCruising

    KoffeeCruising Member

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    Thoughts
    1. To ship a 44+Flybridge (orn75’ sunseeker!) to TR you’d have to cut it in half, ship on 2 trucks and reassemble. Imagine the trailer exiting I-44 to 65 ... then to the last mile down to the lake. Plus getting diesel on the lake.

    2. Check out this for a rental next summer. https://tablerockhouseboatrentals.com/our-boats/. That’ll give you a taste of the life.

    3. If you really want to try a 44+FB, fly to FLL and charter one, or go to the Miami Boat show over Valentines and get on some to get a sense of what size you’d really want.

    4. My 2cents as a Midwesterner who has discovered Florida /Bahamas in my mid 50’s:

    TRock (and esp Beaver) are the perfect summer lakes. Get a surfing Wakeboard boat (a 16 person sports car) and fill it with your kids pals; that’s what we did when our kids were your kids age. You’ll be the coolest dad on the block. (And make sure to invite your wife’s hot friends!)

    Then in winter/spring travel to Fl or Bahamas and rent/charter a FB to prep for when the kids gone. My kids are now way out of college and they join us in Florida and we reminisce on their wakeboard boat glory days.

    Houseboat is right tool for TRock
    FB motor yacht is right tool for ICW Keys Bahamas

    Try renting Houseboat and tow a sport boat this summer and you’ll have best or both worlds.
  12. Deepsleep4

    Deepsleep4 New Member

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    Thanks for all the input everyone. The charter idea is a good one.. I will consider that.
  13. cleanslate

    cleanslate Senior Member

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    Hey wait Capt J. My 42' Ocean Yachts has a washer and dryer AND central vac; Well it did. I removed all of it as the washer was ok, but the dryer took for ever and mostly dumped back into the boat. The central vac was a PIA storing the hose and Vac parts. So you can find them, but as Capt J said . Washers and dryers on boat use ALOT of electric and water and can take for ever.

    What others have said ; charter first.

    Also is diesel fuel easy to get/available ?
    Last edited: Jan 14, 2020
  14. Deepsleep4

    Deepsleep4 New Member

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    Diesel is available pretty easily. Ok so now I know the washers and dryers as well as vacuums don’t work that well. Good to know.
  15. MBevins

    MBevins Senior Member

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    That's not necessarily true.
    The combination washer/dryer units are not that great but the classic stackers work very well. Have a Kenmore in my Viking. Installed at the factory. Works great , gets used weekly when we're cruising.
    Must admit that I've thrown my built-in vac to the curb though. Went with a small frame Shark and never looked back.
  16. cleanslate

    cleanslate Senior Member

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    Arrrgh..me to I have a Shark, lol works very well.
    Where does you dryer really exhaust to? And the lint go..bet there is lots behind the unit and elsewhere ..? I had GE stackers factory units. Ocean did a poor job on venting the dryer. Lint, exhaust, steam, would go everywhere but out of the boat.
  17. Pascal

    Pascal Senior Member

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    I ve never understood the appeal of a central vac. We have one on the 84 I run and we never use it.

    as to all in one combo washer dryer, the key is to get a vented dryer. Most are condensing non vented and indeed do not dry well at all

    I like the vented combos. Sure you re not going to wash and dry a huge load but they little water and power. A queen sheet set will dry just fine for instance. So you do laundry daily. No big deal. Saves a lot of space. But again you need a VENTED model
  18. cleanslate

    cleanslate Senior Member

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    Lol, mine was not a vented unit. I wondered why it was so steamy when I used it. Lol...Ole J. Leek ..he do give a hoot! Vent...what vent?! It helped sell the boat as a creature comfort when new that's all that mattered.
  19. Deepsleep4

    Deepsleep4 New Member

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    Good too know that some aren’t vented. I would never have imagined that.
  20. Capt J

    Capt J Senior Member

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    The only thing a central vac does is keep dust out of the air if someone has allergies...….mainly the person doing the vacuuming.