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Cruise ships vs yachts

Discussion in 'General Yachting Discussion' started by axavierhansz, Nov 18, 2012.

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  1. karo1776

    karo1776 Senior Member

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    Yes... true... let's say you buy a rust bucket fixer tramp steamer which may be $100,000 and you put another $300,000 in it for a total of $400,000 which you find someone to buy for $500,000... so but why... ?

    It isn't a yacht by any stretch of the imagination... and yachting is not flipping what you can buy cheap and sell at a profit.
  2. axavierhansz

    axavierhansz New Member

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    i'd like to think that yachting isn't about the glamour. if you're yachting to show it off to (wo)men, you're not likely to afford a yacht. if you can afford a yacht, it's doubtful you need to show it off to (wo)men. also the (wo)men that can't appreciate a yacht for more than the appearance probably aren't very desirable anyway. (wo)men = men and/or women
    thank you Stan for your insights. i am at least a decade away from buying a 25+ meter boat, but when i do i hope i can count on your advice.
    thanks to everyone else who has provided useful comments also. i hope i can count on your advice as well.
    ultimately, i want to travel a lot. A LOT. if 2000 hours per year is truly a heavy load for a yacht's engines, and facilities i will probably go for a conversion regardless of price, even if i must settle for a smaller ship. thanks all who gave useful input.
    if anyone has anything to add about pros and con/s of commercial ship conversion vs yacht, please keep posting.

    yacht owners: what is the reliability of systems like on your boats?
  3. Marmot

    Marmot Senior Member

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    It is not a "heavy load" it is just typical use rate ... large yachts don't move around much.
  4. karo1776

    karo1776 Senior Member

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    Maybe this thread is Passe'

    Well right here in Yacht Forms there is a conversion article which tells the tale:

    Review: Yacht Escort Ships 173' "SuRi" - YachtForums.Com

    It is a support vessel but it is a conversion to yachting use... and it pretty much defines the situation

    Also, here is a new build support vessel:

    Damen “Sea Axe” 50-meter Yacht Support Vessel - YachtForums.Com

    These may not be primary yachts but are examples of using commercial practice to achieve yachting use. The former article is very applicable.

    The issue is commercial shipping the sizes now-a-days dwarf even the largest yachts so possible this thread is passe'. The days of the small ship (small enough to be private yacht are pretty well gone). Certainly many boats such as drill rig supply vessels and research vessels and ex navy and patrol vessels can be used. The point is I think in some ways its apples and oranges.
    BUT using commercial yards or commercial standards to construct a yacht is possible and that is what the two above articles right here on yacht forums talk about. IT'S CHEAPER.

    WHY is the standards of fit and finish are lower.

    I have used the example of the MY Grace (cruising Norway... off the beaten path) numerous times as an example of this. Inside the guest areas its yacht standard... but the rest is more commercial practice. It was built a commercial yard and fitted out with yacht standard trimmings. It would fit right in in 1950-1960s and one would not feel out of place parking it on the Riviera but now-a-days fit and finish standards are much much higher and I think one might feel a little out of place. But it is quaint and charming in its way.

    Really building the basics as hull superstructure and machinery the process and materials are much the same often... and results before fitting out the same. But yachts are finished to very high standards. So a steel or aluminum hull and superstructure its, other than style, the same deal. Many of the best builders hire these out commercially now anyway. The machinery is different. Ships equipment is usually larger than used in yachts and not finished to the same standard... also yachts are concerned about noise levels... commercial ships not so.

    So it is really about fit and finish and size.

    Someone here mentioned it was about girls... well in may experience by time you can afford the multi-million EXPENSE... per year... the girl issue is not relevant... its about the yacht not the girls. The wife only tolerates the yacht addiction... and tolerates is very generous. You admire the bright work more than the girls... The girls are usually 40 years or more years younger and usually are relation or friends of relation... mostly all on your wife's side of her rather large family. And, you would not have one thing other than that in common with them anyway. You might use the tatoos to identify which is which if you can remember who is who... but they all look and act pretty much same. Crew... don't ever get involved with crew in any way... if you want a happy yacht... .

    Oh yes, I have had acquaintances that have mistresses... yacht mistress... town mistress etc etc... a story comes to mind:

    We both have French peasant girl wives.... In his case... :
    Someone found out... someone decided to 'if you can I can'... someone cut up a closet full of designer fashion fashion (oh, probably two or three million or more but who wears it twice anyway... see there are fashion addictions too)... someone went to the Paris apartment to plot... someone went to the favorite local watering hole to brood... someone showed up at the watering hole to be a friend and console... in the dark a big knife appeared... someone got stabbed 21 times in the chest... someone lived through it... some one went to jail for a long time... someone was suspected... it was never proven on someone... both are still together... happily ever after!