Click for Walker Click for Glendinning Click for Westport Click for YF Listing Service Click for Burger

live aboard boat

Discussion in 'General Yachting Discussion' started by paulga, Nov 26, 2017.

You need to be registered and signed in to view this content.
  1. Capt Ralph

    Capt Ralph Senior Member

    Joined:
    Sep 8, 2004
    Messages:
    12,595
    Location:
    Satsuma, FL
    Look at the front view of that Trojan in Buffalo.
    Look for the side decks.
    There are no side decks. How are you going to get to the bow?
  2. Capt Ralph

    Capt Ralph Senior Member

    Joined:
    Sep 8, 2004
    Messages:
    12,595
    Location:
    Satsuma, FL
    For a live aboard boat, stay away from fishing boats. I noticed early post here when some Bert SFs were exampled.
    Nothing wrong with 30 year old boats. Just proves they can last longer.
    You see any 30 year old SeaRays hold up this well or any survive this long at all?
  3. paulga

    paulga Member

    Joined:
    Nov 26, 2017
    Messages:
    32
    Location:
    New York
    30 years old boat might be difficult for me to get financing and insurance

    is this the side deck on the 1989 trojan?
    http://newimages.**************/resize/1/2/32/6560232_20171214091707360_1_XLARGE.jpg?f=/1/2/32/6560232_20171214091707360_1_XLARGE.jpg&w=924&h=693&t=1513271827000
  4. Capt Ralph

    Capt Ralph Senior Member

    Joined:
    Sep 8, 2004
    Messages:
    12,595
    Location:
    Satsuma, FL
    Sadly, this is typical of a lot of boat decks. Disasters waiting to happen.
    You can see in your picture the rails already bent out (weakened) in some places.

    Now this is our side deck, typical of the Bertram and Hatteras side decks;
    20171216_132902.jpg
  5. Capt Ralph

    Capt Ralph Senior Member

    Joined:
    Sep 8, 2004
    Messages:
    12,595
    Location:
    Satsuma, FL
    Side deck of a wonderful Southern Cross 53 (Fantastic live aboard also);
    20171216_132944.jpg
  6. Capt Ralph

    Capt Ralph Senior Member

    Joined:
    Sep 8, 2004
    Messages:
    12,595
    Location:
    Satsuma, FL
    Have you thought about cruising houseboats? Most are for protected waters but some can punch some swells;
    20171216_133129a.JPG
  7. paulga

    paulga Member

    Joined:
    Nov 26, 2017
    Messages:
    32
    Location:
    New York
    is Trojan 1989 manufactured by Bertram Inc?
    I'm looking in 35-40' range, so the side deck typically look pinched (the Sea Ray that I looked last weekend also like that). It's good to have decent sized side walk as you posted, I guess those are only found in over 50' MY.
    my budget does not include houseboats.
  8. Capt Ralph

    Capt Ralph Senior Member

    Joined:
    Sep 8, 2004
    Messages:
    12,595
    Location:
    Satsuma, FL
    You have been looking at 18 year old Trojans. Suggestions have been 14 to 20 year old. Some with gas engines.
    If your worried about financing and insurance, You have more problems than shopping for a boat my friend.

    My Bert is 39 years old. Still has her value and is insurable, Well,, if I can afford insurance after these last storms..
  9. Capt Ralph

    Capt Ralph Senior Member

    Joined:
    Sep 8, 2004
    Messages:
    12,595
    Location:
    Satsuma, FL
    That houseboat pic I offered was 44 feet. Similar models are cheaper than what has been posted on this thread.
  10. paulga

    paulga Member

    Joined:
    Nov 26, 2017
    Messages:
    32
    Location:
    New York
  11. 30West

    30West Member

    Joined:
    Nov 14, 2016
    Messages:
    246
    Location:
    Holland, Michigan
    20170809_200351.jpg I have a decent side deck for a 37' (40' OAL) family boat. The more I read, the less I think about selling it. This is a Cruisers Yachts 375, they made this boat as the 3650, 3750, and 375, until 2005. It is a Chevy of a boat, but seems to have gotten a lot of things right, and I'm very happy with the quality so far. I bought this boat as an experiment, to see if my family would take to boating or not. Plan is to upsize if they love it, downsize if they don't. I might just keep it, still deciding.
    .
  12. paulga

    paulga Member

    Joined:
    Nov 26, 2017
    Messages:
    32
    Location:
    New York
    did the boat make your family fond of boating?

    I wouldn't play my cell phone near the railings. I dropped a Garmin VIRB 30 action camera into the Dunn's river fall (Ochi, Jamaica) last Christmas when I climbed it. I put on goggles to search for it underwater but never got it back.
  13. Capt J

    Capt J Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jul 11, 2005
    Messages:
    14,429
    Location:
    Fort Lauderdale
    NOW we're talking. It's about time Yachtforums started hiring models for their boat pictures and reviews!
  14. Capt Ralph

    Capt Ralph Senior Member

    Joined:
    Sep 8, 2004
    Messages:
    12,595
    Location:
    Satsuma, FL
  15. paulga

    paulga Member

    Joined:
    Nov 26, 2017
    Messages:
    32
    Location:
    New York
    the risk here is 90k is still gut feeling. how much would you offer if you consider it?
  16. 30West

    30West Member

    Joined:
    Nov 14, 2016
    Messages:
    246
    Location:
    Holland, Michigan
    Part-time model, full-time mom and wife. I figured this pic would give some sense of scale.
    I'm not sure on the family. They warmed up to it, but we are all frantically busy for some reason none of us can figure out. All workaholics. Except my teenager, who quietly goes out to the boat with friends to play video games or watch movies, or with his girlfriend to...?

    My 30-yr-old just had a baby, her husband works from home, and needed a place to work from, so the boat became his office during weekdays for much of the summer. Perfect for that. Wife and I mostly used it for sunset cruises, we would be working around the house and notice the sunset, and drive the two-miles to the marina for a quick sunset cruise. I work a lot of weekends, but we managed to spend some weekend days anchored off the dunes outside our harbor. Every time we go out, wife remembers she loves being out on a boat. At home, she seems to forget.

    We really want to run up to Mackinac Island or Boyne or both this summer. Relatives up there. Now that I've had time to look at every system on the boat and get totally comfortable with them, I'm more inclined to make that run. I'm cautious that way, and this boat seems more than capable for a trip like that.

    I'm amazed we haven't lost a phone yet, especially mine. She was making videos of the kids jumping off the upper hard top at the beach.
  17. Fishtigua

    Fishtigua Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jul 20, 2007
    Messages:
    2,937
    Location:
    Guernsey/Antigua
    Loss of phones on a boat?

    Try our 4 in a week that went swimmies. The last one was still ringing as it left the ass of my overalls pocket.

    2 did get shagged coming home from the Pub, but a pretty girl was still connected.
  18. Capt Ralph

    Capt Ralph Senior Member

    Joined:
    Sep 8, 2004
    Messages:
    12,595
    Location:
    Satsuma, FL
    I don't need another boat so it's value to me is nothing.
    You may want to consider what you want, and what's it's value is to you.
    There is no such thing as a low maintenance boat.
    Gas boats are a cheap purchase for a reason (maybe a whole new thread).
    Live-aboard laws change yearly in every town, county and state.
    Live-aboard insurance may cost more (you didn't know that did you?).

    How long have you been near water?
  19. Capt Ralph

    Capt Ralph Senior Member

    Joined:
    Sep 8, 2004
    Messages:
    12,595
    Location:
    Satsuma, FL
    Did you remember her name & number?
    Now, close your eyes,, Relax,, let your mind drift off to that bad day you lost the phone,, Relax more,, don't let it upset you,, relax,, the phone was in your hand,, let your arm drop to your sides and relax,, you see the name and number on the display, relax,, remember the display??
    Did she have a sister??
  20. paulga

    paulga Member

    Joined:
    Nov 26, 2017
    Messages:
    32
    Location:
    New York
    do you mean Gas boats cost more in maintenance than diesel?

    on insurance, I found an amusing comment:

    insutCapture.PNG