Boat recommendations for Liveaboard family????

[Circledog]

Hello Guys,
I know many people have their preferences and I'm hoping someone will suggest one not on my radar. We are in the market for a 3 stateroom, 2+ head, at least two separate living spaces(like enclosed sun deck), a cockpit, preferred enclosed flybridge, LOA maxed at 54' with pulpit and swim platform (slip is 50').
Any suggestions welcomed.
Thanks,
Paul

So far we like the 52 Hatteras CPMY the most
We also like the Carver 500
and are not sure about the Gulfstar 49' MY

 

[CharlieO.]

While looking at boats we liked the 45' Bayliner for a lot of the reason you described. I Liked the raised pilothouse as it served nicely as a second indoor seating area.

 

[Slowmo]

Grand Banks 46 and 49 came in a three stateroom configuration. Some have two staterooms and galley down and some have three staterooms and galley up. The Meridian 49/Bayliner 47 are also 3 stateroom designs. You have to consider where you're cruising and what kind of weather you may encounter. You also want to make sure you buy the best boat (condition and build quality) over size and appearance. Between the makes you mention suffice to say that Hatteras always made high quality yachts with good seakeeping, I don't think anyone would argue that. That isn't true of all brands so make sure you look beyond the 'features' and styling. You should talk to a few experienced captains/surveyors as they can be very informative. I don't want to badmouth a particular manufacturer but suffice to say some are better than others. When the weather turns nasty you want to have confidence in your boat.

 

[Alaskaflyer]

I am in the same boat (haha) in my current search. Add my “must have” that it be a pilot house layout whether flush deck or raised, otherwise very similar specs for me (besides some other reasons for my wanting one, a pilothouse with a seating area serves neatly as a place to split up the family for some alone time at the dock or at anchor - but unlike a flybridge or cockpit it has heat/air conditioning.)

Add the Cheoy Lee 46 LRC to your possible list. Packs a ton of interior room incl. three staterooms and standup engine room into its 46 or so feet. Unfortunately much more rare than the typical motor yachts. For that matter, any of the Cheoy Lee trawlers 46’ and over will likely meet your stated requirements so long as they aren't too long.

I recently spent eight days and seven nights on a Bayliner 4788 which as mentioned is very similar to the later Meridian 490. Plenty things to like with it - and I know at least one member here who full-times on one - but I now know that I would not like to be on her for any length of time with a family for a few reasons. Weekend cruises or occasional longer vacations? Certainly. Living aboard for longer periods along with the requisite storage and tankage requirements? Not me. YMMV. We had three adults and two kids on board and we could have found places for our normal food and clothing and footwear and kids "stuff" ok, but once we added any amount of kayaking gear or bulk food purchases it put us over the edge with some storage tubs laying around underfoot. Part of that was the owner's excellent inventory of spare parts and tools taking up much of the underseat storage, but since I would expect to have a similar inventory on any boat I owned...

Lately I've found that an easy, early indicator as to whether any given boat will come close to meeting my expectations - other than a real engine room - is a dedicated food pantry :lol:

 

[Slowmo]

I am in the same boat (haha) in my current search. Add my “must have” that it be a pilot house layout whether flush deck or raised, otherwise very similar specs for me.

I know from our experience we like the 'tricabin' lay out where the cabins are separated by the salon. This gives a lot of privacy. For live aboard I can see the appeal of a flush deck - tons of room. One consideration for having all the cabins forward is if you have smaller children, then all of them are close by rather than opposite ends of the boat. I suspect that's one reason the big Bayliners were popular with families (beyond cost).

 

[Alaskaflyer]

I am in the same boat (haha) in my current search. Add my “must have” that it be a pilot house layout whether flush deck or raised, otherwise very similar specs for me.

I know from our experience we like the 'tricabin' lay out where the cabins are separated by the salon. This gives a lot of privacy. For live aboard I can see the appeal of a flush deck - tons of room. One consideration for having all the cabins forward is if you have smaller children, then all of them are close by rather than opposite ends of the boat. I suspect that's one reason the big Bayliners were popular with families (beyond cost).

Then once they hit seven years old or so, you'd like to move yourself to an aft cabin and leave them up in the bow lol. This was an issue for us on the Bayliner recently

 

[Alaskaflyer]

Also, the Marine Trader 50 typically came with three staterooms and a flybridge as well as a covered cockpit that while shorter than many could nonetheless be enclosed with vinyl. Some came in a widebody version with a full-beam saloon in favor of walkaround side decks. Some other nice features such as Portuguese bridge, and a pilothouse of sorts separated from the saloon/galley. Don't know enough about them to know their downsides. Not sure of their real LOA with pulpit and swim platform.

 

[Alaskaflyer]

PSS Your choices mentioned in the OP are examples which move faster than hull speed? Is this a must have? The Cheoy Lee and the Marine Trader I mentioned are slow cruising boats, as is another suggestion that just came to me, the Defever 48. These could be found for sale semi-regularly though with the hot market in the last two or three years, now not so much.

 

[Circledog]

PSS Your choices mentioned in the OP are examples which move faster than hull speed? Is this a must have? The Cheoy Lee and the Marine Trader I mentioned are slow cruising boats, as is another suggestion that just came to me, the Defever 48. These could be found for sale semi-regularly though with the hot market in the last two or three years, now not so much.

Sorry, I should have mentioned slow and economical is what I’m trying to achieve. As for kids I have a 16 and 11 left at home, distance would be better. LOL
Thanks for the input guys.

 

[Alaskaflyer]

Just don't buy one out from under me

Kidding, I'm sticking with west coast boats for now, and probably slightly longer.

 

[AZ2Loop]

Do not underestimate the importance of outdoor, covered space. Having lived aboard, I cannot emphasize this enough. Many boats come up short there and when at anchor or at a marina, you may not always want to be "in" the boat, but rather enjoying the outdoors "on" the boat. When you are looking, just ask yourself on any particular boat, where will we spend our time? Is there adequate space to just hang out on this boat, inside and out, in various types of whether (mid-day sun, a long, rainy week, catching a nice sunset, etc.). That outdoor covered space is easy to overlook.