Hippocampus
Guru
- Joined
- Jul 27, 2020
- Messages
- 4,112
- Location
- Plymouth
- Vessel Name
- Hippocampus
- Vessel Make
- Nordic Tug 42
Just spent this morning with my bride on a Lifeproof boats 31’ cabin. Got me thinking about the evolution of many here. Ith some variation folks seem to go through an evolution of two foot-itis going from small craft to a significant cruiser vessel either in power or sail or a mix. Then after awhile their horizons shrink and the reverse that evolution. Some don’t have as high a high or as low a low either due to available time or money or land based responsibilities being unable to full time cruise or be too far from their dirt dwelling. But even there there seems to be that bell shaped curve.
We have just entered what’s probably our last phase of this. The NT is a great boat. Easy to live on, long legs, and wide spectrum of operating speeds. But it has a constant list of maintenance chores and as more and more people boat the freedom of just picking a direction has disappeared. In the past one could say”let’s go south this weekend (or season). Now it takes planning and flexibility as anchorages maybe full or marinas expansive and even maybe full as well. Scheduling services was done with one phone call and in a reasonable latency are gone. Boat ownership has become more stressful. In recent years finding a berth is a major chore as in New England there’s often waiting lists of several years for a slip or even a mooring. There’s no availability in my town for so long they aren’t even adding to their waiting lists. Even rack storage is a problem.
Still a man who has gone to sea is ruined for land. So the admiral has said” we need a day boat.” 5 year ago she said no more passages and international long term cruising” and she was right. Been there done that got the tshirt. Now she said you need a boat you can single and put as much effort and time into as you do with a car.
So we will over the next year or two sell the NT and get something smaller. Our goal is to do something entirely different. A boat and usage type we’ve never experienced. For decades now law enforcement, military and SAR have been using small jet or outboard powered aluminum boats with a ring of inflatable tubes or closed cell foam. Folks in the Pacific Northwest have been using variants to fish, recreate and over night. Typical range is ~400nm and most can go 45-50mph with cruising speeds in the mid to high 30s. They can be trailered or with the smaller ones racked.
Although economically it’s a lateral move commitment to keeping the thing running is a fraction of what’s involved running a recreational trawler.
I started this thread to hear about other peoples journeys through their evolution. Also other’s thoughts about boats like the Lifeproof 31’coupe or cabin.
We have just entered what’s probably our last phase of this. The NT is a great boat. Easy to live on, long legs, and wide spectrum of operating speeds. But it has a constant list of maintenance chores and as more and more people boat the freedom of just picking a direction has disappeared. In the past one could say”let’s go south this weekend (or season). Now it takes planning and flexibility as anchorages maybe full or marinas expansive and even maybe full as well. Scheduling services was done with one phone call and in a reasonable latency are gone. Boat ownership has become more stressful. In recent years finding a berth is a major chore as in New England there’s often waiting lists of several years for a slip or even a mooring. There’s no availability in my town for so long they aren’t even adding to their waiting lists. Even rack storage is a problem.
Still a man who has gone to sea is ruined for land. So the admiral has said” we need a day boat.” 5 year ago she said no more passages and international long term cruising” and she was right. Been there done that got the tshirt. Now she said you need a boat you can single and put as much effort and time into as you do with a car.
So we will over the next year or two sell the NT and get something smaller. Our goal is to do something entirely different. A boat and usage type we’ve never experienced. For decades now law enforcement, military and SAR have been using small jet or outboard powered aluminum boats with a ring of inflatable tubes or closed cell foam. Folks in the Pacific Northwest have been using variants to fish, recreate and over night. Typical range is ~400nm and most can go 45-50mph with cruising speeds in the mid to high 30s. They can be trailered or with the smaller ones racked.
Although economically it’s a lateral move commitment to keeping the thing running is a fraction of what’s involved running a recreational trawler.
I started this thread to hear about other peoples journeys through their evolution. Also other’s thoughts about boats like the Lifeproof 31’coupe or cabin.
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