There are several issues that we all seem to have dealt with yet the questions and their answers seem to largely go unasked and therefore unanswered. Maybe the reason is that some things that are obvious to the people who are doing something are not so obvious to those who are not. I am hoping that some full or part time liveaboards who are also cruisers can offer their opinions to someone who is not there yet.
As retirement nears, my wife and I are both on board with selling the big house, buying a smaller house on the Chesapeake for summer living near family and friends, buying the final trawler, first doing the great loop, and then spending the non-summer seasons exploring the ICW, Southwestern Florida, and the Bahamas. We have chartered fairly extensively. We know that we like boating with family and friends, like boating with just the two of us, like moving about, prefer anchoring, and prefer to stay in marinas only occasionally. However, limited chartering does not provide answers to all the things that a full time liveaboard will feel and encounter.
Questions would be:
· -How long does the average couple actually spend in the liveaboard and cruising lifestyle, 2 years, 6 years, 15 years, all of the above?
· -For couples who actually do this successfully for many years, is there a minimum and maximum size boat that you typically see them in? The minimalists, such as Captain John, advise “buying the absolute smallest boat that you can live with”. However, he does not boat with a spouse who also has to be happy with the accommodations, and seems to rarely have guests. On the other side, the “bigger is better crowd” advocate buying for comfort and accessibility. However, it seems that the extremists on that side often spend most of their time in marinas, actually cruise very little, may have more boat than 2 people enjoy handling, and may have difficulty finding slips when they do travel. So what size range of boat do you typically see successful liveaboard cruising couples in?
· -One stateroom or two? Does a second full sized stateroom make it more likely that family and friends will come to visit for a week or weeks, or does the second stateroom wind up being just used as extra storage space?
· -One Head or Two? Does a second head provide a worthwhile more enjoyable experience with guests, act as a good emergency head, or is it really unnecessary?
· -Is a stand up engine room worth it, especially as we age, or is putting on a pair of knee pads, opening a hatch in the floor, and climbing down a short ladder not really that bad? For stand up thinking KK44, Defever 45 aft, Great Harbor 37, 47. For less height in the engine room thinking Helmsman 38E, 44, or Swift 34, 44.
Any other things that should be considered by someone who has not yet taken the plunge from those who have? Thanks very much.
As retirement nears, my wife and I are both on board with selling the big house, buying a smaller house on the Chesapeake for summer living near family and friends, buying the final trawler, first doing the great loop, and then spending the non-summer seasons exploring the ICW, Southwestern Florida, and the Bahamas. We have chartered fairly extensively. We know that we like boating with family and friends, like boating with just the two of us, like moving about, prefer anchoring, and prefer to stay in marinas only occasionally. However, limited chartering does not provide answers to all the things that a full time liveaboard will feel and encounter.
Questions would be:
· -How long does the average couple actually spend in the liveaboard and cruising lifestyle, 2 years, 6 years, 15 years, all of the above?
· -For couples who actually do this successfully for many years, is there a minimum and maximum size boat that you typically see them in? The minimalists, such as Captain John, advise “buying the absolute smallest boat that you can live with”. However, he does not boat with a spouse who also has to be happy with the accommodations, and seems to rarely have guests. On the other side, the “bigger is better crowd” advocate buying for comfort and accessibility. However, it seems that the extremists on that side often spend most of their time in marinas, actually cruise very little, may have more boat than 2 people enjoy handling, and may have difficulty finding slips when they do travel. So what size range of boat do you typically see successful liveaboard cruising couples in?
· -One stateroom or two? Does a second full sized stateroom make it more likely that family and friends will come to visit for a week or weeks, or does the second stateroom wind up being just used as extra storage space?
· -One Head or Two? Does a second head provide a worthwhile more enjoyable experience with guests, act as a good emergency head, or is it really unnecessary?
· -Is a stand up engine room worth it, especially as we age, or is putting on a pair of knee pads, opening a hatch in the floor, and climbing down a short ladder not really that bad? For stand up thinking KK44, Defever 45 aft, Great Harbor 37, 47. For less height in the engine room thinking Helmsman 38E, 44, or Swift 34, 44.
Any other things that should be considered by someone who has not yet taken the plunge from those who have? Thanks very much.
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