Living and traveling on a boat/yacht. Talk me out of it...

[booger]

So the last few years I've been looking at larger (to me) boats to cruise the east and west coast of the US via panama. No idea why, I'm only 33, but it just seems like a complete blast in my head. I'm young but very financially secure and in a trade where I'm constantly headhunted by companies and contractors I deal with, so no worries about taking a couple years off. GF and potential wife of several years is going to hit 20 years in the military in 4 years, and that seems like the time to do a 1-2 year excursion like this since her retirement alone would cover fuel and basic supplies.

All that bullshit aside, looking in the general Washington area I can pick up a nice 45'-65' boat or ship or yachtwhateverthefuck for under 200K, and that's just surfing CL. Could go up into the 80's even, sacrificing some fuel. Something that cruises at 8-10 knots burning 2-3 gallons an hour with 600-1000 onboard seems appealing. Pick up and drop off friends at various spots to offset costs maybe, but I also hate people. It looks like in that price range I can either go tiny or massive on engines, but being able to putt along for 2500+ miles is more appealing to me than having two 600hp engines sucking down fuel to get into the teens. Both are out there in that price range.

What say IBB? Anyone done it and live to tell the tale? Zero interest in sailboats or sailboat living, I'd want to feel like I was in a house at sea not a cramped condensation sarcophagus.

I like your idea and gumption.

On another note if you are thinking fuel will be your worst cost on a 60-80ft boat and your using 600 hp engines as your sucking power than I have some bad news for you. The only saving grace is that you are fine with sub 10 knot cruising. Anything that large for that little coin is sure to be rough as shit. Are you prepared to spend $60k tuning up those engines? You'd be surprised how much money will go into just regular maintenance on them. And 600 hp is small. Our 59' has 1650 hp x2. Fuel consumption is 110 gallons an hour each engine. But they also get $50-75k a year in maintenance. True, this is a sport fisher that will cruise at 40 knots so it is a lot more performance than what you are looking at but it gives you some perspective. The only thing more expensive is airplanes and space ships.

I'd be looking at buying a retired offshore shrimp boat if I were in your shoes. They are rough, have 1 giant engine made to go slow, large fuel and water tanks, and large freezers. Could do all sorts of weird shit with all the rigging, I'd be setting FADs with them https://www.qld.gov.au/recreation/activities/boating-fishing/rec-fishing/fish-aggregating-devices

When you get done with the boat you could probably get out of it where if you buy a cruiser and don't fix it up you may have a tough time getting out of it. If you do fix it up you may lose that too.

You asked us to talk you out of it

 

[FlexyTJ]

Have you considered a catamaran?

catamaran? And all this talk of fuel consumption, baaaah.

You haven't truly lived until you've navigated the high seas on a jetski towing a slave ski for fuel behind!

</end evernoob suggestion>

 

[arse_sidewards]

Another vote for trailer.

Keeping a saltwater boat the size and age you're looking at seaworthy is a part time job. I grew up getting paid to do a bunch of that stuff for people. Fuck that. Buy a trailer. Way less ways for a trailer to cost you stupid money.

If you want to cruise around for cheap get a fiberglass sailboat that comes with sails and coons that need evicting, Evict coons, re-fit boat and rock out. But the catch is that you need to sail. Unless you've been sailing so long you have complete confidence in your ability to handle the boat it will not be that much fun.

 

[Eric]

A couple I'm good friends with sold everything last year and now live aboard a 45' catamaran. Home base is Ft Lauderdale but they have made trips to the Bahama's, Keys, and Caribbean.

I'd have no problem cruising American waterways but no fawking way would I cruise any third-world shit holes.

 

[Ransil]

I know someone that was selling a boat they did the boat thing for about 10 years,pm me if interested ill check and see if it still for sale.

 

[Mattafact]

On another note if you are thinking fuel will be your worst cost on a 60-80ft boat and your using 600 hp engines as your sucking power than I have some bad news for you. The only saving grace is that you are fine with sub 10 knot cruising. Anything that large for that little coin is sure to be rough as shit. Are you prepared to spend $60k tuning up those engines? You'd be surprised how much money will go into just regular maintenance on them. And 600 hp is small. Our 59' has 1650 hp x2. Fuel consumption is 110 gallons an hour each engine. But they also get $50-75k a year in maintenance. True, this is a sport fisher that will cruise at 40 knots so it is a lot more performance than what you are looking at but it gives you some perspective. The only thing more expensive is airplanes and space ships.

Let's hear more about this boat. Sounds

 

[TatonkaII]

I'd learn to sail if I was going to do this. My brother did it about 10 years ago.


Have fun!

 

[RusM]

Just going to throw this option out there for you. Buy a tuna troller and liecense. Get paid to go glorified sports fishing and see the coast. Chase them north and south.
that's what I do for a living. But it's not a job. It is just awsome.
At least that way you have an income and are not going backwards. You can fish as much or as little as you want.
we have a 6v92 in the boat as a main and a 4bt running a 50 kilowatt genset. If we are running both for 24 hours it's 130 gallons a day. Pushing a 53 by 18 by 8 foot hull. Has all the amenities we need and packs 4000 gallons of fuel. Enough to go to Hawaii or wherever you want. Takes about 50 fish a day to break even and pay for fuel. You don't have to clean them. Only bleed and freeze and they offload them for you when you sell.

This doesn't sound bad at all! Also people pay big money to go and catch some tuna, maybe you could do both?

 

[AK_F250]

I like your idea and gumption.

On another note if you are thinking fuel will be your worst cost on a 60-80ft boat and your using 600 hp engines as your sucking power than I have some bad news for you. The only saving grace is that you are fine with sub 10 knot cruising. Anything that large for that little coin is sure to be rough as shit. Are you prepared to spend $60k tuning up those engines? You'd be surprised how much money will go into just regular maintenance on them. And 600 hp is small. Our 59' has 1650 hp x2. Fuel consumption is 110 gallons an hour each engine. But they also get $50-75k a year in maintenance. True, this is a sport fisher that will cruise at 40 knots so it is a lot more performance than what you are looking at but it gives you some perspective. The only thing more expensive is airplanes and space ships.

I'd be looking at buying a retired offshore shrimp boat if I were in your shoes. They are rough, have 1 giant engine made to go slow, large fuel and water tanks, and large freezers. Could do all sorts of weird shit with all the rigging, I'd be setting FADs with them https://www.qld.gov.au/recreation/activities/boating-fishing/rec-fishing/fish-aggregating-devices

When you get done with the boat you could probably get out of it where if you buy a cruiser and don't fix it up you may have a tough time getting out of it. If you do fix it up you may lose that too.

You asked us to talk you out of it

I already do the plane thing, very aware of the investment vs reward

I'm not worried about the fuel cost so much as the range. If I do this it'll be a 1-2 year adventure and with no real timetable to stick to so I'd rather have the luxury of not planning my route around fuel stops. Your boat burns 5.5gal/NM whereas even if I was at 5gph I'd still be at 0.625gal/NM, so almost 900% better fuel economy. I understand getting on the fish quickly with 10 people but that's not my goal at all.

As far as the budget and size, it's just a number I threw out there. I've been surfing yachttrader and a few others, it seems like there are some very clean 50-60 footers with recent repowers and updates for under 250k as well as some in the 60-80 range that don't look bad(to me). Am I missing something glaringly obvious about olderish boats? My experience is limited to sub 35' aluminum or fiberglass fishing boats and lake hot rods.

 

[AK_F250]

OP.

go for it. We sold everything we had, bought a boat, sailed from South Africa to the Caribbean and eventually the states. Lived the life for 5 years, 200 ton RYA offshore yacht master, dive master, chartered in the US and British Virgin Islands. Sailed most of the Caribbean and Bahamas. Consultant on design of Catamaran sailing yachts specifically for charter both bareboat and crewed charter.

without a doubt this period of my life generated some of the best memories I have. We had a blast. Worked extremely hard to be successful but I got to see and do stuff others can only dream of doing or are paying excessively to experience - and I was getting paid to do it.

The failure rate trying to be a yachtie is surprisingly high. Strange as it sounds it is not easy ( I arrived in St Thomas with less than $250 to my name).

size does not really matter. I knew an Aussie/Kiwi couple that were on their third circumnavigation on a 27’ sailboat.
they had more experiences and saw more shit than the owners of the mega yachts that are tethered to the marinas most of their lives and need a crew of ten.

figure 10% of the cost of the boat to maintain in in that exact condition annually. Maintain it to your standard figure 20 or 25%. Then add marina and berthing costs and diesel and replacing a generator instead of going on a vacation

the best advice you are going to hear in this thread.
Boating in any form is much cheaper on someone else’s dime.

Find a way to make that happen. I can tell you running someone else’s 100’ plus gin palace paid a lot better than a couple guests did on our own 42’ sailboat. I made more in tips on one charter than I made in a year on our boat.

i would go back to that life tomorrow

Do it or you will forever regret it. I bet you make memories of a lifetime and have experiences other will envy


Stuck and Mr Rat speak a lot of sense

Something I've yet to look into is licensing and certs for running a larger boat. I know that I can hop in a freightliner chassis RV but I need my CDL to drive my kenworth. Is there a pleasure/commercial line in the sand with boats too?

What's the market like for transient captains? When I was in Grand Cayman about 10 years ago the captain and divemaster we went out with were both from the US and seemed to be having a kick ass time.

 

[Island rules]

Something I've yet to look into is licensing and certs for running a larger boat. I know that I can hop in a freightliner chassis RV but I need my CDL to drive my kenworth. Is there a pleasure/commercial line in the sand with boats too?

What's the market like for transient captains? When I was in Grand Cayman about 10 years ago the captain and divemaster we went out with were both from the US and seemed to be having a kick ass time.

I am not really sure of us coast guard requirements. I think a boat of that size requires a 100 ton or under ticket.
my Canadian commercial ticket required about 3 months of school and an oral exam and is good for 100 tons or less, but I also had the 1 year of seatime requirements of working on a vessel that size. I dont know how it works down there. Fairly easy to upgrade as necessary to. I think the next step up takes about another month of classes and would allow me 500 tons in a fishing vessel, but I also have to prove 2 years of experience on board a vessel of over 100 and less than 500 tons.

Older vessels depends on who the previous owner was. My boat is from 1979 but a few of u guys thought it was a new build. I have a thread that ill start updating again in the outdoor section here.
https://irate4x4.com/outdoor-sports-and-recreation/56390-off-shore-fishing

If you have some links to share on any older commercial vessel you are looking at ill gladly give u my 2 cents on what I see.

 

[Stuck]

I am not really sure of us coast guard requirements. I think a boat of that size requires a 100 ton or under ticket.
my Canadian commercial ticket required about 3 months of school and an oral exam and is good for 100 tons or less, but I also had the 1 year of seatime requirements of working on a vessel that size. I dont know how it works down there. Fairly easy to upgrade as necessary to. I think the next step up takes about another month of classes and would allow me 500 tons in a fishing vessel, but I also have to prove 2 years of experience on board a vessel of over 100 and less than 500 tons.

Older vessels depends on who the previous owner was. My boat is from 1979 but a few of u guys thought it was a new build. I have a thread that ill start updating again in the outdoor section here.
https://irate4x4.com/outdoor-sports-and-recreation/56390-off-shore-fishing

If you have some links to share on any older commercial vessel you are looking at ill gladly give u my 2 cents on what I see.

You only need a "Captains License" or MMC if you get paid or charge to run a boat. That means if you run a single charter or fish for money (it gets a little grey with professional tournament fisherman) you need a license doesnt matter what size, it could be a powered canoe. If its your personal pleasure craft that you run all by yourself youre good to go. Thats why there a so many large boats driven by retards.

I have heard that over 100 feet needs a license but Im not sure thats true. I do know two assholes with with a 105' and 120' that "pilot" their own but I believe they have captns that work for them most of the time.