Our Process To Research Live-aboard Cruising and a Cruising Sailboat
About eight years ago I happened to pick up a copy of Cruising World, a magazine about sailboats that people use to sail around the world and the resulting lifestyle. In the intervening years I would occasionally purchase and read an issue of the magazine. After our global travel by motorcycle from 2003-2004, I began to seriously consider a sailboat as a way to continue the exploration of the world via a means of transportation that would include a kitchen, bedroom, etc.
I attended my first sailboat show with an Australian friend, Peter Eck, a couple of years ago. Peter walked me through the boats and introduced me to the basic features important in a boat capable of passagemaking (crossing oceans). Since then I've been working on researching the entire live-aboard, cruising lifestyle and boats suitable for this purpose.
Steps so far have included (almost all 1/2005 through 12/2005):
Read 40+ books for research & education
Read scores of magazines & periodicals for research & education
Visited 5 boat shows (San Diego 2x, Newport Beach, Miami, Annapolis)
Looked at more than 20 used boats (physical reality of layouts, build quality, reality of what a 20 year old boat looks like and will require for refitting, etc.)
Participated in several test sails of candidate boats
Island Packet factory tour (education on build process)
Sailing lessons and certification (Doug) (skills & experience)
2,500 mile offshore passage with John Kretschmer (over 225,000 offshore miles, Cape Horn, author, writer, etc.) (Doug) (The Ultimate Boat (TUB) consulting, offshore skills training, sea stories galore, etc.)
Retained Bob Perry (renowned yacht designer, credited with inventing performance cruising, writer, etc.) for TUB boat selection consulting
Met for two hours of consultation with Jimmy Cornell (over 150,000 offshore miles, multi-circumnavigator, founder of the ARC, author of definitive cruising route books, writer, etc.) at 2005 Annapolis boat show on cruising and TUB selection
Attended Latitudes & Attitudes Magazine cruising seminar
Spent 50+ hours as a couple talking with live-aboards, cruisers, circumnavigators, etc.
Spent 100’s of hours researching the cruising lifestyle & realities, boats, etc., primarily online
Spent >10 hours talking with manufacturers’ key execs (Bob Johnson, Bill Bolin, George McCreary, etc.) for perspective and education on the industry, build process, etc.
Researched available boat design types, manufacturers and suitable models
Narrowed design choices to center cockpit (to gain the large private aft cabin), raised saloon if possible (for lots of light below - this is a requirement - but note the typical candidate boat list anomaly of the relatively dark Amel still on our list - another example of the #1 rule: every boat is a compromise)
Researched and examined several overall approaches, i.e. buy a 20 year old boat and refit it, buy a recent model used boat and add what we need or buy a new boat and add what we need
Developed a set of boat requirements used to summarize research to date and as a vehicle to communicate with brokers, etc.
Developed Total Cost of Ownership economic analysis model
Compiled extensive research and analysis of Island Packet models
Conducted Island Packet Owners Survey to ascertain typical cost, evaluation criteria and ownership experiences
Compiled extensive research, analysis and comparison of “short list” suitable cruising models from six manufacturers
Compiled Total Cost of Ownership comparison for "short list" boats
Sailing lessons for Steph
Two week charter of 48' center cockpit boat (IP 485) in the Virgin Islands
Most important lessons so far:
John Kretschmer: "The most important factor for success is a boat with good motion in a seaway." (seakindly motion) (optimum example for us is the S&S designed Stevens 47/Hylas 49)
Jimmy Cornell: "The most important factor for success is that Steph want to do this and enjoy it."
Bob Perry: "If you can afford it, buy the HR."
IP Owners Survey: 85% would buy a used boat.
Me: "Passagemaking is the easy part."
Steph: "I’m not on board with this yet." (pun intended)
Next steps:
Go/No-Go on spending the next three to five year chapter of our lives exploring the world via boat
Purchase and outfit boat
Additional sail training & certification for Steph
Re-certify for SCUBA for Doug
Test cruises
Adventure/Offshore medical training
Final refitting & shakedown cruises
Final provisioning
Departure