Budget long range cruiser fit for Pacific crossing - Ideas ?

Discussion in 'Powerboats' started by KeithO, Jul 5, 2019.

  1. Angélique
    Joined: Feb 2009
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    Location: Belgium ⇄ The Netherlands

    Angélique aka Angel (only by name)

    The dream seems to be to anchor out for free like off Sausalito CA after the initial Pacific crossing, which in Sausalito was to crack down in 2018, it's just another form of severe poverty, some even start with a 80' boat for $400, so yes that's a below the <$100k to get one across for one time on 50' + powerboat, and then get stuck somewhere...

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    note the neatly rolled ropes, this is outside one of the most tidy boats in the bay, the pallets are just firewood dragged from shore, so he's cleaning up the mainland.
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    the same guy a few years earlier


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    The first thing of the SOR is to establish a realistic long term overall available budget, Suzie & Jules and Annie & Pete knew beforehand how little long term they could or would spent, and how to handle that without getting into poverty, and never came up with ever changing numbers.
     
    Last edited: Jul 16, 2019
  2. Chuck Losness
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    Chuck Losness Senior Member

    You definitely need to do a SOR. This will give you focus so you can home in the on boat that will meet your needs. Not somebody else's needs.

    I really like the concept of a fuel efficient powerboat. I am also of the belief that cost of fuel in a fuel efficient powerboat over its life will never come close to the cost of sails, rig and all of the other paraphernalia you need on a sailboat. This is especially true for a new boat.

    I actively raced sailboats for over 35 years and have thousands of miles of open ocean sailing on all kinds of boats in every possible weather condition from flat calm to gale force winds. Been there done that. I currently have a Gulfstar 37 sailboat that is a very comfortable motorsailor. Doesn't sail worth a damn to weather with its shallow draft but will scoot pretty good off the wind. I would trade it for a fuel efficient powerboat in a heartbeat if I could.

    Years back I had a thread on this forum discussing fuel efficient powerboats. There were several other similar threads at that time. I did a SOR. I was looking at long range coastal cruising with a minimum range of 1,000 miles plus reserves. My original goal was a cruising speed of 8 knots with a top speed of 10 to 12 knots. After playing around with different hulls shapes I realized that a boat that might possibly meet that goal would be around 70' LWL. No way that I could afford that. So I changed the SOR to a cruising speed of 6 knots with a top speed of 8 to 10 knots. This cut the boat down to around 40' LWL with hopefully fuel consumption at .75 gph and no more than 1 gph. Financial difficulties killed my dream.

    Without a SOR to guide me I would never have been able to zero in on that elusive boat that would meet my needs. There are just too many variables to consider without a road map of where you want to get.
     
  3. Angélique
    Joined: Feb 2009
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    Location: Belgium ⇄ The Netherlands

    Angélique aka Angel (only by name)

    Peter was still uploading in Jan. 2019, so I wonder how he's doing now...



    In Aug. 2018 he even looked like someone who's supposed to be almighty, well known from historical drawings, he rotates right side up at 1:47....

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    Last edited: Jul 16, 2019
  4. Rumars
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    Rumars Senior Member

    I'll join the chorus, you need a SOR.

    Just about how did you imagine the above to work in the context of the thread title? Start from the west coast of the Americas go to French Polynesia. That takes 1000 gallons and 20-30 days. Refuel in French Polynesia and wait 15 months at anchor? Then the trip back or onwards to Australia, same thing. Plus general upeep and living expenses in paradise.

    I will not talk about design fees, actual building and outfitting, then launching the boat. 100 000$ is a mighty small budget. Maybe doable under special circumstances.
     
  5. Chuck Losness
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    Chuck Losness Senior Member

    From my understanding the longest distance without a place to refuel is California to Hawaii. A fuel efficient powerboat would need around 400 gallons give or take to make that trip. Then you can island hop from there to any other place in the pacific. And like any voyage you would want pick your seasons carefully to have safe passages.
     
  6. Chuck Losness
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    Chuck Losness Senior Member

    Here is an example of a 40' fuel efficient power boat from my old thread on fuel efficient powerboats.
     

    Attached Files:

  7. KeithO
    Joined: Jul 2019
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    Location: Michigan

    KeithO Senior Member

    Dang, it seems a lot of people make a lot of assumptions and assume that one is incapable of independent thought.

    So first of all, I am a mechanical engineer. I currently have 13 US patents which span the time from 2003-2018 which is how long I have lived in the US. Quite frankly I don't think I am ever going to be able to fully retire, but I can probably survive by working part time.

    Prior to working as an engineer I worked petrochemical and power generation and was qualified to level 2 in all 4 disciplines of non destructive testing and obviously had extensive experience with coded welded fabrication, both structural and pressure vessels.

    I think I am a useful enough person that I don't think I will ever want for a job. Right now, if I was laid off, I would probably make it just fine by doing basic repairs to peoples cars, given what dealerships charge and how reliable the service is (or isnt)...

    If I was younger I might be willing to spend more on a nicer boat but its clearly not a forever deal for me. Im still going to have a cabin in the Rockies to come home to anytime and the cost of living there is low. I have investments but in order to provide an acceptable return I cant go spending too much of my capital.

    If you want to call it living in poverty, so be it. It sure beats the rat race of trying to buy coastal real estate and jumping through all the zoning, permitting and property tax hoops that are going to be in place.

    Susan and Jules did an episode not too long ago about "knowing when to call it quits" and it is an appropriate topic. Dont be a burden on anyone and eventually the time will come to move ashore and wait for God...
     
    Niclas Vestman likes this.
  8. Angélique
    Joined: Feb 2009
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    Angélique aka Angel (only by name)

    I thought in post #56 you've made the assumption that everyone, or even just one, can do with a 50'+ power boat like Suzie & Jules do with a much smaller sailboat, like the many other 'practice' examples you've referred to on the thread.
     
  9. KeithO
    Joined: Jul 2019
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    KeithO Senior Member

    Perhaps you could be more specific on what I am assuming ?
     
  10. Angélique
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    Angélique aka Angel (only by name)

    So, what's your let's say 5 or 10 years budget, and maybe further planned additional income, to buy plus sail and maintain the Pacific crossing power boat ?
     
  11. KeithO
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    KeithO Senior Member

    Angelique, fyi a 38' spray has almost exactly the same displacement as Idlewild @30800 lb so ultimately they are the same amount of boat.
     
  12. Angélique
    Joined: Feb 2009
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    Location: Belgium ⇄ The Netherlands

    Angélique aka Angel (only by name)

    Except the needed tankage and fuel to fill the powerboat up vs. for free given used first sails of Emerald Steel.
     
  13. KeithO
    Joined: Jul 2019
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    KeithO Senior Member

    So you are suggesting that Idlewild did not include tankage and 1000+ gal of fuel in her declared displacement ?
     
  14. KeithO
    Joined: Jul 2019
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    KeithO Senior Member

    If one cannot afford to put fuel in the tank, then one need not start out on this adventure. I can remember having to put about 2500l of heating oil into the basement tank of a rental house I lived in so I dont understand why anyone thinks this is such an extraordinary expense.
     

  15. Angélique
    Joined: Feb 2009
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    Location: Belgium ⇄ The Netherlands

    Angélique aka Angel (only by name)

    Post #56 was already linked, but below's just one quote, which states you're clearly assuming <$100k is the same as the now mentioned $350k, or are constantly changing the figures of available money, and assume a boat like the 38' Bruce Roberts Spray you mention can carry the fuel to island hop the Pacific, which it can't.
     
    Last edited: Jul 17, 2019
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