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From: Reed Hopkins (no email)
Date: Mon Aug 23 1999 - 21:06:35 EDT
I've been doing quite a bit of research on exactly that plan for a bit over
a year now, waiting now only to get my finances in order. I like thwe
roominess they offer, not being too much into the minimilaist lifestyle,
though I working towards it. Here's a summary of what I've found.
There are quite a few good wood boats from the 60's in the class you're
talking about that are still available relatively cheap. Wood has a bad rep
because if it's neglected it goes all to hell, and it's often neglected.
But if you can find a well maintained boat, or buy a project boat really
cheap and rebuild it, it can be maintained at about the same cost as a
fiberglass boat. In the 57'-62' range (the perfect liveaboards IMHO) they
range from those in very well kept condition at around $350,000 to ones in
very bad shape for under $100,000. I've seen them as low as $35K, and heard
of one person who somehow picked up one that ran for less than 7K! There
are some real bargains to be had around 100K to 150K though.
These boats do require a lot of ongoing maintainence. You can't put it off,
so it's best if you love older wooden cabin cruisers, like to tinker (and
WORK), and are good with wood, or willing to learn. I plan to do five years
on a starter boat, one around 45 feet, then move up to a 60 footer for some
very comfortable extended coastal cruising when I retire.
Chris Craft Constellations are fairly common, but that very roomy style,
57'-62', flush deck, lower salon with upper enclosed or open salon, were
also built in numbers by Pacemaker. The best kept boats in this class are
often Pacemakers, and their prices (300K+) usually reflect their care and
upgrades. I believe you'll find Pacemakers built a bit more solidly, with
better materials, and most have a flybridge as well.
You can find a number of after-sale flybridge installations on
Constellations, but look for cracked and/or leaking windows from the added
weight. Leaks are more damaging in wooden boats - you have to keep on top
of them. And if the cabin has been rebuilt properly to support a flybridge
they're sometimes overbalanced aft.
Burger, Bertram, Stephens, and Ocean Yachts also come in variations of this
configuration. Pacemaker's people went on to build the Ocean Yachts and Egg
Harbor lines, and you can find a few in this style out there, but I haven't
looked at any. The Burgers are usually to die for, then and now. I think
the Bertrams, Burgers, and Stephens were all premium low volume yachts, but
I don't really know their histories.
These vessels do cost a LOT to operate, compared to slightly smaller motor
yachts (or sailboats(!)). Be prepared for maintenance and operating costs
that go up exponentially with length, not linearly. That's onew reason why
I'm starting a little smaller - I don't want an unexpected issue to cost me
the boat.
Finally, look at the Chris Craft Commander and Roamer lines too. In the
late 1960's Chris Craft started making some really nice aluminum and
(heavy) fiberglass hulls. You get a different set of problems with each of
these, including the loss of the wooden boat discount (these usually run
around $350K), but there are some nice boats out there in this line.
Thanks for letting me say something good about stinkpots outside the
minimalist sailboat liveaboard vein (an attractive path that I just may
take when the time actually comes, or perhaps to make it come). I know
there are some motor yacht and trawler liveaboards out there, but we don't
hear from them often.
Reed (loves the smell of diesal in the morning) Hopkins
>Just curious about choice of boats: has anyone any thoughts on
>living aboard a 1960s Chris-Craft? The size would, it would appear,
>be limited to something over 35 feet.
>
>I keep seeing them for sale for very low prices, and sometimes
>they're called "potential liveaboard."
>
>
>
>Mike Holt
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