The Best Boat Size For You
There are a plethora of websites selling sailboats online, as well as countless brokers willing to help you find your new boat. Having some idea of your ideal length will help in narrowing down the search. Here are some tips to help you identify your sweet spot in boat lengths.
Get On Board
Boat shopping is an exciting activity, and while you’ve inevitably looked through boat listings online, physically getting on a boat is important. I recently viewed a 38ft catamaran which looked spacious and gorgeous in it’s pictures. However, once on board it was clear that the pictures had deceived me. I found it to be cramped, honestly.
Prior to the viewing, I would have said with confidence that a 38ft catamaran would have more than enough room for my family’s liveaboard needs. Actually getting onboard the boat was an eye opening experience.
Before you make up your mind about what size boat you need to be shopping for, get on a few different boats of various lengths. You may find that you will need less boat than you thought.
Out On The Water
Smaller boats are much more reactive to the sea state than larger vessels. This means that in 4 foot seas, a 30ft boat may be very uncomfortable, while a 45 ft boat would be a far more pleasant ride. The longer the vessel, generally the less rocking you’ll encounter.
If you’re planning on living on your boat in a marina or a very protected anchorage, then sea state may not be something that you need to consider. But if you’re planning on cruising on your boat, it’s smart to take into consideration how it feels in rough seas. If possible, take potential boats out on the water to get a feel for how they rock and roll in different waves.
The beam (width of a boat at its widest point) of a boat will greatly affect how much it rocks. A very wide 35ft monohull can sit almost as steady as a catamaran. If you value comfort over speed in your vessel, I recommend a wide boat. It may not get you there as quickly as possible, but if you were trying to get there fast you’d be shopping for a motorboat.
Interior Accommodations
Number of Cabins
Privacy is something to be valued while living on a boat. While most vessels in the 35-45 foot range have a dinette that converts into a sleeping space, no one wants to sleep in the middle of a shared living space for long. If you’re planning on living on your boat full time, I recommend that you purchase a vessel that allows for privacy.
I have always prefered center cockpit sailboats as they provide the greatest level of privacy. Center cockpit sailboats have an aft cabin separate from the main living space of the boat. Usually the aft cabin has its own head, or bathroom, as well. For families, this setup is ideal.
My 30ft sailboat is a center cockpit, so I may be a bit biased.
Creature Comforts
If you’re hoping to have a washing machine, dishwasher, watermaker, freezer, or stand up shower you’re likely going to need to look at 40ft and above. These sorts of luxuries take up quite a bit of space and are almost never found on a boat under 40ft. While you can certainly live on a sailboat without any of those items, they can greatly improve your comfort while onboard.
I personally have none of the comforts I listed above on board my boat and my family has lived happily on board for the last 3 years. However, we’ve mostly traveled in protected waters and have not crossed any oceans. As our cruising grounds grow, so does the length of my ‘wants’ list. You will likely find that your first boat will not be your last as your needs grow and change.
Tank And Storage Space
Another aspect in determining a good size sailboat to live on is the ‘behind the scenes’ space. How large is the water tank? Fuel tank? Holding tank? If you’re planning on living on board your boat close to a marina then you may not need your tanks to be large. You will be able to fill your water and fuel regularly and have pump outs as needed. However, if you’re planning on being in remote anchorages or sailing long passages, large tank size may be high on your priority list.
A 30ft boat will naturally have small tanks as there is simply less room for the tanks to take up. My 30ft sailboat has a 40 gallon water tank, 30 gallon fuel tank, and 19 gallon holding tank. We can go about a week before we need to fill our water tank and get a pump out. This is one reason why my sailboat would not be a boat in which to cross an ocean.
While I could install a watermaker, there is also limited storage on a 30ft sailboat and a watermaker requires a dedicated space. Storage is precious on a small boat and we’ve not been willing to sacrifice storage for a watermaker on this boat.
A larger sailboat naturally has more storage space. This leads to larger tank size and more amenities. If your needs require that you are away from civilization for extended periods of time, I would recommend a vessel in the 40-50ft range. The tanks will be sufficient for long term cruising and there will be room to add additional tanks if needed.
Disadvantages Of A Large Boat
While most of us feel that more is better, this philosophy doesn’t necessarily translate to boats. There are obvious disadvantages like cost. A larger boat is going to cost more money to purchase. Maintenance is also going to be more expensive as there is simply more boat to maintain. The generally accepted amount for yearly boat maintenance is 10% of the boat's value.
Also, a larger boat has larger tanks. It will cost more to fill a 100 gallon fuel tank than a 30 gallon fuel tank. It’s always prudent to keep your fuel tanks as full as possible as this decreases the amount of ‘sloshing’ that can stir up particulates within your fuel tank and clog your fuel filter. So you’re looking at a hefty fuel bill at fill-up time.
A larger boat will likely have a larger engine. This means greater fuel consumption and increased cost. A larger engine will also be more expensive to maintain as it’s parts will cost more than a smaller engine.
Dock space will cost more, as well. Dock space is charged by the foot, so if a marina charges $1.50/foot, that’s a difference of $25/night between a 30ft boat and a 50ft boat. Storage fees are higher for larger boats, too.
The costs of cruising permits for foreign countries also charge by size. For example, the Bahamas charges $150 for boats up to 35ft and $300 for boats over 35ft.
Navigating a 45-50ft boat is more challenging than a 30-3ft boat as the turning radius is wider on a larger vessel. They are also slower to react to speed changes due to their increased weight. If you are hoping to navigate in tight marinas or anchorages, having a larger sailboat is a disadvantage.
Larger Sailboats also have deeper drafts (how deep the hull goes down into the water). This can limit where you’re able to cruise. Most of the Florida Keys are very shallow and deep draft boats are prohibited from cruising the majority of that area. Some vessels have adjustable drafts so that they can enjoy the stability of a deep keel and lift the keel to enjoy the calm of a shallow anchorage.
Disadvantages Of A Small Boat
While it’s not a good idea to buy a boat that is larger than you need, it can also be a mistake to purchase a boat that is too small for your needs.
Despite the fact that small boats generally cost less and are easier to maneuver, they do have their downsides. There is less storage, less living space, and less amenities. That means you’ll need to purchase supplies more often as you will not have room onboard to store them.
A 30 ft boat is limited in when it can travel on the open ocean. A 50 ft boat would likely be able to handle 5-10 ft seas without much difficulty. However, a 30ft boat could become swamped easily in seas that size. Even in 4-5 ft seas, a 30ft boat can become a pretty uncomfortable place depending on the spacing of the waves.
A 30 ft boat is generally too small for dinghy davits, as the weight of the davits and dingy will affect the boats ability to handle waves. A boat over 35 ft is necessary if you intend to have dinghy davits on board.
Smaller boats are generally slower than larger sailboats as they have smaller engines. Travel time increases at slower speeds.
How To Calculate Your Ideal Size
There is no one answer for what is a good size sailboat to live on. Most cruisers have sailboats in the 35-45 ft range, but there are those that feel that less is more. And alternately, there are plenty of cruisers out there who have far more boat than they need, but exactly as much boat as they want.
My family of 3 (+2 dogs!) have fully enjoyed our 30 ft boat. We’ve cruised it around the Florida Keys, the Bahamas, and all along the coast of Florida. It’s been ideal for us as most of our cruising grounds have been in shallow waters with a great deal of protection. As my son grows along with our desire to increase our travels, it’s clear that we need a bigger boat. I’m boat shopping right along with you!
You just have to get on board some sailboats and get a feel for the right sort of length and design for you. Boat buying can be a fun yet daunting experience. The more boats you view, the more effectively you can narrow down your future sailboat needs.
