Buying a liveaboard sailboat for family cruising opens the door to adventure. Whether that adventure is on the other side of the world or just a few miles from the coast, the feeling of discovering another world is the same. But to do this, you need to choose a liveaboard sailboat that suits your crew and your plans. So how do you find the ideal cruising sailboat for family sailing?
The world of boating is a vast universe where very different sailors cross paths. Cultures vary from one body of water to another, depending on the marinas. Enthusiasts of classic hulls, adventurers, and racers sometimes eye each other with suspicion. But they all share the same passion for the sea. And again, the word “adventure” does not mean the same thing to all sailors. Some look beyond the horizon, while others are interested in the world around them, along our coasts. So, obviously, when searching for their sailboat, the choice of the ideal cruising boat will not be the same for everyone. And there are many different sailboats. Anyway, is there one sailboat better than the others?
Indeed, a cruising boat must meet a sailing program. When you talk to sailboat owners, they will often tell you theirs is the best. It will then be complicated to choose your boat.
So, to find the ideal liveaboard cruising sailboat that suits you, you need to ask yourself certain questions about what you expect from it. To guide you, I will give you some personal criteria. These criteria are those of a weekend sailor, who sails with family or friends who know little about the sea. I sail on weekends, in spring and summer. In addition, I manage to free up one week in May and 10 days in summer.
A cruising boat that fits your needs
The first criterion is the size of the boat. The ideal length for a boat does not exist. But this length will have an impact on your sailing and cruising. Indeed, if you want to sail regularly and do not live by the sea, the ideal is to invest in a trailerable sailboat. Some sailboats are dayboats, others are liveaboards.
If you have the opportunity to sail regularly and are looking for a bit more space, you can go up to 10 meters. Sailboats up to 34 feet remain easily manageable alone, and maintenance costs remain affordable… well, relatively speaking.
Sailboats beyond this size, in my opinion, are more suited to semi-offshore cruising. If you want to sail for several weeks or months, you will probably be looking for more comfort and volume.
A liveaboard sailboat that is easy to sail
The ideal cruising boat must be simple to maneuver and sail. Indeed, if you want to explore our coasts or beyond the horizon, you should avoid any minor incidents that could spoil your sailing and your pleasure of being at sea. That is why I believe that a cruising boat should remain simple to handle, solo or with a reduced crew. In case of an emergency, you need to be reactive and have the right reflexes. And for that, you need to make as few movements as possible.
Moreover, consider that if something happens to you and you can no longer perform the maneuvers because you are injured, the members of your crew must be able to take over.
Finally, while there are no bad boats, some are more suited to cruising than others. Think about looking for a seaworthy and safe boat. It will reassure you and your family.
A cruising boat that is easy to maintain
At the same time, I have always thought that simplicity is a guarantee of safety and economy. The less hardware you have, the fewer maneuvers you have to perform, and the less risk you have of breaking equipment. There is no need to equip your boat like a racing sailboat. It is expensive and will generate significant maintenance costs. The cost of a used liveaboard sailboat is already high; if you add high maintenance costs, you will quickly become a slave to it.
So long live simplicity. And remember: small boat, small problems, and vice versa. And I think this is very important when buying your first sailboat, for example.
A liveaboard sailboat: centerboard or keel?
Here is a debate that comes up regularly: centerboard or keel? Well, once again, the answer is “it depends.” Indeed, while the keelboat is the norm in the Mediterranean, this is not the case in the Arcachon Basin or Brittany. If you want to avoid marinas as much as possible, opt for a full centerboard or ballasted centerboard, or even a bilge keel, for example. If you are looking for a sailboat that is pleasant to steer and sails well upwind, choose a keelboat instead.
Simple and functional equipment
Finally, we come to the equipment of the ideal liveaboard cruising sailboat. I know we spend a lot of time browsing ship chandler catalogs and web pages. But do we need to invest in a second anchor? Should we bring two toolboxes on board? Do we need a sewing machine to repair the sails? I was the first to bring equipment worthy of a transatlantic race for a Benodet-Groix trip. But one day, I decided to empty my boat, and I surprised myself. We over-equip our boats. While an electric windlass or a lazy bag is useful, a 220V converter is not very useful, nor are stern davits. At least, depending on your program and the size of your boat. Let’s find simplicity to avoid trouble later. Yes, let’s admit it, sailing is like camping. Obviously, if you buy a new or used sailboat, the equipment will probably not be the same.