Selecting the Right Boat

Selecting the right boat was one of the hardest elements of the process.  After about 5 years of looking at different styles, sizes and configurations.  After evaluating the strengths and weaknesses of each design for the kind of cruising we might be doing it became clear - there was really no "right" answer - just the best compromise you can make on the day you decide you want to go boating.

The reality is that just as there is no "right" boat there is also no "wrong" boat.  Just get the basics taken care of based on what you want to do and the take a swing at it.  You are not likely to pick the right boat the first time - so go ahead and pick one, learn from it and then move on from there.

When it came right down to it our list of requirements could be summarized fairly simply:

1. Safety - underway and at rest.
2. Comfort - we did not want to camp on the boat - room to move and a hot shower were essential.
3. Independence - we wanted to be able to swing on the hook for a day or two and not need a dock.
4. Economy - both at initial purchase and in operation.
5. Quality - a boat that would stand the test of time.

You could satisfy that list of requirements with a great number of boats so the best way to solve the problem was in setting a price and then seeing what you could afford that would get the job done.  So that's what we did - and we ended up with Reviresco - a 1985 48' CHB Sundeck Motor Yacht.

She has the following major attributes to address our needs:

1. Safety - with 48', 56,000 pounds and a 7' bow she will take a 4' wave with a jolt and not much more.
2. Comfort - with a large saloon and covered aft deck there was lots of room to move around.
3. Independence - with 500 l of water and a 12KW generator we can stay out for a week at a time.
4. Economy - with a pair of 302HP CAT 3208s running at 1400RPM we burn ~20 l/hour.  I know that's not a little, but relatively speaking not bad either.
5. Quality - after 25 years she is still very solid and worth the investment to fix up.

As easy as that - you wouldn't have thought it would take so long to come to a conclusion, but like everything - it's a process and it takes time to gain the confidence to make a decision of this size.

Now as we set out on our voyage we will just have to hope we got close to the mark.

Wish us luck!