The Quest Begins; or is that continues!

It has been almost a year since we said good bye to our pristine little trawler "MV Kozad".  

Since then, we have taken time to evaluate what is important in our lives and in how we wish to spend our retirement.  We love the boating life and truly miss not being on the water...... therefore the quest continues to find the right boat, within the right budget, to fit our goals.

Our initial goal was to wait two years to find the right boat; really that was the agreement???  So if that was the case, then how come the last 12 months has seen Craig doing a lot of research and evaluating our full time live aboard cruising dreams.  Well, really did you really think he could wait two years.....

So, not even 12 months since we handed over MV Kozad to Richard and Mary Anne; "we" once again are searching for the right boat!  Not really a big surprise is it.....

The boat we are hoping to find will be a Full Displacement Hull, Long Range Cruising Trawler;  one which can be safely operated by a couple while living full time and traveling to distant shores.  

We are wanting to find the right boat within our budget and we would like to find "The Best Boat For The Best Price!"  Dreaming, well maybe just a little bit, although we hope not and that in the next 12 to 18 months we can find the right boat!!!!

We have though learned that the saying "all boats are a compromise" is to be the case!  But regardless, we do have a list of wants and needs, including a few compromises in respect to what we are looking for in our next boat:

• Raised Pilot House
• Full Displacement Hull (FDH)
• Stabilization: Paravanes or Active Fins
• Single Engine
• Efficient Long Range Cruising Capabilities
• Covered Aft Deck
• Flybridge
• Auxiliary Power or Sail Assist (a want but not a deal breaker)
• Safety & Reliability Are Priorities
• Size: 40 to 48 Feet OAL
• A Well Maintained Vessel: Mechanical, Structural, Systems & Cosmetic!
• Within Budget....  darn!

 There are basically three boats which we have think would fit our cruising needs but not necessarily our budget!

 Diesel Duck 462

Steel FDH Trawler 

Price Range: $450 to $550K USD
Too much over budget!

Kadey Krogen 42

Fiberglass FDH Trawler

Price Range: $175 to $375K USD
The older KK42 are within our budget!

 

   Nordhavn 46

Fiberglass FDH Trawler

 Price Range: $350K to $650K USD 
An older well maintained N46 may be an option, 
only if the price is within budget!

The Krogen 42 is the most affordable of these three boats, the Krogen has a loyal following with 206 hulls built between 1977 and 1998.  There is a reasonable selection of KK42 on the market within our price range. These are excellent boats but they are getting older!

The Diesel Duck is a very nice LRC built of steel; these boats do not come on the market very often.  Although we very much like the features of this boat the price range is of serious concern and this is more of a fantasy.

The Nordhavn 46 is the boat we were first drawn to; having first stepped on one in 2003 when we first starting looking at boats!  Love at first sight can best describe how we felt and still feel about the Nordhavn 46!  

These are a great boat with 82 hulls being built between 1988 to 2003.  There is a flybridge option which we like; also what is nice is the Portuguese Bridge which protects the Pilot House from the seas!  As in most cases year depicts the price!  Nordhavns maintain a high resale value..  So high in fact that the reality of finding a N46 in our budget is very slight indeed!

Budget will definitely dictate what we choose for our next boat :)

In the first week of February we are taking a drive to Anacortes, Washington area where we are going to view a Nordhavn 46 and a Krogen 42 so we can get a current feel for what we are wanting.  The research continues!

More to come....