Question:

Boat size (motor) for Pacific Coast and Mexico travels?

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Ok, it's a dream of mine to retire early and motor/cruise the Pacific Coast and down into Mexico.

Yes, I know I need formal boating/sailing education and experience, as my experience is limited to lakes, bays and a 21' Bayliner.

So, to all those in the know -- what size of hull - length and girth would be ideal and safe for a party of 4 to cruise from Portland, OR down into Mexico?

Are we talking a twin engine 35 footer as ideal or would even a 28 footer make the journey?

Thanks

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  1. WOW!

    Something tells me that you have no idea of what it is going to cost you in fuel to do this...

    Portland, Oregon to Mazatlan, Mexico is about 2,000 miles and about 8 to 10 days at sea.  At the current price of fuel on the water, it will cost you about $10,000 to "boat" your way down to Mexico... in a twin engine 28 or 35 footer. So, If you want to spend $1,000 a day for fuel while cruising, and also have to live within the confines of a 35 foot vessel with 3 other people while doing it - be my guest... but there certainly is a better way.

    My first suggestion would be to invest in at least "one" sailing lesson on a 35 foot or larger sailing vessel... It is really quite easy to do and learn... as Geico would say: "Even a caveman can do it."

    However, if that is totally out of the question, and you deadset on doing this in a power boat - I strongly recommend a large hybred electric powered catamaran a wide (22 foot beam) 48 to 60 footer would be rather pleasant and comfortable for 4 live aboard cruisers for weeks at a time.

    I am retired, and I live on my vessel "SummerWind" and cruise around America's Great Loop - full time. When I started building her, I knew she was "plenty" big... But by the time I finished her, I already knew she was too small.  And every year she seems to keep getting smaller and smaller...  So, I don't know why you would even think that a 28 footer would comfortably accomodate 4 people for more then a weekend...

    I recently converted SummerWInd to electric, and as a result, my fuel useage dropped from over a $150 a day to less than $15.  I am now in the process of building another... Currently, SummerWind provides me with all my electric needs to run two 39hp electric motors for propulsion and for air conditioning, cabin lights, fans, hot water, TV. DVD, computers, washer/dryer, two refrigerators, etc, (all my 110v power)  and she does it with a 9kw generator that runs only about 4 hours a day with a 1/2 gallon per hour fuel consumption.  The generator only keeps my 1 bank of 12 x 12v batteries charged.  I also have a 10' x 10' rooftop solar panel...  I "budget" my cruising time to no more then 50 hours a week - as I make it a point to stop 2 days a week.

    At any rate... two links below...

    one is "SummerWind's" site... and the other is the one you really need to take a serious look at if you want to power cruise. I bought my hybred electric system from Solomon Technologies...

    http://www.solomontechnologies.com/m_rec...

    This next site, is just interesting:

    http://dsehybrid.com/html/dse_exterior_i...

    Happy & Safe Boating

    http://boatwrights.org/


  2. If you've got the money for fuel, 35 to 40 foot diesel trawler can handle 2 couples. A trawler this size usually has 3 cabins but the forward one won't be usable at sea. Check out the individual boat for suitability- for a start look at Grand Banks or Jefferson. You need a suitable sea-going layout, enough fuel range to get to the next port with a safety reserve for bad weather/ visibility, etc. Otherwise (sorry) learn to sail.

  3. Hey bro, I understand the dream and it is doable..but I dont think you understand all the variables....not many 35` power boats would be safe for this use..I had 38` sport fisher twin inboards in s.f. bay  ..and when tthe pacific kicked up all I wanted to do is get back under the golden gate bridge and into safe water. One time I worried I would`nt make it..I was in constant danger of being swamped by the following sea waves.---Those who cruise the deep blue in power boats do so in much larger vessels. but to answer your question . You need to be looking trawlers. They have keel and hull design to allow the more stability.  Not as good as a sail boat hull. but the only small power boat with this capability.28` out of the question. Blue water trawlers very pricy and 40 -50 feet more inline.  THat is why most cruisers are sail boats...  You do not have to sail a sail boat. They motor very well, and are 10 times safer. Get a subsciption to a couple of crusing magazines were cruiser write articals about their boats and experiences....The only one that comes to mind is"latitude 38" fun reading..  good luck  and ps. it is beam not girth. take care

  4. I am aware that you may not like my approach, but the hull of a sail boat is much more efficient than that of a trawler.  The sail boat will be much more comfortable ride at sea, especially in the Pacific between Portland and say Cabo San Lucas.

    That said, for the trip on a 38' to 40' sail boat, while motoring, using no sails, you would expect to use about 3/4 gallon per hour with a 50 horse inboard.  Obviously no fuel burnt while under sail alone.

    You mention a party of 4, I think that a 40 foot sail boat would work OK for this, although in my cruising experience, a boat only has room for 2 when living aboard, no matter the length.

    There are a lot of boats out there on the market all over, if you have not purchased as yet, you may want to shop up and down the coast.  The worst part of the trip in down to about Santa Barbara.

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