Time to buy a boat but which one?

Now that we had a plan I had to find a boat that would work for all of our criteria. There are a lot of boat choices out there so we needed a way to make some decisions on which one would fit us best. To do this I wrote down my specific criteria to help make a decision. Below where our priorities:

• Type of boat - Catamaran - This was a no debate for us as we wanted the space and they are better for charter

• Size of Boat - This decision was driven by two factors for me - Price and how we could manage as a couple. This left us in the 40-46 foot range of boats. I did a lot of research and felt that the Lagoon 42 was the perfect size for a couple to manage while still having space for guests. There is a reason it is their best selling boat for many years.

• Brand of boat - TMM has both Fountaine Pajot and Lagoons in their fleet. Both were excellent boats but we ended up with a Lagoon. It was driven primarily by popularity of it, quality, resale and purchase price. I also looked at things such as the ARC race to ensure that it could withstand ocean crossings should I ever take that on. We have been very happy with Lagoon so far. There has been warranty issues but most have been taken care without issue.

• Layout - This was a tough decision for us. 4 Cabins was much better for charter as I could get more revenue and fit more guests, The downside was the owners version would be much more comfortable when we were sailing it. I went back and forth on this one as I could not decide on my priority - maximize comfort for us 3 months a year or maximize revenue for 9 months a year. We ended up with a 3 cabin owners version

• Upgrades - You can spend a lot of money on extras when you buy a boat. I will share the few that were key to enable us to meet our personal needs and run the charter.

  • Upgraded Anchor - this was a must have - the right ground tackle was critical for safety and a good nights sleep. We added a Rocna Vulcan 33Kg anchor based on everything I read from others.

  • Solar Panels 1200 watts - I did not want to have to run a generator a lot and wanted power for internet and other modern convinces. Additionally batteries are very expensive in BVI's so having my batteries topped up during charter has made a big difference in their life.

  • Water Maker- This was an absolute must have for us. TMM uses Rainman waterrmakers and it has worked great for us over the last year.

  • Generator / AC - this was required to be in charter and also important to Sue and our guests.

  • Screecher Sail - This was recommended by Doyle sails in the BVI's. It is pretty easy to handle and makes a big difference in speed in lighter winds. I still may buy a spinnaker at some point but that will be a future decision.

  • Washing machine - I know this one will be a surprise to many but we are having lots of company and we felt we needed it for our trip. We did not get a washer / dryer combo as there are very mixed reviews on how well they work and there is lots of sun in the Caribbean to air dry our clothes.

  • Batteries - I would have put in Lithium but TMM is still not comfortable with them in charter boats so I did not make this one yet but I would have switched if I could have,

  Reflections - I would do it differently... Having had the boat for a year now would I have made the same decision. Likely not. I overvalued the importance of our comfort and undervalued the key items for charter. If I did it again I would have purchased a 4 Cabin Lagoon 46. While more expensive the extra rental income would have more than paid for the difference. The 4 Cabin would have worked fine for us during our time on the boat and we could have better accommodated the extra visitors we have planned during our time sailing. Finally, the covered upper deck and seating area would have been a upgrade to our living experience on the boat. To be clear we are super happy with our Lagoon 42 owners version but I overweighted our personal needs and underweighted the charter revenue in my decision making process.