SWEET SIMPLICITY
These couples simplified their cruising lifestyle by downsizing to smaller, less complicated boats that are easier and less expensive to own, run and maintain
Take a journey with four couples who simplified their cruising lifestyle by downsizing from larger boats to smaller cruisers just right for their needs.
Big boats have plenty of upsides. In most cases, they handle sloppy weather better than smaller boats, have more room inside and out, have longer ranges, and are generally more comfortable. But much like a big house stuffed with possessions and a high-upkeep yard, big boats also demand more effort and attention to run and maintain. Smaller boats are generally easier and less expensive to maintain, use less fuel, are cheaper to dock, have simpler systems, and are easier to run shorthanded. There are definitely trade-offs to downsizing, but some boaters are willing to make them. These four cruising couples recently went the smaller-boat route. Here’s what they like most about their new boats.
Loren and Ann Anderson, Aspen C120
Loren and Ann Anderson have owned a variety of boats, having made the switch from sail to power about 10 years ago when they sold their 44-foot C&C and purchased an Ocean Alexander 54. Today, the Seattle, Washington, couple cruises aboard an Aspen C120 power catamaran with their kids and grandkids, anywhere from their home waters up to Alaska.
“I’ve been boating since I was 12 years old,” Loren says. “Sailboats were my first interest, but eventually my wife and I simply didn’t have the strength and stamina required for raising and trimming sails. That’s when we switched to the Ocean Alexander 54, which was a great boat. We loved its heavy displacement, the massive amounts of stowage and all the room for our kids and grandkids in three staterooms, but eventually, we decided it was too much for us to operate, just physically too big for us to dock.”
Loren says he looked at boats for two years before purchasing a 2017 Aspen C120, which at 42 feet, 6 inches length overall and 22,500 pounds is almost 13 feet shorter and more than half the displacement of his motoryacht. “We found the Aspen C120 appealing because it offered more flexibility and is smaller, faster and more fuel efficient than our previous boat,” he says. “Before the Aspen, we had to set aside several weeks of time to cruise to certain areas because it took a while to get there and back. Now, I can load up my kids and grandkids and make a weekend out of a destination that used to take us two days to get to. The Aspen cruises at 15 knots and burns only 8.5 gallons per hour at that speed. It’s opened up all sorts of trips to us that we weren’t able to do previously.”
The boat sleeps six, and Loren says it’s easy to handle. “The one thing we find ourselves repeatedly missing from the big boat is stowage space,” he says. “With the old boat, we could carry everything we wanted. With this boat, we have to be considerate about what we bring along. Still, my wife and I have our own heads and personal stowage, so it works well for us.”
All in all, Loren says he is happy with the decision to downsize. “The biggest upside is that my wife and I can handle the boat,” he says. “That’s added at least five to 10 years to our cruising. If we’d kept the other boat, we’d already have stopped boating.”