Contessa 32
Depending on the year and condition, this 32ft sailboat can be bought for well under $100,000. However, some of the newer ones will set you back more, approximately $120,000 +
If you have the budget, you can also contact Jeremy Rogers boat builders and get one custom built to your specifications. (they built the original ones)
You can get one from custom boat builders and these live-aboard boats generally come with 1 king sized bed and 2 single beds or with 2 double beds and 2 single beds, enabling them to sleep 6 total.
They also come with all the features you'd expect on a livable boat:
- Marine toilet
- Shower
- Wash hand basin
- Solar powered mushroom vent extractor
- Vanity unit
- Circular mirror with teak surround
- Manual water tap
- Liquid soap dispenser
- Sliding teak door and curtains
- Nelson two burner cooker, grill and oven
- Standard sink unit
- 3 storage boxes plus cupboards outboard
- Cool cupboard beneath the sin
- Cup racks
- Pressurized cold water to galley sink
These boats also come with the usual and required safety features (fire extinguisher, fire blanket, etc.) They are also a lot of fun to sail.
You can find these boats on boat trader or on jeremyrogers.co.uk
Gulfstar 44
This is another wonderful boat to make it onto the list. It is a 44 ft sailboat and comes in varying prices depending on year and condition.
Older versions cost anywhere under $85,000 whilst newer/higher spec ones will cost $100,000+ (newer
It comes with the usual boating interior features you'd expect to find on a live-aboard boat like:
- Showers
- Toilets
- En-suite
- Kitchen facilities
- Seating area
- Lighting & electrical plugs
- Cabinets for storage
- Large engine room
- Dining table that fits 6
- 2 Cabins
- Fresh water tanks
- Fridge?Freezer
This boat is powered by Perkins 4-154 62 HP diesel engine and has all the required mechanical features to help power your boat through the different climates and sea conditions.
The specifications mentioned above are on most standard Gulfstar 44 boats. If you are on the market for one, you can obviously get it custom fitted to your specific needs if you have the budget.
Getting it custom fitted can bring a modern modern look to a traditionally older vessel. You'll find used Gulfstar 44's for sale on Yachtworld or Boattrader.
Alternatively, you can contact your nearest boat builder or local marina and they may provide more information on where to find one.
Nordic 40
The next on the list is 40ft Nordic 40. With a generous spacious interior, you can fit a couple comfortably.
It's one of the more rare boats on the list and as a result, there aren't that many made. You can find a used one of these boats for $130,000 +
This sailboat comes with all the interior features you'd need like:
- 2 x Bed layout – Master V-berth, Double Quarter-berth aft to starboard
- Shower
- Toilet
- Fold away dining table
- Teak Cabinets
- Lighting & Electrical (Plugs etc)
- Kitchen Facilities ( Oven, Fridge, Freezer, Sink etc)
- Fresh water foot pump
It also has a fully insulated fiberglass hull to keep your comfortable in the winter and cool in the summer months at sea. It's powered by a 44 hp diesel engine.
Being a rarer boat, finding one for sale can be tricky but you'll typically get one on Boattrader, Yachtworld or by a simple google search.
Peterson 44 (KP44)
This 44 ft boat is another popular sailboat to live on. There is plenty of space onboard for a couple and a baby. The price to get one of these is $60,000 + depending on condition and year so it's one of the affordable options for people.
It comes with the usual interior features like:
- Toilet
- Shower
- Kitchen
- Dining Table
- Kitchen Facilities (Oven, Fridge, Freezer etc)
- Electronics & Lighting
- Bedrooms
It's powered by a 62 hp diesel engine and comes with 3 cabins. It is most definitely a more budget friendly option for those dreaming of living on a sailboat.
It also comes with the regular fire safety features like fire blanket, extinguishers etc. When buying any used sailboat, always check the extinguishers/fire blankets. If they've been used, ask the owner why and where on the boat it was use.
You'll find these vessels for sale in the usual places like Yachtworld, Boattrader etc. Alternatively, contacting your local marina might be helpful in finding one for sale in your local area.
Islander 36
The Islander 36 is the next boat on the list. This is one of the cheapest options available with most boats under $55,000 so it's a budget friendly option for most people.
In some instances, we found these boats for sale for under $30,000 so it's worth shopping around.
It comes with the ideal living features like:
- Toilet
- Shower
- Cabin
- Kitchen (cooker, fridge, freezer)
- Lighting & Electronics (plugs etc)
- Seating area
- Dining table
- Cabinets/Drawers
- Freshwater tanks (54 gallons)
- Spinnaker/whisker pole with track on mast and deck mounts.
You'll also get all the fire safety gear you need to ensure safe travels.
It's powered by a 42 HP boat engine and you can find them for sale in the same spots as mentioned above, I.e. Yachtworld, Boattrader or contacting your local marina to help put you in touch with someone selling their Islander.
Tayana Vancouver 42
The Tayana Vancouver 42 is another sailboat you could live aboard. You can pick one of these up for under $150,000 in most cases.
Depending on specifications, it can come in 2 cabins or 1 large one. It also has a fresh water tank of 150 gallons. It's interior features include:
- Kitchen (Cooker, Fridge, Freezer, Microwave Oven)
- Heating
- Dining table
- Seating
- Beds
- Eclectics & Lighting
- Cabinets
- Shower
- Toilet
- Cockpit speakers
- Radio
- GPS
- VHF
- Deptsounder
The boat is powered by 44 HP diesel engine and comes with all the regular fire safety equipment like fire extinguishers, fire blankets etc.
It also comes with an electric bilge pump. As like all the boats on the list, you'll find one on Yachtworld, Boattrader or by contacting your local marina or local boat builders and asking.
Alternatively, you can try get in contact with this builder- Ta Yang Ltd. (Taiwan) They are the builders of this specific boat.
Catalina 30
Next up is the popular Catalina 30. This is another budget friendly option with prices generally under $40,000. As it is one of the cheaper options, it makes a great option for those beginners planning to live aboard their boat.
You can always upgrade once you get more experienced. The Catalina 30 is powered by a 23 HP boat engine and comes with interior features like:
- Kitchen (cooker/oven, Fridge, Freezer, etc)
- Cabinets
- Sink
- Toilet
- Shower
- Dining table
- Seats
- Lights & Electronics
- Autopilot
- Depthsounder
- VHF
- Radio
It comes with all the regular fire safety equipment like fire extinguishers / fire blankets. You can get one from Yachtworld/Boattrader etc.
It's also one of the smallest sailboats on the list at 30 feet as is really only ideal for a couple or 2 people as things get crowded fast with more.
Bavaria 46
Next up is the Bavaria 46. This is a more modern sailboat to live on compared to others on the list. Depending on specifications, you can get one under $100,000 but some of the higher specs are $150,000 +
This is a great option for more people as it is more spacious and comes generally with 4 cabins (will vary depending on spec)
Some of the interior features include:
- Kitchen ( cooker/oven, fridge, freezer, etc)
- Dining table
- Seats
- Lighting & Electronics
- Beds
- Cabinets
- Sinks
- Toilet
- Shower
- Depthsounder
- Log-speedometer
- Wind speed and direction
- Plotter
- Autopilot
- Compass
- GPS
- VHF
- Radio
- CD player
- Cockpit speakers
It's powered by 2 engines totaling 75 HP. It comes with all the safety equipment needed (fire extinguishers, fire blanket, first aid etc)
You'll find these for sale on websites like Yachtworld or Boattrader. Alternatively, you can contact your local marina and they'll put you in touch with someone selling.
Hans Christian 33
Another boat to make it onto the list is the Hans Christian 33. Generally, you can find a used one for under $100,000. It's powered by a 29 HP diesel boat engine.
This 33 ft boat comes with features like:
- Kitchen (oven, fridge, freezer etc)
- Sink
- Dining Table
- Seating Area
- Toilet
- Shower
- Cabin
- Beds
- Cabinet Storage
- Electrics & Lighting
- Autopilot
- Radio
These vessels come with the regular safety gear to like fire extinguishers/fire blankets and first aid kits.
You'll find these for sale on Yachtworld or Boattrader. Alternatively, you can contact your local marina to find if there are any for sale in the area.
Najad (N395 AC)
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The next boat to make it onto the list is the high end Scandinavian Najad (N395 AC) This is one of newest sailboat on the list and is quite luxurious and has plenty of features.
As a result, it's also the most expensive on the list with prices starting over $600,000. It is 39.5 ft and is powered by a 80 HP Yahama boat engine.
Some of it's features include:
- 2 cabins
- Toilet
- Shower
- Seating Area
- Heating
- Lighting & Electronics
- Kitchen (cooker/oven, fridge, freezer etc)
- Sink
- Beds
- Cabinets
- Radio
- Air Conditioning
- Temperature gauge
- GPS
- Autopilot
- Chart plotter
- VHF
There are plenty of features to list and the boat also comes with standard safety equipment like fire extinguishers, fire blankets, etc)
You can find the boat for sale on websites like yachtfocus.com or alternatively, you can contact najad.se directly.
Again, this is a much newer boat on the list and has plenty of modern features which makes it the most expensive.
Best Sailboat To Live On Video
Want to see some other options? Have a look at the video below by Sailing Followtheboat channel:
The video highlights some of the benefits of these sailboats and what it's like to live onboard a boat. It's a great option for people who prefer the open seas than being tied to one place.
And as you can see from the list above, it doesn't have to be super expensive like buying a property. Alternatively, you may want to find the best boats under 40 ft which throw up some amazing finds too that can be lived on.
