Anyone sleep overnight on a Marlin 30

[Graybeard]

Hi guys
I’m close to another Marlin 30 and hope the survey goes well. One of the reasons we’re going for a 30 is to spend the weekends at the marina and have the grandkids over so they can use the pool. The wife feels a 30 is too small for that and it would take an Express 33. But I think it’s plenty big enough. Any advise

 

[magicalbill]

Roominess is subjective, people view "roominess" and "comfort" differently.

Take your Better Half to someone's Marlin and have her go into the cabin. Have her climb into the aft berth & stretch out. Have her examine the V-berth forward and then she can give you her input before you commit to the Marlin.

We slept comfortably for 11 years aboard my 232 Gulfstream; No shore power, no head, just a V-berth w/sleeping bags and loved it. We are moving up to a Marlin for more room and A/C so it'll seem like the Hyatt Regency to us. To a couple used to an Express or larger, the Marlin may seem small to them.

You can get many opinions on here, but the only one that matters is your wife's.

Oh and yours..

 

[Graybeard]

The vee birth is plenty big in my estimation. For just the two of us there’s 2 births.

 

[magicalbill]

I also should've added Grandkids are flexible by nature. They'll tuck in any corner to sleep and consider it an adventure.

I know of two couples in our Grady-White Club that just separate when it's time to turn in. One goes to the aft berth, the other forward to the V-berth so they can both have more room.

There are plenty of ways to make that Marlin work for you all. It's a great choice and you'll experience a world of difference from your Freedom when you cross Chesapeake Bay in 15k winds.

Good luck & enjoy the Holidays.

 

[Fishtales]

We've slept on it many times. Maximum is two nights in a row.
The key is to use the helm and aft areas to the maximum.
We've done it with (4) where the smaller folks sleep in the aft berth and wife and I on the v birth.
We've done it with (6) where my eldest son 20 now, sleep in the cockpit and the rest down below as above. I use 6X8 and 8X8 tarps (plastic one side and fabric the other to keep noise down) and bungee cords to make a tent over the cockpit (around the hard top rod holders and then down to the aft rod holders. I put a couple of adjustable hooks in them as poles - again with bungees. Then use the black binder clips to attach the sides and aft. Then dropped an air mattress down with sleeping bags and pillows.
We did this only a few times and in good weather. No issue, but it is an early rise.

Obviously you get more room in the express model, but you make what you have work. Even the expresses are tight.

 

[journeyman]

My wife and I weekend on our Marlin all summer long. The two of us, no problem. We have stayed as long as a week. The V-berth is our choice. I'm 6'5", 240# and my wife is 5'6". I get the longer, starboard side and she, the port. We also share it with a 20# furry bed hog and still are comfortable! We bought a king sized 3" memory foam mattress and laid it out with the cushions arranged on top to trace out the shape. Cutting it with an electric knife made it a snap. It rolls up like a sleeping bag when we're not using it. We have had guests who've slept in the mid berth for the weekend, but I wouldn't want that to be the norm. I'll repeat what I said on your other post, the two of you, no question. The Marlin is your boat! Grand kids every weekend............

 

[Graybeard]

Thanks everyone! The Freedom 225 has its advantages for us because it has more comfortable permanent seating for the family for day trips, is economical to run, I can trailer it to the hot fishing spots, I can store it in the driveway and it’s less expensive to maintain. On the other hand it’s the smallest boat in the Chesapeake Bay GW Club fleet, the smallest boat on J-dock at the marina, wife has Express 33 envy, we can’t go on overnight weekend adventures and we have gotten trashed around a bit when the weather changed on the bay. The Marlin works for me over the Express 33 because it’s less expensive, there’s more available for sale and in our price range every Express 33 has Yamaha F225-250’s with the dry exhust corrosion problems. I just hope the marine survey finds the hull is in average condition this time. With the holidays the survey won’t be until after the first.

 

[Slacktime]

We have cruised on our Marlin for up to 2 weeks at a time. It takes some coordination and planning but it can be done. We mostly stay in marinas to use shore power and facilities. We can anchor our with a portable genny and roll up dinghy, but the limit is 48 hours because of the 40 gal water tank and 10 gal waste tank. When we cruise with our trawler friends we are jealous of the space they have, but we always get there first and get home first, although burning a bit more fuel!

 

[g0tagrip]

The admiral and I spent several days on our Marlin on a trip to the Keys from Panama City Beach, then more than a week at Longboat Key Marina while trying to get back from the Keys due to bad seas. We were comfortable, but had the A/C running on the return leg as it was much warmer than on the trip down. It was just the two of us, and we had the back berth full of fishing rods, tackle and other stuff. We slept in the V berth, her on the port side and me on the starboard. Again we were very comfortable.

 

[Graybeard]

Thanks everyone and Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night