Considering living on a boat...

[dr]

I have owed boats all my life but have never one which could be considered suitable for permanent or semi permanent living quarters….

I am considering such a move, hopefully with my wife….have to get up the guts to broach the subject with her…

Any recommendations or ideas RE efficient ways to research/evaluate/evaluate, ideas, thoughts, ect this would be greatly appreciated…

Initial plans include a 1-2 week rental this spring, and not selling the house….would like to consider a move to warmer climate…new employment would be required outside of East TN area……

Thanks for the help….




PS If you hear a loud scream in a few minutes, just disregard this post....

[gcarter]

I'm not sure two people can live on a boat shorter than 40' and stay sane.
Bigger is better.
Fly bridge sports fishermen and trawlers probably work best, and have the greatest separation, then maybe an aft cabin motor yahct.

[TuxedoPk]

Larry and Lin Pardey are probably the most well known cruising couple (they've published ten books on their trips) having been at sail for 35 years and sailing to 72 countries. While you might not choose a sailboat as your live aboard, many of their experiences and recommendations would still hold true.

Their mantra is, "Go simple, go small, go now!" and have always lived aboard boats no larger than 30' in length. It might be worthwhile to pickup a copy of the July/Aug 05 issue of Good Old Boat at your local West Marine or such.

From what I've read in a few publications the total cost to live at sea including food, fuel (diesel to supplement sail), charts, maintenance, moorings, etc. is less than $2000/per month for a couple.

This should give you a good base number as a starting point- obviously a trawler type vessel will burn more diesel and increase your budget a bit.

I'm sure some other may disagree with me but without some seriously deep pocketbook I don't think planing hulls and gas powered boats are going to be the type of boats that will be appropriate to consider.

[gcarter]

I'm sure some other may disagree with me but without some seriously deep pocketbook I don't think planing hulls and gas powered boats are going to be the type of boats that will be appropriate to consider.
Rich, you're extly correct if your goal is to cruise.
However, some people just want to trade a house on land for a "house" on the water, i.e., living mainly in one place. That's one of the decisions you have to make. Renting for a while is a good way to figure that out.

[onesubdrvr]

I'm not sure two people can live on a boat shorter than 40' and stay sane.
Bigger is better.
Fly bridge sports fishermen and trawlers probably work best, and have the greatest separation, then maybe an aft cabin motor yahct.
I dunno George,

We used to have over 150 of us in 300 feet, and that was for 90 days at a time,.....no sun light,..........no fresh air,..............nothing but green and grey paint as far as the eyes could see.

Wayne

[gcarter]

I dunno George,
We used to have over 150 of us in 300 feet, and that was for 90 days at a time,.....no sun light,..........no fresh air,..............nothing but green and grey paint as far as the eyes could see.
Wayne
LOL.......yeah, I know, and I'm glad you and the rest of you did it. But how many psychiatric tests did you take before they let you on one of those things?:jestera: :biggrin:

[Rob]

Sailboat is the most cost effective way to go. Not implying that it's cheap BTW... If you want to spend more money and go no faster (but have a little more room), single engine trawler is next.

For two people, a 34-36' cruising sailboat is plenty big, from over 20 years experience with one.

[TuxedoPk]

I'm not sure two people can live on a boat shorter than 40' and stay sane.

40'- Is this being made based on your extensive mariner or marital experience? ;)

[Lenny]

Dr. Give me a call. I can set you up with something "modest" that won't cost you an arm and leg. Close to amenities, and 3 bedrooms to boot ! Shore power, fireplace, the works. Have your wife browse through this pic and when she is "ready" give me a call. :D

[gcarter]

40'- Is this being made based on your extensive mariner or marital experience? ;)
OK, I haven't tried to spend a year on one, but I do have SOME experience. I can only speak for myself, but as I get older, I like like to have more creature comforts around me rather than less. The thing about powerboats is that they have a beam/length ratio of about 30%-40% which allows more room. Modern cruising sailboats do too, but they have a "pinched" stern, limiting the interior room in an aft cabin somewhat.
As for marital experience, my wife and I work together in our business and spend esentially 24 hours a day together, day after day. I still like some room to myself.

[smokediver]

Live aboard slips are becoming more scarce here by the day , in fact , here in naples , there are maybe 20 .... at the most .... Transient slips are starting to become a pain as there are really short time limits nowadays . Sure , you can throw anchor just about anywhere for a night .. maybe 2 ... As far as sailboats ... Hondas , fat chicks , sailboats , all kind of fall in the same category to me .. no offense to any sailors ... An old naples native , duke turner , calls sailors "whistle pissers" . he owned a marina here and said just about every time a sailboat came in and asked how much to stay the night after hearing the price would whistle and then ask to use the restroom . :lifeprese

[onesubdrvr]

LOL.......yeah, I know, and I'm glad you and the rest of you did it. But how many psychiatric tests did you take before they let you on one of those things?:jestera: :biggrin:
We both took about 1/2 a bakers dozen ;) :bonk:

Wayne

[Lenny]

I couldn't do it. I would go crazy. I need acreage to roam around on like a wild animal. I would go CRAZY living on a boat. A sailboat would have to be 60' at least for me and power 50+. Even then, I can not imagine what the "yard" would look like after leaving the dog on the deck all day. :eek: I have a couple of "friends" that live 1) on a 35' sailboat and the other on a 40' Chris Craft.

They are both crazy now and resemble Johnny Depp in Pirates of the Carribean.

I have "fond" memories of spending a summer basically "living" on that 35' sailboat. I had the aft bunk, along the starboard side under the deck sole. Invariably, we would stay up and do whatever and party with "chicks" and then when the 2-3-4am's rolled around I would "go to my bunk". The problem was, it was under the starboard side, aft area and was a glass boat. Whomever built it installed teak decks. Then to keep these decks fastened, there was the usual black goop and then a ba-zillion bronze screws that protruded about an inch into the inside of the glass deck surface which was also my ceiling. The bunk should have been called a "Torpedo Tube" cuz it took a couple of minutes to slide into sober, let alone drunk. The clearance above your face, to these screws, when laying on your back was about a foot.

So, in the morning or the middle of the night, whatever, you would forget or just be too stupid to realize where you were and EVERY morning when I awoke, I would be covered in small blood splotches and look like I had been pecked to death by birds in my sleep.

Man, do I ever miss that. :bonk:

[Chili 18]

I .
They are both crazy now and resemble Johnny Depp in Pirates of the Carribean.


I love that description!


Not that its a bad thing..... Just something to put on and try like a suit before buying. It fits, or not. Or could you afford a good taylor..?

I had a fantasy of cruising the globe. Robinsin Carusu stuff. Still do, though deep on the current list. hmmmmm

In a perfect world. Living aboard and keeping a 9-5 job would be cool. Could be cool... But try it on before you buy. Either way, you'll win...

PS... If your lady agrees.... she's pretty special.... :-)

[TuxedoPk]

I love that description!
Not that its a bad thing..... Just something to put on and try like a suit before buying. It fits, or not. Or could you afford a good taylor..?
I had a fantasy of cruising the globe. Robinsin Carusu stuff. Still do, though deep on the current list. hmmmmm
In a perfect world. Living aboard and keeping a 9-5 job would be cool. Could be cool... But try it on before you buy. Either way, you'll win...
PS... If your lady agrees.... she's pretty special.... :-)

I think everyone who'se ever read Slocum shares that fantasy of sailing or cruising around the globe.

Living aboard and keeping a 9-5 job would be at the very bottom of my list though. IMHO, the appeal of the cruising life is simplicity, the lack of time schedules, etc. To me, having a 9-5 job and living aboard would just add cramped and damp housing adversity to the normal stress of day-day living.

From what I've read, the minimum time to adopt the cruising lifestyle is 2 years. The first year is typically spent thinking about life back on land, and in the second one starts thinking about what lies ahead.

Living aboard at a dock- The closest I've come to this was watching Jack Klugman living aboard playing Quincy.

[harbormaster]

When single, I lived 2 years aboard a 36 foot Chris Craft in the early 80's. The women really loved it.

I agree with Rob, a trawler is the only way to go as far as the most room for length. There is more storage area and less work to operate.

Sailboats are OK BUT before you take it out sailing you REALLY have to work hard to stow all your stuff because of the rate of heel that occurs while under way. They are cheaper to operate if you want to go cruising (yech :rolleyes:).

[dr]

Some good and entertaining information….although we enjoy sailboats and in fact still have one (haven’t used in years) we were never good sailors…I can’t count the times we couldn’t get back to the marina sailing on the TN river much less the ocean…and the arguments were fierce…IE who’s turn is it to go in the water and retrieve one of the dogs….

Also we have no burning desire to cruise around the world…So at this point I guess the ‘Jack Klugmen’ reference is most appropriate at this point.

Just a nice boat, in a nice location, with 2 sometimes nice people….my wife’s is s high energy/driven person (a physician) so getting her to slow down and live in small boat is going to be nerve racking..

[boldts]

I have no experience in living on a boat. I can how-ever remember as a kid visiting my Grandma and Grandpa who owned first a 30' Owens hardtop and then later, a 36' Trojan Sedan F/B. They kept the boat at a Lake Erie marina and the only time the boat was run would be when our family would spend a week. Grandpa would start the engines to keep everything working, but other than when we came up, the boat remained tied up at the dock.

Now obviously, if you want to live on a boat, it would have to be in the South somewhere. Could be done in the North, but I just don't think it would be very comfy. Although you might find new ways to stay warm with that special someone.

I think if I were doing it, I'd have to have a set-up like Sunny Croket of Miami Vice. A sailboat or 40 + foot yacht with a go fast to enjoy short junts around the local areas. If you ever so desired, you could take a couple weeks and cruise to some exotic place, yet you'd still have a home on the water you could go to and from to work every day. For me, the sounds of the water are more relaxing than any home on land could be. The gentle tapping of the sailboat lines against their mast. Crickets croaking, stars a blaze or the moon lit night. If you have someone special who also enjoys these simple things in life, I don't know how it could get better. Yeah, you'll have storms and in the South, hurricanes that will require you to maybe move the boats to protected waters, but hey, everyone else in town is boarding up and heading for higher ground also. Just take the time to be prepared like you would with a home.

I like the idea!

[EricG]

FWIW, my brother has lived aboard a 60' Trawler for about 12 years. The first year we took it out for 2 weekend trips, the second year - 1 day cruise. In the last 10 years it has left the dock exactly twice - once for each of the required 5 year surveys. He doesn't really want to take his "house" out for a cruise. I've heard this echo'd by many other folks that live aboard...

Also, maybe it's just the climate up here, but I have never been on a large boat that didn't smell musty (all your clothes, books, other possession always have that smell). We go to the boats afloat show every year and look at the 5-10 year old boats (NICE ones), and they all have that "smell".

I have always had the fantasy of living aboard myself...but I can never get past the few negatives enough to go for it.

EG

[TuxedoPk]

So at this point I guess the ‘Jack Klugmen’ reference is most appropriate at this point.

Harbormaster- That was my reference so would you mind upping my rep power a bit :)

[joseph m. hahnl]

FWIW, my brother has lived aboard a 60' Trawler for about 12 years. The first year we took it out for 2 weekend trips, the second year - 1 day cruise. In the last 10 years it has left the dock exactly twice - once for each of the required 5 year surveys. He doesn't really want to take his "house" out for a cruise. I've heard this echo'd by many other folks that live aboard...
Also, maybe it's just the climate up here, but I have never been on a large boat that didn't smell musty (all your clothes, books, other possession always have that smell). We go to the boats afloat show every year and look at the 5-10 year old boats (NICE ones), and they all have that "smell".
I have always had the fantasy of living aboard myself...but I can never get past the few negatives enough to go for it.
EG



THE SMELL???? You would get youst to it > Like a house with a dog when it's not your own and your just visiting it can be over powering. when your in it all the time you don'ty notice it. "Like Norco Cali." All those cows you can smell it all the way to Corona
i've even smelt it on a good windy day in santa Anna. my point is the people that live there would say what smell.

there are so many different styles of boat and sizes it depends on your budget. My plan is to retire in the Sea of Cortez A.K.A. the Gulf of California.
This is not set in stone as i haven't been there. The Location i choose needs to be imune to to Storms of mass destruction like Hurricane and Monsoons.
it Seems to be in a location that is protected from the Pacific. yet is Close to the good Ol USA.

joe.

[EricG]

THE SMELL???? You would get youst to it > Like a house with a dog when it's not your own and your just visiting it can be over powering. when your in it all the time you don'ty notice it. "Like Norco Cali." All those cows you can smell it all the way to Corona
i've even smelt it on a good windy day in santa Anna. my point is the people that live there would say what smell.

That's a good point - I guess that's a personal thing to me due to having allergies to that type of thing...

EG

[Chili 18]

I could live on this one.... It was out in front of my house one day last summer. Probably came over from Chicago.

[dr]

I had the living on a boat discussion with my wife this afternoon and although she was calm she was anything but rational….seems like she’s been keeping a list of some sort which includes all the stuff I’ve bought/grandiose ideas but not used…IE sailboat and pontoon haven’t been used in 4 years, vacation/rental home in Hilton Head, once in 3 years, 70 acres of mountain land to build a cabin for weekend get aways…well the road washed out a year ago and we’ve not ventured there since…I guess the talk I had planned for this evening RE how we(she) spent too much money for Xmas could be put on hold…

[Chili 18]

".....seems like she’s been keeping a list of some sort which includes all t"


I hate when they keep lists :lifeprese