International Living: Liveaboard vs Apartments

[Binyamin_Delta]

So, I'm 23 years old, not tied down, and interested in exploring and finding adventure while I'm still young. Currently, my income comes from working online -- meaning that I can make money from anywhere with a solid Internet connection.

Lately, two ways of exploring the world seem doable:

1. Land. Travel from country to country, renting apartments for several months in each location, exploring the area, then heading to another country once the tourist visa expires.

2. Sea. Spend $10,000 - $20,000 on a liveaboard sailboat, and cruise the Caribbean and Central America. Spend some time at each country.

Both have advantages. A liveaboard sailboat would mean a consistent "home base," and possibly a way to save money on monthly rent. A short-term apartment lease, however, is more stable (literally), would have more reliable Internet and utilities, and doesn't come with the maintenance and stress of maintaining a $20,000 "floating investment."

Obviously, the fact that I'm posting on CruisersForum shows that the liveaboard sailboat idea is very intriguing / romantic. But is it practical?

Now, I know there are a *lot* of factors here. I understand that. My question is, if YOU were in my shoes, which approach would you take?

Has anybody traveled extensively using apartments? Can you compare that to liveaboard living? What pros and cons have I overlooked?

I'm interested in bouncing ideas around and seeing what sticks. Thanks for your time everybody!

[leslie]

Apartments in touristy locations have the tendency to be rather expensive. After your vacation you have nothing to show for your money spent. Boats are not much better as you will be constantly spending money but there are some good buys around. The good part is that your boat should sell for more or less the same value a year later than you paid for it, provided you keep it clean and all components in working order. You should check out your destinations and what kind of wireless connections are availible. Cost will be your big factor here as well as connection speeds. You could investigate satillite internet but the cost would be high. Some marinas offer internet networks but marinas are expensive places to be avoided where you can. With IT work you also have the option of completing your work on your pc and then just uploading at a internet cafe. Depends on the intensity of your job and the amount of data. Setting up connections in apartments could also be problematic as some areas have waiting lists for ASDL connectivity. You might not be able to get connected quickly. I have found out that wireless broadband with local mobile companies has been the most reliable way to connect. As for working on a boat.. you get so use to the motion that it does not affect your ability to fuction fully behind a pc (most people). I believe that my answer might be bias as I am a sailor that would do anything to be able to make a living from my boat. I can however recommend ou do proper research on the areas you wish to visit to calculate your costs for either options. The no1 advantadge for doing it on a boat is that you are not binded by lease agreements and can up anchor at any time. I can assure you that there are few things as rewarding as fooling about with boats. In the end it is up to you as a person on what will suit you. Perhaps try and organise a trip with a charter company or sailing school to see if you like it first. I hope you make the right decision in the end.

[Pelagic]

Originally Posted by Binyamin_Delta

What pros and cons have I overlooked?

It all comes down to baggage.

[Binyamin_Delta]

Originally Posted by Pelagic

It all comes down to baggage.

Meaning.... ?

Could you expand on that, please?

[Binyamin_Delta]

Based on experience, what is the realistic expectation of reliable Internet while cruising the Caribbean / Central America region?

[leslie]

Look at the internet providers on the area you wish to visit. Ask them what they can offer and then half the speed and double the cost.

[Roaring Girl]

It depends where you want to go and for how long! A boat doesn't limit you to the Americas if you buy the right one. Anyone on here will be biased to the sailing solution but it does give you flexibility and control and possibly is a better investment although the upfront capital costs may be a deterrent for you. You will also have to invest considerably more learning/prep time for boat living than purely apartment based, and still have the issues of learning how to live in a foreign country (language, cash, legalities, finding the shops ...)

The suggestion on some boating experience is a very good one.

We do business from the boat (currently in the Med) and are mobile internet reliant. The tech, as I'm sure you know) is evolving incredibly fast and it is worth allocating time each year for a survey of your options depending on your cruising plans. For us, so far, a UK mobile internet contract, though not the cheapest, has been the most reliable and time-manageable way to go. Many others buy in-country sims for their data. You may find that the reliability and speed of satellite is worth the high costs, especially if your work is design based.

Also what do you want to do? You will meet a different local community if you're boat based than if land-based, and both have their strengths and weaknesses as a 'way in'. In the end, transience is a barrier as well as an opportunity!

[Pelagic]

Originally Posted by Binyamin_Delta

Meaning.... ?

Could you expand on that, please?

At 23 and “not tied down” I believe the key issue is for you to consider which choice will actually tie you down the most?

If you are not enjoying the sailboat you bought, it then becomes baggage.

If sailing is for you… you will find it…. but choose that moment after you have experienced an unencumbered walkabout, not as a tourist but as a traveler on a tight budget, travelling with light baggage.

Then if the sea still beckons, travel to a cruising destinations and observe and sample the reality before taking the plunge.


Good luck

[Binyamin_Delta]

Originally Posted by Pelagic

At 23 and “not tied down” I believe the key issue is for you to consider which choice will actually tie you down the most?

If you are not enjoying the sailboat you bought, it then becomes baggage.

If sailing is for you… you will find it…. but choose that moment after you have experienced an unencumbered walkabout, not as a tourist but as a traveler on a tight budget, travelling with light baggage.

Then if the sea still beckons, travel to a cruising destinations and observe and sample the reality before taking the plunge.


Good luck

That makes a lot of sense.

In practical terms, if I had a month-to-month apartment in Costa Rica or Mexico or whereever and something suddenly came up, or there was an opportunity too good to miss, I could be on a flight the next day and not have a care in the world. With a sailboat, that is an enormous anchor, pardon the pun.

Still, the sailing life does appeal to me....

[Pelagic]

I think you will find that the majority of well adjusted cruisers actually did a lot of land travelling in their early days, discovering quiet unknown gems, before local commercialism set in.

Then maybe with a camper and a survey map, they realized that if it was too easy for others to find, it was subject to all kinds of hype.

Refining their search (and tastes), in the hopes of finding that perfect beach or an unspoiled people, roads became their enemy and island destinations offered an improved buffer, with the drawback that island accommodation and provisions were often sold at a premium.

At that point, the justification for carrying their own baggage, became based on a personal journey where ironically, many of us slowly crawled from the Land back in to the Sea.

My best advice is to travel light and enjoy the journey, until you know where (and how) you want to be.

[Doodles]

Originally Posted by Binyamin_Delta

Based on experience, what is the realistic expectation of reliable Internet while cruising the Caribbean / Central America region?

We can't even get good reliable broadband internet at our marina on the Potomac River off the Chesapeake Bay, so don't count on it in the Caribbean/CA region. Also having a similar problem here in Thailand.

[troymclure]

Howdy binyamin,

I'm c 28 and I'm currently doing the boat/net business thing.

At the moment i'm just cruising the east coast of australia (started in brisbane) but i'm heading north and going to try to make it overseas later this year.

It's definately possible, so far i've adjusted fine and work is even occasionally paying the bills^^.

I spent a bit more on the boat then you are planning (or not) too. Ie i bought a boat for aus $65k and have since spent another $15k making it suitable for what i want to do (which mostly involves upgrading electrical stuff).

There is defiantely the downside of having the boat too look after (takes up a bit of time and makes non-coastal exploration difficult)... but then again there is dolphins, marine life, sandy deserted beaches(solitude does the soul good, can be handy for focusing on work as well), sunsets/sunrises, heck horizons in general which are not something I ever seem to see when i'm near civilization. Friendly communities, and well lots of good things, downsides and upsides.

Though it probably is a good idea to see if it's the lifesetyle or you thogh, maybe try a charter to see if you could enjoy working and living on a boat?


ps:- It's a big descision/life change so consider it carefully. I spent alot of time researching various stuff to see how practical it was before i did it and now...
I'm literally loving it, at the moment I can't really contemplate not living on a boat. Of course i haven't gone overseas yet^^.

[idpnd]

Same plan here, I did telework and travel in latin america mostly for a couple of years, you will always find a cheap apartment in the bigger cities, upside you get great contact with the locals and learn the language automatically.

I am now switching to liveaboard travel myself, upside more in touch with nature, sailing, independence etc, downside more distance from the local community.

[sww914]

One thing not yet considered is the cost of generating adequate electricity.
Having lived aboard on a mooring for a couple of years, I learned that electricity is expensive. Solar panels and wind generators are expensive. Inverters are expensive. Batteries are expensive. Fuel to run the engine is expensive. Big alternators are expensive. It will take quite a bit to power the things you will need and you could easily spend thousands on a good electrical system. Diesel powered boats cost more than outboard or gas powered boats as well. If you buy a low end of the spectrum cruising boat it likely won't have the electrical system that you would like to have.
Solar panels- $200.00 each and up, plus deck space or an arch over the stern, another 2K or more.
Alternator- $350.00 and up.
Batteries- $120.00 each and up. I'd get 4-6 golf cart batteries.
Wind generator- $750.00 and up.
Inverter- $1000.00 and up.
Wire $2.00 a foot and up.
Big wire- $5.00 a foot and up.
Charge controller- $100.00 and up.
Main 12v panel- $150.00 and up.
Battery switch- $35.00 and up.
Big circuit breaker- $75.00
Plus a bunch of connectors and some tools, probably another $300.00.
It will all add up quickly and this doesn't count any installation costs if you can't do it yourself.

[Binyamin_Delta]

Thanks everybody for the replies.

I am generally curious if the cruising lifestyle is "overrated" for the young and single. For example -- I commonly hear retired / semi-retired cruisers lament, "Go for it! That's what I would do if I were your age!" But their perspective is biased: Already married, not interested in "the single life," less inclination for strenuous exploration, etc etc.

I certainly understand the appeal of liveaboard cruising, but I also wonder if more "traditional" exploration through Rio, Buenos, Mexico City etc may be better for somebody who is young and single. Some of the replies here have fueled more ideas.

To set aside the sum for a sailboat purchase, I will need about a year or so anyway -- so one approach might be to live fairly inexpensively now, explore areas like Mexico and Latin America, and then re-visit sailboats once I have some traditional travels under my belt.