Renting Boat as Liveaboard

[nimblemotors]

Originally Posted by boatdreams

Hi nimblemotors, were you able to find out any info about your marina's rules and regs concerning renting? My boyfriend and I are very curious to learn if livingaboard as short term (1-3 months) renters is even a possibility. We'd ideally like to find someone that willing to rent a motor yacht for a month or so. We want some idea of what the lifestyle would be like before committing to a boat purchase. Know of anyone in the market?

My boat is still under construction, so I can't help you there.
If you read this thread: http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...sk-100232.html
you might ask Michele with one l how she found a boat to "rent".
A boat one is willing to rent might not be in the best of shape.
You can buy them pretty cheap if you want to pay the marina fees,
and just sell it later, if cheap enough you can't lose too much,
Hope that helps, best of luck,
JackB

[keyvirjo]

My fiancee and I are looking for that exact thing! I lived in the Florida Keys for many years and had to leave due to rental rates. I would give anything to go back! We are on a very limited budget and no transportation at this time so limited in more ways than one. Hope that you find someone to rent yours! God bless

[Unklebuk]

After experiences renting out homes to people, and these were more senior people, 15+ years in the military (retired military myself), no way I'd rent a boat out like this.....and have gotten out of renting houses too. Far too many headaches that we don't want, and they all came down to how poorly they took care of the homes we rented out.

[StaticB]

My husband and I live aboard our own yacht and own three others that we rent out. Two are in the "Keys" and one on the gulf coast of Florida.

We have had great luck in renting them. The two in the Keys never leave the dock, the one on the gulf coast does ( the renter is a retired master captain and his wife ).

We have two more yachts in rebuild that will be rented out as live aboards. Contrary to what some believe they are a lot of marinas they welcome live aboards. We live in one that was built with live aboards like us in mind.

Our advise:

Check out renters like they want to date your only daughter.

Our insurance company does charge extra but after a lot of research we found the perfect fit.

We have a large network of friends and marine professionals that we get recommendations for renters.

We also use the purchase agreement with right of first refusal to buy the boat back. We do the financing and the renter/owner is responsible for all repairs.

While this the short check list in over ten years of renting our boats we have only one bad renting caused us major problems.

We would be happy to give you more if it would help.

Donna

[WebWench]

I had a friend who rented his house with an option to buy to a very nice couple with two kids. They had good references and he owned his own construction company. The friend changed jobs to another state so was very carefull in his selection of renters.

After six months, the rent checks stopped. He was told that the business was having troubles be cause a spec house had not sold....etc. excuses ya know.

After three months he started eviction procedures. Went back down to his house and found it abandoned. The renters told the neighbors they had purchased the house but were having to sell again and move due to job relocation. They had a big yard sale....sold everything....light fixtures, fence, pool filter and pumps, even cabinets and ceiling fans, wood stove, fireplace insert, all the appliances ( that belonged to actual owner) and the skipped town. What was left was not pretty and left him with a house that needed thousands in repairs before he could even put it back up for sale.

Not saying this would happen to your boat.... But think about what could.

[ShaktiGurl]

Originally Posted by StaticB

My husband and I live aboard our own yacht and own three others that we rent out. Two are in the "Keys" and one on the gulf coast of Florida.

We have had great luck in renting them. The two in the Keys never leave the dock, the one on the gulf coast does ( the renter is a retired master captain and his wife ).

We have two more yachts in rebuild that will be rented out as live aboards. Contrary to what some believe they are a lot of marinas they welcome live aboards. We live in one that was built with live aboards like us in mind.

Our advise:

Check out renters like they want to date your only daughter.

Our insurance company does charge extra but after a lot of research we found the perfect fit.

We have a large network of friends and marine professionals that we get recommendations for renters.

We also use the purchase agreement with right of first refusal to buy the boat back. We do the financing and the renter/owner is responsible for all repairs.

While this the short check list in over ten years of renting our boats we have only one bad renting caused us major problems.

We would be happy to give you more if it would help.

Donna

Curious about this because we have been considering doing this. I assume your boats are at a dock - does the rent cover the dockage+insurance as well?

[StaticB]

We are pretty lucky when it comes to cover all the costs. The way we = luck. Networking, we have great marinas that keep our live aboards at, our insurance works hard to keep the rates low and we do almost all of the maintenance in house.

Develop a great relationship with other boat owners and renters at your marina. Their eyes and ears are priceless!!! And a buy your contacts a few drinks at the marinas pub. Money well spent and a lot cheaper than paying money in repairs and fee's.

All the best.

[hellosailor]

"We also use the purchase agreement with right of first refusal to buy the boat back. We do the financing and the renter/owner is responsible for all repairs."

OK, that's confusing. Are you saying that you are simply renting some boats, and rent-to-own financing the sale of other boats? Or just the latter? Selling the boats and taking a lien on them against monthly payments?

Sounds like you've got an unusual and creative operation.

[Huey2]

I've had great luck renting my floating cottages out on either a weekly basis or for a three day minimum. I have a cleaning lady that comes in after each rental so I can keep tabs on the cottages. I've thought about renting our sailboat but worry about us being to far away to keep tabs on it. ( http://www.floating vacations.net ) For people now renting your boat, how long is your rental period and how far are you from the boat?

[nimblemotors]

Nice to hear of someone able to rent their boats. Is that right, you do it as transfer ownership with buyback and lien, so the 'renter' is taking all responsibility?
This would skirt the rental clauses of marina.

I have been thinking of renting again, as I'm also considering building multiple boats, so they could be rented until they are sold and not sit on the hard taking up space needed to build the next one.
As unique solar-powered boats, I'm thinking visitors to SF might like to stay in a large unique solar-powered boat in the bay.

[StaticB]

We are always excited to hear of others doing well renting liveaboards. So much so we are in the process of opening FREE blog just about liveaboards.

A place for owners, renters marinas, forums, tips and tricks and of course some feature stories.

As this will never be a pay site and our time is a bit limited due to us traveling, pub crawling, rebuilding boats/yachts, getting a tan...... You get the picture we will need help with writers, moderators and such.

Let Static and I know your thoughts! Oh I meant the blog idea, not me sun tanning. lol

Donna

[SV THIRD DAY]

https://www.airbnb.com/

What the difference between th Air BnB concept for people house va a Boat?
Of course your insurance Co will say that you were chartering without the proper license and insurance when your boat sinks...but with the proper insurance you could rent your boat out just like a room in your house.

Of course when the Marina finds out they will quash it also.

So your only real way as I see it is under radar to a friend or aquaintance.

[StaticB]

I know this off topic. We are in the Bahamas till the 12th of December then leaving from home port! See you all soon.

Donna

[Joshmanosteel]

Hey Nimblemotors!

If you're still out there, I stumbled upon this post in my search to "rent a sailboat in SF bay" and I was wondering if you still needed a reliable renter.

If so we need to talk! I have great credit and have never been evicted. I have a full time job working in the solar industry and will be moving out to the bay area within the next month or two.

Every month I will be in the bay area for two weeks and on the road two weeks and would like an inexpensive place to call home when I'm around.

Let me know if you are still looking!

-Joshua

[pj2014]

I am looking to rent a boat near Queens Quay, downtown Toronto as a liveaboard for a 6 months to 1 year, anyone who might have accomodation, please contact, mimi2k 92023@yahoo.com.