Annual maintenance costs of living aboard at anchor

[Jim Cate]

Trolling seems to be the main activity on this site. Makes it a pretty worthless board.

That's funny... CF is viewed by most as the friendliest and most informative forum in the cruising universe. We see post after post expressing this general feeling. Yes, there are a few abrasive posters and a few trolls. When reported, such content is removed and the posters chided or sanctioned in some way. If they persist they will eventually disappear... some have in the past.

So, when you see a post that is offensive or trolling, please report it so our team of volunteer moderators can take action (within the guidelines of the rules that all must obey). To report a post, click on the small red boardered triangle below your avatar and fill in the blanks with your objection(s). Some one will respond ASAP (remembering that the moderators are spread all over the globe and have to sleep sometime!

Jim

[Belezar]

Well I might be using the term loosely, as I don’t know if what I have seen is really against any policy. I think of it more as a personality. People sign up, ask some questions, and get few answers other than being told what idiots they are. How about the ole if can’t say anything nice motto? Is it too much time on their hands? Who knows, but it makes unpleasant reading.

[Glassgow22]

Originally Posted by Brewgyver

It's been more than five days, and you haven't responded to the most basic question in your crew wanted thread, so how can you expect anybody to take you seriously?

I'll answer your questions if you answer mine I'll even go first if you agree to answer after me. Agreed?

[Marvins_Dog]

One thing that hasn't been mentioned here regarding the Rio Dulce is the cruising permit / temporary importation. If you buy a boat and bring it to the Rio, it (not you) can legally stay in country for a maximum of two years. It then needs to leave for 90 days before it can return. People bend and break that rule from time to time, but the fines get hefty and many boats end up being abandoned in Guatemala.

More importantly, anchoring a derelict boat anywhere is kind of a crappy thing to do. It happens all over and the locals get tired of seeing it. They pass laws to curb it and then the places us cruisers love are ruined.

In addition, there is no pump out boat in the Rio so you will be a permanent source of pollution into the river. Do others dump into the river? I'm sure they do from time to time, but most boats in the Rio are in marinas that have proper bathrooms for their tenants.

[discokachina]

I have some friends who sailed from Ft Lauderdale and headed South looking for paradise. After spending time at many coastal and river areas they kept moving South till they got to Bocas Del Toro, Panama and have been there ever since or about 6 years. It has a very large liveaboard community that caters to every price point. It would be the perfect place to anchor and live aboard. I would take a close look at Bocas Del Toro.

[Icarus]

Originally Posted by Glassgow22

Hi everyone my dream is to buy a used boat and live aboard at anchor in the Rio Dulce. I'm trying to estimate my budget to make sure I have enough money to make the leap. I actually don't plan to do any cruising, just living at anchor. I figure I need to plan for annual haul out and bottom paint to make sure the boat doesn't take on water. What other maintenance and/or repair issues do I need to budget for if I just keep the boat at anchor? Thanks in advance for all the advice!!!

I haul out every 2 years, depending on growth and other planned jobs.

Typical maintenance
Water pressure pumps depending on design, i have a belt driven pressure pump wich needs a new dampener every 18 month...
Batteries every last a long time if looked after, i replace my Trojan batteries every 5 to 7 years.
Toilet hoses need cleaning or replacing once a year or less because of mineral build ups.
Black and gray water tanks clogging
Lights, fuses, switches, globes
Electrical issues, corrotion, shorts, can be challenging
Hoses get brittle or harden, not a big deal to replace
Leaks from hatches , windows, chain plates,
Wear and tear, paint, varnish
Cooking stove...gets used a lot, flame igniter cut out solenoid..if you use a gas stove.

Its generally about to keep the boat in good functional order.

Good thing is you don't need a lawn mower to look after...lol

[model 10]

[QUOTE=Icarus;2976275]I haul out every 2 years, depending on growth and other planned jobs. Its generally about to keep the boat in good functional order.

So if you compare Bocas to the Rio, the river would be much cheaper. All I see on the river is slime on the bottom after years in the water. That is either washed off or brushed off dry.
I think if the OP wants to swim off the boat, Bocas is the place. There are a lot of people shitting in the Sweet River. I'm not sure "dilution is the solution" is good enough for the Rio Dulce. I only clean the sides of the boat to the boot stripe, I don't get in the water.

[parkstone bay]

You need to check the local authorities to see what their attitude is towards what you yourself admit is to be a houseboat. If the boat is flagged in a different country, there will be laws concerning length of time she may remain in Rio Dulce waters. If the OP is a foreign national, there will be laws concerning length of time he may remain in that country - visa, etc.

[south4320]

Originally Posted by Belezar

Well I might be using the term loosely, as I don’t know if what I have seen is really against any policy. I think of it more as a personality. People sign up, ask some questions, and get few answers other than being told what idiots they are. How about the ole if can’t say anything nice motto? Is it too much time on their hands? Who knows, but it makes unpleasant reading.

Agreed. There’s some very good informative threads here at times. Unfortunately there is also plenty of unhelpful criticism towards some posters some of who haven’t been fortunate enough to have been playing around with boats their whole life and hence their questions may seem stupid. If we don’t want to help then go to another thread rather than berating them. After all we aren’t forced to read and respond to everything.

[hzcruiser]

Originally Posted by south4320

[...] After all we aren’t forced to read and respond to everything.

True, only if all the experienced regular posters here just ignore these posts, the OP wouldn't be happy either.
Me thinks what gets everyone's heckles up is the utter lack of general research the OP has shown. And that's not against him personally, as it happens in other threads as well.

Just spurting out almost random questions whenever they pop up in one's mind without even trying to answer them yourself first doesn't bode well here. And I'm not even taking account that the OP stated to be an "Internet professional" which makes it just so much worse.


Why didn't he spend a few days or weeks researching the whole "living on a boat" thing first and then ask fairly specific questions that he absolutely couldn't cover from any other sources?

Would you make a life changing decision based on a few "nice" answers to a rather broad question? Pointing out the fineprint might actually prevent him from making a very big mistake.

[reynolds.brad]

I financed my liveaboard with a personal loan at the worst interest rate ever.

After adding up the costs to repay the loan, mooring fees, insurance etc it works out slightly cheaper than rent.

(however unlike renting one day I will own something)

[Juggerknot]

Originally Posted by Glassgow22

Thanks everyone for the wonderful feedback!

That's actually what I'm trying to figure out by figuring out the cost of maintaining a non mobile boat vs cost of being on land. With land you have to deal with property taxes and maintanence on a home as well. It seems like you can really minimize expenses by staying in one place on anchor because then you don't have to deal with engine/sails/rigging/marina costs/etc.

Yes I understand a tent would be the cheapest but I'm looking to have a more permanent shelter while minimizing expenses. Plus I love swimming and snorkeling and being in the ocean which is why I'm willing to pay more.

I'm also considering other places like Bocas del Toro in Panama and honestly anywhere outside the hurricane zones any suggestions for other locations would be awesome as well!

Have you ever been to CA at all? Property taxes are so inconsequential that it is laughable, couple hundred dollars a year if you pimp it up big... Avoid Costa Rica, cost of living is higher than Miami, Rio Dulce is a great hurricane hole but setting down roots there would be torture, bring lots of deet and good luck on your online work, an aircard is the only game invtown and that's not saying much. Bocas is touristy, code for expensive and Panama is not playing the perpetual tourist game so forget about border runs every 90 days, they will shut you down plus, they require a return ticket to your country of residence to enter, they check them so bogus tics will get you quickly ejected. Colombia has some great ports of call but its a 180 day visa then adios gringo, see you next year, residency is a must in other words. A good conversational Spanish is a must unless you plan on just hanging around the whorehouses in Barranquilla and well, there goes your low budget pipe dream. I have been all over these countries and lived in several over the last 11 years, believe me, sitting in a rotting tub in subtropical heat, humidity and bugs piddling around on the computer to save a few bucks is about the last thing I would wish on someone. Buen viaje y suerte