My Dreams

[sanctuaryseeker]

Hello all, this is my first post, seems like a great and knowledgeable board

I have a dream, I would like to live on a yacht and perhaps one day sail around the world.

I'm 31 a house owner and a single guy, most of my life i have been fascinated with the sea and boats. I have been to sea a few times on various craft and would just love to move my life on to the water permanently.

I would like to sell my house and free up the 15k equity and invest this in a 25 foot ish sailing boat and moor this at a marina in the south west somewhere.

I have no sailing experience or navigational skills, so is this something that i could learn on some kind of training course ?

What are the costs of monthly living in a sailing boat moored at a marina and realistically is this something i could do long term ?

thanks in advance, and please hit me with the fact as If my bubble needs bursting and i am a little delusional please dont be afraid to tell me

[Ex-Calif]

Hi sanctuary and welcome to CF. If you click the "google" search link below my signature and type "living aboard costs" you will likely get a lot of hits and have much to read. Your question is not uncommon.

Bottom line comment is that you will not save much money if any living aboard at a Marina and in fact depending on the boat and where you live now the costs could be higher.

[s/v Moondancer]

All is possible but it is twice as hard and three times as expensive as you might imagine but then it is worth all the effort. $15K should get you a servicable 30-35 ft boat which is much more livable.

But do learn and get experience first...take lessons at the local sailing club (blue-collar not yuppy), join and then volunteer to help... crew, race committee, annual work day etc. Anyone that helps out at our club gets to sail.

I may need crew for a couple of weeks in St Thomas in Febuary/March.

[skipmac]

When you say liveaboard in the southwest are you referring to LA or San Diego area? If so, bring your big wallet because marina space in that area is limited and not cheap. You would have lower costs living aboard on the Gulf Coast.

Otherwise, if you are handy and can do your own maintenance and repairs the costs are not too different from living in a house, as long as something big doesn't break down. Like operating a car. Costs are not much until the transmission goes and you have to shell out a couple of grand for a new one.


Welcome aboard and good luck.

Skip

[sanctuaryseeker]

I live in the uk and was referring to Plymouth area, as this would be a good base to explore the med from

Also i am a 9 year experienced auto mechanic and for the last 7 years I have been a carpenter and for the last 2 i have run my own carpentry business, so I'm pretty hands on

[skipmac]

Oh. Southwest UK. Big difference. Will back away from that question as I have never ventured further from downtown London than Heathrow airport.

As you may be noticing, this forum is global with members from Australia to Zanzibar so you might want to add a little about yourself and location. Might find some sailors living right next door.

Ski

[sanctuaryseeker]

I'm based in Stafford, Staffordshire

I believe there is a sailing club just down the road from me :

Home :: South Staffordshire Sailing Club

Would the sailing skills i could learn in a small open boat on a reservoir like this, be valid in a larger sailing vessel on the open seas ?

The processes of gaining competency enough to skipper and navigate a larger vessel on the coastal waters or open seas, are something I need to understand more about.

I have seen AYA courses in the uk, is this something i should be looking at taking ?

[Inkwell]

Take any sailing course you can get. You must learn the basics, then go to the next level of sailing. I am not familiar with the AYA courses, but start there. Join the local club to meet like minded sailors. Get out to sail as much as you can before buying that first boat. Welcome to the CF.

[edsailing]

Exploring the Med from Plymouth? That's a 1000 miles away, at least a weeks sailing non-stop (if all goes well). There's a Biscay crossing as well.

Marinas in Plymouth are quite expensive - you would need to factor in a min of £3000 p.a for a berth. I think you will be pushing it to buy a boat for the money you have available (prices are higher here than in other parts of the world)

Sounds like you have good practical skills so that is a big bonus when it come to ongoing maintenance.

Lots of sailing clubs in Plymouth and on the Tamar - as others have suggested, get down there and get some time on the water.

That said - start looking and good luck!

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by sanctuaryseeker

I'm based in Stafford, Staffordshire

I believe there is a sailing club just down the road from me :

Home :: South Staffordshire Sailing Club

Would the sailing skills i could learn in a small open boat on a reservoir like this, be valid in a larger sailing vessel on the open seas ?

The processes of gaining competency enough to skipper and navigate a larger vessel on the coastal waters or open seas, are something I need to understand more about.

I have seen AYA courses in the uk, is this something i should be looking at taking ?

Skills learned in a small boat, in my opinion, would be even better in a larger boat. Sailing small boats you get immediate feel for the effects of the wind, sail trim and general handling of the boat. The larger the boat the more you will be insulated from the feel of the helm, the wind and waves. So the sailing skills will be of great benefit, but you will need to learn the handling and seamanship skills required by a larger boat.

Skip

[Ocean Girl]

Welcome to the forum
Sail anything and everything, you will gain skills and get a feel for what kind of boat would be right for you. Your mechanic and carpentry skills will not only help with your own boat projects, but it will also be a great source of income when you shove off and go cruising. Can't help you with cost of living in UK, for me here in the states I average 800 month US, but I am in the middle of a restoration so I actually spend about 2000 US (which includes normal maintenance). Boats can be expensive BUT I still say they are cheaper than houses and a heck of a lot more fun to live in. Have fun on your great big adventure.
Cheers,
Erika

[sanctuaryseeker]

Thanks for the warm welcome and the replies folks, plenty of research to do and this site is providing a wealth of information

[Not Sure]

Originally Posted by sanctuaryseeker

I live in the uk and was referring to Plymouth area, as this would be a good base to explore the med from

Also i am a 9 year experienced auto mechanic and for the last 7 years I have been a carpenter and for the last 2 i have run my own carpentry business, so I'm pretty hands on

As a carpenter and metal worker for the past 20+ odd years, I can personally attest that working on a boat is like nothing that you've ever experienced before. Boats make working on houses & buildings look like child's play. Each job takes 5 times longer than expected, is 5 times more expensive than expected, and many times requires unexpected, expensive, and difficult to obtain specialized parts right in the middle of each job....besides the ones that you initially intended to replace. Not to mention that boats go by an entirely different set of construction rules and regulations.

If you can get past the steep learning curve, however (and summon the proverbial patience of Job along the way), your skills will definitely put you in a place where boat ownership becomes much more affordable than the norm.

[Sue & Mike]

Hi
Welcome to the forum,

I had a dream, to liveaboard one day. This is our third winter now, living aboard (on the North East Coast) in Hartlepool. We love every minute in everyday, even in winter!! we would never go back to a house.

Why not go further north, moorings more available, and usually cheaper. Living aboard compared to living in a house, we find it considerably cheaper
Carpentry and mechanics!! If you prove yourself, you'll be well sought after by many boat owners,

Sue

[scook1]

Keep on after your dream! All of us had to have our bubbles prodded and changed a little, not necessarily popped. But we do realize that living a dream is worth putting some work into. Your skills will be an asset to you ( and me if you are ever in the Midwest U.S.) There are several costs that most folks do not plan for, use the Google search to find more in-depth coverage. Basically there is no answer, people of all money backgrounds can be live aboards. You might just have to take the plunge!
Spencer