Thinking about jumping the shark.

[BigNickMontana]

So I'm in the trucking business, and the last few months it has been rough, freight market is suffering, we're not making money.

I had been getting by but this week the guy I lease to screwed me over by sending me some place my truck never should have been, and then when I told him I didn't feel comfortable doing so he said do it anyways and when it got broken and caused thousands of dollars of damage to my truck, he is refusing to pay for any of it.

I had been planning on getting out towards the end of the summer anyways, right now if I sold everything off I would have 25-35,000.00 to buy a boat, and I am a 90% disabled vet so I have my retirement which is right at 1,800 a month.

Really frustrated right now, and not having a place to land as I am living in my semi, really having a hard time figuring out what I am going to do, I would like your guys'es thoughts.

I was planning on starting out in the pacific north west, but might consider California as well.

The other problem is I don't know anyone in the Seattle area any more, none of my friends today are boat people, so making the jump out of any support network I have that exists in Montana and buying a boat and moving to Seattle or California is a pretty scary proposition at this juncture considering the limited funds situation.

I wanted to ask for your guys'es thoughts on this situation. Really looking for any ideas I can come up with right now.

[Lizzy Belle]

Sorry to hear about your troubles

As to moving onto a boat:

On the bright side, you should be able to find a nice liveaboard boat for that money, especially if you're single and not wanting something too big and/or luxurious.

On the down side ... if you're not happy now, moving onto a boat won't magically fix that.
If you're going to make that change, be sure it's for the right reasons and not out of frustration, anger or a general unhappiness with your current life.

None of my friends are boat people either, so I haven't seen much of most of them. As to family, there's only my brother, the rest are landlubbers who still think we're idiots for living on a boat. They rarely set foot on board.
I moved to one of the very few marinas that welcome liveaboards here, and made new friends

Since I'm Dutch I haven't a clue about US locations or liveaboard communities, sorry. Here in the Netherlands, it's a lot less common then in the US, so in general, I don't think its too hard finding a marina with a liveaboard community on your side of the pond.

From what I've been reading here, some US marinas do have rules about a minimum size for liveaboard boats, something to keep in mind before you buy.

And make sure that whatever location you pick, there are slips available and you can afford it. I've seen people buy a boat 'on a whim' only to realize they have no place to dock it ... Not a great start, obviously.

[Hearts Content]

you have plenty of money to get a solid older boat to live aboard. You also have a steady income and health coverage. So you're in better shape than most. Given your description, living on a boat will be an upgrade from a semi.

If you're going to live aboard and cruise, I'd suggest you start in Florida as its a much easier place to learn and then move on to the carribean. Sailing out West can expose you to some hardcore sailing right off the bat. Without building up to it, it may turn you off.

The silver lining here is that you are definitely in a position to have the adventure of a lifetime. Just take the leap.

Good luck.

[BigNickMontana]

Originally Posted by Lizzy Belle

Sorry to hear about your troubles

As to moving onto a boat:

On the bright side, you should be able to find a nice liveaboard boat for that money, especially if you're single and not wanting something too big and/or luxurious.

On the down side ... if you're not happy now, moving onto a boat won't magically fix that.
If you're going to make that change, be sure it's for the right reasons and not out of frustration, anger or a general unhappiness with your current life.

None of my friends are boat people either, so I haven't seen much of most of them. As to family, there's only my brother, the rest are landlubbers who still think we're idiots for living on a boat. They rarely set foot on board.
I moved to one of the very few marinas that welcome liveaboards here, and made new friends

Since I'm Dutch I haven't a clue about US locations or liveaboard communities, sorry. Here in the Netherlands, it's a lot less common then in the US, so in general, I don't think its too hard finding a marina with a liveaboard community on your side of the pond.

From what I've been reading here, some US marinas do have rules about a minimum size for liveaboard boats, something to keep in mind before you buy.

And make sure that whatever location you pick, there are slips available and you can afford it. I've seen people buy a boat 'on a whim' only to realize they have no place to dock it ... Not a great start, obviously.

Generally speaking I am a happy person, I'm very fortunate to have many things that interest me and really the only thing in my life causing me grief right now is the money situation with this business.

I'm looking at moving onto a boat not as a way to make myself happy, but as a way I have wanted to live my whole life, I have always loved being on boats. It is just now I am finally in the position where I can afford to do it.

What I really want is to travel as much as possible.

You make some very good points on the Marina side of things. Honestly that is what worries me the most. I am probably going to anchor out or use a mooring just to save money, it don't bother me to use a dinghy.

Might get a slip if I can find one cheap enough, but I have my doubts.

[BigNickMontana]

Originally Posted by Hearts Content

you have plenty of money to get a solid older boat to live aboard. You also have a steady income and health coverage. So you're in better shape than most. Given your description, living on a boat will be an upgrade from a semi.

You're absolutely right about that, my living space right now is about 72x96" For me a boat is going to be a palace. Especially if I can get a Pearson or C&C 36 like I have been looking at.

If you're going to live aboard and cruise, I'd suggest you start in Florida as its a much easier place to learn and then move on to the carribean. Sailing out West can expose you to some hardcore sailing right off the bat. Without building up to it, it may turn you off.

The silver lining here is that you are definitely in a position to have the adventure of a lifetime. Just take the leap.

Good luck.

You're right, I do need to take that leap.

And the funny thing is I keep finding cheaper boats on the east coast.

[a64pilot]

I'd say Fl too, but while I have no experience with it, you may have a much better standard of living in Mexico on $1,800 a month, and it's closer to home.

In my neck of the woods, Panhandle of Fl, a nice slip in a nice marina by the time you pay liveaboard fees and electricity should be about $500 a month, but you get of course all the hot showers you want, free pump outs, free water, free cable TV and Wifi.
Now for full disclosure, the water has rust in it, the cable is snowy and the Wifi slow

I believe you could easily knock off a $100 of of that cost by going to a smaller, less touristy town, like Port St. Joe for instance

[a64pilot]

Question I asked myself was, if I wait five more years, will I be in a much better position then?
If the answer isn't a definite yes, I will have much more income, then why wait?

[fstbttms]

Sorry about your situation, but it has to be said; I don't think you understand what the prase, "Jumping the shark" means.

[BigNickMontana]

Originally Posted by fstbttms

Sorry about your situation, but it has to be said; I don't think you understand what the prase, "Jumping the shark" means.

Isn't it doing something crazy and disruptive when things have gone to a big steaming pile of poo?

[BigNickMontana]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

Question I asked myself was, if I wait five more years, will I be in a much better position then?
If the answer isn't a definite yes, I will have much more income, then why wait?

5 years, I'm 34 now, I'll be 39 then, I don't want to spend my 40th year figuring it out, I know that much for sure.

Money wise, yeah I could be better off. But I think the experience is more valuable than the money.

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by BigNickMontana

You're absolutely right about that, my living space right now is about 72x96" For me a boat is going to be a palace. .

Damn.. that sounds like an RNDQ's prison cell..
Without the headroom.. do you have to polish your stainless bucket and pee pot every morning as well..

[angelfish2]

Nick, I'm from Missoula and sailed our Island Packet on the Flathead Lake for 2 years before moving her to Florida.

I'm so sorry to hear about your truck and how bad things are in the freight industry these days. I really can't tell you what to do at this point but if you can get some time to travel out to Seattle for a few days, go over to Shilshole marina and talk to other folks who live aboard. You might want to talk with a broker while you are out there also and get a feel for what kind of boat you afford.

I think it would help to get on board some of these and get a feel for what it is like to live on a sailboat. I hope this helps give you some ideas.

[fstbttms]

Originally Posted by BigNickMontana

Isn't it doing something crazy and disruptive when things have gone to a big steaming pile of poo?

Not exactly. While it is sometimes used to describe other situations, it typically refers to a televison show that resorts to plot gimmicks or novelty additions to the cast, indicative of a decline in quality of the writing. The phrase was originated to describe the show "Happy Days" when the writers had Fonzi jumping a shark tank on his motorcycle. Generally it means, "Here's the moment when something good turned to crap." It's not something you choose to do.

[siamese]

Originally Posted by BigNickMontana

Isn't it doing something crazy and disruptive when things have gone to a big steaming pile of poo?

"Jumping the shark" comes from the Happy Days television show. It had been on the air long enough that the writers had pretty well run out of ideas. Then, they wrote an episode where Fonzi waterskis and jumps a shark. A totally lame idea, and supposedly was the point at which the producer realized the show had run it's course.

So, no, it doesn't really fit your situation.

[dwedeking2]

I have lived in California (grew up there), Mexico and now Florida.

California would be the last place I'd try to live on a boat with a budget.

Mexico would definitely be in your budget but you're isolated socially a little more (language barriers though you can get by if you have some basic spanish and mostly retired gringos being your social circle). For the record I loved living in Mexico, did a week sailing in the Sea of Cortez and could spend a large amount of time just hanging out there on a boat.

I haven't even purchased my boat yet (still shopping) and I've gotten assistance from a number of local cruisers/boaters already. There is a large cruising community so you'd easily build your social circle there.