Are Liveaboards Unwanted? Disliked? All over Everywhere?

[Blue Crab]

Originally Posted by Canibul

tumblehome.

Hahahah. Good one. Back before people began liking sheer hulls with freeboard a rock climber couldn't handle, the term "tumblehome" meant something else entirely, as I'm sure you know, Sir.

I sail an inexpensive AW Chlorox bottle meself but I know a beautiful boat when I see one.

[bandistas]

I've been living aboard for 7 months now in Northern California. When we chose our current slip (harbor staff was really accommodating), we intentionally chose the slip next to the most derelict boat on the dock. We reasoned - there's no way anyone lives on that thing!!! Oh, how wrong we were! In their defense, they never stole from us, never even cursed in front of me, and have always been mannerly around my kids. I forgive the few nights of drunken brawling. They've since been evicted for non-payment and are now out on the hook creating their own version of Waterworld.

Sometimes the "derelicts" get annoying. Sometimes I worry that they might get hard up and steal my laptop when I'm not home. But...they've gotta have somewhere to live too. I used to work and live in a very affluent community. All is not always well behind those closed doors either. What I'm trying to say is, I am of the "live and let live" variety. I used to be surrounded by NIMBY's. I'd prefer to not be called one. The commercial fisherman and hoarders and tumblehomers and anchor-outs have been nice to us so far.

Also, as for collections of beer bottles laying around...home brewers like ourselves reuse those and they are quite handy to have around. As for chickens on a boat...seems a bit stinky. We have a parrot and a dog and that's enough!!!

[BandB]

We were at a very nice marina on the west coast of Florida a couple of months ago and there was a couple in their 70's on a 100' Hatteras beside us. They had a Captain, deck hand, and stew as well. Surely this is the ideal marina neighbor, one thinks. But of course, if it was, I wouldn't be posting this. They started with cocktails around 4 pm. Nice, quiet, not bothering anyone. To their credit they drank slowly, not chugging or doing shots. But, around 9:15 things change. Suddenly we heard them, voices raised. Then it was yelling and cursing each other out. Soon it was airing all their dirty laundry. Apparently she didn't like the way he looked at my wife when she walked by, didn't like him flirting with the waitress the night before, wanted to know who else he was.....using my language but hers was direct and hard....having sex with. Accusing him of choosing the stewardess because she had large breasts and saying he was obsessed with sex. He was yelling at her over spending too much shopping the week before, saying they were too old for sex and being unwilling to try anything different (and he did list specifics) and being jealous and accusatory of everyone, that he hadn't ever cheated but should just so she'd be right, since she always had to be right about everything. Ultimately, as this escalated, everyone was listening and the captain and stew finally pulled them apart physically and took them separately inside and to bed. It turned out to be a charter boat and we were told this seemed to be every other night as the in between days they were suffering still from the hangovers, but that they'd fought like this everywhere they'd gone. They were fine, great to get along with until cocktail time hit.

I think most there instead of complaining were finding it too entertaining. The woman when drunk cursed more than any sailor.

So, just says you never know.

[OldFrog75]

Originally Posted by BandB

we were told this seemed to be every other night as the in between days they were suffering still from the hangovers, but that they'd fought like this everywhere they'd gone. They were fine, great to get along with until cocktail time hit.

Sounds like orchestra seats for "Who's Afraid of Virginia Wolf?" every night. Slip fees are probably cheaper than Broadway show tickets.

[hubertstephen]

Hello everyone, I have lived aboard in Victoria, BC for 4 winters.
Most of the time when i tell people i live aboard they are curious and supportive.
I made my own mooring and have a pretty dingy so that helps.
I get free water from the gas station i use nearby and pay to dump my garbage.
In BC we don't really have any serious congestion issues, nevertheless a lot of municipalities have banned "liveaboards".
I know a waterfront home owner that loves to look at all the interesting boats that come into the bay.
I know this is going to ruffle some feathers and i sorry but from my experience a marina is just a floating trailer park.
If you google satellite "brentwood bay" you will notice a group of derrilick boats/barges in one corner, Unfortunately most are in bad shape and they are the ones who give us all a bad rep, one even has a goat living on it te hehehe for the cheese i hear.
My brother fell out of his zodiac going full out once without any safety devices and it was a "bum" with a really ugly boat full of beer cans who went and checked up on him.
Honestly i'm leaning towards ducks for a live aboard egg producer as they make more and eggs, bigger also, and i think they might be more at home.

[Blue Crab]

Originally Posted by OldFrog75

Sounds like orchestra seats for "Who's Afraid of Virginia Wolf?" every night. Slip fees are probably cheaper than Broadway show tickets.

Yessir. That was 50 years ago for me and still as shrill and nasty as ever in my mind. People waiting in line for wedding licenses should have to watch it.

[markpierce]

My impressions/observations are that (1) most derelict boats don't house liveaboards, (2) a significant portion of liveabords are on derelicts, and (3) I'm curious what proportion of liveaboards properly dispose of their sewage (as in the anchor-outs in Richardson Bay and the many houseboats docked in Sausalito).



Pumpouts are free here, but you have to move the boat to the pump. Having someone come to your boat to pump will cost you a fee. https://baygreen.net/bg-rates.php

[IdoraKeeper]

Curious how old some of the folks are living aboard in temperate climates. I was in my late 20's and early 30's. Always had a job, never any trouble with the marinas at all. But my boat always moved. On days off I was gone sailing. I never treated the boat like a house. It was just an extended voyage. Now I have so much crap...didnt need it then.

[Blue Crab]

I am as anti-regulation as any but I'd bet 90% of the derelict boat issue could be resolved by ticketing, then towing, and ultimately disposing of boats incapable of abiding by NDZ rules.

There are administrative costs to bear and it won't be the bums paying but I'm thinking it would be cheaper and certainly cleaner for communities in the long run. Boaters with holding tanks who go offshore to dump are fine but let them document it. The "problem" boats are not going to be able to do it.

[Hudson Force]

Originally Posted by IdoraKeeper

Curious how old some of the folks are living aboard in temperate climates. I was in my late 20's and early 30's. Always had a job, never any trouble with the marinas at all. But my boat always moved. On days off I was gone sailing. I never treated the boat like a house. It was just an extended voyage. Now I have so much crap...didnt need it then.

I agree that the mobility of the boat is an important factor in accepting the favorability of liveaboards, but I hope that you are not implying that it is less acceptable for older people to live aboard. We also lived aboard in our 20's and have continued to live aboard into our late 60's. I agree that the accumulation of "crap" is a problem; however, gathering "crap" is not a consequence of age. We have no more belongings than we did when first moving from our college apartments to our first boat.

[seandepagnier]

Originally Posted by markpierce

Pumpouts are free here, but you have to move the boat to the pump. Having someone come to your boat to pump will cost you a fee. https://baygreen.net/bg-rates.php

When I was anchored in richardson's bay, there was a guy who would go to any anchored boat and do free pump outs, including buckets.

I see the situation as the reverse. The houses on the hills displace trees and wildlife. The boats anchored allow bottom growth which feeds fish.

To solve the problem, the houses should be removed as they greatly degrade the view, and the people living there should be moved onto boats.

boats should not be allowed to paint their bottom with toxic paint.

Instead, for those who wish to move without excessive drag, can careen and scrape, or dive and scrape etc... This is really a win-win situation for everyone, and we could finally all wake up to bird-calls, and catch fish and rain water without fear of toxic chemicals and the world would be a much better place for it.

[Blue Crab]

Originally Posted by boat_alexandra

...
boats should not be allowed to paint their bottom with toxic paint.

Instead, for those who wish to move without excessive drag, can careen and scrape, or dive and scrape etc... This is really a win-win situation for everyone, and we could finally all wake up to bird-calls, and catch fish and rain water without fear of toxic chemicals and the world would be a much better place for it.

I like bottom paint, and I have the good stuff but I could live without it and clean the bottom as I always have. Even in the torrid zones, a weekly wipe works wonders.

In my perfect world boat owners would have to clean their own bottoms, no checkbooks allowed. That would open up some space in a hurry. And as always, it will only rain at night.

[tomfl]

Originally Posted by Blue Crab

SNIP

And as always, it will only rain at night.

Only if there is thunder with no lighting or rain before hand so I can wake up and close the hatches.

[Blue Crab]

Note to self re rain:

Originally Posted by tomfl

Only if there is thunder with no lighting or rain before hand so I can wake up and close the hatches.

[captain58sailin]

Note to the higher power. "No lightening only thunder preceding, the rainfall by no less than 30 minutes. Rain shall begin no earlier than 2000 hrs LMT, and run no later than 2230 LMT. first there shall be a gentle sprinkle with a slight freshening of the breeze and continue until steady rainfall is achieved at the peak, which will occur at the mid point of time allotted with a gradual slackening and dead calm wind by the termination of the rain period. A mandatory rainbow shall occur the following morning 1 hour after sunrise LMT." There I put the order in, if you don't receive this at your locale take it up with the higher power.