Giving up the ranch in Colorado and moving to a live aboard sailboat in the Keys

[sillybilly]

Mk,
Yes I agree Key West IS a party town and that gets old and is not exactly what I want . BUT for a night out it has great food. How about Marathon???
I am considering this
http://www.yachtworld.com/core/listi...url=&imc=pg-fs

[sillybilly]

Ann,
I am 61. I have considered many things and one which is NOT here is cultural diversity. As for college I will cross that one in time. His grandmother is Germany is setting aside things I do believe for that. MY SON was kidnapped by his 20 year younger mother at 3 months old and taking to Germany with the help of his grandmother . Before that my father disowned me over his mother . SO I am in some aspect of survival mode . He was sent to me because he was cutting himself in Germany threatening suicide and running away. Now do I need to explain more???? Now he is in Boy Scouts , playing guitar, getting A's,B's and C's and rides horses and worked at an Alpaca Ranch. We visited boats in Florida two weeks ago and one boat he and I both loved . He seems to be as they say onboard.

[sillybilly]

But that last one was TMI !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Mknebes]

OMG- I do not live in gods waiting room! Well- some parts may be- but that is no different an key west! Hahaha - not to brag but st Pete beach has been rated #1 beach on trip advisor- filmed spring breakers here (not the best representation) and a good portion of Magic Mike as well! Easy access to everywhere- AWESOME eats and Tampa right next door. Clearwater just north. We have better schools and better job opportunities- but it is YOUR dream- not mine! I will say though- coming back from milwaukee last winter we had never seen so many wheelchairs ever! Just dends on how you choose to live!

Monica

[sillybilly]

Monica,
LOL the snow birds call it Gods Waiting Room.
hey living here I have never seen so many oxygen bottles

[sillybilly]

To answer someones comment in case I missed answering . I would move for now to the Keys until I am comfortable doing this because of the Island feel

[Mknebes]

Lol- I KNOW that's what he snowbirds call it! Im just saying- I am living a great wonderful life- and the LAST thing I or anyone else I know am here for is for the next slot to meet god- we are all here to live the life! Every day seems like a vacation

[rickwest]

I moved to Key West from Boston in 1989, to escape winter and someday sail the seven seas. I owned and lived on a 39ft sailboat in the 90s. I worked at JB Margaritaville as a night manager for over 10 years.
A thousand people live on their boats in the Key West area all year long, more in the winter. Moving to Key West to find work is not the best idea, the cost of living is high and the pay is low, unless you have some special skill related to tourism or an online business. If you do not live on a boat you will pay $1000 a month for a studio, a small studio.
If you want to move to the Keys to live a simple life surrounded by water than great. If drinking or other related habits are common in your life they will become more extreme in Key West. Their is a party every night and some bars are open until 4am and beyond if your local.
I have never regretted moving to Key West, but now I mostly spend my time living in a house on the edge of a rice field in the Philippines and looking for my next sailboat.

[sillybilly]

Rick,
Oh my!! Ok well anyway I know the key West lifestyle is "PARTY" and at 61 I am NOT interested in that and don't smoke weed with Willy anymore either. Those days are way over. I like the Keys for great fresh seafood and water. I certainly love a good margarita but don't even drink once a week so. I am aware that dockage in key West is OVER PRICED . So I am considering Marathon. ALL of this is in an investigation stage (R&D) . Back east I was a landlord and a contractor but my body says enough of physical labor thank you.
How in the heaven did you end up in the Philippines???

[JPA Cate]

Originally Posted by sillybilly

Ann,
I am 61. I have considered many things and one which is NOT here is cultural diversity. As for college I will cross that one in time. His grandmother is Germany is setting aside things I do believe for that. MY SON was kidnapped by his 20 year younger mother at 3 months old and taking to Germany with the help of his grandmother . Before that my father disowned me over his mother . SO I am in some aspect of survival mode . He was sent to me because he was cutting himself in Germany threatening suicide and running away. Now do I need to explain more???? Now he is in Boy Scouts , playing guitar, getting A's,B's and C's and rides horses and worked at an Alpaca Ranch. We visited boats in Florida two weeks ago and one boat he and I both loved . He seems to be as they say onboard.

Well, it may feel like TMI, but to me, it is quite reassuring that the lad is involved with a variety of interests, getting good grades in school, and onboard about the lifestyle change, as well. Good job!

Good luck with the transition.

[captain58sailin]

Sounds like you have already made your decision, now all that is left is to embrace it. To me it would be a no brainer, move to the sea and heal up, go on from there. It will be good for your son too.

[sillybilly]

Cap,
I have friends up around Homer or is it Palmer, hmmmm The Gilleys.
Anyway I have not totally made my decision but am here in part to make friends and learn. I know no one who lives on board. So this is a sounding board and I am getting a good bit of insight. In part where would I tie up so to speak during the school year for my son and where not to.

[sillybilly]

Second response yes I may very well have made my decision just have to work out the bugs so to speak. I made a very big change moving here and to move to a boat will be even a bigger change.
If I give up all my furniture and some antiques then what if I am 70 still living on a boat and have but don't want to become a landlovers???? hmmmmm But right now what if just doesn't seem to matter

[sillybilly]

Third response,
Yes I would LOVE to do his

[JPA Cate]

Sillybilly,

Unless your furniture is particularly valuable, getting stuck into a storage locker of even the smallest size can soon just become a sinkhole for money. Jim and I did that, because we had keepsakes we didn't want to give up. Last year's charge for one year of storage in the smallest locker they have cost $525.00. Anyhow, if you run the numbers on it, it might benefit you to sell everything, and will certainly give you a sense of freedom. The extent to which our possessions can tie us down is amazing! The other day, I went looking in a St. Vincent de Paul thrift shop in a moderately affluent area, and found an 8 ft. leather sofa for $185.00, in good-to-excellent condition. I don't think it will be too hard for me to figure out how to furnish on the cheap when I'm 92 (God willing and the creek don't rise). ....But you get my drift....

We're back in the States for me to have medical attention, but normally, we live aboard and cruise out of Australia. We have lived aboard since 1985, but in a mobile fashion. We spend most of our time outside marinas, and use them for haulouts or long term storage, as now. We won't have much input about the Keys, outside our experience.