If you Wanted to Live Aboard and had a Choice of these Places Which One and Why?

[ArtM]

No moving on to my question to you - if you really have this much flexibility in opportunity - why choose liveaboard? I would prefer to go cruising, or some combination of cruising/liveaboard.

[hcurtis]

Originally Posted by ArtM

I'm not sure if you are asking where I would like to live, or where I think you might like to live.

Do you like a party/night life atmosphere?
Will you spend all the seasons in one location?
Are you prepared for the difficulties/expenses of wintering in those northern climates?
What do you think makes for a favorable environment?

For myself, I would choose a location with easy access to an active beach lifestyle, moderate year around weather, and access to opportunities to work, meet people, and pursue whatever other interests I might have.

Thank you for all your input. I asked you folks what you think and why to sort of get a feel what you all are thinking. I am married and my child will be in college, so we are free to live where ever. I think I still want seasons. I have lived in Florida for 9 years in my life and feel I will end up there at some point, I don't think I am quite ready. Also, I have heard it is really hard to find a place to live aboard in the Sarasota/Venice area and it is frowned upon. I really liked Annapolis, but know it is a bit pricy, but maybe it isn't more than Maine? Docking per foot seems pretty close. Maine has an appeal. How about sailing up to New Scotland for example? It sounds beautiful.

Anyway, it is a fun little thread I hope and the cities I chose are all about my work. I don't have a lot of choice, BUT I will tell you I can live 15 miles in any direction from the places I mentioned. I don't know if that makes a difference? Oh and I plan on cycling those 15 miles, so that is a concern possibly.

[Hudson Force]

Originally Posted by Suijin

Today it was a gorgeous day, clear and in the low 50's. Tonight we're getting 5" of snow. That's Maryland in March for ya.

'sounds great! If I could fit in a sail now and then during an Annapolis winter then this would be my number one on the list that the OP gave.

[rivonia]

I would choose from one of the following;

Lefkas-GREECE

Symi-GREECE

Castelarizo-GREECE

Grenada-Carribean

Bequai-Carribean

St.Maarten-Carribean

We are not all from the good old USA.

Peter

[PamlicoTraveler]

Originally Posted by hcurtis

I am not that old, so I still like seasons. I AM on a budget and will have a 40' yacht. What do you think about these places?

Liking "season" and freezing your ass off 7 months a year are two different concepts. Most of your Norern choices would give you a lot of hassle with winterizing the boat, ice on the deck etc. Norfolk south you can avoid worrying too much about freezing. Even as a live aboard you will have to think about that.

You missed Beaufort NC and Oriental NC, both of which are preferable to Wilmington. Stay South!

[Tim R.]

Originally Posted by PamlicoTraveler

Liking "season" and freezing your ass off 7 months a year are two different concepts. Most of your Norern choices would give you a lot of hassle with winterizing the boat, ice on the deck etc. Norfolk south you can avoid worrying too much about freezing. Even as a live aboard you will have to think about that.

You missed Beaufort NC and Oriental NC, both of which are preferable to Wilmington. Stay South!

I would argue that "freezing your ass off 7 months a year" does not apply to any of the locations listed. We sail 7 months out of the year here.

Maybe my skin is just a little thicker. After all, my wife and I enjoy swimming in Maine too where lots of people will not go in water below 80°.

[Doodles]

Originally Posted by hcurtis

I am not that old, so I still like seasons. I AM on a budget and will have a 40' yacht. What do you think about these places?

Portland, ME
Portsmouth, NH
Hyannis, MA
Peabody, MA
Boston, MA
Darien, CT
Orange, CT
Fairfield, CT
Westport, CT
Annapolis, MD
Newport, VA
Virginia Beach, VA
Williamsburg, VA
Wilmington, NC
Mt. Pleasant, SC
Charleston, SC
Sarasota/Venice, FL

We lived aboard in Annapolis for a few months and loved it so that would be my first choice. But as has been mentioned its not the cheapest place, so a second choice would be Sarasota. I like the Gulf side of Florida and I think it would be less expensive.

[Kettlewell]

There are tons of places to live aboard in Florida, and it is not a problem down there, despite what you may have heard. Actually, New England is much more restrictive about that than Florida--there are very limited choices for living aboard through the winter north of the Chesapeake. A lot of marinas just close up completely, others have major ice problems, all turn off the dock water, some pull most of the docks out. When I have lived aboard in New England part of my daily routine was filling and carrying 5 gallons of water out the dock to the boat. Though one marina we were in once a month the five or six liveaboards got together on a warm day and strung hundreds of feet of hose in order to reach a working spigot. Pumpouts will be closed, so you have to figure that out too. Don't get me wrong, if I was on the coast right now I would be living aboard, but it isn't easy. The biggest chore is finding the marina in New England that will let you live aboard near where you want to be, and you want decent shelter, but not too much ice.

[ArtM]

I would agree with all the location comments above based on my knowledge in those areas. Though I haven't lived-aboard in those cities, I've traveled extensively through and around many of them.

I would add Miami to this list as a great urban location with nearly perfect weather, a great marina community, and access to a tremendous variety of entertainment options. The city is very wide and flat, so biking 15 miles would be relatively easy to do. The cost per footage is high, but there are ways to manage that, depending on your personal flexibility. If you can earn a good income in the area, Miami would be my top choice.

[hcurtis]

Originally Posted by ArtM

No moving on to my question to you - if you really have this much flexibility in opportunity - why choose liveaboard? I would prefer to go cruising, or some combination of cruising/liveaboard.

I missed this response somehow. I am thinking living aboard would be cheaper than renting a place and renting a slip. Correct?

[hcurtis]

For those that are naming other cities, I am confined to the ones I listed due to work constraints. I am not retired yet and the places I listed are what I would have to work with. Thanks for all the replies. Sarasota has one advantage, because I would be able to stay on land if I wanted to for free.

[ArtM]

Living aboard cheaply is possible, but difficult to do well. At the risk of starting a side thread, I believe it's fair to say that you can live better on land than you can in a Marina - except that you are not in the marina. I think marina living is for people who just really love it.

My comment about sarasota is that it is not a very popular place for sailboats - but I'm starting to get the idea that you really don't need a sailboat.

Would you be interested, for example, in living on a Houseboat? On a river? On the hook? At a mooring?

[hcurtis]

Originally Posted by ArtM

My comment about sarasota is that it is not a very popular place for sailboats - but I'm starting to get the idea that you really don't need a sailboat.

Would you be interested, for example, in living on a Houseboat? On a river? On the hook? At a mooring?

There is NO WAY I would own anything other than a sailboat. I ride a bike to work and as much as I can ride a bike everywhere. Do you think I want to start up twin diesels? I want the wind to take me places and the action that is involved in that is what is it about for me. Anyone can start some dumb motor and steer a boat around. No interest in that. I want to be one with the sea. You aren't one with anything with a pair of Cats.

[Tomm0]

Originally Posted by hcurtis

... Anyone can start some dumb motor and steer a boat around. ... You aren't one with anything with a pair of Cats.

Ouch.
That hurts my cats feelings.
Also, they can't start a motor or steer the boat.

[ArtM]

Originally Posted by hcurtis

There is NO WAY I would own anything other than a sailboat. I ride a bike to work and as much as I can ride a bike everywhere. Do you think I want to start up twin diesels? I want the wind to take me places and the action that is involved in that is what is it about for me. Anyone can start some dumb motor and steer a boat around. No interest in that. I want to be one with the sea. You aren't one with anything with a pair of Cats.

I only asked because your previous comments make it seem as though you plan to be at dock most or all of the time. If that's the case, then there are power and houseboats that will be more comfortable and might expand your range of choice.

I don't want a pair of dumb motors either. Hate that noise and smell!

I can't comment on accomodations in the areas, but in terms of lifestyle I would choose any or all of the southeastern locations, from Newport on down. If possible, I would would plan to move between them on a semi-regular basis.