Liveaboard's

[Lennie]

My wife and me were walking the waterfront in San Diego while we were getting our new boat surveyed. She said as we walked "you can tell who the liveaboard's are, they look a step up from the homeless"
I had to share as we will be living aboard as soon as we can get the boat moved north. Hope to look a little better than the homeless!

Len

[SV THIRD DAY]

Yep....and that is the first image people think of when they hear the word "live aboard".
Blue tarps, piles of crap on deck, basically a floating shopping cart. The reality is that most live aboards are not boat bums or one T-shirt away from being homeless but....the turd in the punch bowl always gets the attention.

[redhead]

We were on our last boat in Florida when my husband's side of the family came to visit. Upon entering the boatyard my sister-in-law shook her finger under her kid's noses and said very sternly, "Don't stare, it's rude, these people are homeless!"
There's just no use trying to explain.

On the other hand, I do notice our standards of grooming have "evolved" somewhat and what I consider formal wear now consists of my new-ish khakis and boat shoes.

However, take one look grin on our faces and.....who cares?

[gonesail]

perhaps we are all one step away from homeless .. careful who you judge on the way down

[sailorboy1]

I have to admit that in the marina that I keep my boat in the summer that the boats with liveaboards do in fact look like crap. But they are all out on moorings and half are the boat yard guys. And all are less than 30'.

Not judging, but those are just the facts,

[Greenhand]

We have a boat on my dock with a blue tarp, lawn chair on deck, the whole kit and kaboodle, except he doesn't live aboard. I don't think the one that just put up two blue tarps is, either, but that is on another dock, so I haven't really been paying very close attention.

On the other hand, the beautifully refitted Panda...well he even convinced his girlfriend to move aboard!

[Hudson Force]

I've had many dock neighbors over the years who were professionals living aboard,- doctors, teachers, lawyers, engineers, airline pilots, etc. Their boats would likely not be observed among the count when uninformed people scan a dock looking for "liveaboard" boats. Actually, those less aware of liveaboards are only able to identify the cluttered boats of those that are less successful at adapting to living on a boat.

For many, the only clue that someone is living aboard might be the presence of a pair of shoes in the cockpit.

[chuckr]

When we lived in Miami it was a bit difficult to see who lived aboard and who did not. We had senior corp exec, airline pilots, a doctor, a couple of business owners.

As we have been cruising we have been a lot of marinas and done hurricane season or winter in a variety of locations. We have been with everyone from a former CEO of one of the worlds largest corp who was on a 46' boat to many senior exec to former business owners to those who had blue color jobs. Almost all had boats that were clean and neat and folks take pride in their boats.

Here in Tunisia we have one boat that is a bit of a mess but it is being cleaned up.

I guess from our perspective that if you live on terra firma and have a house that looks like something you would not want to live next to then if you live on a boat it will probably look the same.

[FamilyVan]

One T-Shirt away from being homeless? Who wears shirts? The law says I need to cover up certain parts, so I wear swimming trunks. I don't like splinters, so I wear crocs. Some times I wear sunglasses. I have a lucky ball cap I like to wear- sometimes. If I need to go into town I exchange the ball cap for a motorcycle helmet.

I've spent enough of my life with a tie around my neck, so when I'm on the boat- I look a step down from homeless. I'm okay with that. No tarps though, although I always have a small flotilla bobbing around. Zodiac, canoe, kayak.

Sent from my SGH-I547C using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

[Obsessed1]

Lennie, I am new to the board and the idea of being regarded by some as homeless is a little spooky. I am concerned because suddenly I feel the need to dump a majority of my belongings and wear nothing but flip flops all the time. I am 45 and I've never been on a sailboat, but for the passed week I've been unable to think about anything else. I have been married to my Maria for 19 yrs and we have a 10 year-old son. I've spent a good part of my life on the big hamster wheel and I have done well. Recently, I told my wife that I wanted us to become liveaboards for our retirement and she casually said it was a good idea
Now I find myself spending hours of my time researching boat specs, looking up sailing videos on youtube, and checking out sailing books from the library. Is this some sort of fever that causes normal people to become borderline, hippie-like transients?
Am I just going through a mid-life crisis and all will be well as soon as I get a cruiser?
Did you experience this too or should I seek therapy?
(Please disregard if it feels like I am hijacking thread. My son says I am obsessed and doesn't want us to get a boat.)

[SV THIRD DAY]

Welcome to the Island of Misfit toys my friend!

I think what happens is that the live aboard culture or counter culture tends to look at the world differently than the days of running on the hamster wheel living on land. It keeps some separation from the chaos of every day "normal" life. Some do it for money, but some like us, live aboard because we love it and want that separation from the crazy society ashore.

Welcome to Crazy Amigo...there's a slip or mooring waiting for you.

[captain58sailin]

Welcome to the forum, Obsessed1. I believe that you are just waking up (ala Matrix), and have realized that there is more to life than the 30 year commitment to making someone else rich. Back in my younger days, I worked out of FL during the winter running fishing charters and I would see these Senior citizens wandering around with hollow looks on their faces and when they found out I was from AK, they would exclaim "I always wanted to go to Alaska, but then I got married, and then we got kids, and then I got too old". To me they looked like husks, used up by life and were just waiting for the final bell to toll. I swore by all that was holy, that would not be me. It all depends on your personal priorities.

[Group9]

I lived on my boat for a year in Miami in a marina that didn't allow liveaboards. The harbormaster knew it and said as long as it didn't look like anyone lived aboard, he didn't care.

Not everybody looks homeless who lives aboard.

[soverel]

I dont worry much about what people think of me.

I personally dont think much of Jack Welch. And I have never heard a derogatory joke about liveaboards. But cant count the number of jokes ive heard about Bill Gates.

And as for the homeless, they dont usually last to long as liveaboards. Most give up before they drown.



Sent from my HUAWEI-M931 using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

[Rhapsody-NS27]

Originally Posted by Obsessed1

Lennie, I am new to the board and the idea of being regarded by some as homeless is a little spooky. I am concerned because suddenly I feel the need to dump a majority of my belongings and wear nothing but flip flops all the time. I am 45 and I've never been on a sailboat, but for the passed week I've been unable to think about anything else. I have been married to my Maria for 19 yrs and we have a 10 year-old son. I've spent a good part of my life on the big hamster wheel and I have done well. Recently, I told my wife that I wanted us to become liveaboards for our retirement and she casually said it was a good idea
Now I find myself spending hours of my time researching boat specs, looking up sailing videos on youtube, and checking out sailing books from the library. Is this some sort of fever that causes normal people to become borderline, hippie-like transients?
Am I just going through a mid-life crisis and all will be well as soon as I get a cruiser?
Did you experience this too or should I seek therapy?
(Please disregard if it feels like I am hijacking thread. My son says I am obsessed and doesn't want us to get a boat.)

Doesn't look like a hijack, seems pretty well related to the topic.

I've read thing that there are a lot of people who thing you have to have a house in a nice neighborhood and if you live in anything else (RV/Camper, Tiny House, Tent, Boat, etc.) then you're considered as "homeless". I've been to places that you have to prove you have a house/address by showing multiple utility bills. If you don't pay the utility (into the system) then you're not contributing anything of worth.

I've lived around the military my entire life (17yrs myself) and at 36yrs old now, I feel that I've been a transient that entire time. Always having to move every few years. I also thought of getting out of the military and growing out my hair and beard to get that "hippy-look". I think some people exaggerate it a bit more than others. But after having to live by someone elses standards and rules, I think some just want to show that they're not controlled in some way by what others think of them. Personally, I would be just fine with that. But then, I have a wife that thinks/says otherwise.

You don't need therapy. This forum (and others) are filled with like-minded folks who dream or live this lifestyle. In a way, we're our own support group. Welcome to Cruisers Forum.