Living Aboard in Cleveland

[vipermagic]

Hi all, this is my first post! It looks like a great community, I'm excited to join! I hope I put this thread in the right place.

Anyway, like the title says, I'm interested in living aboard my sailboat in Cleveland, Ohio. Of course it'd be seasonal, and it would probably get pretty cramped (The boat is a Catalina 25- not the biggest, but she's all mine!). But I'm a young, single guy, and I live pretty simply. Plus, my job will ensure that I'm not home all that much, for the next few years anyway. Its going to be 12+ hour days, 6-7 days a week.

I'm attracted to living aboard because of the minimalist lifestyle it embodies, and also for financial reasons- I'm going to be paying for a slip anyways, why pay rent too? Plus I absolutely love sailing, and taking my house with me wherever I go sounds amazing.

I was hoping that someone might have Cleveland- or Catalina- specific advice, as far as what marinas to look at, whether marinas in Cleveland are even tolerant of people living on their boats, modifications to make living aboard easier... or anything else you may have to add! I've been lurking here for some time now, but I'm obviously still a newbie.

Thanks in advance

[James S]

Hey vipermagic...welcome to the forum.

[RicknSue]

Spitzer marina in Lorain has several people that live aboard, and we might as well some times...don'y know if they have a specific policy about it, but they don't seem to care. Its about the cheapest marina in the Cleveland area too, let me know if you want any more specifics.

[SV.Maverick]

That should be very doable although 25 is small and that spritzer marina looks cheap. Since you already have the boat what do you have to loose.

[mjwarner]

My cousin lived on his Hunter28 year round near Sandusky, might have been Lorain or Vermillion. Anyway, he used 2 bubblers in the winter and on-board heaters, said it wasn't real pleasant, but doable. (Then he moved south to Annapolis, much nicer winters, he says)

[vipermagic]

Spitzer marina DOES look great. I'd like to be in a marina a little more east, as I'll be working in the University circle/cleveland heights area, but I wouldn't mind Spitzer at all! Is it nice there? Do they have internet? Haha... and do they usually have open slips? I'm not sure what the dockage situation is like in Cleveland. I know here there's piles of open slips all the time.

And thanks James!

[RicknSue]

It's a nice place, they look after it well, the resturant is fabulous. I like the fact that you dont have to spend 1/2 hr to get on the lake by getting out of a river first. They do have internet. Lots of cool little perks, like free pump out, and 10% of all your fuel costs refunded off next years slip, a annual docker's party with all you can eat/drink. They also aren't crazy about milking you for more money, for example both my boat and my buddy's E27 are in 25 foot slips, at a lot of places, we would be pushed into 30 foot spaces/fees.
They have lots of slips, the economy has hit all the marinas hard. We actually live WAY east of the city, and it only takes about an hr to get there. One thing you will figure out is Cleveland Hts is a long way from everywhere(no freeways).
Hope this helps..